SigEp Journal - Spring 2022

Page 1

Spring 2022

Sigma Phi Epsilon

SigEp

Also Inside:

Colorful Lives Artist Romero Britto one of four powerhouse alumni awarded the SigEp Citation in 2021

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 1

SigEp at 125 and Beyond: Strategic Plan Outlines Fraternity's Future 32 Chapters Earn Buchanan Cups! A Hiker's Story of Survival And Brotherly Love

5/23/22 4:40 PM


From the Archives This safari hat captures the spirit of SigEp’s 1935 Grand Chapter Conclave in Denver, a location the Fraternity revisited for Conclave in 2021. Upon arrival, attendees received the hat as a souvenir. Between business sessions, brothers attended a cookout in the mountains, kicked up their heels at a dance with a live band and celebrated at a closing banquet. The hat pictured is on display in Richmond, Virginia, at Kief House, headquarters of the SigEp Educational Foundation.

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 2

5/23/22 4:41 PM


Table of Contents www.SigEp.org @officialsigep communications@sigep.org

SigEp Journal Volume 117, Issue 1 Spring 2022 310 South Arthur Ashe Blvd. Richmond, VA 23220 804.353.1901

pg. 42 “This makes me feel proud to be Native and excited to share the experience with my students.”

pg. 28 Talent and tenacity take newest Citation recipients to the top. DEPARTMENTS 4

Tower Room Meet the Board

20

Twelve Founders Day of Giving

22

SigEp Swag Lookin’ Sharp!

32

Brotherly Love Out of Bounds

44 In Memoriam Blackburn Heart Logo Designer Remembered

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 1

48 Red Door Awards for Excellence in Chapter Housing 51 SigEp City San Antonio: Conclave 2023 Host City 52 Arête Harvard Business School’s First Chief Diversity Officer

pg. 51

SigEp City: San Antonio Brother helps lead local collegiate team to its best-ever season as a member of the coaching staff.

Look for coverage of SigEp’s 57th Grand Chapter Conclave.

This icon identifies stories of the SigEp Educational Foundation's broad reach and impact.

Spring 2022

1

5/23/22 4:30 PM


CHAPTER INDEX

EDITOR

Tyya N. Turner CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Brian C. Warren Jr., Virginia ’04 DESIGN & LAYOUT

Tria Designs, Inc.

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER

Heather Matthews

ADVANCEMENT COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Ben Ford, Arkansas Tech Renaissance COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER & JOURNAL EDITOR

Tyya N. Turner

BRANDING & PARTNERSHIP MANAGER

Chase Gunn, Virginia Commonwealth Renaissance DIGITAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

Guillermo Flores

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS GRAND PRESIDENT

Billy D. Maddalon, North Carolina State ’90 GRAND TREASURER

Daniel W. McVeigh, Texas Wesleyan ’90 GRAND SECRETARY

Victor K. Wilson, Georgia ’82 DIRECTORS

Charles E. Amato, Sam Houston State ’70 Bruce W. Anderson, Texas-Austin ’71 David R. Calderon, CalPoly-Pomona ’88 Dr. Regina Hyatt Bradley C. Nahrstadt, Monmouth ’89 Greg A. Pestinger, Kansas State ’86 Michael A. Wolbert, Northwest Missouri ’94 STUDENT DIRECTORS

Brady Alexander, Florida ’22 Nathan Cung, Georgia Tech ’22 Greg Pierson, Missouri ’23

SIGMA PHI EPSILON FRATERNITY 310 S. ARTHUR ASHE BLVD. RICHMOND, VA 23220 804.353.1901 SUBSCRIPTIONS

The SigEp Journal, the official magazine of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, is published by the Fraternity for alumni, volunteers and other supporters. Published since 1904, the Journal is issued twice a year. To update your subscription, please keep your address current at mysigep.org. SUBMISSIONS

Have a story about a brother, chapter or volunteer you’d like to share with us? Email us at communications@sigep.net. ARCHIVE

Past issues of the Journal can be viewed at sigep.org/sigepjournal Update your communication preferences at mySigEp.org.

2

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 2

Alabama........................................ 18, 37 American.............................................. 18 Appalachian State..............................14 Arizona...................................... 14, 16, 17 Arkansas........................... 16, 18, 46, 47 Arkansas State...................................46 Arkansas Tech...........................2, 16, 18 Auburn.....................................16, 45, 47 Austin Peay State......................... 14, 18 Babson..............................................9, 18 Ball State............. 16, 17, 18, 45, 46, 47 Baker ....................................... 14, 18, 37 Baldwin Wallace.....14, 17, 19, 45, 46, 47 Barton ........................................... 45, 47 Baylor ............................................. 16, 18 Belmont Abbey............................ 16, 45 Bowling Green State....16, 17, 45, 46, 47 Bradley....................... 14, 16, 18, 45, 46 Bucknell......................................... 46, 47 California-Berkeley ...... 14, 16, 46, 47 California-Santa Barbara......... 14, 16, 17, 20, 27, 47 CalPoly-Pomona.....2, 5, 14, 16, 17, 18 Cal State-Chico..................................45 Cal State-Fullerton........................... 18 Case Western.......................................16 Cal State-Long Beach.......................17 Central Arkansas............................... 47 Central Michigan...............................45 Central Missouri.......................... 14, 16 Charleston (South Carolina)............... 46 Christopher Newport .....16, 18, 37, 47 Cincinnati..... 14, 16, 17, 18, 44, 45, 46 Cleveland State.................................. 18 Coastal Carolina................................46 Colorado................... 14, 17, 24, 45, 46 Colorado School of Mines...37, 45, 46 Colorado State..................... 16, 45, 46 Columbia................................. 14, 17, 40 Connecticut.............. 14, 16, 17, 18, 37, 45, 46, 47 Cornell............................. 18, 45, 46, 47 Culver-Stockton......................... 45, 47 Daemen.................................................17 Dartmouth.............................. 14, 16, 46 Davidson..................................14, 16, 18 Davis & Elkins...............................45, 46 Dayton............................................ 16, 46 Defiance............................................... 47 Delaware................................45, 46, 47 Denver...................................................45 Drake ................. 16, 18, 37, 45, 46, 47 Drexel ................................................... 37 Duke ............................................. 18, 46 East Carolina ....................................46 Eastern Washington ........................17 East Tennessee State .........14, 16, 18, 46, 47 Emporia State........................14, 45, 47 Evansville ...................................... 16, 18 Florida.......................2, 5, 14, 16, 17, 37, 44, 45, 46, 47 Florida Atlantic............................... 9, 14 Florida International .....14, 16, 20, 47 Florida Southern................................ 47 Florida State................... 45, 46, 47, 48 Fort Hays State.............................18, 47 Fresno State................................... 9, 45 Georgetown.........................................16 George Washington.................... 14, 16 Georgia..............2, 4, 14, 17, 45, 46, 47 Georgia State........................45, 46, 47 Georgia Southern ..................... 14, 45 Georgia Tech............. 2, 5, 16, 44, 45, 47 High Point............................................ 47 Houston................................... 17, 45, 47 Huntingdon..........................................14 Idaho State .................................. 46, 47 IIT .................................................7, 17 Illinois ............14, 16, 17, 18, 44, 46, 47 Illinois State.........................................16 Indiana..................14, 16, 17, 18, 45, 46

Indiana State.........................45, 46, 47 Indiana Tech ..........................16, 18, 45 Iowa ................................14, 18, 45, 49 Iowa State..................17, 18, 45, 46, 47 Iowa Wesleyan ...................................45 Jacksonville................................... 14, 18 James Madison......................8, 13, 46 Johns Hopkins ..............................17, 47 Kansas........................ 14, 16, 18, 45, 46 Kansas State..... 2, 5, 14, 16, 45, 46, 47 Kent State..................................... 14, 45 Kentucky....................................... 46, 47 Kentucky Wesleyan.............45, 46, 47 Lamar ................................ 14, 16, 17, 45 Lawrence.............................................. 47 Lawrence Tech ..............9, 17, 20, 37, 45 Lehigh ............................................ 14, 18 Lenoir Rhyne....................................... 47 Loras ............................................. 14, 18 Louisiana State ................16, 17, 37, 47 Louisville ...................................... 18, 37 Loyola.............................. 17, Back cover Loyola Marymount.............................16 Lynchburg ..................................... 9, 17 Maine ................................ 18, 37, 46, 47 Marquette........................................8, 19 Marshall.........................................45, 46 Maryland-College Park ...............14, 16, 45 Massachusetts....................... 16, 17, 47 Memphis.................................14, 18, 45 Memphis-Lambuth ........... 43, 45, 46 Miami Dade Community..................46 Miami (Florida)............Front cover, 14, 16, 17, 18, 28, 29, 46, 47 Miami (Ohio)........................................16 Michigan .......................... 14, 16, 45, 47 Michigan State .................................46 Michigan Tech......................................16 Middlebury..........................................45 Middle Tennessee State .................46 Minnesota............................... 14, 18, 37 Mississippi State.......6, 17, 37, 44, 45, 46, 47 Missouri.......................... 2, 5, 14, 16, 17, 25, 40, 46, 47 Missouri S&T...............14, 17, 31, 37, 46, 47 Missouri State............... 16, 25, 37, 40, 45, 46, 47 MIT ...................................... 14, 45, 46 Monmouth............... 2, 5, 14, 17, 18, 45 Montana State.................................... 18 Morehead State.......................8, 14, 17 Murray State............ 14, 18, 37, 39, 46 Nebraska...............14, 17, 18, 37, 45, 46, 47 Nebraska-Kearney.....................35, 37 Nebraska-Omaha........................ 17, 45 Nevada-Reno......................................32 New Mexico........................... 16, 34, 45 New Mexico State...............................17 North Carolina ..................................45, North Carolina-Greensboro.46, 47, 52 North Carolina State..........2, 4, 16, 17, 18, 29, 45, 46, 47 North Dakota............................9, 17, 47 North Texas ....14, 16, 17, 18, 44, 45, 46 Northern Colorado............................45 Northern Illinois ............................ 9, 14 Northern Iowa..........14, 18, 21, 37, 38 Northern Kentucky ..................... 14, 18 Northwest Missouri.....2, 5, 16, 17, 45 NYU .......................................................6 Ohio Northern............................. 45, 47 Ohio State........................ 16, 18, 46, 47 Ohio Wesleyan .....................45, 46, 47 Oklahoma .............. Front cover, 8, 26, 32, 33, 45 Oklahoma State.............. 8, 14, 37, 42, 45, 46, 47 Oregon ....................................18, 46, 47 Oregon State..........................14, 16, 18, 37, 46, 47 Pennsylvania.....16, 18, 41, 45, 46, 47

Pennsylvania State.16, 18, 30, 45, 47 Pepperdine............................. 14, 18, 37 Philadelphia........................................ 18 Purdue...................14, 16, 17, 18, 45, 46 Pittsburg State................................... 17 Quinnipiac............................................43 Radford...................................................... Randolph-Macon..............................45 Rensselaer.................14, 16, 18, 46, 47 Richmond ................. 14, 18, 45, 46, 47 Rider .......................................16, 18, 39 Rutgers................................... 18, 44, 46 Sacramento State........................ 16, 18 Sam Houston State ...... 2, 4, 7, 14, 16, 18, 47, 51 San Diego....................................... 16, 17 San Diego State .14, 16, 17, 18, 45, 47 SIU-Edwardsville.........................14, 47 South Carolina...................... 18, 45, 46 South Dakota State..............16, 37, 48 South Florida.................................17, 18 Southeast Missouri State.........14, 37, 46, 47 Southern California .......14, 16, 17, 18, 24, 45, 46, 47 Southern Methodist..............15, 17, 18, 44 Southern Mississippi........................ 18 St. Mary’s............................................... 8 Stanford ................................................14 Stetson..................................................14 Stevens.................................... 16, 18, 37 Syracuse........................... 16, 17, 20, 45 Tennessee.... 14, 16, 18, 40, 45, 46, 47 Tennessee-Martin............ 9, 14, 16, 18 Tennessee Tech..................................45 Tennessee Wesleyan.................. 18, 46 Texas A&M .....................................17, 47 Texas A&M-Commerce.....................16 Texas-Arlington .......................... 14, 45 Texas-Austin................. 2, 4, 16, 17, 18, 45, 46, 47 Texas Christian............................ 46, 47 Texas Tech........................................8, 18 Texas Wesleyan .................. 2, 4, 16, 46 Thiel .......................................18, 46, 47 Toledo ............................... 16, 18, 37, 46 Truman State................................. 14, 16 Tulane.............................................. 14, 18 UNC-Wilmington..........................17, 47 Utah State............................................45 Valdosta State....................................46 Valparaiso.................. 14, 16, 18, 37, 47 Vanderbilt.............................................17 Vermont................................................45 Villanova......................................... 17, 45 Vincennes............................................45 Virginia................................2, 14, 45, 46 Virginia Commonwealth..............2, 18, 47 Virginia Tech.....4, 5, 8, 14, 16, 18, 45, 46 Wake Forest......................................... 47 Washburn.................. 14, 16, 45, 46, 47 Washington................................... 16, 18 Washington State..........14, 17, 37, 45, 46, 51 Washington-St. Louis....6, 14, 18, 31, 46 West Chester................................ 16, 18 Western Carolina...........................7, 46 Western Kentucky...............37, 45, 49 Western Michigan......... 14, 16, 45, 47 Westminster................................. 46, 47 West Virginia.......................... 17, 46, 47 West Virginia Tech...................... 14, 46 Wichita State ..................14, 18, 45, 46 William & Mary.....................42, 43, 47 Wisconsin.................14, 40, 44, 45, 46 Wisconsin-Oshkosh..........................46 Wisconsin-Platteville.......14, 16, 18, 37, 46 Wisconsin-Stevens Point.................14 WPI ..............................................18, 47 Wright State........................... 18, 37, 47 Wyoming....................................... 14, 45 Youngstown State ............................ 47 W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


GRAND PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

We’re Focused on What Really Matters BROTHERS AND FRIENDS,

I’m writing this note as an introduction to me, as well as the ambitious work our Fraternity is undertaking. We’re about to break a few things, and I guess this is my version of a “heads-up.” After witnessing the world go through a pandemic, it was great to see our undergraduate brothers return to in-person learning and enjoy a traditional campus experience. Rest assured, we’re focused on what really matters: Ô Our cardinal principles of Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love Ô Building Balanced Leaders for the World’s Communities Ô A commitment to Sound Mind, Sound Body.

At our Grand Chapter Conclave last July, SigEp’s National Board of Directors unveiled its new strategic plan, a roadmap for taking us beyond our 125th anniversary and into an uncertain future in higher education. It focuses on our people — the men we recruit and retain and the volunteers who support them; how our life-changing experiences shape them; and fostering safe living-learning environments that influence their growth. You can learn more about it at sigep.org/strategicplan. I’ve helped build plans for businesses and nonprofit organizations. Ours is missiondriven, disruptive, measurable … and expensive. Our initial, immediate priorities are: Ô GROWTH: Expanding to campuses we know will embrace our definition of fraternity, growing existing chapters through year-round recruitment, and retaining juniors and seniors by providing a four-year experience they value.

There’s also an urgent, overarching issue that touches every part of what we’re doing: the mental health crisis facing college men across America. Alarming numbers of undergraduate men are reporting feelings of loneliness, anxiety and isolation. Our nation is experiencing record levels of addiction and deaths by overdose and suicide. Fewer men are entering college each year, and fewer are graduating. Colleges and universities are struggling to get their arms around this. Many men don’t seek help, in large part because this goes against society’s image of masculinity. Recent research shows men are far more likely to be vulnerable in the safety of their fraternity house or reach out to a brother they trust. I want you to know we’re in the process of reconsidering our role and capacity to help address this crisis in everything we do. We often repeat a promise made by our Founders long ago, “This Fraternity will be different.” But “different” leaves me yearning for more. In a world full of irrelevance, I wish they had said, “This fraternity will matter.” Because regardless of any plan, that’s job number one … we have to make a positive, measurable difference in the lives of young men, and that difference has to become a lifestyle that follows them after they graduate. In everything we do going forward, that’s our commitment.

“We have to make a positive, measurable difference in the lives of young men, and that difference has to become a lifestyle that follows them after they graduate.”

