SPRING/ FALL 2016
SIGMA PHI EPSILON NC MU Hello!
the impacts they've made on others have proven NCMu to be a valued partner in higher education. In this newsletter, we will revisit some of the moments that have defined our chapter over the past few months. We will introduce members of the new Spring 2016 class, and provide an update on the experiences of our brothers studying abroad. This newsletter will also outline the goals for our chapter in the coming year, and will provide readers with the information to digitally connect with the brothers of Elon University's chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon.
Thank you for taking the time to stay updated with the brothers of NC-Mu. We're thrilled that we get a chance to communicate with the friends, family, and alumni that hold a vested interest in the happenings of our chapter. Throughout the past several months, the men of NC-Mu have witnessed several defining moments in our chapter's history. We've been recognized for awards that attest to our many organizational successes and our ongoing commitment to the future well-being of our chapter. While membership changes from year to year, the values instilled in our brothers during the initial new member period remain embedded in the foundations of NC-Mu. In following these principles, year after year, our chapter continues to respect the true purposes of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. While we've experienced challenging moments throughout our history, we've risen to the occasion and set an example for other organizations on Elon's campus. As a chapter, our commitment to fostering personal development and instilling a servant leadership mindset in our members speaks to our ultimate goal of "building better men." As you will read, the extraordinary work completed by our brothers, the places they've travelled, and
All the best & VDBL,
Owen Gaffney President, Sigma Phi Epsilon, NC-Mu
MICROFINANCE RESEARCH PROJECT GAINS ATTENTION refer to Page 7
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The state of
OUR CHAPTER
Check out some photos, and learn more about our chapter.
THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
Spring 2016 New Member Class
OWEN GAFFNEY PRESIDENT COTY CONSIC VP OF PROGRAMMING
Photo taken following our Sigma ritual in mid-February, 2016.
2015-2016 Chapter Members
COLE JORDAN VP OF FINANCE RYAN GILL VP OF MEMBER DEVELOPMENT MAXX FORTI VP OF RECRUITMENT TERRENCE MCLAUGHLIN VP OF COMMUNICATIONS
Photo taken during our annual Christmas party celebration in mid-November.
Spring 2016 New Member Class
JORDON MCRAE CHAPLAIN ADAM DALLIMORE VP OF RLC
THROW US A LIKE OR TWO @SigEpNCMu
OUR FACEBOOK PAGE
@SigEpRLC
Photo taken following our Sigma ritual in mid-February, 2016.
OUR RLC FACEBOOK PAGE
Fall 2016 New Member Class
www.sigepncmu.com CHAPTER WEBSITE
CREDITS Terrence McLaughlin Photo taken following our Sigma ritual in mid-September, 2016.
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Designer
Various photographers Photo credits
THE ALUMNI CORNER
CHECK IT OUT
DONATE NOW
Enough from us. Hear from the alumni themselves! See what three of our alums are up to, and what they've learned since graduating Elon.
Invest in your chapter. Donations from alumni help advance our efforts on-campus and in the greater Elon community. Visit www.sigepncmu.com.
PAT RAJ MCLAUGHLIN '16 RAWAL '12
RICKY ROSATI '14 Hey everyone, I hope this update finds you well. Hopefully I didn’t miss too much at Homecoming this year — I’m interested to see how things are going for the chapter, so I’ll try to make it down in the near future. Just to update everyone on how things are going, I’m currently living in Washington D.C. and am working for Deloitte’s consulting division. I’ve been here ever since graduating in 2014, and am really loving it. For the past two decades or so, Deloitte consulting has been the company’s highest-earning corporate division, and I’m honored to be a part of the team. Right now I’m working directly with the U.S. Navy as a technology consultant. Deloitte has developed a system that allows for members of the Navy to order technology products online like cell phones, computers, etc. — its kind of like Amazon, but just for the Navy. About 700,000 people utilize this network, and for me, it’s all about making sure the client remains satisfied with the product. From a day to day perspective, I’m the liaison between the client and the technology providers— but a lot of my job goes beyond that. I maintain a strong working and personal relationship with my client, and work with them on project management and developing strategy. In a lot of ways, my time in SigEp helped me develop the skill set needed to succeed in the position. During my time on standards board, I learned how to interact with brothers, especially during challenging times. Building strong relationships with my brothers has allowed me to do the same in my work.
Hey guys, I hope everyone at Elon, as well as my fellow alumni are doing well. Here’s a little update on how things are going for me back home in Missouri. My dad and I are working together on launching and building up Mistwood Aviation, a Cirrus maintenance, flight training, and rental company. We opened our doors on May 1st, 2016, in response to a void in services for Cirrus Aircraft. These aircraft are incredible for many reasons, but above all they are known as the only certified aircraft with a whole plane parachute. In effect, the safety of this parachute being standard can be equated to the introduction of the seatbelt in automobiles. Right now I’m doing a lot of hands on work with the aircraft, including general maintenance and aircraft management. I am also working to plan out how to move the company forward in the coming year, and have just hired a part-time Cirrus Standardized Instructor Pilot (CSIP) to begin our flight training operations. Alongside all of this, I am currently working on securing my own instructor’s ratings, after which I will become a full time CSIP and professional pilot for hire. I’ve found that working at Mistwood has been a great opportunity to apply what I learned through SigEp in an entrepreneurial environment. I constantly think back to my experiences on the executive board as a reminder that all of my hard work might not be seen immediately, but will ultimately shape the organization for years to come. I encourage all of the brothers in the chapter to be a change maker, and to learn to from and apply the fraternity values in everything you do. If anyone is interested in learning more about what I do, I encourage you to contact me with questions.
