Sigma Phi Epsilon Balanced Man Fellowship to fund soccer field in Uganda | Columbia Daily Spectator

Sigma Phi Epsilon Balanced Man Fellowship to fund soccer field in Uganda | Columbia Daily Spectator:

By EMMA BOGLER 

Spectator Senior Staff Writer

March 31, 2014, 12:58am

Vivek Ramakrishnan, CC ’16, is the second Columbian to join a group of balanced men.

At a small ceremony held in Low Library on Saturday, Sigma Phi Epsilon—of which Ramakrishnan is not a member—awarded him a $3,500 Balanced Man Fellowship grant to build a soccer field in the town of Mpigi, Uganda.

BALANCING ACT | Mechanical engineering professor Mike Massimino 
was at Saturday's Balanced Man ceremony, where Sigma Phi Epsilon awarded 
Vivek Ramakrishnan, CC ’16, a $3,500 grant to build a soccer field in Uganda. 

“I’m really happy and I’m really relieved to have gotten this grant,” Ramakrishnan said, adding that the money will allow him to purchase the land for the soccer field right away. “The cost of land fluctuates a lot in that region, so if we had to buy the land a year from now it might cost twice as much.”

Ramakrishnan began collecting soccer equipment from around his hometown of Madison, Wis., in high school to donate to organizations that would distribute the equipment in Africa. He eventually started his own nonprofit, Pass It On Soccer, which collects and sends donated soccer equipment from the United States to Uganda.

Despite having to step back from running Pass It On Soccer since coming to Columbia, Ramakrishnan said he’s excited to continue his work in Uganda.

This is the second year that SigEp has awarded a $3,500 Balanced Man Fellowship after reforming the program in 2013. The fellowship uses alumni donations to help fund a student-organized philanthropic project each year. Last year’s winner, Josh Fram, CC ’16, used the money to purchase indoor rowing machines for a camp for mentally disabled athletes in his hometown of Lawrenceville, NJ.

Alex Carames, CC ’16 and SigEp’s vice president of philanthropy, said the fraternity received 11 applications for the grant this year.

“It was hard to choose between the finalists because we had so many great projects, but [Vivek’s] ultimately hit the closest to home in terms of our goals and values, and in terms of having the greatest impact on the most people,” he said at Saturday’s event.

“Every single person here tonight knows that these values encourage fraternity men to strive to make a difference in our community,” SigEp President Alexander Felsberg, CC ’15, said at the ceremony. “Every single person who has given this organization their time and effort has seen how it’s changed their lives.”

Felsberg added that he hoped the fellowship would help bridge the gap between the Greek community and the rest of campus.

“This grant is by far one of the greatest examples of the way Greek life has a positive impact on the Columbia campus,” Felsberg said.

This year’s grant is especially significant to the fraternity as it marks the 15th anniversary of SigEp’s chapter at Columbia.

“It really shows how the organization has grown substantially over time,” SigEp alumnus Tom Russell, CC ’09, said. “We give back more with each passing year.” 

“It’s important that frats get a chance to show their good side,” Russell added. “This really helps the fraternity give back to the community.”                         

“Part of the DNA of SigEp is to help others,” Sam Arora, CC ’03, said. “That’s why it’s both remarkable and yet not at all surprising to see such a significant investment going toward helping a community in need.”

SigEp Iowa Delta donates big

Those of you who were in the VP Communications track at CLA this year should check out this great example of telling the SigEp story. Love the check, too!

Social fraternity donates big:

Story and Photos by Hayleigh Syens

It’s not every Friday afternoon that the brothers of the Iowa Delta chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon suit up.
This year, Queen of Hearts co-chair Brady Oates introduced a new fundraising effort.

But this past Friday was different: The brothers were presenting a check for $17,000 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Iowa.

The donation is the result of a wildly successful philanthropy effort by Sig Ep this year.

Queen of Hearts, Sig Ep’s annual philanthropy, has been around since 2001.