With appreciation and brotherly love,

Billy D. Maddalon

GRAND PRESIDENT

Ô EXPERIENCE: Reimagining the “leadership continuum” — leadership development opportunities, the Balanced Man Program and SigEp Learning Communities. Ô VOLUNTEERS: Recruiting and training as many of the best coaches and mentors as possible. Ô CAPACITY: Preparing for the largest fundraising effort in Fraternity history to support these ambitious needs and goals. @OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 3

Spring 2022

3

5/23/22 4:30 PM


Tower Room How can we to ensure our undergraduate brothers leave college prepared to succeed in the workplace? Since most young men join a fraternity to develop leadership skills, social skills and discipline, I feel we are doing our part to ensure they develop those soft skills essential for their futures. They often don’t realize that 90 percent of their time will be spent outside of the classroom using those skills. — Alumni Director Charlie Amato, Sam Houston State ’70 Front row: Victor Wilson, Brad Nahrdstadt, Billy Maddalon, Greg Pierson, Brady Alexander and Nathan Cung. Back row: Dave Calderon, Charlie Amato, Bruce Anderson, Greg Pestinger, Michael Wolbert and Daniel McVeigh. Inset: Regina Hyatt

Meet the Board SigEp elected a new board of directors at the 2021 Grand Chapter Conclave. The Journal posed a question to each board member on what it will take to achieve the goals outlined in the Fraternity’s strategic plan. (Learn more at sigep.org/strategicplan) As we look ahead to celebrating 125 years of brotherhood in 2026, what is our biggest challenge? First, we must clearly define the promise we make to undergraduates and their families as we transform Sigma Phi Epsilon into an experience that’s relevant and portable throughout a lifetime. Second, we have a huge lift ahead to find the people and dollars necessary to execute this new experience well. — Grand President Billy Maddalon, North Carolina State ’90

4

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 4

What ingredients are necessary to propel our mission of Building Balanced Leaders for the World’s Communities? Our society is changing fast. It will be critical for us to ensure our young leaders are aware of, prepared for and accepting of the world today. It will be a major disservice to them if we miss this point! — Grand Secretary Victor Wilson, Georgia ’82

How can we enhance the volunteer experience to attract and retain more volunteers?

There are many ways to volunteer, including serving as a chapter counselor or on an alumni and volunteer corporation. Our Career Coaching program provides an opportunity for volunteers who want to get involved, but have limited time to invest. By speaking with brothers interested in their field, career coaches can answer questions, give tips, share experiences and discuss their career path. This is a HUGE benefit to our undergraduate brothers and a rewarding way for volunteers to give back. — Grand Treasurer Daniel McVeigh, Texas Wesleyan '90

How do we keep the momentum going with our SigEp Learning Communities? Under the leadership of Ed Bishop, Virginia Tech ’74, the SigEp Learning Community Task Force simplified the accreditation process and helped chapters broaden their impact on campus and in the community. The next phase for the committee is to drive every chapter to become a SigEp Learning Community by offering the resources, guidance and assistance to build upon what they currently offer members. — Alumni Director Bruce Anderson, Texas-Austin ’71

Describe your vision for a more diverse and inclusive SigEp. SigEp should only be exclusive in that it serves as a beacon for men of the highest moral character. SigEp must be inclusive in terms of race, religion, creed

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

In 1901, in an unheated, unfurnished room in a residence hall tower at Richmond College, our first brothers charted the path for what would become Sigma Phi Epsilon. Ever since, as demonstrated by the Fraternity updates and chapter milestones in this section, we have lived by our founding principle, “This Fraternity will be different.”

and sexual orientation when recruiting balanced leaders to become brothers and mentors. We will never truly embody Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love until we genuinely reflect the racial, ethnic and cultural makeup of the communities in which we learn and live. — Alumni Director Dave Calderon, Cal Poly-Pomona ’88

Speak to the impact substance-free facilities have had on SigEp and could have in the future. Our substance-free policy has resulted in cleaner and safer facilities. Creating a member experience not fueled by alcohol has given brothers a greater sense of pride in their homes and redefined chapter facilities as spaces that are clean, comfortable and conducive to academic success. It’s also allowed us to focus on attracting young men who want to join SigEp because they hunger for genuine camaraderie, personal development and to make our communities and the world a better place. Since adoption of the policy, we’ve also had fewer insurance claims. — Alumni Director Brad Nahrstadt, Monmouth ’89

requires us to extend this safe space and be a guiding light for all student organizations on our campuses. This includes changing campus culture when called for. Through our leadership, we create the same opportunity for all students to realize their full potential and live successful and fulfilling lives. — Alumni Director Greg Pestinger, Kansas State ’88

How can SigEp grow while continuing to maintain its high standards? Growth with high standards requires that we recruit new members proactively with written standards as a guide. By recruiting to these standards, we set a high bar. The performance of the entire chapter improves when we seek out and surround ourselves with quality men. To be a great chapter, recruitment must happen every day. We must continue using tools such as the Balanced Man Scholarship to recruit new members and seek out and find these men in our everyday activities. — Alumni Director Michael Wolbert, Northwest Missouri ’94

What role can SigEp chapters play in helping brothers achieve Sound Mind, Sound Body wellness?

What should SigEp and other fraternal organizations do to develop long-lasting partnerships with their host universities?

Our chapters provide a safe, healthy place for brothers to learn from each other, grow through shared experiences, be their authentic selves and use their gifts to bring good to the world. Brotherly love

Relationships are best built outside of crises. Spending time getting to know the teams working with chapters on campus and learning about the institutional culture is a great way to get

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 5

started. Sharing a sincere commitment to the wellbeing of the students first is the foundation of a great partnership. — Director Regina Hyatt, Ph.D.

“Our recently launched Career Coaching program provides an opportunity for volunteers who want to get involved, but have limited time to invest.” What is the biggest challenge facing undergraduate men today, and what can SigEp do to address it or create greater awareness about it? One of the challenges undergrads face is finding access to mental health resources where they feel comfortable discussing the things they’re going through. To address this further and generate awareness, SigEp can partner with mental health professionals and academic resources at our host institutions to bring more sound mind programming and conversations into the chapter and provide brothers with support when needed.

What will you advocate for to make the member experience even better for brothers? In my chapter, we often refer to a phrase from the Fraternity’s creed: “I believe that a man will be made better for having been a member of my Fraternity.” I aim to promote and improve initiatives that realize this idea — quality educational and social programming, Career Coaching and our national leadership programs. I believe in SigEp because of the way programs like these have impacted me, and I hope to further that impact nationally. — Student Director Nathan Cung, Georgia Tech ’22

What is the most significant thing SigEp can do to strengthen the fraternity movement? SigEp must continue to push for reforms in the Greek community and on campuses across the country. The fraternity movement will be strengthened if we push institutions to hold individuals accountable when their conduct does not further the university’s mission. At the same time, we must continually raise our internal standards and find new ways to innovate within SigEp to ensure we are providing the greatest fraternity experience in the country. — Student Director Greg Pierson, Missouri ’23

— Student Director Brady Alexander, Florida ’22

Spring 2022

5

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

Chartering a New Course

What does it take for a newly re-established chapter to earn its SigEp charter? High academic standards, campus involvement and commitment to the local community are all essential to building a SigEp chapter that will stand the test of time. Not satisfied with just meeting the minimum expectations, these recently chartered chapters far exceeded them. Here, we celebrate the chapters that received their charters in the past two years while the Journal was on hiatus during the pandemic.

WashingtonSt. Louis CHARTERING DATE

April 2, 2022

community garden, as well as volunteer yard work for local residents. AWARDS RECEIVED:

GPA AT CHARTERING

3.69

Recognized for commitment to member development.

Mississippi State

NYU

CHARTERING DATE:

CHARTERING DATE

April 10, 2021

Feb. 6, 2020

GPA AT CHARTERING:

3.5 CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT:

GPA AT CHARTERING

Campus tour guides, IFC conduct board member, student senators, club baseball players.

3.6

PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Intramural soccer and basketball; presidents of the investment club, real estate group and Model UN.

Raised over

$22,000

for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, participated in Adopt-aHighway cleanup, volunteered at an animal shelter. RECRUITMENT: Received more than 1,350 Balanced Man Scholarship applications between fall 2017 and chartering, enabling them to focus on potential new members invested in the right things. AWARDS RECEIVED: IFC Excellence in Scholarship, IFC Best Virtual Academic Programming.

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT:

PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE: Raised

over $10,000 in support of three charities; prepared meals for the homeless; volunteered at local elementary schools. RECRUITMENT:

20 percent of new members were recruited through the Balanced Man Scholarship.

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT:

IFC officers, club rugby captain, club lacrosse president, coordinates a Sexual Assault Awareness Week each year. PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Participates in biweekly groundskeeping at a

6

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 6

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

Sam Houston State

Western Carolina

CHARTERING DATE

CHARTERING DATE

April 18, 2020

April 24, 2021

GPA AT CHARTERING

GPA AT CHARTERING

3.26

3.3

highest fraternity GPA each semester since returning to campus.

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT:

Welcome Week leader, paintball team, Student Government Association, ultimate frisbee. RECRUITMENT: 60 percent of members were recruited through the Balanced Man Scholarship. AWARDS RECEIVED:

Most Outstanding President award (Tyler Arsenault), President’s Choice award (Sebastian Morales), 5-STAR Excellence in Scholarship, 5-STAR Excellence in Organization Involvement & Leadership Development, highest IFC GPA.

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 7

PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE: Hosted

a Christmas care package drive for North Carolina National Guardsmen stationed in Kuwait; raised over $4,000 for a nonprofit that provides resources and support to abused children. AWARDS RECEIVED:

Outstanding Program award for Balanced Man Scholarship, IFC Outstanding Academics award.

IIT CHARTERING DATE

May 31, 2020 GPA AT CHARTERING

3.3

Since chartering, IIT brothers have continued to build on their success on campus. Here, brothers pose with their 2021 Greek Week championship trophy.

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT:

Student Government Association (SigEps represent one-third of the executive board and one fifth of the Student Senate); presidents of the Cricket Club, Tennis Club and Black Student Union. PHILANTHROPY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE:

Food drives with a local church, beach cleanup with the Chicago Parks District, volunteering at a city animal shelter. PROGRAMMING:

Content experts have led chapter workshops on taxes and investing, informational interviews, healthy meal prep, and other topics.

Spring 2022

7

5/23/22 4:44 PM


TOWER ROOM

Chapter Anniversaries SigEp chapters founded in the following years marked milestone anniversaries during the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. While celebrations or banquets were largely on hold, we want to celebrate the decades of Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love. Wonder what else was happening when these chapters started? Below, we recall some of the memorable events that occurred in the years these chapters became part of the SigEp family.

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS:

Wisconsin Zeta, Marquette Kentucky Zeta, Morehead State Virginia Iota, James Madison Texas Theta, St. Mary’s Texas Iota, Texas Tech

Oklahoma State

Oklahoma Beta, Oklahoma

Virginia Kappa, Virginia Tech

1920

1946

1970

Women gain the right to vote.

The first meeting of the United Nations General Assembly is held.

The first national Earth Day observance is held.

The Basketball Association of America, the precursor to the NBA, holds its first game in Toronto.

The first New York City Marathon is held.

CELEBRATING 100 YEARS:

Prohibition goes into effect. PAUL THOMPSON/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Mass media is “born” with the advent of the first commercially licensed radio station, which broadcast the results of the presidential election of Warren G. Harding. Babe Ruth nearly doubles his own home run record of 29, setting a new season record of 54.

8

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 8

Mensa, an organization for people with high IQs, is founded in Oxford, England.

NASA/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

CELEBRATING 75 YEARS:

NASA’s Explorer 1, the first American satellite and Explorer program spacecraft, re-enters Earth’s atmosphere after 12 years in orbit. W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS:

Massachusetts Theta, Babson

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS:

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS:

Virginia Omicron, Lynchburg

Michigan Theta, Lawrence Tech

California Phi, Fresno State

North Dakota Alpha, North Dakota

Illinois Epsilon, Northern Illinois

Tennessee Kappa, Tennessee-Martin

Maryland Zeta, Salisbury

1971

1995 1996

Cigarette ads are banned from airing on TV in the U.S.

Windows 95 is released. “Toy Story” opens in theaters.

Southwest Airlines launches, flying between Dallas, Houston and San Antonio. The 26th Amendment is formally certified, lowering the voting age from 21 to 18.

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 9

Dolly the sheep is cloned. LONDON ROAD/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

“All in the Family” debuts

Motorola introduces the StarTac, the first clamshell cell phone. HETTEPOP/ WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

FRONTLASH FOUNDATION/UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Florida Xi, Florida Atlantic

The Nintendo 64 gaming system is released. The Summer Olympics is held in Atlanta.

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken Jr. plays his 2,131th consecutive game, breaking Lou Gehrig’s 56-year-old record.

Spring 2022

9

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

E

​​G ROWTH

SigEp will effectively use year-round recruitment strategies to recruit the most talented, values-aligned men at current and new chapters.

E

EX

PER

IENC

TS

ES

N

NVI RONM

VOLUNTEERS

PE

SigEp chapters will be made successful by a diverse group of volunteers, empowered to support a healthy chapter experience and mentor undergraduates.

OPLE

SigEp at 125 & Beyond

​CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Every member will have access to coaching, connections and programming that will prepare them to successfully navigate and compete in the job market.

CHARTING A VISION OF WHAT SIGEP CAN ACHIEVE

SigEp’s Strategic Plan builds on all of our success and what sets us apart, because of the people we bring together and the experiences and supportive environments we provide. Our nine priorities seek to impact in these three areas. 10

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 10

HEALTH & SAFETY S UBSTANCEFREE FACILITY SUPPORT

SigEp chapters and alumni and volunteer corporations will embrace and promote their substance-free environment as a differentiator, and each chapter will have the resources needed to thrive under this model.

SIGEP LEARNING COMMUNITIES

SigEp Learning Communities will be, unquestionably, the best student organizations on their respective campuses.

SigEp chapters will be the ideal place for undergraduates to thrive academically, maintain a healthy mind and body, develop life-long friendships, and prepare for life after college.

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:45 PM


TOWER ROOM

O DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

SigEp chapters will be representative of their campus demographic, offering undergraduate members diverse and inclusive experiences that prepare them for the real world.

BALANCED MAN PROGRAM

Every SigEp member will understand and be so excited by the life-changing opportunities afforded through the BMP that they remain in the chapter through graduation and give back as a volunteer and donor.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Members will graduate with communication skills, empathy and confidence critical to lead their communities and industries with integrity.

UR CARDINAL PRINCIPLES of

Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love have guided SigEp for more than 120 years. These are values that stand the test of time — but to be effective, we must continuously reaffirm them through action and resolve. Today, we are more determined than ever to build balanced leaders and prepare young men to step up in their chapters, communities and careers. It matters. Building strong and balanced leaders is something SigEp knows how to do. We have a reputation in the fraternity world for blazing trails and doing what’s necessary to ensure our undergraduate brothers receive the best fraternity experience on their campus — that they are safe and supported, excel academically, are prepared for life after college, develop empathy, and learn to cultivate healthy relationships.

It is time to launch a new strategic plan that continues to position us as the leader among fraternities, and even as the leader among all student organizations on our campuses. In 2026, we will celebrate 125 years of Sigma Phi Epsilon — a significant milestone that should be commemorated by significant achievement. It is time to launch a new strategic plan that continues to position us as the leader among fraternities, and even as the leader among all student organizations on our campuses. With this strategic plan — SigEp at 125 & Beyond — we intend to be disruptive to the fraternity world, and a breath of fresh air to higher education, parents and young men searching for something meaningful on their campus and in their lives. We will build on key differentiators proven to reinforce strong, healthy chapter culture — like the Balanced Man Program, SigEp Learning Communities and substance-free facilities — and CONTINUES ON PAGE

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 11

How Far We’ve Come Since the last SigEp strategic plan launched in 2009:

Ô Many of our chapters are effectively recruiting year-round and no longer dependent on a rush pool limited to one week a year. In 2019, 40% of our membership came through year-round recruitment efforts and 1 in 5 men joined through the Balanced Man Scholarship process. Ô Because undergraduates passed legislation to implement the Balanced Man Program across all chapters in 2015, more brothers are getting the support and development they need to thrive as students and professionals after they graduate. SigEp is now seen as the benchmark for fraternities in the way we develop our young leaders. Ô The SigEp Learning Community program has relaunched. Many houses have been renovated into clean, professionally managed living-learning environments and are places our undergraduates want to live in and that alumni are proud to return to when visiting campus. Ô Stories of our chapter success have reached our alumni, and because of that, the SigEp Educational Foundation has raised more money for leadership programs in the last five years than at any other point in our history. That means less financial burden placed on undergraduates as they receive more and better programming. Ô Progress has even led to chapter leaders confidently presenting to university presidents and vice presidents about SigEp’s approach to the fraternity experience, changing the conversation on college campuses about how to do fraternity the right way.