- Ricky
- Pat
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Hey guys, Just wanted to give you an update on my time in LA. Things are going really well for me. Over the past summer I worked as an associate producer for some of the music videos featured on Kanye’s Life of Pablo — specifically Famous, Fade, and Wolves. Now I’m working as a social executive producer at Ovation Networks; they produce shows like The Tudors and Versailles. I’ve gotten a ton of great experience working with digital strategy, and am excited to see what’s next for me. Being in LA after Elon has taught me a few important things. To start, don’t be afraid to tackle a challenge. Facing challenges allows you to fail, and as a result, learn from your mistakes. Remember that you can fail and struggle and still be happy — all at the same time. It’s important to recognize that you have to create your own legacy, not follow someone else’s. Since graduating, I’ve come to better understand the role that SigEp’s values play in my daily life. I still try to live the Balanced Man ideals, and have learned how to use my brothers as resources. In fact, I draw a lot of creative inspiration from the relationships that I have with the brothers in my class. Remember to honor the values you learn through SigEp, and recognize that the fraternity is apart of you just as much as you are a part of the fraternity.
- Raj
NEW MEMBERS ONLY QUICK FACTS 21 MEMBERS 3.42 AVERAGE GPA 12 STATES CHI CLASS
SAM EISENSTADT
JAMES (J.C.) SWOPE
MATT WILLIAMSON
PETER VICTORATOS
What is your hometown? Locust, NJ.
What is your hometown? Nashville, TN.
What is your hometown? Avon, CT.
What is your hometown? West Orange, NJ.
What’s your major? Environmental Science.
What’s your major? Business Managment.
What’s your major? Broadcast Journalishm.
What’s your major? Possibly computer science.
Who’s the 1st brother you met? Coty Consic.
Who’s the 1st brother you met? Jordon McRae.
Who’s the 1st brother you met? Hayden Lowry.
Who’s the 1st brother you met? Jack Johnston.
What’s your dream job? Head coach for FBS team.
What’s your dream job? Wildlife photographer.
What’s your dream job? NHL broadcaster.
What’s your dream job? Start a web-based company.
What can't you live without? My bike - I hate walking.
What can't you live without? My iPhone.
What can't you live without? Garden salsa Sun Chips.
What can't you live without? Spotify.
What is your motto? You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.
What is your motto? Live life to the fullest, everything happens for a reason.
What is your motto? That's my net, Herb.
What is your motto? It just is.
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PLANES TRAINS AND SIGEP'S LONDON ROME COPENHAGEN OXFORD ZURICH BATH AMSTERDAM Over the past year, several members of NC-Mu's junior class have made their way across the pond to take advantage of Elon's incredible study abroad programming. As of now, the trend for most Elon students is to study abroad during the fall semester of their junior year. While a majority of the class hopped on the same bandwagon, some of our brothers decided to go during the second semester of their sophomore years instead. Consequently, they were all heading to the same continent. Thus begins
LONDON BARCELONA COPENHAGEN OXFORD INTERLAKEN PARIS AMSTERDAM
"I know the interactions with my friends & family will be all the more richer, now that I have conquered Europe."
BEN BEAN
FLORENCE PARIS MUNICH BARCELONA DUBLIN SEVILLE INTERLAKEN 5
SigEp's European Vacation. Of the many places Elon students can chose to study, our brothers decided to take on Europe. More specifically, they were in London, Barcelona, and Copenhagen. While a few things have changed since they left campus, the chapter has made sure they remain as connected as ever. We're all in constant contact, to the point where they don't seem so far away! Here are some photos that our abroad brothers have shared with us.
WE'RE THE ELON ORG OF THE YEAR! Our chapter was honored with the Student Organization of the Year Award during Elon's 21st annual Organization Awards and Inauguration Ceremony. The OAIC was hosted by the Elon Student Government Association on March 29. The OAIC presents an opportunity for SGA to recognize the dedication and hard work of student organizations and university programs. The OAIC also serves to
recognize individual student leaders and faculty/staff members for exemplary service to their organization and the university community. The Student Organization of the Year Award (Over 30 Members) is one of 13 awards presented at the OAIC. It recognizes an outstanding on-campus organization based on how they perform withthe following criteria: benefit to the university community, involvement on and off campus, prospective annual goals, and ability to connect with those who are unaffiliated with the organization. SGA Executive President Kyle Porro said this year’s selections committee “especially looked at how the organization was bettering itself while at the same time bettering Elon University and Elon town communities.” Alongside the newly inaugurated SGA Executive Board, Porro presented the award to Elon sophomores, Owen Gaffney, Coty Consic and Jordon McRae on behalf of the chapter. Cosnic, vice president of the
NATIONALS LOVES WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH MEM DEV. Our chapter received the Donald C. McCleary Excellence in Member Development Award in Atlanta at the annual Carlson Leadership Academy in early February 2016.