“Our chapter had just gotten back onto campus and we had a brother, Eric Grunzinger. He was diagnosed with leukemia. He unfortunately didn't win that battle,” said Dan Pfeifle, Queen of Hearts co-chair. “The chapter decided that from then on, their philanthropy efforts would go to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Iowa, kind of in a way to remember him.”

The specific events making up Queen of Hearts week have changed over the years, from talent shows and dunk tanks to senior skits and brothers shaving their heads.

However, the big event, a softball tournament at the end of the week, has stayed consistent.

“That was the original event for Eric: playing softball. They raised money for his family and treatments. He passed away, but since then, we've continued on,” Pfeifle said.

Fraternities should not be held responsible for individual accidents - Cavalier Daily

An interesting opinion piece in the University of Virginia student paper.

"...as is often the case, missteps by one particular person or chapter increase hostility against fraternities nationwide. Other organizations do not face the same backlash."

The Cavalier Daily :: YAHANDA: Brotherly hate:

Fraternities should not be held responsible for individual accidents
by Alex Yahanda | Jan 21 14

News about Greek organizations generally focuses on what chapters do to get in trouble (search “fraternity” on Google news and the results are mostly negative). This disproportionately gloomy reporting reflects poorly on the chapters’ schools, which in turn leads to punishments that are system-wide overreactions to the conduct of individual houses. Last week, another nationwide news story broke in which a fraternity is being punished unfairly.

According to the Yale Daily News, 86 members of the school’s Sigma Phi Epsilon — nicknamed Sig Ep — chapter are being sued over an incident that occurred in 2011 at a Harvard-Yale football game. Before that game, a former student, Brendan Ross, struck three women with a U-Haul truck that he was driving to the fraternity’s tailgating location. One woman, Nancy Barry, was killed, and the other two were injured. But despite the fact that only one student caused the accident, an excessive number of brothers are now facing legal action.

Many writers whose articles were published last week took note of the fact that Sig Ep’s national chapter has distanced itself from its Yale unit. Its insurance does not cover actions that go against the national fraternity’s policies. Typically, a fraternity’s national organization is able to serve as a safety net to help members of chapters that finds themselves in trouble. With the liability that accompanies fraternities these days, though, it is not surprising that national organizations are hesitant to provide comprehensive insurance for chapters, preferring to save time and money by distancing themselves from those chapters that have participated in illicit activities. In reality, the Sig Ep national’s inaction is not particularly newsworthy. There are two larger injustices that occurred as a result of the U-Haul accident.

The first injustice is that 85 of Ross’ fellow Sig Ep brothers — a group including both former and current students — are now being implicated in a wrongful death suit. Barry’s death was unquestionably tragic. It could have been avoided had Ross been a more responsible driver. Ross deserves to face any appropriate consequences for his actions, and the victims of the accident should receive proper restitution. Implicating an entire fraternity as accomplices in the accident, however, is unfair. Ross alone was directly responsible for what occurred. Though he was driving fraternity supplies to a fraternity-sponsored event, the other fraternity members neither enabled the accident to occur nor should be held responsible for the consequences of Ross’ negligence. Members who were not even present at the tailgate have been swept up by the lawsuit simply for being in the same chapter. This kind of widespread punishment is entirely unreasonable, as there is nothing the fraternity as a whole did that was inherently wrong, irresponsible or worthy of mass legal action.

The second injustice is more glaring: Ross’ record does not reflect any sort of wrongdoing. After pleading guilty to two relatively small driving infractions, he was sentenced to enter a probation program. Four hundred hours of community service later, Ross emerged with no marks on his criminal history.

The Connecticut justice system should be receiving more anger than Yale’s Sig Ep chapter. To be sure, Ross’ life will not return to how it was before the accident. He will forever be associated with Barry’s death. But it makes little sense when someone can kill a person, injure two others and receive no real punishment, even if the event was accidental. Ross was fortunate in a way that other people may not be. His charges were downgraded so that he could benefit from the probation program. Barry’s family also agreed that the probationary program was adequate punishment, as Ross was apparently a good kid who felt “appropriately remorseful.” Despite the agreement between both sides, Ross’ record deserves some blemish. One should not be able to go from negligent homicide with a motor vehicle to community service that easily — and that should be the primary message of Ross’ accident.