12 Spring 2022

11

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

CONTINUED FROM PAGE

11

break new ground in other areas to provide needed support for members and chapters today. This is an ambitious plan, but our undergraduates are worthy of the experience it will provide. When we do these things well, SigEp is not only the leader among fraternities, it is the best student organization on every campus. SigEp draws in the best and brightest students the university has to offer. SigEp is the group students want to join — and parents want their son to be a part of — because brothers feel like they belong, excel inside and outside the classroom, and are prepared for life after college. And upon graduation, SigEp is where brothers and friends want to volunteer their time and talents because they see the value in the experience.

We intend to be disruptive to the fraternity world, and a breath of fresh air to higher education, parents and young men searching for something meaningful on their campus and in their lives. As Grand President Billy Maddalon said in the closing moments of Grand Chapter Conclave in 2021, “We often repeat a promise made by our Founders long ago: ‘This Fraternity will be different’. But ‘different’ leaves me yearning for more. In a world full of irrelevance, I wish they had said, ‘This fraternity will matter.’ Because regardless of any plan, that’s job number one … we have to make a positive, measurable difference in the lives of young men, and that difference has to be portable, becoming a lifestyle that follows them after they graduate. In everything we do going forward, that’s our commitment.”

12

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 12

Developing the Strategic Plan SPRING 2019 As SigEp leadership began to think about what should guide SigEp into the future, we were searching for a better version of ourselves. Led by the National Board of Directors, we followed a thoughtful process guided by Richard Spoon, a strategic planning expert and SigEp brother. SUMMER AND FALL 2019 We engaged hundreds of people — undergraduate and alumni brothers, dedicated volunteers, invested donors and campus partners — who participated in surveys, roundtable discussions and interviews, sharing their invaluable experiences and expertise, giving Fraternity leadership much-needed insight. We conducted research and analyzed the data from our annual Brotherhood Assessment and beyond.

From there, the National Board of Directors worked with the staff to draft the strategic plan’s objectives, goals, strategies and measures. FEBRUARY 2020 Undergraduate and volunteer leaders provided feedback on a draft of the strategic plan at Carlson Leadership Academies and via webinars. This helped further shape the priorities and plan you see today. MARCH 2020 – DECEMBER 2020 Rollout of the plan was postponed with the onset of the pandemic, as the Fraternity adapted to meet immediate needs in an ever-evolving environment for our chapters. We learned much from finding new ways to provide support and value to brothers and chapters, and gained renewed clarity in purpose.

2021 Our work to achieve the objectives of the plan persisted. New committees and task forces — Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Mental Health; Growth; Ritual; SigEp Learning Community; Volunteer Development; and others — focused on providing recommendations that would shape the goals of the strategic plan. Together with the staff, we are driving progress. In July 2021, at Grand Chapter Conclave, we reintroduced the priorities of the strategic plan to undergraduate and volunteer leaders and launched an interactive page on the SigEp website where you can view the priorities and under each, its objectives, goals, strategies and live results. SigEp has life-building, future-shaping, world-changing work to do. Are you in? Learn more about the plan, becoming a volunteer or suppor ting these ef for t s at sigep.org/ sigepat 125.

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

#SigEp

A sampling of what brothers are posting, liking and sharing on social media.

jmusigup The Quad

212 likes jmusigep We made the most out of an epic snow day on Tuesday! Even got front page in the local newspaper! Shout out to brother @aportyphoto for these awesome shots!

sigupwsu Columbia Tower Club

462 likes sigupwsu Congratulations to senior Nate Richardson for completing his Firefightter Stairclimb at the Columbia Tower in Seattle!

Engage with Us Online

In climbing 69 flights of stairs (1,356 steps), Richardson was able to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society all while representing the Pullman Fire Department.

@officialsigep

www.sigep.org

Thank you to everyone who donated and helped him on his journey! Nate, we're all proud of you!

@officialsigep

#sigep

#VDBL

@officialsigep @sigepfraternity

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 13

Update your communications preferences at mysigep.org. Spring 2022

13

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

Board of Governors The Board of Governors is the lead donor group that provides support for the SigEp Educational Foundation’s Annual Fund. Made up of hundreds of committed brothers and friends, the Board of Governors plays a critical role in making the SigEp experience possible. BOG members help the Fraternity expand the quality and reach of our impact locally through the Balanced Man Program and dedicated support for chapter leaders, as well as through industry-leading national programs like the Ruck Leadership Institute and career coaching. These brothers and friends contributed during SigEp's 2020-2021 fiscal year, which runs from July 1 – June 30 each year. Learn more and join the Board of Governors at https://sigep.org/boardofgovernors

Chairman’s Circle ($10,000+) Mark Davis, Nebraska ’90 Mike Elliott, East Tennessee State ’81 Bruce Fusillo, Kent State ’70 Jay Hurt, Davidson ’88 Tom Jelke, Florida International ’90 Garry Kief, Southern California ’70 Greg Pestinger, Kansas State ’86 Zar Toolan, Columbia ’01

President’s Circle ($5,000 - $9,999) Tom Allardyce, Lamar ’70 Tom Barton, Loras ’89 Matt Beck, Iowa ’90 Rick Bennet, Central Missouri ’74 Robert Breedlove, Oklahoma State ’69 Scott Carr, California-Santa Barbara ’86 Skip Dahlkamp, San Diego State ’63 Denis Dieker, Wichita State ’77 John Durrant, Stetson ’96

Brett Gough, Wisconsin-Platteville ’03 Jonathan Hayes, CalPoly-Pomona ’93 Todd Johns, Minnesota ’98 Chuck Kubic, Lehigh ’72 John Lawson, Virginia Tech ’75 Josh Lee, Valparaiso ’98 Dick Mullen, Cincinnati ’65 Barry Posner, California-Santa Barbara ’70 Wendell Rakosky, Baldwin Wallace ’78 Darren Rodgers, Georgia ’84 William Rogers, Maryland-College Park ’54 A.J. Scribante, Kansas State ’56 Mike Watford, Florida ’75 Dale Werts, Baker ’84

Sponsor Level ($2,500 - $4,999) Bill Becker, Indiana ’72 Chris Bittman, Colorado ’85 Neil Blais, CalPolyPomona ’82 Steve Chaneles, Connecticut ’83

“I’m pleased to support SigEp as a Board of Governors member because the Fraternity has given me so much over the years - invaluable life lessons, friendships, mentors and leadership opportunities during and after college - all of which have been formative in my life.” Ehren Stanhope, Tulane ’05 14

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 14

Ken Christianson, Washington State ’74 Jim Clayton, Tennessee ’57 Rick Collins, Wisconsin ’79 Jeff Comer, Jacksonville ’02 Matt Finke, Truman State ’04 Robert Frank, Baldwin Wallace ’68 Clayton Funk, Washburn ’93 Bryce Giesler, Tennessee ’82 Jerry Guyant, Wisconsin-Stevens Point ’65 Andy Hall, East Tennessee State ’95 Cary Hancock, West Virginia Tech ’83 Jay Harness, Arizona ’65 Kent Hickman, Colorado ’61 Tom Hill, Richmond ’64 Keith Johns Cliff Kinnunen, SIU-Edwardsville ’81 Mike Lincoln, Southeast Missouri State ’84 Ken Maddox, Oregon State ’75 Chris McCaw, Appalachian State ’03 Dave McLaughlin, Minnesota ’92 Bill Monroe, Western Michigan ’63 Billy Morgan, Memphis ’71 Norm Nabhan, Purdue ’71 Brad Nahrstadt, Monmouth ’89 Michael Neary, Northern Illinois ’90 Derek Pardee, SUNY-Buffalo ’83 Chris Piotrowski, Washington State ’12 Ken Rhines, George Washington ’89 Tom Russell, Columbia ’99 Keith Sapp, Wyoming ’03 Eric Schoenstein, Oregon State ’88 Steve Shanklin, Murray State ’70 Jason St. John, Maryland-College Park ’94 Chuck Stegman, Colorado ’81 Todd Stewart, Morehead State ’87 Greg Swain, Central Missouri ’85 Kevin Teets, Tennessee-Martin ’06 Dale Wagner, Wichita State ’71 Cliff Webster, Washington State ’74 David Wolverton, Texas-Arlington ’85 Jeremy Wyld, Iowa ’92 Steve Young, Kansas ’80

1901 Society ($1,901 - $2,499) Charlie Amato, Sam Houston State ’70 Joel Anderson, Northern Iowa ’12 Joey Baird, Florida Atlantic ’07 Ken Blankenship, Tennessee-Martin ’00 Don Burgio, Rensselaer ’89 Bob Connor, North Texas ’64 Ryan Denny, Stanford ’06 Wayne Dodgen, MIT ’79 Chris Drew, Austin Peay State ’10 Gary Dudley, Sam Houston State ’69 John Eber, Bradley ’73 Marc Ferguson, Bradley ’84 Patrick Fontana, Truman State ’94 Stu Gould, California-Berkeley ’59 Gregg Gowanloch, Georgia Southern ’96 Ed Hammond, Emporia State ’66 Bob Hartsook, Emporia State ’70 Drew Holland, George Washington ’02 Mike Hurst, Missouri S&T ’74 Craig Kaufman, Washington-St. Louis ’86 Mike Kimmel, Dartmouth ’94 Wayne Knupp, Huntingdon ’95 Frank Ko, Pepperdine ’97 Mark Krzywonos, Northern Kentucky ’84 Jon Kucera, Virginia ’69

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

“We met in college at SMU. A SigEp social event was one of our first dates, and years later, SigEp brothers pulled off an epic surprise wedding proposal. The SigEp Anthem became the household lullaby to sway our little girls to sleep. This brotherhood has supported us through every milestone in our lives together — and we know it will be there for us for years to come.” Daniel Liu, Southern Methodist ’08 “ I’m proud to join Daniel in our giving to SigEp, because I see the lasting impact of this Fraternity’s values and how this brotherhood has shown up for our family. Career, marriage and family take balance — and I’m grateful I found my ‘Balanced Man!’ Thank you, SigEp!” Karoline Liu @OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 15

Spring 2022

15

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

“ My decision to join the Board of Governors was an easy one, considering all that SigEp has given to me. When I think about the impact the Fraternity has had on my life, how could I not do what I can to ensure that today's undergraduate brothers are able to have the same kind of experience?” Steve Sutow, Rider ’00

Henry Landis, Illinois State ’82 Aaron Lavine, California-Santa Barbara ’05 Whitaker Leonhardt, Georgetown ’07 Dick Long, Colorado State ’79 Tom Lynch, Pennsylvania State ’90 Kevin Maguire, Michigan Tech ’83 Phil Maisano, Belmont Abbey ’69 Kevin Otero, New Mexico ’87 Scott Phillips, Ohio State ’05 Herb Philpott, Dartmouth ’85 Doug Roberts, Pennsylvania ’83 Archie Ryan, Arkansas ’83 Steve Schottenstein, Indiana ’78 Jerry Shipman, Indiana Tech ’75 A.J. Siccardi, Florida ’98 David Stollman, Maryland-College Park ’94 Mike Taylor, Truman State ’85 Bob Trovaten, San Diego State ’67 Roger VanHoozer, Washburn ’72 Peter Varney, Davidson ’96 Kelly Williams, Tennessee ’92 John Wilson, New Mexico ’86 Mike Wolbert, Northwest Missouri ’94

Member Level ($1,200 - $1,900) John Abraham, Cincinnati ’77 Jim Amen, Sacramento State ’96 Bruce Anderson, Texas-Austin ’71 Paul Ashley, Ball State ’99 Scott Averill, Kansas State ’77 Matt Baker, North Carolina State ’97 Anthony Balestrieri, George Washington ’03 Marcos Barahona, Florida International ’01 Bob Barile, Connecticut ’84 Zach Barilleau, Louisiana State ’10

16

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 16

Ken Barker, CalPoly-Pomona ’91 Greg Barra, Texas-Austin ’03 Jeffrey Bazydlo, Massachusetts ’02 Ted Behnken, Toledo ’82 Harry Belton, Louisiana State ’81 Tom Bené, Kansas ’84 Jim Bernard, Western Michigan ’60 Charles Bills, Indiana ’79 Ron Binder, Toledo ’83 Ryan Blanck, Western Michigan ’02 Tyler Boggess, Drake ’10 Brian Boron, Western Michigan ’89 Larry Bott, Indiana Tech ’67 Joe Brejda, Georgia Tech ’12 Matthew Brenner, North Carolina State ’89 Keith Bruce, Illinois ’87 Steve Buce, Stevens ’86 Jay Bullard, Virginia Tech ’82 Matt Bunch, California-Berkeley ’05 Keenan Buoy, Washburn ’82 Justin Burnett, Sam Houston State ’02 Brian Buroker, North Carolina State ’92 Frank Butterfield, Southern California ’83 Grant Buttram, North Carolina State ’93 Dave Calderon, CalPoly-Pomona ’88 Dina Calderon Jim Call, East Tennessee State ’85 Luke Cardona, South Dakota State ’11 Chad Carlson, Baylor ’95 Kevin Carnevali, Washington ’95 Nick Carrillo, Bradley ’94 Mark Cassata, Illinois State ’08 Craig Casselberry, Texas-Austin ’86 Eddie Chin, Rensselaer ’94 Eugene Choung, Connecticut ’87 Pat Clark, Tennessee-Martin ’11 Dick Clarke, East Tennessee State ’71

Ed Clausen, Missouri ’84 Judge Mitch Crane, West Chester Renaissance Tim Damico, East Tennessee State ’84 Brad Day, Arkansas ’87 Rick Dean, Auburn ’66 Chris Dillion, Illinois ’03 Jason DiMarino, Dartmouth ’97 Scott Dudis, Ohio State ’09 Jeffrey Dugas, North Carolina State ’90 Mike Duggan, Missouri State ’74 Matt Duncan, California-Santa Barbara ’87 Chuck Eberly, Bowling Green State ’63 Bob Eckert, Arizona ’76 Mike Ellis, Purdue ’84 Jonathan Elovitz, California-Santa Barbara ’03 Matt Engelhardt, Valparaiso ’91 Dare Estok Joe Etter, Miami (Ohio) ’73 Glenn Ezell, North Texas ’87 Donald Fecel, Lamar ’66 Nick Felter, CalPoly-Pomona ’02 Denny Fitzgerald, Missouri State ’75 Kevin Fleming, Loyola Marymount ’00 Rusty Follis, Texas A&M-Commerce ’81 Herb Ford, Arkansas Tech ’84 Adam Fowler, Arkansas Tech ’06 Randy Garber, Central Missouri ’75 Jay Garrett, Syracuse ’88 Bayard Gennert, Case Western ’02 Mitch Gieselman, Evansville ’78 John Goesling, Oregon State ’67 Jay Goetsch, Wisconsin-Platteville ’11 Brad Golson, Louisiana State ’05 Jose Gomez, CalPoly-Pomona ’93 Jamieson Gray, Illinois ’12 Tom Gray, Kansas ’77 Dave Graziano, St. John’s ’03 Mike Green, California-Berkeley ’62 Gary Griffith, Texas-Austin ’70 Adam Guercio, Miami (Florida) ’09 Bryan Gunst, Christopher Newport ’11 Ed Haldeman, Dartmouth ’70 Joe Halprin, Pennsylvania ’87 Josh Hamilton, San Diego ’09 Casey Hammontree, East Tennessee State ’99 Troy Hanson, Valparaiso ’02 Bert Harris, Florida ’74 Mike Hart, South Dakota State ’00 John Hartman, Missouri ’61

