Gamma Xi Fraternity helps underserved students reach their goals

As Rodrick Dixon belted out “The Impossible Dream” on Thursday in his unique and powerful dramatic tenor voice, members of the local Gamma Xi Boule Fraternity and Foundation can take solace the fraternity helps students in Sarasota and Manatee counties.

Dixon was a guest of the Foundation’s 30th anniversary celebration at the Sarasota Opera House that included a speech by former U.S. House Rep., U.S. Ambassador, Mayor of Atlanta and civil rights activist Andrew Young and a personal message sent by Maryland Governor Wes Moore.

“I really like Sarasota. I’ve been here several times,” said Young, who turns 93 in March. “I tell you what: We have built Atlanta on tax municipal bonds. We have guys who donated to that and then retired here to Sarasota. Of course, I’m still working my (butt) off, but I enjoy it. You die when you retire.”

Photo by Michael Harris

The scholarships awarded to local students are also built on donations and, from meager beginnings roughly 20 years ago, now help at least four students receive $4,000 scholarships each year, according to Gamma Xi Boule’s Sire Archon Vincent Foderingham.

“It really started in its infancy with little small contributions from member dues, and we may have given one scholarship around $500 or so, but now that's grown significantly since,” Foderingham said. “The funding mechanism has been in place since 2004, but we really stepped up efforts since 2014.”

The foundation also helps funding for internships, many of which are in Sarasota including Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium and the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office as examples. In 2014, the foundation teamed up with Career Source Suncoast, the school boards of the two counties and the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office to sponsor programs for teenage students.

It has grown even further since then.

“We have the paid internship program with local employers,” Foderingham said. “But we have a speaker series at two high schools (Booker and Southeast) and a summer education program with Kettering University.”

The fraternity’s flagship event occurs every other year with the Valentines at The Ritz, held at The Ritz Carlton, Sarasota. The next one is slated for 2026, but there are other ways to get involved in the foundation through its website GammaXiFoundation.org