Yet the U-Haul misfortune, just because it is associated with a fraternity, will augment anti-Greek sentiments throughout the country. The vast majority of drivers who kill or injure people every year are not associated with Greek life. But, as is often the case, missteps by one particular person or chapter increase hostility against fraternities nationwide. Other organizations do not face the same backlash. During my first year, for instance, a University student in my dorm was hit by a Safe Ride van. There was no national outrage at the University or the Safe Ride program for that accident, and it would have been absurd for that student to consider the entire Safe Ride program to be of lesser value because of the actions of one driver. The same idea holds for Ross’ situation. Nothing about being in a fraternity significantly influenced his accident — his job in the fraternity was to drive the truck, but the other brothers did not cause him to crash it. Individually suing Ross makes sense, but it is not necessary to blame Barry’s death on all 86 members of his fraternity.

Alex Yahanda is a senior associate editor for The Cavalier Daily.

'via Blog this'

Members of Sigma Phi Epsilon Support Autism Speaks

Members of Sigma Phi Epsilon Support Autism Speaks | Blog | Autism Speaks:

This guest post is written by Omar Kasim, the Vice President of Philanthropy for Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) at the University of Arkansas.  The fraternity is involved with Autism Speaks U, an initiative of Autism Speaks that  is designed to support college students, faculty and staff in their awareness, advocacy and fundraising efforts.



A year ago Jack Otten, an alumnus of the Sigma Phi Epsilon(SigEp)chapter at the University of  Arkansas and father of an autistic child, approached his old chapter requesting its support for Autism Speaks. Since then, we have devoted our philanthropic efforts to raising money and awareness for the organization. Every year we host an annual kickball tournament for the sororities at the University of Arkansas. The tournament gives sororities an opportunity to compete against each other while at the same time working towards a common goal of raising money for the cause. Last year was the first we supported Autism Speaks and were able to raise over $6,000. This year we have set a goal of $10,000, a number we believe is more than feasible.

Non-Stories and False Follow-ups can Negatively Impact Chapter Reputation

One of the frustrating parts of managing this blog is trying to find a real story among all the innuendo-packed filler pieces the news media publishes when they don't have real news.

The following two links are examples of the kind of non-story pieces that in essence say "we can't find out anything new so lets rehash all the 'coulda, shoulda, maybe' accusations just to keep people talking." There is no real information in them. Instead, accusations are flung anew and officials quoted give variations on the "I'm not saying anything of substance" theme.

Normally we ignore these articles in favor of items with some real information. But just for today look over these two examples and think about how even a party at a recent graduate's house, or an errant fire alarm, could trigger a wave of accusations and substance-free reporting that will harm your campus reputation. Be sure to check out the full articles via the links provided.

Example 1:
Sigma Phi Epsilon president hopes suspension ends soon - The Shorthorn : Campus:

Christofer Slocum hopes the interim suspension placed on his fraternity, Sigma Phi Epsilon, is lifted by the end of next week so members can resume organizational activities.

Slocum, Sigma Phi Epsilon president, said UTA began questioning Sigma Phi Epsilon members Monday about accusations that the fraternity held an unregistered party, provided alcohol to a minor and that a sexual assault occurred at the chapter house Sept. 7.

Slocum denied accusations that a sexual assault occurred and denied hosting an unregistered party that night. Student Conduct officials told fraternity members the investigation could be wrapped up within two weeks, he said.

University spokeswoman Kristin Sullivan wouldn’t confirm the dates Student Conduct officials began questioning Sigma Phi Epsilon, or any of the other four fraternities placed under interim suspension in connection with Bid Day activities Sept. 7. She also could not confirm when the investigations are expected to end.

“All the investigations have begun, none of those have been resolved, and there has not been any formal hearing process. That’s not where we’re at. We’re in the investigative process,” Sullivan said.
[...]
Slocum said the fraternity did not hold an unregistered party. Instead, members attended a party at the home of an alumnus who was celebrating a new job.