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

Jamar Hawkins, Lynchburg ’04 Ryan Hayes, Cincinnati ’03 Conrad Hewitt, Illinois ’58 Tom Hicks, Texas-Austin ’68 Matt Hillerud, North Dakota ’04 Les Hinmon, Northwest Missouri ’84 Steve Hofstetter, Columbia ’02 Jeff Horan, North Carolina State ’11 Lorry Horn, Florida ’56 Bill Hydrick, Loyola ’85 Seth Irby, Louisiana State ’11 Ryan Jacobsen, San Diego ’00 Steven Jason, Connecticut ’83 Rebecca Jelke Mike Johnson, Eastern Washington ’01 Brent Johnson, Northwest Missouri ’84 Jeff Johnson, Colorado ’89 Bryan Kaminski, Johns Hopkins ’06 Fred Karlinsky, Miami (Florida) ’89 Kevin Kassner, Mississippi State ’82 Heather Kirk Bill Komperda, Monmouth ’81 George Koperna, West Virginia ’91 Dan Kraninger, Villanova ’93 Kevin Kwoka, San Diego State ’11 David Lacey, Bowling Green State ’53 Tim Lambert, Cal State-Long Beach ’90 Joe Langella, Connecticut ’83 Eric Lauterbach, California-Santa Barbara ’89 Joe Lavoie, Massachusetts ’08 Daniel Liu, Southern Methodist ’08 Jim Lowery, Mississippi State ’94 Terry Lundgren, Arizona ’74 Billy Maddalon, North Carolina State ’90 Chris Mainz, Pittsburg State ’88 Bryan Marsh, North Texas ’81 Nick Masri, Indiana ’86 Matt Matlack, Columbia ’00 Reggie Maynigo, IIT ’05 Tom Mays, Lamar ’76 Jason McCann, Houston ’92 Bill McCausland, Texas-Austin ’83 Kevin McCraw, North Carolina State ’92 Jason McGill, Vanderbilt ’08 Daniel McVeigh, Texas Wesleyan ’90 Chris Mercer, UNC-Wilmington ’91 David Middlemiss, Syracuse ’91 Riley Mieth, Missouri S&T ’08 James Monks, CalPoly-Pomona ’01 Joe Montana, Daemen ’90 Brad Moore, North Carolina State ’92 Rob Morris, New Mexico State ’94 Sam Moschelli, Lawrence Tech ’00 Lloyd Murphy, Illinois ’78 Eric Muschlitz, Connecticut ’92 Doug Nabhan, Purdue ’77 Gopi Nadella, Baldwin Wallace ’01 Cameron Nagler, California-Santa Barbara ’13 Carmine Napolitano, California-Santa Barbara ’90 Oz Nelson, Ball State ’59 Joshua Ness, North Texas ’09 Brent Noyes, Southern California ’74 Will Oliver, Texas A&M ’91 Duffy Oyster, North Texas ’69 Bob Palmer, Iowa State ’62 Matthew Papa, South Florida ’07 Matt Parrish, Georgia ’07 Kurt Phares, Nebraska ’79 Bill Phelps, Morehead State Renaissance Ryan Pitzer, Washington State ’17

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 17

“ B ecause of SigEp, I met and developed deep and meaningful relationships with some of the most amazing people. Sharing the SigEp experience with my dad, William F. Davis, Nebraska-Omaha ’54, as the first father-son regional director legacy in SigEp history has been so incredibly special. My experience at Nebraska Alpha and on SigEp’s Headquarters staff helped me develop habits and standards that continue to catapult my career. I am proud to leave a legacy gift to SigEp. I believe so much in our vision and our mission and, hopefully, my legacy gift can help continue to build balanced leaders for the world’s communities. The world needs more SigEps!” Mark Davis, Nebraska ’90

Spring 2022

17

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

Brad Polzar, Wisconsin-Platteville ’07 John Porreca, Philadelphia ’71 Joe Poston, Wichita State ’73 Jeff Prather, Ball State ’99 Jeff Prouty, Iowa State ’79 Chris Purdum, Wichita State ’07 Greg Pusinelli, Indiana ’80 Jay Rivera, Babson ’99 Bud Robeson, Cincinnati ’68 Marcus Robinson, Dayton ’99 Matt Rodrigue, Maine ’04 David Roman, Cornell ’73 Ari Rosenbaum, Pennsylvania State ’91 Todd Ruberg, Oregon ’82 Chris Sacra, Jacksonville ’98 Jeff Saltiel, Stevens ’88 Devon Scheible, Toledo ’05 Bill Schell, Montana State ’97 Shawn Sedlacek, Southern California ’93 Micheal Seraphin, DePaul ’04 Simon Serrano, CalPoly-Pomona ’04 Jon Shanklin, Valparaiso ’08 Tim Shaw, East Tennessee State ’75 Bill Sikes, East Tennessee State ’57 Rod Smart, Sacramento State ’77 Jerry Smith, Texas-Austin ’79 Ron Smith, San Diego State ’69 Jason Somrock, Minnesota ’02 Jeff Somrock, Minnesota ’05 Drew Speed, Arkansas ’81 Jim Spellman, Texas Tech ’90 Ehren Stanhope, Tulane ’05 John Stanley, Arkansas ’64 Pete Steffens, Thiel ’70 Stephen Steiner, Nebraska ’81 Barb Stepanek Nick Stone, Wichita State ’02 Scott Stucky, Wichita State ’70 Steve Sutow, Rider ’00 Michael Svec, Iowa ’90 Ric Sweeney, Cincinnati Renaissance Scott Swisher, Purdue ’79 Brian Tahmoush, Miami (Florida) ’90 Steve Taylor, Tennessee Wesleyan ’76 JD Teitelman, American ’07 DJ Thompson, Evansville ’87 Rick Thompson, Pennsylvania ’94 Bill Tragos, Washington-St. Louis ’56 Gus Trupiano, East Tennessee State ’82 John Tyler, Texas-Austin ’63 Rocky Van de Vuurst, East Tennessee State ’83 John Vercellino, Illinois ’75 Renato Villacorte, CalPoly-Pomona ’91 John Waggoner, Ohio State ’70 Tony Wagner, Minnesota ’95 Chris Walters, Pepperdine ’03 Christophe Wasulko, North Carolina State ’91 Mark Wenrick, Oregon ’96 Gerry Whitt, Duke ’72 Tom Wiggins, CalPoly-Pomona ’84 Tim Williams, North Texas ’91 Michael Williams, Memphis ’69 Sean Willins, Thiel ’98 Jack Witemeyer, Rutgers ’55 Jim Womble, Arkansas ’65 Archie Yeatts, Richmond ’64 Chris Yerges, Wisconsin-Platteville ’09 Jack Zollinger, Lehigh ’57

18

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 18

“Sigma Phi Epsilon gave me a family at Sam Houston State. This Fraternity gave me unique opportunities to grow that were a massive contribution to my career. After 20 years, I still talk to brothers of SigEp daily. Our bond is something special that is very hard to describe. I give to SigEp as a Board Of Governors donor, so our future brothers get a chance to have the same great experiences I had and continue to have.” Justin Burnett, Sam Houston State ’02 (pictured with wife Ann Burnett)

Beacon Society ($600 - $1,199): Brothers under 30 Erik Angus, Cincinnati ’17 Van Augur, Connecticut ’20 Jeff Back, Cincinnati ’18 Martin Barnard, Cleveland State ’20 Matt Barton, Northern Iowa ’21 Britton Blanchard, Oregon State ’21 Cameron Blaydes, Illinois ’12 Ben Bowles, Rensselaer ’17 Christian Bowles, Murray State ’14 Shawn Cable, Baylor ’17 A.J. Collins, Alabama ’13 Keaton Dornath, Kansas ’21 Preston Ewald, Toledo ’21 Ben Ford, Arkansas Tech Renaissance Zac Gillman, Austin Peay State ’15 Caleb Gipple, Northern Iowa ’21 Pat Githens, West Chester ’18 Tom Godlewski, Loras ’16 Eddie Gonnella, Maine ’17 Abby Goodpaster Vish Gopalakrishnan, Rensselaer ’20 Alex Grieve, Cal State-Fullerton ’12 Jake Guhy, Louisville ’18 Dylan Hanson, Washington ’17 Andrew Harvell, Illinois ’15 Alex Hendee, Fort Hays State ’13 Thomas Heniff, Indiana Tech ’20 Logan Holland, South Florida ’19 Bryan Hood, Virginia Commonwealth ’15 Matt Huggins, Washington ’14 Ben Hutto, South Carolina ’16 Angelo Iachini, Toledo ’13 Julian Jelke Parker Jelke Kelsey Keckler Jeremy Keller, Wright State ’14 Kevin Knudson, Nebraska ’15 Ross Kruse, Davidson ’17 Tim Laboy-Coparropa, Christopher Newport ’17 Owen Lewis, Baker ’15 Jarett Lopez, Northern Kentucky ’20 Mark Maloney, Tennessee-Martin ’15 Nick Mason, Pepperdine ’20 Caleb Massey, Virginia Commonwealth ’14 Michael McGuigan, Connecticut ’16 William McLaughlin Brian Michalka, Rensselaer ’16 Dan Moore, Loras ’13 Shawn Mullen, Rhode Island ’13 Benjamin Nahrstadt, Indiana ’16 Davis Orr, Alabama ’14 Brandon Potter, East Tennessee State ’12 Jared Riter, Northern Iowa ’18 Matt Rowe, Virginia Tech ’18 Adam Schmidt, Northern Iowa ’20 Corey Schmidt, Montana State ’14 Billy Simmons, Louisville ’14 Winston Smart, Southern Methodist ’13 Andrew Sorge, Northern Iowa ’12 Alex Stepanek, Northern Iowa ’16 Dan Sullivan, WPI ’12 Josh Sullivan, Southern Mississippi ’18 Roy Sye, Monmouth ’13 Jonathan Teich, Bradley ’14 Ben Weinberg, Drake ’17 Clark Williams, Tennessee ’20 Joshua Yonker, Valparaiso ’19

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


TOWER ROOM

COMMENTARY

We Are The Foundation of Our Brothers’ Success By Wendell Rakosky, Baldwin Wallace ’78 Considering the investment — in both time and money — that students and their families put into attaining a college education, it’s pretty daunting that a large number of employers don’t feel confident about the skills today’s graduates possess upon entering the workforce. According to a 2020 survey by the American Association of Colleges and Universities, just 60 percent of employers think recent college grads have the knowledge and skills to succeed in an entry-level job. What’s more, in a 2019 study from the Society for Human Resource Management, 51 percent of respondents said they don’t believe education systems are doing enough to address the skills gap. In that same survey, 30 percent cited soft skills as being a barrier when looking for candidates to fill openings.

To become a career coach or learn about other volunteer opportunities, go to sigep.org/volunteers.

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 19

Learning the technical aspects of one’s chosen degree in the classroom is important, but it’s only one component for a successful career. Employers are looking for candidates who can also differentiate themselves by

range of industries, SigEp is well positioned to help young brothers transition from campus to the workplace and set them up for professional success. Along with the everyday skills developed while building and maintaining highly effective chapters, our executive officer development program and one-on-one Career Coaching with alumni offer undergraduate brothers the opportunity to hone the skills required for success on the job and set themselves

83 percent of members are more confident in their leadership skills because of their fraternity experience. demonstrating skills rarely taught in the classroom, such as creativity, persuasion, collaboration, time management and adaptability. Within SigEp, brothers not only have the opportunity to develop these soft skills through various leadership positions, but also access to mentors and experienced professionals who can help guide them. With a network of more than 250,000 living alumni working in a wide

apart from other job candidates. Since launching in fall 2020, more than 900 undergrads and 700 alumni coaches have signed up for the program. Tyler Fairwood, Marquette ’21, participated in Career Coaching and said the coach he was matched with “was extremely helpful and gave great advice on finding a first job out of college.” He added that his coach “had excellent experience

and insight into the field I would like to find a career in, and I would certainly value any future advice or conversations we may have.” Research from Gallup bears out the significance fraternities play in helping men develop the skills they need for employee success. In 2021, the research firm found that 83 percent of members are more confident in their leadership skills because of their fraternity experience. In addition, they’re twice as likely as their non-affiliated peers to say they gained important job-related skills during college, tend to find jobs more quickly and have higher workplace engagement in their postcollege careers. Responsibility to help our brothers doesn’t end when they cross the stage at graduation — the Fraternity is a lifelong commitment. That’s why it matters that SigEp is investing in our young brothers through Career Coaching and leadership programs.

Wendell is a human resources professional who has held various executive leadership roles during his more than 40 -year career. He currently is a member of the Mar yland General A ssembly Compensation Commit tee, ser ving at the direc tion of the governor, and privately provides HR strategic planning consulting to various small and large businesses . He has been a SigEp volunteer for over 35 years and is a founding member of the Fraternit y’s Career Coaching Team.

Spring 2022

19

5/23/22 4:30 PM


Twelve

In honor of the 12 who started it all … a dozen Fraternity facts, stats and items of interest.

In 2021, donors and volunteers came together for our most successful Founders Day of Giving ever. Here are some highlights.

Championship belt to the chapter with the most dollars raised.

“ It’s a friendly competition between chapters, but we want to win! We want to have the most donors and raise the most money. It means a lot, but it means more that we’re coming together to meet our goals.”

$919,713 given to the Annual Fund on Founders Day of Giving 2021 in support of SigEp’s undergraduate programs — the highest giving day total among fraternities.

— Scott Carr, California-Santa Barbara ’86

273 donors from California Gamma and $103,679 from New York Alpha place SigEp chapters at California-Santa Barbara and Syracuse first on the Most Donors and Most Dollars Raised leaderboards.

2,770 brothers ... and counting Due to the generosity of our donors, the phenomenal success of Founders Day of Giving 2021 means SigEp leadership programs will impact even more brothers than in 2020-2021.

20

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 20

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:30 PM


Mark your calendars for Nov. 1 and join us for Founders Day of Giving 2022!

187

brothers and friends made their very first gift to the SigEp Educational Foundation on Founders Day 2021.

brothers and friends joined the Board of Governors on Founders Day 2021, becoming part of the Fraternity’s lead giving society.

2,841

“ As a freshman going to my first Carlson Leadership Academy, I had no idea what to expect. What I got was a fantastic leadership experience, shared by brothers across the country. I want that same experience for future generations of SigEps.”

brothers and friends gave on Founders Day, including: 336 undergraduates giving to their own experience 484 friends of SigEp giving to support the Fraternity’s mission.

— Jake Chaplin, Northern Iowa ’22, who organized his fellow Iowa Theta undergraduate brothers to call alumni to solicit gifts. It was one of six chapter call centers across the country.

200,000

2016

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 21

2018

2019

2020

$ 919,713

2017

$ 268,000

$ 181,000

600,000

$ 139,000

raised in a friendly competition between the NUTS! McAuliffe Society, a donor group that funds scholarships for undergrads to attend Conclave ($142,969), and Freeark Society ($120,083) of past staff.

1,000,000

$ 61,000

$263,052

$ 552,597

Founders Day trophy given to the chapter with the most donors.

Founders Day giving 2016-2021 Since 2016, total giving on Founders Day has reflected a dramatically growing commitment to the SigEp undergraduate experience.

2021

Spring 2022

21

5/23/22 4:30 PM


SigEp Swag

Zip-up Sweater $59.95 | S-2XL

This full-zip top combines the comfort of a sweater with the warmth of a fleece, making a versatile SigEp addition to your wardrobe

Puffy Vest $69.95 | S-2XL

Show your pride with these stylish selections from the Official SigEp Store

Too warm for a jacket but too cold for a T-shirt? This quilted vest is perfect for layering on brisk days.

The Interviewer 69.95 | S-2XL

This classic white dress shirt features a stretch collar, keeping you comfortable for backto-back business meetings and long workdays.

22

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 22

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:34 PM


THE CLASSICS Hand-stitched Jerseys $69.95 1. Hat Trick Hockey Jersey 2. Three Point Basketball Jersey 3. Home Run Baseball Jersey 4. Letters Tee $29.95 | S-2XL An updated version of a classic fraternity tee, this shirt features hand-stitched SigEp Greek letters 5. SigEp Ties $44.95 | VARIATIONS: Club Bow Tie, Paisley Tie, Tartan Tie, Club Tie

1

2

3

4

5

SigEp Subscription Box

O

ffi

cial

S i g E p S to re . c

om

$60.00 | SIZING: S-2XL

Choose between ordering one box or becoming a subscriber and receiving a new box once every three months. Each box contains a specially curated box of SigEp-branded merchandise, delivered right to your doorstep! @OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 23

#s h o

ps igep Spring 2022

23

5/23/22 4:31 PM


Answering the Call for Excellence SigEp’s highest awards recognize outstanding volunteer service and professional success By Abby Goodpaster and Tyya N. Turner

The Order of the Golden Heart and Sigma Phi Epsilon Citation are the Fraternity’s two highest honors, recognizing excellence among long-serving volunteers and alumni who have achieved unparalleled professional success. These men represent the best of the best in our brotherhood and are role models for what we can achieve as volunteers and as professionals. They have given their time and talent to make our Fraternity great and made significant contributions to their respective fields. The Order of the Golden Heart is awarded to selected volunteers who have served the Fraternity for 30 years or more, making a significant impact on SigEp locally, regionally or nationally. The Fraternity bestows the gold medallion to honorees at Grand Chapter Conclave, symbolizing the esteem with which brothers hold these dedicated volunteers and immense appreciation for the sacrifices they’ve made over the decades. At the 2021 Alumni Awards Dinner, this prestigious award was presented to four volunteers who have gone above and beyond to serve our Fraternity. With nearly two centuries of combined service to SigEp, this impressive group includes a Past Grand President, a brother who led the successful rechartering of his chapter, a national chaplain and a longtime mentor who also guides the Fraternity’s national fundraising efforts.

