Fall 2026 Recipient: Tyler Fennelly - Inaugural Award Winner

Hometown: Concord NH
Class year: 2029 (Sophomore)
Major/Area of Study: Business
Double minor in Sales and Psychology
Activities/Interests & Hobbies: Golf, Hockey, Running, Staying active
Plans after graduation/Career Interests: See where the wind takes me 

What has Sigma Beta meant to you during your time at UNH?
Growing up, I came to UNH tailgates with my family and met my dad's brothers from his time in Sigma Beta. In high school, I visited my older brother some weekends during his. I had a good idea of the tailgates and the fun that goes on here, but since becoming a brother myself, I've learned it's a lot more than that. Coming to college, everything was an unknown: friends, classes, campus itself. Beta gave me footing faster than I expected. It's an older guy taking an afternoon to walk you through a class he took last year. It's being held to your best by people who have no obligation to. It's volleyball in the front yard on a nice afternoon, which sounds small until you realize how much of a year is made of afternoons. I grew up around this place from the outside. Being inside has made me want to be the guy my brother's friends were to me — the one an unsure freshman ends up counting on.

What does it mean to be selected as the JDG Foundation Scholarship recipient?
We are especially interested in what it means to receive an award associated with Jim’s memory and selected in recognition of the qualities the Foundation seeks to carry forward.

I am humbled to be tied to Jim’s name and the embodiment of his personality. Learning about Jim’s and his natural qualities as a human being was motivating in wanting to put out good into the world. He truly showed how a small act of kindness could change someone’s day. I look to bring this mindset with me everywhere I go from my brothers to peers, family and even strangers. For the scholarship, I look to bring awareness that this isn’t any ordinary award, but it shows respect to this organization and its rich history of great alumni. 

When you think about the kind of brother, friend, teammate, or leader you want to be, what qualities matter most to you?
Last summer I did a lot of landscaping. I was doing 12-hour days in the heat and up to 15-20 lawns, then waking up and doing it again. It never got easier, but what surprised me was that it got more fun. Looking forward to the long days made it go by faster and honestly better. That is what I have come to look for in myself and in other people. Not enjoying hard things but sticking with it long enough that you start to. I know that being fully disciplined is an unattainable goal, but I try to apply it in my everyday life and have found the most success, and fun in doing so.

Is there a particular Sigma Beta experience or memory that you think captures what the fraternity and brotherhood are all about?
My freshman year, my brother was a graduating senior. The night after the ceremony, I took a back seat and enjoyed the stories, laughs and company until sunrise. By then, we were walking to T-Hall lawn for the senior sunrise. Being the only freshman in Beta there, I had no clue what I was in for. We sat on the lawn, still chatting, fighting to keep our eyes open. As the sun rose over the East side of campus and people started to stand, I looked around and thought this was a peaceful ending to these guys' college careers. Then I noticed some glossy eyes in the crowd. The emotion spread like something contagious — dreary eyes turned red, and next thing I knew, mine started to itch. More faces turned from tired to something I can't describe. The hugs turned into holds and the sniffles turned into sobs. Not for the place, but for the people. Seeing it from guys I never expected it from only soaked my sweatshirt sleeves further. My throat felt wrapped in barbed wire, and I stopped trying to hide it. Then one sentence rang through the crowd, "One last volleyball game." Walking to the house, the emotion lingered but the energy climbed. By the time we got there, it was like watching kids in a sandbox with a crowd enjoying every moment. It was the most competitive and the purest game I have ever seen. I've felt collective effervescence at concerts and sporting events. This was something else, and I still can't name it. But sitting on that lawn, I understood exactly what I had signed up for — and what I'd be losing in three years.

Looking ahead, what do you hope to carry with you from your Sigma Beta experience after graduation?
The memories are the obvious answer, but the thing I will carry is deeper than that. It is the habit of showing up: for someone in a time of need, for commitments I made to a friend or in a meeting, while showing integrity. The older guys embodied these traits, and it leaves a lasting impact. It works the same way in a job, in a friendship, in whatever comes next. I hope I leave the chapter a little better than I found it, and I know I am leaving it a lot better than I came in.

“Brotherhood means…”
Brotherhood means being held to the standards your potential sets.