“I have no control over what a graduate of UTA does at his residence,” Slocum said.

The accusations have caused damages to the fraternity’s reputation and has cost them about $10,000 in member dues, Slocum said.

Example 2:
Stetson investigating fraternity for hazing | News-JournalOnline.com:
DELAND — Stetson University is looking into what officials called an “alleged hazing incident” from over the weekend involving the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

The university’s on-call team of professional staff responded to a fire alarm early Sunday at the on-campus fraternity, said Chris Kandus-Fisher, vice president for Stetson’s student affairs. The DeLand Fire Department also responded.

The response team “saw something in question” and are investigating and talking to students along with Stetson’s public safety department, Kandus-Fisher said.

“We are not sure what happened,” he said, “but any time there is a violation to our community code of conduct we take it seriously and do a complete investigation and determine if there are charges we follow up on.”

The university has not determined whether any hazing was involved, he said. Stetson has five houses on Fraternity Circle, and each houses about 25 male students.

SigEp settles into new house on Pro Row

Great way to start a new year - with a new house. Just down the street from the university president. No pressure. Be sure to note why they needed a new place.

SigEp settles into new house on Pro Row - News - Tufts Daily - Tufts University:

After two years without a house on campus, Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) officially opened its house on 92 Professors Row with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday.

The fraternity had been without a house since May 2011, when damages from an unsanctioned Senior Week alumni party prompted SigEp’s landlords to refuse the organization’s return to the 114 Curtis Street residence.

The organization has since made a concerted effort to ensure that a similar incident does not occur, according to SigEp President Stephen Ruggiero II. 

“While we were [without a house], we did a lot to make sure we cleaned up our image, to show we’re capable of the responsibility of having a house,” Ruggiero, a senior, said. 

The house on 92 Pro Row became available in the summer of 2012 after the university told the fraternity Sigma Nu — which had occupied the house since 1985 — to leave. The space at that time had reportedly deteriorated due to abuse and neglect by its tenants. Female transfer students took up residence in the house before November 2012, when SigEp signed a one-year agreement for the house. 

The brothers will learn this semester whether or not they will be able to stay in the house in subsequent years, Ruggiero said.

Several representatives from the university administration and the national SigEp organization, as well as leaders from Greek organizations on campus, attended the housewarming ceremony.

University President Anthony Monaco, who participated in the ribbon cutting, noted the importance of the house in symbolizing the role of the fraternity on campus.

“This is not just a house with residents. It’s about what they represent in Greek life on campus,” he said. “[Fraternities and sororities] provide a lot of active support for students in academics, leadership development and school spirit.”

Monaco also addressed the brothers directly, reminding them of the real importance of the event. 

“A house is one thing, but it’s all the work this fraternity does across the campus ... that matters,” he said. 
SigEp Regional Director Logan Fletcher, who oversees the fraternity’s 21 chartered chapters in the Northeast, commented on the benefits of the house’s location on the corner of Pro Row and Packard Avenue.

“The house is a great location,” he said. “It helps them to be a part of the fraternity and sorority community.” 
Fletcher added that while the house may prove to be a convenient recruiting device, he does not believe it is necessary to gain new members. 

“If we’re recruiting the best men, then the house isn’t what they’re joining for,” he said.

Ruggiero agreed, saying that the fraternity targets a high quality, not quantity, of men.

“We don’t want the house to do the recruiting for us,” he said. “It’s a tool we can use. We’re hoping not to recruit more, but higher quality guys.”

The 11 brothers living in the newly renovated house will pay rent through the university bursar, much like students living in a dorm, according to Ruggiero. Though the university owns the house, Massachusetts law stipulates that the fraternity chapter will pay the housing property tax, he said.

According to SigEp Vice President of Programming Gregory John Vitale, the fraternity will not have access to the house’s basement, which may preclude it from hosting larger events. Vitale is considering other ways the fraternity can engage students in its new space, such as hosting backyard events.