24

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 24

Chris Bittman Colorado ’85

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:35 PM


A

s an undergrad, Chris Bittman served as a chapter officer, then joined SigEp’s Headquarters staff as a regional director following graduation. He went on to start 21 new chapters as expansion director and manage the traveling staff as the director of chapter services before launching a career in financial services. For more than a decade, Bittman has shared his financial skills with SigEp, working to manage and grow the Fraternity’s assets as a member of the investment committee. Over the past 20 years, he has dutifully given his time and talent, serving on the National Board of Directors and Educational Foundation Board of Trustees. He was elected Grand Treasurer for eight consecutive terms before serving as Grand President from 2017 to 2019. As the fraternity movement has evolved, his skills as a consensus builder have helped SigEp facilitate some of the most revolutionary changes in Greek life, including the adoption of the Balanced Man Program across all our chapters and establishing substance-free chapter homes. Bittman has brought his combination of empathy, professional savvy, humility, humor and heart to every role, all to ensure that every undergraduate brother can receive and enjoy a rich and rewarding SigEp experience. As co-emcee of the Alumni Awards Dinner, Bittman was stunned when Past Grand President and Order of the Golden Heart recipient Garry Kief, Southern California ’70, presented the evening’s final award to him. “Tonight, I get to tell you that you’ve been a SigEp hero to me … and to all of us … for a long, long time,” Kief said. “Tonight, we get to place your name where it belongs: next to Dubach, Freeark and Zollinger … Wheeler, Hasenkamp, Kerr and Doud,” Kief said. “And yes, next to Shawn McKenna and Phil Cox. “You’ve been there through wins … and losses. Personal triumphs and the depths of despair. You eased those times with your humor. Helped us lighten the burdens. Always knowing that your humor comes from your heart. And your heart beats pure SigEp.”

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 25

M

ike Duggan’s promise as a leader and a mighty force for good was evident early on when he was elected to serve on his campus’ Interfraternity Council as a freshman. That promise was further realized when he became a student member of SigEp’s National Board of Directors. He embarked on his journey as a volunteer immediately after graduating and has been actively engaged with his home chapter for more than 40 years. Intent on bringing the chapter back after losing its charter over 20 years ago, Duggan took on the role of alumni and volunteer corporation (AVC) president. His passion and enthusiasm soon had other alumni believing the chapter could return stronger than ever. When it did return, he recruited additional volunteers to support the chapter and mentor the undergraduate brothers.

Mike Duggan Missouri

An early proponent of the Balanced Man Program, Duggan served as balanced man steward for several State ’74 years before leading a campaign to build a new chapter home. That effort has resulted in a top-notch facility that supports brothers’ academic, personal and professional growth. Much in part because of Duggan’s leadership, today, the consistent Buchanan Cup-winning chapter is the envy of other fraternities at Missouri State and is considered an honor and privilege to join. Beyond Missouri State, Duggan is often willing to lend a hand. When the home chapter of longtime friend and fellow Missourian John Hartman, Missouri ’61, went through a difficult transition, Duggan was there to support brothers. He also recently took on the role of district governor, recruiting and supporting volunteers for several chapters in Illinois and Missouri. “You live out SigEp ideals every day of your life. You’ve volunteered your time and talents on the local level and in too many national roles to count,” Past Grand President Chris Bittman, Colorado '85, stated when presenting the award. “Brother, today we say thank you for your nearly 50 years of service to Sigma Phi Epsilon. We consider it an honor and a privilege to call you our brother. We will strive to be worthy of your dedication.” Spring 2022

25

5/23/22 4:36 PM


Ray Ackerman Oklahoma ’77

I

mpressed by his character, brothers elected Ray Ackerman president of his undergraduate chapter. He inspired the recently reorganized group to focus and set goals, and in the process, helped the chapter become the campus leader in philanthropy and earn several Buc Cups in the years to come. From then until now, brothers have looked to him as “a barometer for honor, character and truthfulness which mirrors our cardinal principles.” His early leadership set the tone for Ackerman’s alumni journey. After graduation, he served as a regional director on the Fraternity’s Headquarters staff, further solidifying his reputation as a wise and empathetic advisor. After working several years as a popular radio personality, Ackerman’s faith and desire to help others led him to join the priesthood. He also began volunteering with his home chapter, serving on the AVC f or more than 30 years. A longtime chapter counselor, Rev. Ackerman is a model of integrity and brotherly love, sharing life

lessons and providing a listening ear to anyone who needs him. Since 1997, Ackerman has also served as the Fraternity’s national chaplain, creating moving tributes to brothers who have passed away and presiding over the Grand Chapter Conclave necrology ceremony. In each role, he has embodied what it means to show brotherly love to all and played a key role in furthering the Fraternity’s mission to develop values-based leaders. As chair of SigEp’s Ritual and Values Task Force, he also has provided invaluable insight on how the Fraternity can remain true to its cardinal principles while keeping pace with cultural shifts. “For the brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon, you have been a faithful shepherd,”Bittman said as he presented the award. “Your voice has been loving and inspiring. Firm and dedicated. It’s been a source of joy and of consolation. And through it all, you have pointed us toward the pursuit of life’s highest ideals.”

26

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 26

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:36 PM


Scott Carr

California-Santa Barbara ’86

S

ince 1986, Scott Carr has served as a member of the AVC for his home chapter, a chapter he says helped him mature and develop skills during a pivotal time in his life. Although the distance between his home and campus has made volunteering a challenge, it’s never deterred Carr. Even when he was just getting his career started and beginning his family, he faithfully made the three-hour drive often and without complaint. More than 35 years later, he still continues to travel extensively to provide life-changing experiences for undergraduates. The opportunity to impact young brothers’ lives in the same way his was as an undergraduate makes it all worth it. When he stepped into the role of AVC president in 2006, Carr took the helm for a brother diagnosed with brain cancer. The chapter has continued to thrive 16 years later, upgrading its facilities and transitioning to the Balanced Man Program. Through his patient and heartfelt guidance, California Gamma has consistently won Buchanan Cups for chapter excellence and produced high-quality young men who are leaders in their communities. A longtime Board of Governors member, Carr has also shared his talents with SigEp on a national level. He’s facilitated at Carlson Leadership Academy and served as a Tragos Quest to Greece mentor. As chairman of the SigEp National Advancement Council, Carr has played a vital role in the Fraternity’s fundraising efforts. “You have spent a lifetime repaying a debt of gratitude to Sigma Phi Epsilon,” Kief said when presenting the award to Carr. “But, tonight, dear brother, we hope you see that we are the ones who are indebted to you. “Your diligence, love and leadership have not merely changed one life … but thousands.”

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 27

Spring 2022

27

5/24/22 1:16 PM


Standout Alumni Awarded Citation for Career Achievement At the Arête Luncheon, brothers and friends gathered to celebrate the professional accomplishments of the 2021 SigEp Citation recipients. The honorees demonstrate the wide range of talent that exists in the Fraternity. From a world-renowned artist to a pioneering surgeon to a hospital professional expanding access to health care to an engineer who’s transformed the way businesses operate, each recipient has set a new standard for excellence in his field. As several of the honorees attended virtually, Fraternity officials shared highlights of each honoree’s career with the audience and presented their awards. Following the presentation, recipients participated in a panel discussion — a new and well-received component of the luncheon — in which they spoke about their lives and careers. Even though the four were not in the same room, as they talked, they formed a connection that was apparent and inspiring to everyone watching. Here, we highlight the careers of the 2021 Citation recipients.

C

olorful, bold and fun are some of the words most commonly used to describe Romero Britto’s art. Britto, known around the world for his vibrant paintings and sculptures, has exhibited in museums and galleries on five continents — including twice at the Carrousel du Louvre. His distinctive style — a lively fusion of bright colors and whimsical patterns — is instantly recognizable. Originally from Brazil, the self-taught artist first gained public attention as part of Absolut Vodka’s widely popular Absolut Art campaign in 1988. Other brands, including Mattel and CocaCola, took notice

28

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 28

and commissioned works for their own ads. His art is also widely collected, with Britain’s Prince Charles and Super Bowl champ Tom Brady among the many fans who’ve purchased pieces. Britto’s public art installations can be found in New York’s JFK Airport, London’s Hyde Park and other locations around the world, bringing joy to millions as they go about their everyday activities. His popularity has made Britto the most widely licensed artist in history, with images of his art found on everything from watches to neckties and even a limited-edition Monopoly game. “At the end of the day, you can teach someone all kinds of skills, but you can’t teach somebody to be honest or kind — all the beautiful things we want in a friend or a coworker,” Britto said as he accepted his award. “Once you have that, people get inspired, and they want to be with you, and they want to promote you.”

Romero Britto Miami (Florida) Renaissance, Artist

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:39 PM


Jeffrey Dugas

North Carolina State ’90, Orthopaedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine Specialist

O

ne of the country’s most sought-after experts on sports injuries, Jeffrey Dugas is an orthopaedic surgeon who specializes in repairing elbows, knees and shoulders. He’s helped some of the sports world’s most famous players, as well as high school and college athletes just starting their careers, return to the roster injury-free. An innovator in the field, he developed an alternative to Tommy John surgery that can cut rehab and recovery time in half for athletes sidelined with debilitating elbow injuries. In addition to running a thriving medical practice, Dugas volunteers as the team physician for Troy University and as medical director for USA Cheer. After majoring in chemical engineering, he became fascinated by the chemistry involved in brewing and distilling beverages. In 2019, he turned that interest into a business by opening Dread River Distilling Co., the largest distillery in Alabama, with a business partner. The facility produces a variety of small-batch craft spirits and also serves as an event space. When the pandemic hit, the company quickly shifted from producing beverages to making alcohol-based hand sanitizer and cleaning solutions. As a community service, Dugas and his business partner gave the products away to assist local health care facilities and essential businesses. “The foundation of our clinic is focusing on the outcome,” Dugas said. “That sets a bar in our profession, and it’s the same in a chapter on campus. Guarantee the outcome for a young brother who is going to join — don’t settle for anything less than an experience that is so good.” After finding personal commonalities with each of the other Citation recipients, Dugas said, “It’s amazing how little it takes to find connection between brothers, even though the four of us have never met.” @OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 29

Spring 2022

29

5/23/22 4:40 PM


Eugene A. Woods Pennsylvania State ’86, President and CEO, Atrium Health

A

s president and CEO of North Carolina-based Atrium Health, Eugene A. Woods directs a health care network with 37 hospitals in four states and more than 70,000 employees. Meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic head-on, he helped Atrium Health pioneer the “virtual hospital” concept, monitoring and treating more than 13,000 patients with mild symptoms in their homes to free up hospital beds for critical patients. Considered an authority on the pandemic’s impact on communities of color, he also testified before the U.S. Senate.

30

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 30

Through his leadership of Atrium Health, Woods is working to realize the priorities he outlined in 2017 when he served as chair of the American Hospital Association: expanding access to medical coverage, engaging with communities beyond traditional hospital settings and ending health care disparities that shorten peoples’ lives. In addition to leading the fight against COVID-19 in his area, Woods steered the company through a merger. Atrium Health now includes the Wake Forest School of Medicine and will begin constructing a second medical school in Charlotte in 2022. Woods also

chairs the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. When accepting his Citation award, Woods stated, “When I think of virtue, I think it’s akin to integrity and not being a bystander. When you see something that’s not right, take a stand. We’re in a time right now when character and how you interact with people who have vastly different views — as brothers, how do we deal with that? It should start from a place of brotherly love — for people who don’t look like you, who don’t share the same views.”

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:31 PM


Jim McKelvey Washington–St. Louis ’87, Cofounder, Square

A

lthough he’s best known for co-founding Square, the company that revolutionized how small businesses process credit card transactions, Jim McKelvey is truly a man of many talents. An engineer by trade, the serial entrepreneur is also a highly respected artist who operates a glassblowing studio. But mostly, McKelvey prides himself on being a problem-solver. Due to Square’s phenomenal growth, the company had a difficult time finding employees with technical skills. So, McKelvey founded LaunchCode, a nonprofit offering training and job placement assistance to bring more people into the tech industry. His reputation as an innovator has made McKelvey highly sought after by organizations as a board member and advisor. He’s not only a trustee at his alma mater, but also provided the lead gift for a new school of engineering named in honor of his father, who served as dean of the school for nearly 30 years. He’s also leveraged his business experience as deputy chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. And he’s shared his expertise with SigEp as a guest speaker for events at his home chapter and Missouri S&T. When asked which SigEp cardinal principle means the most to him, McKelvey replied, “The one I think most about is virtue. We live in a more and more anonymous world — it’s easy to do things remotely. With the ability to be anonymous comes more responsibility to conduct ourselves as if people were looking. Virtue is even more important as we lose the oversight of others.”

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_C1-C2_01-31_P4.indd 31

Spring 2022

31

5/23/22 4:31 PM


Brotherly Love

Out of Bounds OKLAHOMA

A hiker’s story of survival and brotherly love By Tyya N. Turner

W

hen Ron Bolen, Oklahoma ’86, set out to hike Nevada’s Boundary Peak on a Tuesday morning in July 2021, he had no way of knowing it would turn out far differently from any hike he’d ever taken. An experienced hiker, he enjoyed taking in the natural beauty of his surroundings during the ascent up the 13,140-foot high mountain. He got to the summit around

32

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 32

12:45 p.m. and wrote his name in the registry book hikers sign to mark reaching the top of the peak. He paused for a few minutes to appreciate the view and snapped a picture to remember the moment. The stop was brief. He expected the walk back to take about five hours, so he wanted to get going. But just 20 minutes into his descent, Bolen slipped, taking a serious tumble that propelled him down the side

Above: Ron Bolen took this selfie after reaching the summit of Boundary Peak. Right: Expecting his hike to last only a few hours, Bolen had just a small amount of gear with him during his five-day ordeal.

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:24 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

Left: Bolen with his daughter Meredith.

of the mountain and about 20 feet off the trail. He was slightly banged up, but not seriously hurt. Deciding it made more sense to continue from his current location than attempt to climb back up the sharply angled slope, Bolen forged ahead. “Within a couple of hours, I knew I was in the wrong place,” he said, “but thought I still had a route to cut across and get to my car. I had extra water and rain gear, so I thought I’d spend the night, even though I wasn’t happy to be sleeping outside.”

Just 20 minutes into his descent, Bolen slipped, taking a serious tumble that propelled him down the side of the mountain ... The next morning, a somewhat rested Bolen tried to backtrack and find another route to the trail. But after several hours, he was still lost. “By Wednesday afternoon,” he said, “I knew I was in real trouble.” He wasn’t the only one. Bolen’s adult daughters, Meredith and Jessica, were concerned because they hadn’t heard from him. His established safety protocol was that he’d text right before starting a hike,

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 33

again when he reached the summit if cell service was available and one last time when he was back at his car. There was very little cell service on the mountain, but surprisingly, he’d been able to text his daughters and a friend near the summit. But he never made that final text. Unbeknownst to him, his friend and SigEp chapter brother Mark McConnell, ’86, ’86 had contacted the park service on Wednesday and, after finding out his car was still in the parking lot, got in touch with Bolen’s daughters as well. Meredith, a teacher, took the lead in organizing a search. A medical resident, Jessica continued her duties as a frontline worker while hoping their dad was OK. Bolen had run out of water and been nibbling on a Clif bar, the only food he had, for two days. Weakened and starting to hallucinate, he suspected a search might be underway. Either way, he needed a plan if he was going to survive — and to prepare for the worst in case he didn’t. He began writing goodbye notes to his daughters. Exhausted and dehydrated, he settled under a tree for the night — but he left his gear out in the open in hopes searchers would spot it. The next day (Thursday), his third on the mountain, Bolen found a stream. The water rejuvenated him somewhat, and he continued to look for places that would lead him to a trail or an area where he’d be likely to be spotted. Earlier, he’d heard a helicopter, but the pilot never saw him. Back at home, Meredith was communicating with Bolen’s friends. Childhood friend Dr. Jim Webb, McConnell and another SigEp chapter ’87 decided to fly brother, Brad Schick, ’87, out and search for him. From his perch on a hill, Bolen spotted a cattle trail on day four (Friday). He followed the path, which ended at a wilderness registry. He was disheartened to find the most recent entry was eight months old. A second chance to be rescued slipped away when another helicopter passed the next morning (Saturday) without seeing him. That prompted him to return to the registry and leave his backpack in hope searchers would see it. Spring 2022

33

5/23/22 4:24 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

Right: Prior to his accident, Bolen enjoyed a hike to Wheeler Peak in New Mexico. Below: Ron Bolen, joined by the friend and SigEp brothers who searched for him. Pictured: Childhood friend Dr. Jim Webb, Bolen, and Fraternity brothers Mark McConnell and Brad Schick.

