Aaron Price Jr., an electrical engineering senior and basketball player, won this year’s Phi Beta Sigma Western Leadership Conference’s Emmitt Smith Athletic Achievement Award.
Price is the vice president of Phi Beta Sigma at Cal Poly, one of the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s “Divine Nine” historically Black organizations. As the vice president, he is motivated by his award to recharter his chapter and so that Cal Poly’s Black population can “stick together.”
Price said it is “a big blessing to be able to be recognized and to even be put in the same discussion as Emmitt Smith,” through the Emmitt Smith Athletic Achievement Award, which was named after the Pro Football Hall of Famer. Price said he is honored to be recognized for both his work in Greek life and on the basketball court.
“It was just such an honor just to be able to have so much overwhelming support, not just in my fraternity life, but also in my athletic career,” Price said.
He credits his winning of the Emmitt Smith award to the members of historically Black Greek organizations across the country who supported him during his games. After sharing his schedule with organizations across California, members showed up to his games at Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, UCLA and USC. It gave him a chance to connect with members in the state.
When Price’s chapter gets five members, Cal Poly will officially recognize the chapter. Fresno State’s Phi Beta Sigma chapter, Epsilon Delta Sigma, currently sponsors Price’s chapter, Omicron Pi. The recognition would give them additional resources and attention that would help them with their mission.
“I’m hoping that by the time I graduate in 2027, we’ll have a consistent presence on campus and allow people to really understand the mission,” Price said.
Cal Poly is a predominantly white institution, which motivated Price to help recharter Phi Beta Sigma. He hopes the organization can provide a safe space for Black students and Black men in particular. While he is a strong supporter of the Black Student Union, he feels that his fellow black student-athletes don’t have time in their busy schedules to be involved.
This week, until March 1, Phi Beta Sigma will host Sigma Week with fundraisers and seminars for men on dating, tying a tie and financial management.
Some of Sigma Phi’s events in the past included their Blue Jam Barbecue at French Park in April and their “Pie a Sigma” event on Dexter Lawn in October. Price hopes that organizing these events can recruit more people and make the organization more present on campus.
“It was just really good, just to see so many people come out, so many people introduce themselves, so many people, you know, start to mingle and talk to each other,” Price said. “The more familiar you get with the members of Phi Beta Sigma, the more likely you are to show up to our events.”
Going forward, Price wants to build up his chapter in order to unite Cal Poly’s people of color.
“We as a Black population, and a Cal Poly population, need to stick together,” Price said.