“We have to think of new and interesting ways to reach out to the community,” Vitale, a senior, said.
Graduate Assistant at Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Hayley Keene believes that SigEp’s return to an on-campus house is part of a positive trend in Greek life on campus, which also includes the addition of new sorority Kappa Alpha Theta this year. 

“Any time there’s an expansion in Greek organizations is great,” she said. “It shows that there’s an interest in Greek life and that it’s growing.”

Before cutting the ribbon to the house, Monaco noted the short distance between the president’s house and the fraternity.

“It’s quite an honor to have you as a neighbor,” he said to the brothers. “Lucky for you, I’m a very sound sleeper.”
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Greeks writing the next chapter in philanthropy « Easterner Online

From Eastern Washington University, an article about how Greeks are sponsoring philanthropic activities.

Greeks writing the next chapter in philanthropy « Easterner Online:

Sigma Phi Epsilon President Aaron Steiner said, “This year we actually changed [from donating to our national philanthropy] to the Wounded Warrior project. They help wounded vets get back on their feet with medical expenses or housing or things like that.”

Sigma Phi Epsilon has members who have been or are currently in the military, and they consider veterans to be an important cause, according to Steiner.

Steiner also described an annual Haunted House fundraiser event held by his chapter house each fall. Community members, students and faculty donate $5 to come through and see the haunted house. This money is donated to Wounded Warriors.

Doran Williams is Sigma Phi Epsilon’s philanthropy chairperson. “We’re helping build a playground in Spokane and building with Habitat for Humanity,” Williams said. “We raised about $2,000 this last year [at Haunted House] and hope to raise more this coming fall.”

“Right now we don’t have any philanthropies planned,” Steiner said, “but we do want to do something for Youth Aid because that is our national philanthropy. We go through challenge courses, and each challenge requires community service for our members.”

One of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s principles is diligence, so members try to work hard in everything they do, according to Steiner.

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SigEps at Quinnipiac University volunteer for elementary school

"Day of Volunteering" helps out elementary students near Quinnipiac University.

Ridge Hill School receives Lowe’s Toolbox For Education Grant - Life - Post-Chronicle:

 

More than a dozen RHS families and staff as well as more than 25 students from Quinnipiac University and members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity during QU’s day of volunteering, The Big Event! joined forces April 6 for the school’s annual Wake-Up the Garden Event.

HAMDEN — Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation has awarded a $2,000 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant to Ridge Hill School in Hamden for grounds improvements within their Discovery Garden. Ridge Hill is one of more than 550 schools across the United States to be awarded a Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant this fall for school improvement projects during the 2012-2013 school year.

Ridge Hill School is an elementary school serving K-6th grade students. On beautiful, expansive grounds Ridge Hill School maintains a diverse and culturally rich student population. The Discovery Garden was installed and designed three years ago as a collaborative vision between families and staff who wanted to create a community focal point. This year circular, centrally located herbal garden will be installed in the landscaping and a split level fence will further define the garden space. The Discovery Garden serves as a hands-on classroom when students are studying living organisms during the science curriculum. The project is scheduled to be completed in May 2013.

SigEp Bro. Victor Ortiz debuts on DWTS tonight.

Meet the Season 16 cast of Dancing with the Stars | ABC TV Show News, Cast, Photos & More – ABC.com:

VICTOR ORTIZ

PROFESSIONAL PARTNER: LINDSAY ARNOLD 

Victor Ortiz is a living, breathing example of the American dream. From a broken home in a small town in Kansas to the bright lights of the boxing ring, Ortiz has used every obstacle he has encountered along his journey to fuel his strength and attain his dreams.

As former Welterweight Boxing Champion, Ortiz finally found his life’s calling as a world class athlete. The nickname “Vicious” describes Ortiz when he’s in the ring, but his million-dollar smile is a preview to his heart of gold. His ability to connect with people on a human level has kept the spotlight from blinding him. Realizing the importance of hard work, dedication, and family at an early age, Ortiz always finds a way to give back.

Fraternity scolded for building giant snow genitals

<Sigh> Why does this not surprise me? At least no one was hazed, kidnapped, or assaulted, or forced to drink to excess. However, we have no word on whether the model ended up with frostbitten manly bits.