The North Carolina Mu chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon was honored this past winter with the Donald C. McCleary Excellence
Left to right: Coty Consic, Maxx Forti, Owen Gaffney and Terrence McLaughlin with the Donald C. McCleary Excellence in Member Development Award.
in Member Development Award during the national fraternity’s annual leadership academy. Owen Gaffney, the chapter’s then vice president of member development, accepted the award on Feb. 6, 2016, on behalf of the organization. The Donald C. McCleary Excellence in Member Development Award recognizes
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Left to right: Coty Consic, Owen Gaffney, and Jordon McRae accepting the OAIC Award for Organization of the Year.
chapter, said he was thrilled to see the hard work associated with member development and mentorship recognized. This is the second honor to be presented to the chapter in 2016. In early February, the chapter received the Donald C. McCleary Excellence in Member Development Award at the national fraternity’s annual Carlson Leadership Academy in Atlanta.
chapters that are exercising a commitment to continuous development and provide unique and individualized opportunities focused in the six core areas of development programming: SigEp, Sound Mind, Sound Body, Personal, Leadership and Professional. The chapter was recognized at the Carlson Leadership Academy on the second day of the two-day conference in Atlanta. The academy annually provides interactive officer training to over 2,600 undergraduates and volunteers in locations across the country. Brothers Coty Consic, Maxx Forti and Terrence McLaughlin attended the academy alongside Gaffney. To qualify for the award, chapters must have a GPA above the all-campus fraternity average for the past year, be in good ethical standing with the university, and have proof that a structured development program is implemented throughout the academic year.
MICROFINANCE RESEARCH PROJECT GAINS ATTENTION OF UNIVERSITY Research by SigEp senior Michael Keenan finds that household businesses in Indonesia are more likely to cope with natural disasters and disease when they have access to banks that provide savings and loans. A loan of a few hundred dollars might seem inconsequential in the United States, but for household businesses in developing nations, such a sum could make a world of difference following a drought or flood. In Indonesia, where the majority of the population earns a living as small business owners, families who live in areas affected by natural disasters or widespread disease often are forced to sell business assets such as farming equipment, livestock or vehicles in order to make ends meet. Recent research by Elon University senior Michael Keenan points to a possible solution for those families: microfinance loans. The Business Fellow from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, has worked over the past year with Professor Steve DeLoach in the Department of Economics to analyze data in the Indonesian Family Life Survey from 1993-2007, a longitudinal survey of households and small businesses. Microfinance entails small loans for those without access to traditional banking. Over time, these modest loans have the ability to bolster a developing nation’s economy, decreasing poverty levels and providing a promising financial outlook for the future. “From a policy standpoint, this is significant because if microfinance is proven to be an effective tool for supporting entrepreneurs, policymakers can subsidize banks that are willing to give microloans,” said
Elon University senior Michael Keenan with his economics research mentor, Professor Steve DeLoach. Keenan, an economics and mathematics double major. Keenan became interested in economic development after studying abroad during his junior year in Costa Rica. While in Central America, he worked with the non-profit El Centro de Estudios para la Paz, or Center for Peace Studies, to propose an entrepreneurship program for local prisoners. The program teaches prisoners basic finance, accounting and marketing skills, and then encourages them to develop business proposals. Pitching this program opened Keenan’s eyes to the potential of economic education in less-privileged economies. He returned to campus and soon applied to Elon’s Summer Undergraduate Research Experience. “Over the course of the summer, Michael matured in his economic understanding and confidence in doing research,” DeLoach said. “Now if you saw us interact, you would really feel that we are colleagues who are collaborating rather than a teacher who is instructing his protégé.” Keenan plans to present his economics research in February at the Issues in Political Economy Conference in Washington, D.C. In conjunction with his microfinance research, Keenan also undertook a research
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project in mathematics. He worked with Assistant Professor Chad Awtrey to develop a new method of calculating symmetries of polynomial roots in an effort to increase the efficiency of existing algorithms. He travelled to Seattle in January to present his mathematics research at the Joint Mathematics Meeting, and he will share the same research in April at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research in Asheville. Following in the footsteps of his older brother and Elon alumnus Connor Keenan ’14, Michael Keenan was familiar with the university before he even applied. When he was selected for the Business Fellows program, Keenan was eager to gain hands-on experience in the field of economics. The graduate of Rocky Mount Academy plans to attend graduate school to pursue a degree in developmental or applied economics. He recently received acceptance to the Erasmus School of Economics in Rotterdam, Netherlands; Tilburg University in Tilburg, Netherlands; the Barcelona Graduate School of Economics in Barcelona, Spain and Johns Hopkins University. Keenan is the son of Steve and Jane Keenan of Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
-Sarah Collins '18 Elon Communicaitons