Weakened and starting to hallucinate, he suspected a search might be underway. Either way, he needed a plan.

34

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 34

Walking away, he thought he heard voices and a car. He brushed it off as more hallucinations, but hope made him turn around anyway. Suddenly, Bolen saw people several yards away at the registry. The group saw him too, but didn’t yet realize it was the person they’d been searching for. Seeing the backpack and goodbye notes, but no sign of Bolen, McConnell, Schick and Webb feared the worst. “When I recognized his backpack and car keys, I thought my best friend was dead,” McConnell recalled. He assumed another hiker had discovered Bolen’s body and moved his belongings to a place where a park ranger or searchers would be likely to find them. As Bolen walked closer to the group, they could hardly believe their eyes. The relieved friends ran to Bolen and embraced him. “It was a quick moment from very sad thoughts to elation that he was alive and in pretty decent shape,” McConnell added. Bolen knows it’s a miracle he survived — his five days on the mountain resulted in dehydration and a twisted ankle, but no serious injuries. He’s extremely grateful to have friends who would go to such lengths to rescue him. The moment when they found him is forever etched in his memory. “I said, ‘I can’t believe you’re here,’ and they each said, ‘Of course we’re here. Where else would we be?’”

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:24 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

NEBRASKA-KEARNEY

Making Space for Big Dreams Ever since he was a toddler, Kellen Skarka, Nebraska-Kearney ’09, has been fascinated by airplanes. “I always loved looking for airplanes and watching them in the sky,” Skarka shared. Trips to air shows with his mom only deepened his love for aviation, and it wasn’t long before he wanted to do more than just watch planes — he wanted to fly them himself. At 16, Skarka began taking flying lessons. During college, he completed the requirements for his private pilot certificate and realized his lifelong dream of soaring above the clouds. More than just a hobby, Skarka pursued his passion professionally, earning a degree in aviation systems management. In 2009, he launched his career coordinating various types of aviation operations as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps and served the next seven years on active duty. Currently a major in the Marine Corps Reserve, he’s worked as an operations specialist for the Lincoln Airport Authority and is now the airport services manager for the Nebraska Department of Transportation, Division of Aeronauticss.

Now, Skarka is looking forward to flying even higher and farther. He recently completed the first of several classes he’s taking at the National Security Space Institute with the goal of working with the newly established U.S. Space Force. “There aren’t many Marines in that so, it would be nice to be one of the first handful to participate,” he said. Adapted from an article in the Kearney Hub

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 35

Spring 2022

35

5/23/22 4:24 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

Soaring to the Top in the MileHigh City 32 chapters honored for outstanding operations At SigEp’s 2021 Grand Chapter Conclave in Denver, 32 chapters were presented with the Buchanan Outstanding Chapter Award (popularly known as the “Buc Cup”) for overall chapter excellence.

While navigating the challenges of the pandemic with grace and creativity, they continued to excel in academics, programming, recruitment and other areas of operations. In a record-setting year that saw the highest percentage of Buc Cup applications submitted in a decade, these chapters stood out as the best of the best. Visit sigep.org/sigepjournal/buchanancup-chapters-2021/ to learn more about the accomplishments of these chapters.

36

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 36

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:24 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

GOLD BUCHANAN CUPS Six chapters were awarded gold Buc Cups in recognition of excellence in chapter operations for five or more consecutive Conclaves.

 Maine Alpha, Maine  Michigan Theta, Lawrence Tech  Nebraska Alpha, Nebraska

 New Jersey Alpha, Stevens  Ohio Iota, Toledo  Oregon Alpha, Oregon State

SILVER BUCHANAN CUPS Silver Buc Cups were presented to 26 chapters, with two* receiving the award for the first time ever! f Alabama Beta, Alabama f California Psi, Pepperdine f Colorado Delta, Colorado School of Mines f Connecticut Alpha, Connecticut f Florida Alpha, Florida f Indiana Zeta, Valparaiso f Iowa Delta, Drake f Iowa Theta, Northern Iowa f Kansas Alpha, Baker

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 37

f Mississippi Beta, Mississippi State f Missouri Eta, Missouri State f Missouri Gamma, Missouri S&T f Missouri Zeta, Southeast Missouri State f Nebraska Gamma, Nebraska-Kearney f Ohio Pi, Wright State f Oklahoma Alpha, Oklahoma State

f Kentucky Beta, Louisville

f Pennsylvania Beta Beta, Drexel

f Kentucky Delta, Western Kentucky*

f South Dakota Alpha, South Dakota State

f Kentucky Epsilon, Murray State

f Virginia Pi, Christopher Newport

f Louisiana Beta, Louisiana State

f Washington Alpha, Washington State

f Minnesota Alpha, Minnesota

f Wisconsin Theta, Wisconsin-Platteville*

Spring 2022

37

5/23/22 4:24 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

2021 SigEp Fellow Encourages Children to Read to Succeed B y the time a child completes third grade, how well they read can greatly affect future academic performance and even job prospects. Shocked to learn that low reading proficiency at such a young age could negatively affect someone for years or even decades, Caleb Gipple, Northern Iowa ’21, ’21 decided to help children in neighboring communities get the best possible start in life. His nonprofit, Readers Today Leaders Tomorrow (RTLT), was created with the mission to “remove barriers, expand opportunities and empower students.” At the 2021 Grand Chapter Conclave in Denver, Gipple

was recognized with the Fellow Award for developing this children’s literacy program. “Fellow” is a distinction reserved for SigEp undergraduates who fully embrace the concept of servant leadership by combining their talents and desire to give back to help others in a meaningful and sustainable way. To earn this recognition, brothers must successfully complete a 500-hour or 60-day service learning project before graduation. Gipple launched a fundraising and book drive that resulted in the distribution of 2,640 books to 1,300 students. Through a partnership with the local United Way, RTLT was able

to put two books into each bag of school supplies the organization gave to children in Cedar Valley and Black Hawk County. Gipple also worked with Angela Whittmer, one of his chapter’s faculty fellows and a guidance counselor at a local junior high school, to pair students with Iowa Theta brothers for weekly reading sessions. Thanks to his succession plan, RTLT is still in operation, even though Gipple has graduated. It will continue to benefit children in communities surrounding the University of Northern Iowa for years to come.

Right: Caleb Gipple (center) accepts the Fellow Award during SigEp’s 2021 Conclave. Below: Caleb Gipple in a planning session with RTLT volunteers

38

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 38

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:24 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

Above: Members of the New Jersey Zeta Alumni and Volunteer Corporation join presenter Steve Shanklin, Murray State ’70 (far left), onstage to accept the Honor of Philias at the 2021 Denver Conclave.

Despite Loss, Brotherly Love Endures Volunteers from the New Jersey Zeta Alumni and Volunteer Corporation were stunned when the group was announced as the recipient of the Honor of Philias at SigEp’s 2021 Grand Chapter Conclave in Denver. The alumni were acknowledged for their devotion to Brother Tony Whalen, Rider ’97, and his family after Whalen and his wife, Laura, contracted the coronavirus. The award recognizes a brother or group of brothers who’ve expressed the Fraternity’s cardinal principle of brotherly love in a special way. Brothers supported the family by delivering meals to their home and raising more than $160,000 to help cover medical bills and other expenses. Brothers

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 39

Laura and Tony Whalen

who worked with Whalen in the pharmaceutical industry also reached out to contacts in search of medications that might help him recover.

an amazing group of our extended family who showed our letters are more than just a college affiliation.”

Despite the best efforts of medical providers and the many brothers who loved and admired him, Whalen passed away on March 25, 2020 — one of the first SigEp brothers known to die due to the pandemic.

He added, “I feel enormous pride in our fellow SigEps who rallied to help the Whalens, and this honor really means a lot to us as a group. At the same time, I know we would rather just have Tony in our lives.”

Steven Sutow, ’00, first met Whalen when he recruited Sutow to join the Fraternity. He said, “It was an honor to be presented this award and use the monetary stipend to support a charity near and dear to the Whalen family, the Pride Center of New Jersey. The presentation was an amazing tribute to not just Tony, but also

“I feel enormous pride in our fellow SigEps who rallied to help the Whalens.”

Spring 2022

39 5/23/22 4:25 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

Friends Indeed, Always There in Need In February 2021, past Grand President and Order of the Golden Heart recipient John Hartman, Missouri ’61 (right), suffered a stroke. In his time of need, two brothers and dear friends came to his aid — Mike Duggan, Missouri State ’74, and Zar Toolan, Columbia ’01. Week by week, every step of the way, these brothers communicated with doctors, therapists, social workers and care facilities to help Brother Hartman as he regained his strength. They also made sure Hartman received the cards, notes and well-wishes sent by the many other brothers around the country who wanted to let him know he was in their thoughts. These notes have been a source of great joy to Hartman. (Brothers who’d like to reach out to Hartman can send notes to him via SigEp’s Headquarters office. ) More than just a kind gesture extended to a brother in a time of need, Duggan and Toolan’s involvement is the result of a deep friendship with Hartman that stretches back decades. Through

40

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 40

the years, they’ve shared family events and holidays together, started SigEp chapters, mentored countless undergraduates in Missouri, and facilitated the Ruck Leadership Institute. During the Brotherhood Luncheon at the Fraternity’s 2021 Conclave, Duggan and Toolan were named the recipients of the Clayton-Doud Award in acknowledgment of their ongoing love and support of Hartman as he continues to recover. Duggan accepted the award on behalf of himself and Toolan, who was unable to attend. He spoke to the audience about how

meaningful it has been to them and other brothers to be able to assist their good friend. “It’s been a pleasure to serve John and to help him. We put together a team of SigEps that we lean on a regular basis to decide on his care.” When Jim Clayton, Tennessee ’57, fell upon hard times with his company, Clayton Homes, fellow SigEp Wallace C. Doud, Wisconsin ’48, came quickly to his aid and helped navigate the difficult juncture. In appreciation of Doud’s service, Clayton endowed the ClaytonDoud Award, which recognizes brothers who exemplify the Fraternity’s charge to help fellow brothers in their time of need.

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:25 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

Above: A pangolin, held by one of the conservationists working to protect this endangered mammal.

Into Africa

PHOTOS BY CATHRYN GABOR, AFRICA 360 TRAVEL

PENNSYLVANIA

G

reat ideas aren’t always lightbulb moments. Sometimes, the best plans develop over time with input from friends. That was the case when Dan Olson, Pennsylvania ’99, talked to Conrad Eberstein ’65, about getting a group of Pennsylvania Delta brothers together for a trip to Africa. Eberstein then spoke with Brett Danko ’90, about it. At SigEp’s 2019 Conclave in Houston, those two brought tour operator Rob Fuller ’99, into the conversation, and the seeds for the first “SigEp Family Safari” were sown. Through their company, Africa 360, Fuller and his wife, Cathryn Gabor, have focused on educating travelers about the natural wonders of the continent and conservation efforts to save endangered animals. Four brothers (several of whom brought their families) joined Fuller and Gabor for a two-week tour of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The opportunity to view Africa’s wildlife in their natural habitats proved to be an incredible experience for brothers and their families as they visited some of the continent’s most prominent nature reserves and picturesque locations. Within the first 24 hours of the safari, the group spotted Africa’s big five (lion, buffalo, elephant, leopard and rhino). Another memorable

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 41

moment came when the group observed conservationists trim the horns of a white rhino. The animal was sedated so that it could be groomed painlessly. The potentially lifesaving act was performed to make the rhino less attractive to poachers. The group also spent time with conservationists who are working to reintroduce the pangolin — a scaly-skinned mammal — in a region where it’s been extinct for decades, traveled to Victoria Falls, and visited a sanctuary for injured and orphaned elephants. The trip not only proved to be an amazing experience for the alumni who attended, but may also benefit undergraduates in the future. Alumni have dreams of making this the first of many SigEp trips to Africa. They hope to one day host a trip to the continent every other year for undergraduates with the emphasis on exposing brothers to different African cultures and educating them on nature and conservation. With this goal in mind, Fuller and Gabor have made a $10,000 donation to Pennsylvania Delta’s Balanced Man Fund.

Left:Rob Fuller gets a close look as a conservation team trims a rhino's horns. Below: Members of the tour pause for a break during a safari.

“At SigEp’s 2019 Conclave in Houston ... the seeds for the first ‘SigEp Family Safari’ were sown.”

— Tyya N. Turner Spring 2022

41

5/23/22 4:25 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E

Rusty Atkins attends a powwow dressed in Southern Straight Dancestyle regalia.

Teach the Children Well Rusty Atkins, Oklahoma State ’89, has been named Classroom Teacher of the Year by the National Indian Education Association (NIEA). The organization’s mission is to advance comprehensive, culture-based educational opportunities for American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians. Prior to this national recognition, Brother Atkins was named Teacher of the Year by the Oklahoma Council for Indian Education. “Helping our youth obtain their goals, helping them find out who they are ... or will become” is what Atkins says has inspired him to serve as an educator for the last 29 years. Atkins, who

42

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 42

is an enrolled member of the Pawnee Nation and is also a member of the Otoe Missouria tribe, teaches world history at Stillwater High School in Oklahoma, the same school he attended. “Excited, nervous, honored,” is how Atkins described his feelings upon hearing he’d been chosen for the national award. “This makes me feel proud to be Native and excited to share the experience with my students. It also encourages me to be a better me each day.” He was celebrated at an awards luncheon during the NIEA’s national convention in October 2021.

PHOTOS BY STEPHEN SALPUKAS

OKLAHOMA STATE

WILLIAM & MARY

Building a Legacy of Inclusion A

lumni and Virginia Delta undergrads were among the well-wishers who joined Hulon Willis Jr., William & Mary ’77, at a ceremony on campus to celebrate a significant moment in his family’s history. On Oct. 9, 2021, the university renamed a residence hall previously named for a Confederate Army general after his father. Brother Willis is the son of the first AfricanAmerican to attend the university. A World War II veteran, Hulon Willis Sr. earned a bachelor’s degree from Virginia State University. Because W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:25 PM


B R O T H E R LY L O V E QUINNIPIAC

Life Beyond Limitations Inset: Brothers celebrated with Hulon Willis Jr. at a ceremony held to rename a building on William & Mary’s campus after his father, the first AfricanAmerican student to attend the university. Pictured: Christopher Honenberger, William & Mary ’74 (Hulon’s big brother); Dr. Chon Glover, chief diversity and inclusion officer; Hulon Willis Jr.; Dr. Katherine Rowe, president of William & Mary; Sami Khleifat, William & Mary ’24; Matt Gallo, William & Mary ’23 (chapter president); Will Cameron, William & Mary ’24; and Renard Miles, MemphisLambuth ’15 (chapter counselor and William & Mary director of employer engagement and programming)

there were no comparable graduate programs at the state’s historically Black colleges, his admission to William & Mary was approved by the state attorney general. Willis Sr. enrolled in 1951, attending classes each summer. Despite the challenges of being the only Black student on campus and threats by some white students to leave a university honor society if he was inducted, Willis Sr. completed his master’s degree in physical education in 1956. He went on to become a professor and director of the campus police at Virginia State. Willis Sr. also maintained a connection to William & Mary as a member of the parents steering committee and was involved in the recruitment of minority students. Brother Willis has been actively involved in the university’s Hulon Willis Association, a group dedicated to engaging alumni of Black or African descent and providing scholarships to current students. Having the building renamed for his father was all the more special because Willis never dreamed his father would be honored in such a way. “I was shocked when President [Katherine] Rowe called to inform me that she wanted to bring the renaming to the Board of Visitors,” he shared. He added that having a building on campus named for his father is about more than just his family. “Acknowledging the presence and contributions of diverse students opens the door for the recruitment and retention of more students and faculty from diverse communities, enhances minority alumni involvement, and demonstrates the diversity of the academic community.” @OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 43

At 13, Joey Mullaney, Quinnipiac ’17, found out he has Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a rare degenerative disorder that affects coordination, mobility, speech and organ function. The diagnosis has presented its challenges, but Mullaney hasn’t allowed the hereditary condition to keep him from pursuing his goals. High on his list was attending college. Because he uses a motorized scooter, Mullaney knew finding a campus he could navigate without much difficulty was as important as academics when choosing a university. What he didn’t know when he decided to attend Quinnipiac was that he’d also find a circle of amazing friends and be welcomed into the SigEp brotherhood. Mullaney was friends with a brother who suggested he attend a SigEp recruitment event. The “camaraderie reminded me of how close I was to all my teammates growing up,” Mullaney shared in his memoir, “Stare At Me.” He added, “I had not realized how much I loved and missed that bond.” Other anecdotes about his time in the chapter are contained in the book, which recounts Mullaney’s childhood growing up as one of four children in an athletic family in Leominster, Massachusetts, and how he’s embraced life since his diagnosis. All of his endeavors — in addition to writing the book, he runs a blog, is a public speaker and maintains sound body as an adaptive CrossFit athlete — serve to show others that, even with a disability, there’s much to look forward to in life. “I am on a mission to make the most out of the time I have and motivate others to do the same,” he said. Spring 2022

43

5/23/22 4:25 PM


In Memoriam SigEp celebrates these devoted and accomplished brothers. They contributed greatly to our brotherhood and the world around them, and their impact will never be forgotten. To read more about these amazing brothers, visit the Journal’s In Memoriam page at sigep.org.