Fraternity scolded for building giant snow genitals:

Police made brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity tear down the giant snow sculpture
they crafted in front of their house near Purdue's campus March 7.
 (WLFI photo / Elisabeth Rentschler)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Many people used this week’s snow to make snow-people and igloos, but not everyone. Police officers received a report of a giant snow phallus sitting on the lawn of a campus fraternity.

According to West Lafayette police dispatchers, on Thursday afternoon someone called to report a giant male member made of snow in front of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at 690 Waldron St.

Police officers responded to the fraternity house to put an end to the snow sculpture.

Some of the fraternity’s brothers WISH-TV's sister station WLFI-TV spoke with said it took them roughly 2.5 hours to build it, and that the officers who arrived told them they could either turn the sculpture into a snowman or it would have to be torn down.

The brothers were unable to reach that goal, and the sculpture was destroyed.

According to previous discussions WLFI-TV has had with police on this type of snow sculpture, this violates the state statute category of obscene matter.

Indiana Code 35-49-3-1 prohibits the sale, distribution or exhibition of obscene matter, which snow shaped into male genitals would qualify as.

If charges were filed in this case, it would mean a Class A misdemeanor for the perpetrators. However because the sculpture was destroyed, no charges were pursued.

This isn’t the first time a large, icy male member has been spotted after a big snow in the area.

A few years ago, a home in Lafayette displayed a couple of inappropriate sculptures, as well.
--------------------------------------------------------

Oh, wait. You want a picture of the offending sculpture? Filthy minded pervs! OK, Here you go (after the jump to allay the NSFW crew):

PR 101 - for Chapter communicators

Sam Moschelli, District Governor for Michigan, wanted one of his chapters to get some practice with press releases and making a media push. This excellent example is what they came up with. How well does your chapter publicize itself? 

CLA Leadership training is coming up. If you want your chapter to do a better job of getting noticed in a positive way be sure that your VP Communications is attending the sessions. If he can't make it have him ask someone else to help out.

Sigma Phi Epsilon

Contact: Matt Russell
russelm1@mail.gvsu.edu
989-600-3225
http://gvsusigep.org/
www.sigep.org

January 27, 2013

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: GVSU student achieves prestigious level in Balanced Man Program

ALLENDALE, MI – The brothers of the Michigan Kappa Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon are proud to announce that Tyler Kinch of Grand Valley State University has achieved the highest level of the fraternity’s Balanced Man Program: Fellow. Kinch, a junior Athletic Training Major, completed the rigorous final challenge, which included the proposal and completion of a 500- hour or 60 day service project.

Only brothers who commit to undertaking a community service learning project of this level are able to apply for this challenge, which makes the number of members nationally who achieve this level in the program very small. Through these projects, Fellows receive hands-on experiences that teach leadership, mentoring, and how to care about and serve others.

For his service project, Kinch started his own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Students Providing Opportunities and Recreation Through Sports (S.P.O.R.T.S.), to provide fun, interactive experiences for underprivileged children in the inner cities of the Midwest. Kinch created this organization to be fully operated by GVSU students and to be built upon Christian values. The goal is to enhance the quality of life for these children through proper mentor guidance and building a brighter future.

Since its inception, the organization has already partnered with campus organizations to hold an athletic equipment drive between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This event encouraged students to bring back new or used athletic equipment from home to donate to local athletic programs as well as Christian ministries working in African countries.

Kinch has also partnered with Sigma Phi Epsilon and Kramer Entertainment to organize a $1 All-You-Can-Play Laser Tag fundraiser on Friday, January 25, 2012, from 6:15PM – 11:00PM in the GVSU Fieldhouse. Students and members of the community were encouraged to come and enjoy a night of laser tag, with all of the proceeds going to S.P.O.R.T.S. for future activities. The caused raised $300 in a very short amount of time that will go towards more equipment and camps on the east side of the Michigan in the 2013 summer.

