Elias M. Sabbagh pur35asc entered Chapter Eternal on April 3, 1985 at age 83. He had been an advisor to the Triangle Chapter at Purdue for 33 years.
In 1986, the Purdue Chapter and the Education Foundation instituted the Elias M. Sabbagh Memorial Scholarship, to be awarded annually to an outstanding member of the chapter. The first award of $1,000 was made on April 4, 1987. The winner's name and all subsequent winners' names are inscribed on a memorial plaque maintained at the chapter house.

Brother Sabbagh came to the United States from Lebanon at age 21 with little knowledge of English. By age 27 he had received degrees from Ohio State and Michigan State and had arrived at Purdue where he earned his doctorate six years later. He taught electrical engineering there for 42 years, retiring in 1970. In 1946 he was presented the university's Best Teacher Award.

He was named a Top Triangle in 1965 and in the TRIANGLE REVIEW of February 1969 was hailed as "Triangle's No. 1 Advisor."

Both of Dr. Sabbagh's sons are Triangles. They are Harold A. Sabbagh pur55 and L. David Sabbagh pur60.