Jim Alderman, Florida ’58, had an impressive legal career, rising through the ranks from county judge to an ppointment to the Florida Supreme Court in 1978. He became the first judge to serve on all four levels of the state’s judicial system. In 1983, the Fraternity recognized Alderman’s remarkable achievement with the SigEp Citation. SigEp Citation recipient Bruce Blackburn, Cincinnati ’61, was a highly regarded artist and graphic design pioneer. His legacy endures through his contributions to the iconic NASA “worm” logo and the logo for the United States’ 1976 bicentennial. He also designed SigEp’s red heart logo. Through these and other designs, he lived out his belief that good design should create an image “in the public eye that is permanent.”

Reconnecting with the Fraternity after he was presented the Citation in 1971, Wallace C. Doud, Wisconsin ’48, joined the national board in 1975. He went on to serve as Grand Treasurer

44

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 44

from 1983 to 1985 and was elected Grand President in 1985. In 1987, Doud was honored with the Fraternity’s highest recognition, the Order of the Golden Heart. A passionate supporter of SigEp’s mission, he later served on the Educational Foundation’s Board of Trustees and was named a Life Trustee. Throughout his life, Doud was considered a mentor and devoted brother by many. Glenn Ezell, North Texas ’87, was highly involved in fundraising for his home chapter’s facility and served as chapter counselor. A former district governor, he was also a longtime member of the Board of Governors and recruited several other brothers to become regular donors as well. He was honored for his service with a Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2020. A former district governor, Don Kindle, Cincinnati ’55, also chaired several national committees. When he was recognized with the Order of the Golden Heart in 1991, he simply said, “There’s still a lot more to do.” His statement proved to be prophetic. In the early 1990s, Kindle spent countless hours speaking with undergraduate leaders across the country about the Balanced Man Scholarship and encouraging them to implement it at their schools. The scholarship has proven to be one of the Fraternity’s most effective recruitment tools.

With bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees in economics, Robert Lee Qualls, Mississippi State ’54, built a career as a highly sought-after financial expert. His career spanned many sectors, including government and business. He also held faculty and advisory roles at Rutgers, Southern Methodist and other universities. The Fraternity recognized his accomplishments with the SigEp Citation in 1977. Order of the Golden Heart recipient Richard “Dick” Rodgers, Illinois, ’52, was a founding member of the Georgia Alpha Alumni and Volunteer Corporation (AVC) and served as chapter counselor for over 30 years. In the early 1990s, he chaired a $1 million capital campaign that enabled the AVC to renovate the chapter facility and later oversaw a second successful capital campaign. He also played a major role in promoting the Balanced Man Program and encouraging the chapter to implement it.

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:25 PM


IN MEMORIAM

The following is a partial listing of deceased brothers, reported to SigEp Headquarter as of Oct. 31, 2021. Names are organized in alphabetical order by last name. Names of national volunteers and those who have received national recognition for their service, such as the Order of the Golden Heart, Citation, Exemplary Service Award, Volunteer of the Year, Distinguished Alumnus or Distinguished Volunteer, are highlighted in red. Michael Abraham, Marshall ’77 Kurtis Achenbach, Western Michigan ’69 Bob Adams, Pennsylvania ’51 Melvin Adams, Nebraska ’56 Andre Aguilar, Fresno State ’21 Jim Alderman, Florida ’58 (Citation) Gary Alexander, Purdue ’69 Jeremy All, Indiana State ’06 Al Alsobrook, Florida ’60 Paul Anderson, Oklahoma State ’85 Christian Arrell, Davis & Elkins ’17 Bob Arterburn, Northern Colorado ’58 Rick Ashford, Oklahoma ’73 (Past staff) Carl Asp, Tennessee Renaissance Bob Auleb, San Francisco State ’85 (Distinguished Alumnus) Alphee Babineau, Connecticut ’57 Ronald Bacon, Nebraska-Omaha ’75 Javid Bagheri, Georgia ’88 Bruce Bailey, Vermont ’54 Keith Banke, Cincinnati ’59 Francisco Barba, Cal State-Chico ’69 Dennis Barnes, Tennessee Tech ’70 Billy Bell, Alabama ’57 Calvin Bentley, Lawrence Tech ’81 Wayne Bettendorf, Bowling Green State ’65 David Beumel, Vincennes ’77 Richard Bigler, Ohio Wesleyan ’53 Arthur Bishop, Barton ’58 Bruce Blackburn, Cincinnati ’61 (Citation) Gary Blain, Iowa Wesleyan ’60 Stephen Blood, Richmond ’64 Ralph “Rob” Boehnke Jr., Baldwin Wallace ’65 John Bogucki, Ball State ’68 Blair Bolton, Virginia ’80 James Bond, Texas-Austin ’73

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 45

Lex Bonner, Memphis Renaissance Jimmy Booker, Lamar ’60 Robert Bordeaux, Central Michigan ’64 Michael Born, Washburn ’89 Alex Bowlin, Washington State ’18 Bruce Brawdy, Monmouth ’57 David Brewer, Indiana ’59 Jeffrey Brittain, San Diego State ’94 John Brockwell, North Carolina State ’57 Shawn Broderick, Georgia ’86 Robert Brown, Ohio Wesleyan ’68 Bob Brum, Nebraska ’56 Alan Bryant, Central Michigan ’60 Lesley Buck, Emporia State ’58 Clifford Bunks, Wisconsin ’50 Edward Burke, Iowa ’56 Christopher Burkholder, Auburn ’91 Chuck Campbell, Montana ’91 Lewis Campbell, New Mexico ’51 Walker Campbell, Richmond ’59 Frank Campisi, Houston ’59 Steven Caputo, Richmond ’89 John Carlisle, Georgia Southern ’69 Bradley Carlson, Kansas ’88 Robert Carlton, MemphisLambuth Renaissance Bob Carpenter, Southern California ’51 Jim Carr, Culver-Stockton ’67 Ivan Carson, Utah State ’64 Roger Carsteensen, Georgia ’72 Robert Carubia, Kentucky Wesleyan ’68 Peter Cascio, Middlebury ’53 Maurice Casey, Belmont Abbey ’75 Benjamin Caskey, Baldwin Wallace ’21 Dave Catherall, Northwest Missouri ’97 Mike Cheatham, Virginia Tech ’74 John Clark, Colorado State ’65 Robert Clark, Kansas State ’52 Aryl Clason, Emporia State ’61 Richard Clifton, Georgia State ’57 Garry Cole, Iowa State ’60 Jim Collier, Wichita State ’62 Alexander Collins, South Carolina ’65 Bob Colwell, Washington State ’61 Ross Compton, North Texas ’56 Gerald Conley, Drake Renaissance David Cook, Indiana ’75 Ken Cooper, Ferris State ’77 Thomas Cooper, Mississippi State ’63 Mac Corley, Colorado State ’57 Walter Cottrell, North Carolina ’61

Robert Covington, Barton ’70 David Cowgill, Memphis Renaissance Pete Crandall, California-Davis ’79 (Distinguished Alumnus, Past staff) Tyson Craven, Auburn ’65 Thomas Creasy, Auburn ’81 James Criss, Connecticut ’69 Fred Cross, Western Kentucky ’76 Ian Crystal, Maryland-College Park ’97 Duane Dafler, Ohio Northern ’54 Doug Dancer, Randolph-Macon ’76 Stan Davies, Denver ’51 Jamie Davis, Virginia ’72 William Davis, Missouri State ’73 James Dehart, Kent State ’61 Rob Delaby, Indiana State ’94 Roy Dennis, Florida State ’62 Anthony Diamond, Delaware ’63 Paul Dickard, Texas-Austin ’54 George Dietz, Florida ’88 Mark DiFranco, Baldwin Wallace ’83 (Distinguished Alumnus) Hearley Dockham, Wyoming ’63 James Dodd, Cornell ’59 Joe Dominik, Syracuse ’54 Shaun Donovan, Connecticut ’70 Wallace Doud, Wisconsin ’48 (Grand President, Grand Treasurer, Educational Foundation Life Trustee) Peter Dougherty, Davis & Elkins ’75 Lawrence Doughty, Alabama ’56 Donald Drake, Indiana Tech ’70 Jack Dreibelbis, Pennsylvania State ’51 John Eason, Florida ’53 Joseph Egan, Pennsylvania State ’49 David Ela, MIT ’58 John Emmerling, Villanova ’84 Morris Estes, Tennessee ’54 Dick Eyler, Nebraska ’58 Glenn Ezell, North Texas ’87 (District governor, Distinguished Alumnus) Alfred Falcone, Colorado School of Mines ’49 Dick Falcone, Connecticut ’62 Ronald Farlick, Bradley ’90 Mark Field, Georgia Tech ’69 Kevin Fisher, Texas-Austin ’19 Larry Fletcher, Missouri State ’65 Peter Foward, Syracuse ’55 Ned France, Maryland-College Park ’53 Thomas Frank, TexasArlington Renaissance

Spring 2022

45

5/23/22 4:25 PM


IN MEMORIAM

Don Freely, Kansas ’52 Brian Freeman, Bowling Green State ’18 Dwight Freeman, Kentucky ’62 Jerry Frick, Nebraska ’69 Charles Fritz, Oregon State ’58 Felix Garcia, Connecticut ’86 Brian Garrigus, Indiana State ’04 Michael Gatewood, Coastal Carolina ’85 Walt Geggis, Cornell ’63 James Geiman, Richmond ’60 Carle Germelman, Richmond ’58 James Gibson, Marshall ’62 Robert Gilardi, Miami Dade Community ’81 Charlie Gillespie, Washington-St. Louis ’57 Thomas Givens, Tennessee ’61 Ralph Glover, West Virginia ’62 August Goldsmith, Bucknell ’59 Charles Goodwin, Maine ’87 Bill Gordon, Utah ’67 Dean Gorsuch, Ball State ’59 Vern Gosney, Florida State ’60 Michael Gravitt, Valdosta State ’70 Coye Gray, Wichita State ’73 Alfred Gregory, Arkansas State ’58 Lloyd Grotheer, California-Berkeley ’49 Stanley Grubbs, Texas-Austin ’76 Alexander Gullixson, Murray State ’17 John Guttry, North Texas ’53 Donald Haas, Baldwin Wallace ’56 Darrell Haass, Illinois ’47 George Haborak, Charleston (South Carolina) Renaissance (District governor, Distinguished Alumnus) Edward Haggett, Maine ’61 Matthew Hahn, Dayton ’95 Doug Halvorsen, Oregon ’64 Van Hammack, West Virginia ’78 Aaron Haug, Wisconsin ’96 Gale Haught, Georgia ’66 Ronald Hays, Indiana State ’59 Jim Hermann, Toledo ’71 Leo Herrick, West Virginia ’51 Alan Hice, Tennessee ’99 Hal Higgs, Drake ’49 Gary Hill, Southeast Missouri State ’64 Tripp Hogg, East Carolina ’91 Clay Holyfield, Western Carolina ’88 H. Dennis Hopkins, Texas Wesleyan ’76 Thomas Hough, Purdue ’73 Billy Hudson, North CarolinaGreensboro ’00 Donald Hughes, Kentucky Wesleyan ’60 Jay Hurst, Georgia ’87 Charles Isley, Western Carolina ’92 Tom Jackson, Tennessee ’61 Jerry Jameson, Ball State ’62

46

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 46

Harold Jeffrey, California-Berkeley ’54 Brian Jenkins, Drake ’80 Roy Johnsen, Oklahoma State ’63 David Johnson, Georgia State ’60 George Johnson, SUNY-Buffalo ’57 Charles Juhasz, Ohio State ’61 Wesley Kain, Seton Hall ’78 Ed Kaplan, Connecticut ’88 (Distinguished Alumnus, Volunteer of the Year) Bill Karppi, James Madison ’83 Randy Kaufman, Washburn ’76 Paul Keefe, Oregon ’55 Dan Keeley, Arkansas State ’70 Richard Kelly, Duke ’51 Donald Kelsey, Morningside ’66 Donald Kennedy, Missouri S&T ’57 Jeffrey Kerbs, Kansas State ’92 Gregory Kiel, Pittsburg State ’95 Don Kindle, Cincinnati ’55 (Order of the Golden Heart, District governor, Past staff) Don King, Memphis-Lambuth ’83 H.T. Kinney, Colorado State ’58 Hoot Kinsey, Arkansas ’49 James Kohoutek, Iowa State ’52 Robert Kother, Davis & Elkins ’51 Jerry Lambo, Oregon State ’57 Hank Land, Florida ’65 James Lane, Washington State ’65 Gene Lang, Missouri S&T ’53 Jim Larkin, Texas-Austin ’57 Robert Laseter, Georgia ’67 Robert Layer, Ohio Wesleyan ’43 Alvin Leinart, Tennessee ’50 Harry Lewis, Virginia ’49 Mark Lieberman, Pennsylvania ’69 Don Lieder, Cincinnati ’53 Richard Light, Colorado ’64 James Link, Idaho State ’61 James “Jim” Lisher, Indiana ’69 Larry Litton, West Virginia Tech ’75 Charles Long, Nebraska ’37 Collin Long, Loras ’17 Jim Loury, Southern California ’52 Bobby Love, East Tennessee State ’70 Eric Lucht, Indiana ’12 Will Luckey, Georgia ’89 Ted Lundy, Tennessee ’54 Robert Lutton, Oregon State ’50 Malcolm Magaw, Duke ’50 Karl Maierhofer, Bradley ’62 Richard Maley, Washburn Renaissance Bill Maloney, Delaware ’68 Bob Maple, Rutgers ’49 Pat Marinucci, Rensselaer Renaissance Steve Martin, Wisconsin-Oshkosh ’70

Keith Marty, Bowling Green State ’78 Christoph Massei, Richmond ’62 Joseph Mastro, Westminster ’47 Nick Mastrogianakis, Florida ’52 Richard Matta, Miami (Florida) ’59 Richard Mayberry, East Carolina ’79 Jerry McAnulty, North Texas ’62 Don McClaran, Middle Tennessee State ’81 Mike McClure, Texas Christian ’71 Harry McClurg, Tennessee Wesleyan ’60 Thomas McGaha, Mississippi State ’49 Cliff McLain, MIT ’53 Walter McRae, Dartmouth ’62 Jerry McSwiggan, Florida ’68 Sanjay Mehta, Michigan State ’06 Michael Mendros, Maine ’86 Robert Messerly, Cincinnati ’63 Bob Miller, Illinois ’57 David Miller, North Carolina State ’55 Gary Miller, Ball State ’59 Greg Miller, Colorado School of Mines ’21 Mark Millis, Tennessee ’63 Michael Molvar, Dartmouth ’64 Jeff Morelock, Georgia ’69 Keith Morkel, Purdue ’72 Richard Morris, Rensselaer ’53 Michael Moseley, Virginia Tech ’81 Alexander Mouravieff, Connecticut Renaissance Emory Mullins, East Tennessee State ’58 Gerald Murphy, Washington-St. Louis ’50 Leonard Myers, Missouri ’56 Stan Nash, Ball State ’54 Harold Neptune, Old Dominion ’91 Norman Newhall, Rensselaer ’64 Andrew Niebergall, Oregon State ’54 Steve Nienaber, Purdue ’64 Michael Oatis, Purdue ’81 George Owens, Ball State ’85 James Pack, Coastal Carolina ’83 Scott Pannell, North Carolina State ’92 William Parish, North Carolina State ’65 Reno Parker, Montana ’59 Gary Patch, Kansas ’68 Rich Patterson, Thiel ’69 Myron Peck, Tennessee ’57 Victor Pecore, Rensselaer ’59 Steven Pell, West Virginia ’82 Louis Perrier, Kansas State ’61 Mike Pettit, Wisconsin-Platteville ’09 Dennis Phelan, Bucknell ’75 Scott Phillips, Kansas ’52 Thomas Pierick, Drake ’60 Charlie Pinkerton, Drake ’59 Kirk Pinkerton, Indiana ’72 Victor Pirnie, Kansas ’51