Sigma Phi Epsilon, established in 1901, is one of the nation’s largest fraternities, with over 15,000 undergraduates on 240 campuses across the United States. Its mission is building balanced men, which is achieved through a continuous member development program that has contributed to a fraternity-wide GPA of over 3.0, a focus on the principles of Sound Mind and Sound Body, and service learning efforts that allow members to develop leadership skills while giving back to the community.

Getting the most out of house traditions - USU Statesman

The full article has several instances of traditions, but of course we wanted to showcase SigEp.

Getting the most out of house traditions - USU Statesman - Utah State University


USU fraternity Sigma Phi Epsilon has a weekly tradition of its own — SigEp Sunday. Jake Taylor, a junior majoring in psychology,  is a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He said SigEp Sunday originated six years ago in an effort to cast a better light on the fraternity.

“SigEp Sunday started so people would get over the fear of going to a fraternity house,” Taylor said. “We wanted people to see that it’s just fine and that they can come have a fun time and meet other people.”
Every Sunday, the SigEp boys make a dessert for their guests. Ice cream sundaes are often the go-to choice, but cookies and brownies are known to be in the mix as well.

“The number of people in attendance ance varies from week to week, but we usually have a solid 30-plus people,” Taylor said.

Taylor said inspirational quotes and interesting stories are read. The Larry H. Miller biography has been quoted, as well as passages out of the Quran and Gandhi enlightenment.

“This Sunday tradition is something that will continue on,” he said. “We will keep having SigEp Sundays now and in years to come.”

Nevada fraternities and sororities help single mother get daycare for her child

A small story about the Greek community helping out.

Nevada fraternities and sororities help single mother get... | www.foxreno.com

Recent months’ events have cast a shadow on the University of Nevada’s Greek community. Disciplinary actions for a couple of chapters have left the altruistic actions of the many as a story that doesn’t reach the general community. One such act is when fraternities and sororities learned of a University student who was a single mother and having difficulty affording a safe daycare for her child and continuing her education. Associate Dean of Students, Dr. Marcelo Vazques, asked the Greek community for their help. Greeks rushed to the single mother’s aid and raised the money needed to pay for daycare.


“After much hard work and heart ache I thought I was going to have to drop out of school in my last semester due to losing my job and the means to pay for daycare. The bills piled up and I was unable to pay daycare expenses,” the single mother said. “After I had written email after email asking for help, the fraternities and sororities stepped up and payed for the rest of the few weeks of daycare I was in school. I am incredibly grateful to them for doing this.”

Greek organizations are founded on the principles of love and community – characteristics that have not been publicly highlighted in previous months. Alpha Epsilon Pi, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Alpha Tau Omega fundraised the money for this single mother. Nationally, it’s estimated that undergraduate Greeks raise more than $7 million annually.

SigEps Welcome in Victims of Sandy

From the SigEp "Sound Bite"...
SigEps Welcome in Victims of Sandy

Bryan Baranyay, Stevens Tech '14

When Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast, brothers at Stevens Tech put in a total of 787.25 service hours in a five-day period, doing everything from cooking for shelters, cleaning hard hit areas and taking emergency calls. Resident Scholar, Polina Pinkhasova said, "The brothers brought a positive attitude to these shelters when there was none before." The outpouring of brotherly love that these men showed made Pinkhasova, "proud to live under the same roof as these selfless and considerate men." Chapter President, Bryan Baranyay, Stevens Tech '14, shares his chapter's experience.

Hurricane Sandy hit New York and New Jersey hard when she arrived, but the brothers of New Jersey Alpha RLC were fortunate.  The Stevens Tech Chapter house was on one of four blocks in Hoboken, N.J., to have power, running hot water and basic amenities that everyone suddenly needed. We were just one of a few dots of light in a city of 50,000. Nearly half the city was underwater for several days and Stevens Institute of Technology was closed for a week. The entire New York Metro area was suddenly shutdown and few people had an inkling of what to do next.