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:25 PM


IN MEMORIAM

William Pollok, William & Mary ’67 William Poole, Wake Forest ’55 Kent Popken, Nebraska ’65 James Porter, Florida ’37 Will Proctor, Florida State ’20 David Prosser, Youngstown State ’60 Richard Pulley, Richmond ’60 R.L. Qualls, Mississippi State ’54 (Citation) Daniel Ralston, Kansas State ’88 Ed Ramcharron, Florida International ’05 William Ramsey, Emporia State ’67 Don Ransom, Southeast Missouri State ’68 Charles Raridon, Iowa State ’55 Gary Rascoe, Sam Houston State ’85 James Raue, Lawrence ’60 Philip Rector, Georgia Tech ’55 Michael Reed, Bowling Green State ’63 Charles Reinhart, Western Michigan ’67 Walter Reinthaler, California-Berkeley ’47 Maurie Richards, Idaho State ’52 Albert Riedner, Texas A&M ’92 Steve Risner, San Francisco State ’91 Jerry Riter, Bowling Green State ’63 Donald Robbins, San Diego State ’49 Gary Robertson, East Tennessee State ’69 Harold Robinson, Auburn ’61 Dick Rodgers, Illinois ’52 (Order of the Golden Heart, Distinguished Alumnus) Donald Rogers, Iowa State ’58 Joe Rolston, Oklahoma State ’55 James Ronni, Bowling Green State ’55 Durland Ryckman, Miami (Florida) ’71 George Salt, Miami (Florida) ’50 (Past staff) Doug Sampson, Florida International ’98 Jason Sanden, North Dakota ’95 Alex Sands, Mississippi ’15 Dolph Santello, Connecticut ’60 Walter Saunders, Texas-Austin ’58 Robert Scarazzo, Westminster ’68 Richard Schaeffer, Ohio Wesleyan ’51 Thomas Schaffer, Pennsylvania ’74 Robin Schmidt, Ohio State ’56 Wayne Schroeder, Sam Houston State ’65 Michael Schulze, Sam Houston State ’86 Adam Schwartz, Alaska-Fairbanks ’01 Frank Scribano, Michigan ’46 John Seele, Defiance ’73 Orlie Segneri, Drake ’61 David Shaffer, UNC-Wilmington ’93 Robert Shearer, Houston ’56 Terry Sherman, Missouri ’70 Jeffery Shipp, Georgia ’83 Richard Shore, North Carolina State ’75 Frank Siano, SIU-Edwardsville ’81

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 47

Samuel Sillaman, Pennsylvania State ’51 Ash Silverburg, Ball State ’55 Robert Simmons, Maine ’58 Bob Sims, Lenoir Rhyne ’58 Neil Sinnott, San Jose State ’70 Alfred Skyberg, Bucknell ’56 Gregg Smith, Ball State ’98 John Smith, Colorado School of Mines ’59 Mike Smith, Missouri S&T ’65 Stanley Smith, Emporia State ’70 Craig Snyder, West Virginia ’93 J.B. Sovern, Wright State ’02 Arthur Spellmeyer, Missouri ’73 Doug Spivey, Barton ’62 Roger Splean, Southeast Missouri State ’56 Richard Spurlin, Oklahoma State ’52 Gary Stansbury, Ohio Wesleyan ’62 John Stautzenbach, West Virginia ’90 Dick Steele, Massachusetts ’57 Fred Steil, Missouri S&T ’61 Gary Stevenson, Montana ’68 Rod Stevenson, Texas-Austin ’62 Daniel Steward, Connecticut ’72 Bob Storts, Ohio Northern ’60 Jack Strathmeyer, Florida Southern ’61 Denis Stroup, Bowling Green State ’70 Stephen Sturdevant, Baldwin Wallace ’68 Terry Sullivan, Oregon ’57 Glenn Summerlin, Georgia State ’56 Paul Svendsen, Drake ’70 Adam Tassin, Louisiana State ’67 James Taylor, Tennessee ’71 Pete Test, Bucknell ’57 Dale Thoma, William & Mary ’63 Gene Thomas, Emporia State ’53 Terry Thomas, Washburn ’64 Keith Thompson, North Carolina State ’91 William Thompson, Florida ’82 Jack Thurber, Oregon State ’57 James Ticer, Oklahoma State ’54 Marty Tiezzi, Connecticut ’86 Dave Tilley, Louisiana State ’64 Daniel Tompkins, Cornell ’51 Donald Tosi, Ohio State ’63 Stephen Traugott, Johns Hopkins ’49 Robert Tucker, Massachusetts ’13 Ralph Turlington, Florida ’42 (Citation) Matt VanMoorleahem, Texas Christian ’00 Steve Vassil, Kansas State ’93 Virgil Vaughn, Ball State ’68 Charles Vehlow, Culver-Stockton ’62 Bill Via, Virginia Commonwealth ’74 (Distinguished Alumnus) Chandler Vreeland, Georgia ’80 Patrick Walker, Christopher Newport Renaissance

Willard Walker, Colorado State ’49 William Wall, Clemson ’71 Bob Walls, Texas-Austin ’53 James Walter, Detroit ’68 Bob Ward, Auburn ’50 James Ward, Southern California ’52 Larkin Warner, Ohio Wesleyan ’56 David Welch, Fort Hays State ’62 Mark Wetuski, Houston ’05 Larry Wheless, High Point ’61 Brian White, Valparaiso ’61 R. White, Delaware ’55 Norman Whitehouse, Pennsylvania State ’56 Donald Whitney, Colorado ’55 Bill Wieland, Nebraska ’60 Jim Wigginton, East Tennessee State ’73 Steve Wilkerson, Sam Houston State ’75 Craig Wilkinson, North Carolina State ’92 Kermit Williamson, North Carolina ’75 Paul Williamson, CaliforniaSanta Barbara ’53 Alden Wilson, Texas-Austin ’58 Lee Wilson, Kentucky Wesleyan ’66 Robby Wilson, Central Arkansas ’07 Charles Wingard, Oregon ’57 Louis Wirth, Baldwin Wallace ’57 Jim Wittenauer, Indiana State ’59 Donald Woods, Bowling Green State ’68 John Wrench, Texas Christian ’60 Richard Wright, WPI ’57 Gary Wuslich, Youngstown State ’67 Joseph Yurko, Thiel ’93 Arnold Zimmer, Rensselaer ’48 Paul Zimmerman, Kentucky ’60 Email obituary notices to communications@sigep.net or send to: In Memoriam, Sigma Phi Epsilon, 310 S. Arthur Ashe Boulevard, Richmond, VA 23220.

Spring 2022

47

5/23/22 4:25 PM


Red Door

A Fraternity tradition since 1928, the red door is a symbol of supportive environments where scholarship, brotherhood and unique development opportunities thrive. The homes highlighted here provide ideal facilities for our brothers to succeed.

Cornerstone Awards At SigEp’s 57th Grand Chapter Conclave in Denver, SigEp National Housing presented the Cornerstone Award to four alumni and volunteer corporations. These volunteers were recognized for their commitment to ensuring our undergraduate brothers have homes that provide an ideal environment in which to live, learn and prepare for the journey of life ahead. Each of these homes is a reflection of alumni pride and the hard work brothers put into making their chapters great.

48

Florida State CHAPTER MANPOWER: 253 PROJECT SCOPE: $3 million new build with over $750,000 raised; 23,000 sq. feet FACILITY FEATURES: sleeps 32 brothers +

resident scholar suite; large study space and common area that can accommodate entire chapter, as well as a lounge area where brothers can study, gather or play pool; basement parking garage.

PROJECT VOLUNTEERS: Rob Atkisson, Scott Lato CHAPTER PRIDE: 3.7 GPA, third highest on campus for fraternities; Outstanding Leadership Programming and Community Service awards from IFC; Sound Mind, Sound Body programming includes seminars on nutrition, Green Dot bystander intervention, and training on sexual health and understanding consent.

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 48

South Dakota State CHAPTER MANPOWER: 42 PROJECT SCOPE:

$700,000 raised; 13,500 sq. feet

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/24/22 1:18 PM


RED DOOR

Iowa CHAPTER MANPOWER: 113 PROJECT SCOPE: $2.2 million renovation project with a $1 million capital campaign; 8,000 sq. feet FACILITY FEATURES: sleeps

31 undergraduate brothers + resident scholar suite; includes several lounges and multipurpose rooms for studying and chapter gatherings; new kitchenette and dining area.

PROJECT VOLUNTEERS:

FACILITY FEATURES: sleeps

20 undergraduate brothers + resident scholar apartment; dedicated study space with mobile sitting and standing desks; technology-free quiet space for reading and studying with displays of chapter awards and photos also serves as meeting space; multipurpose room; courtyard with seating area PROJECT VOLUNTEERS:

Mike Hart, Luke Cardona

CHAPTER PRIDE:

has held the top fraternity GPA for 25 out of the last 30 semesters; “Brothers Teaching Brothers” program gives members a platform to share unique skills, talents or interests with other members of the chapter.

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 49

Western Kentucky CHAPTER MANPOWER: 91

Matt Beck, Matt Seberger, Aaron Loomis, Nate Green, Jim Wachendorf, Scott Shaw CHAPTER PRIDE: chapter GPA

has risen from 2.53 in fall 2018 to 3.17 in spring 2021, as membership increased from 54 to 113 over the same period.

PROJECT SCOPE:

$950,000 new build; 5,000 sq. feet FACILITY FEATURES:

sleeps 20 brothers; learning spaces that can support the entire chapter and their faculty fellow. PROJECT VOLUNTEERS:

Andrew Cusick, Dan Banks, Ben Hopper, Nick Henderson CHAPTER PRIDE: led all fraternities on campus in grades two semesters in a row, marking the first time the chapter held the top GPA; during the pandemic, nearly doubled the number of Balanced Man Scholarship applications received; raised more than $9,000 for the local Boys and Girls Club, besting the chapter record by $3,000. Spring 2022

49

5/23/22 4:27 PM


MEMBER DISCOUNT www.geico.com/sigep | 1-800-368-2734 | Local Agent Some discounts, coverages, payment plans, and features are not available in all states, in all GEICO companies, or in all situations. GEICO contracts with various membership entities and other organizations, but these entities do not underwrite the offered insurance products. Discount amount varies in some states. One group discount applicable per policy. Coverage is individual. In New York a premium reduction may be available. GEICO may not be involved in a formal relationship with each organization; however, you still may qualify for a special discount based on your membership, employment or affiliation with those organizations. The GEICO Mobile app and site received #1 rankings according to the Dynatrace Q1 and Q3 2019 Mobile Insurance Scorecards. Customer satisfaction based on an independent study conducted by Alan Newman Research, 2020. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, DC 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. © 2021 GEICO

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 50

5/23/22 4:25 PM


Wherever you are, SigEps are a vital part of the cultural and professional landscape

San Antonio

By the Num ber s

1 Texas Theta Chapter, St. Mary's University

San Antonio is the host city for the

2023

Grand Chapter Conclave.

SIGEP CIT Y

Recognizable Face

The chapter currently has more than two dozen members and holds the second highest fraternity GPA on campus. The chapter also has nearly 600 living alumni.

News buffs can keep up with the latest in town by watching KENS5. Former reporter and current assistant news director James Keith, Sam Houston State ’03, has all the info to keep viewers in the know.

2 River Walk

One of the city’s most scenic attractions, the River Walk is a 15-mile-long park steps away from the Alamo. A year-round destination for shopping, dining, nightlife and special events, it’s popular with locals and tourists alike.

1

3

23

Number of Conclaves held in San Antonio (1985, 2003, 2023)

4

3 58th Grand Conclave

7

The Grand Hyatt San Antonio River Walk will host SigEp’s 58th Grand Chapter Conclave. Aug. 2-6, 2023.

Number of Conclaves held in the state of Texas

More than 750 SigEp alumni live or work within San Antonio’s city limits.

1

Number of Undergraduate Chapters in San Antonio @OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 51

Citation recipients, chapter brothers and childhood friends Charlie Amato, Sam Houston State ’70, and Gary Dudley, ’69, co-founded SWBC, a financial services company perennially listed as one of the best places to work in the city.

Champion

4 Go Spurs!

Looking for a heart-pumping good time? Catch a home game of the fivetime NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. Dudley and Amato (see above) are investors in the team.

In the 2021 season, assistant strength and conditioning coach Joe Gottsch, Washington State ’18, helped lead the University of Texas at San Antonio football team to an 12-2 season and clinch the conference title. Spring 2022

51

PHOTO BY JEFF HUEHN/UTSA

750

A Great Place to Work

5/23/22 4:25 PM


Arête

A Q&A with a brother who embodies the spirit of arête — the pursuit of excellence in all things

Terrill L. Drake North Carolina-Greensboro ’01 Chief Diversity , Equity and Inclusion Officer, Harvard Business School

Drake serves as the first-ever chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer at Harvard Business School (HBS). Previously an associate dean and head diversity officer at the Villanova School of Business, Drake has spent nearly two decades in higher education working in event management, operations, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. The Journal spoke with Drake about his new position and the Fraternity's impact on his life.

Q&A

How do you define inclusivity, and how will you cultivate it at HBS?

You’re the first person to serve in this role at HBS. Why is this position needed now?

CATS OR DOGS?

Definitely dogs FAVORITE MUSICIAN?

Beyoncé HOW DO YOU UNWIND?

Travel, family, friends, tennis and wine

52

For people with marginalized identities, their experiences can be less than ideal in environments that were created by and still contain majority identities. As such, HBS and other institutions should be working to ensure exceptional experiences for all community members. Meaning, we have a responsibility to provide them with the necessary elements for success. These elements will vary, depending on a specific community’s needs. My role is to shepherd the many initiatives already in place and implement strategies to close the gap between those positive and negative experiences.

SigEp Journal

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 52

Inclusion is the act of creating environments where all individuals feel welcomed and respected. Our focus is on providing environments and creating spaces where every member of our community has what they need to be successful. As part of that, we’ll work to foster dialogue and learning across differences. Through those interactions, we believe more authentic relationships will be formed.

What are your objectives in this role? I hope to provide opportunities for members of the HBS community to embed the work of diversity, equity and inclusion into their functional work, units, teams and organizations and to foster an environment where we work to understand and value differences. I’m also excited to make continued progress on the HBS Racial Equity Plan and

bring into focus other issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ability, veteran status and age. My team and I will work to define shared language around these efforts to make sure there’s broad understanding as we discuss these initiatives.

How has SigEp impacted your life personally and/or professionally? Whenever I spend time with any of my brothers, it’s as if not a single day has passed. We are an extended family that can call upon each other at any time. I look back fondly on my time in my undergraduate chapter and credit my election as vice president of programming with preparing me for my first jobs in event management. There were many lessons learned from running our organization that I’ve been able to build upon throughout my career.

W W W. S I G E P. O R G

5/23/22 4:25 PM

SigEp


A.

B.

D. C.

E.

F.

G.

H.

J.

NEW! I.

I.

A. Official Founder’s Badge, #0100 | B. Official Size Crown Pearl Badge, #0104 | C. Enameled Crest Guard, #9006 | D. Everyday ID Pendant, #KMP031 | E. President’s Badge, #0075 | F. Large Size Crown Pearl Badge, #0115 | G. Crown Pearl Single Letter Guard, #J0500 | H. President Dangle, #01A | I. Official Ring, #3301 | J. NEW Fraternity Link Bracelet, #KME017

FOR FREE STANDARD SHIPPING ENTER PROMO CODE: SPE2022 Valid through March 4, 2022

@OFFICIALSIGEP

SigEp 2021Nov ad.indd 1 SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 3

Spring 2022

3 11/24/21 2:02 PM 5/23/22 4:26 PM


Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity 310 S. Arthur Ashe Boulevard Richmond, VA 23220-5706

LEAVING YOUR SIGEP LEGACY Make a lasting impact on Sigma Phi Epsilon through planned giving to the Educational Foundation. Joining the Legacy Society supports future generations of SigEps, and can have significant financial advantages through: • Bequests in your will or estate plans • Charitable remainder or lead trusts • Retirement plans and life insurance Learn more about joining the Legacy Society at sigep.org/legacy

A wise SigEp said, ‘I am making payments on a debt I can never repay.’ In a time of crisis, one brother cared enough to keep me safe. I give so that in the future, some other brother in crisis will have someone to whom they can turn. -William Hydrick, Loyola ’85

SigEp_Journal_SP22_32-52_C3-C4_P4.indd 4

5/23/22 4:49 PM


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.