The day after the hurricane hit, our brothers realized how blessed we were since our house went un-flooded and still had electricity. We were determined to make a positive impact during such a trying time, especially since our house was suddenly Ground Zero of our campus as well as our neighborhood. Along with our resident scholar, Polina Pinkhasova, we went to Hoboken City Hall to see how we could help. "Once at city hall, the brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon took immediate action," Pinkhasova said. "They started organizing themselves so brothers were at the shelter continuously for 24 hours." Brothers were providing simple items that everyone usually takes for granted: a Gatorade jug to supply a shelter with water, lamps so volunteers could see what they were doing at night, cooking utensils for food, board games for children and blankets for neighbors.

Community members rest and charge their electronics outside of the New Jersey Alpha chapter house.

As a chapter, we were honored to supply things that would make this horrific experience all the more bearable for others. The most precious of these commodities in the wake of Sandy was electricity. We placed extension cables from our house to the front patio near the sidewalk. We connected three power strips to share what so many greatly needed to charge cell phones, laptops and tablets.  We also set up a table and chairs so neighbors could relax and try to take their mind off what was currently happening.

Polina had an especially moving experience while helping out. "One woman brought tears to my eyes as she explained her situation. She arrived at the shelter saying that she had never asked anyone for anything but was in desperate need of food for her three children," Polina said. "Without hesitation my SigEp boys worked with the shelter to package up boxes of food for her. I will forever remember the scene of her graciously accepting food from my boys in order to feed her family."

RIVERSIDE: Fraternity’s race supports Make-A-Wish Foundation

RIVERSIDE: Fraternity’s race supports Make-A-Wish Foundation | Breaking News | PE.com - Press-Enterprise:

 JAVIER CABRERA/CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

Steven Bugarin, the philanthropy chair of Sigma Phi Epsilon, awards Dimitri Whitman a medal for competing in the the second annual Chris Lee 5K Run for Hope, on Saturday, Nov. 17. 

The second annual Chris Lee 5K Run for Hope was held by the UC Riverside chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon on Saturday, Nov. 17.

The event benefited the Make-A-Wish Foundation and was named in honor of Chris Lee, a Sigma Phi Epsilon brother and former president who was seriously injured in a car accident earlier this year.

More than 100 runners participated at the event, which began at 8 a.m. at UCR’s bell tower. The race and the following fundraiser aimed to raise $5,000 to grant the wish of a child with a life-threatening medical condition in the Orange County and Inland Empire area.

Lee and the other car accident victim, Regan Moore, have faced serious medical battles following the crash. Lee was initially in a coma but has since made significant improvement at a rehabilitation center in Alabama. Moore also is in rehabilitation for a traumatic brain injury.

UCR’s Sigma Phi Epsilon President Matthew Womack said Lee’s dedication to the foundation makes the event’s naming in his honor all the more valuable.

The Collegian » Greeks clean up their neighborhood

The Collegian » Greeks clean up their neighborhood: 

Various members of Fresno State Greek sororities and fraternities participated in Sunday’s Greek Cleanup, an event coordinated through Associated Students Inc.

Participants in the event picked up trash and cleaned up areas neighboring the Fraternity and Sorority Mall between Millbrook and 6th avenues. Students present also cleaned up the area housing a group of fraternity houses on Shaw Avenue across the street from the Fresno State campus.

“So what we’re doing is just trying to clean up the areas around the Greek sororities and fraternities,” said senior Melissa Ellis, an ASI community affairs coordinator.
[...]

But one problem prevalent in the Greek mall is vandalism in the form of graffiti. Several markings could be seen around gates in Greek housing and up and down the sidewalks of Millbrook Avenue.

Joe Devane, president of Fresno State’s Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity chapter, said graffiti is a recurring problem in the area.

“That’s the most annoying part because we’ll go ahead and clean it up the day after we see it—and then it’s right back there the next day,” Devane said.

“The best thing we can do is continuously clean it up. If we do that, maybe that will annoy them to the point where they stop because they realize that it’s not going to be there for long.”

Fraternity Brings Nashville Band to Lincoln for Diabetes Concert

The Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity starts off the first weekend of school with a concert to raise donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

According to philanthropy co-chair Mitchell Ferris, the idea to do this concert came about last spring.

Ferris, who is from Omaha, said he went to school with one of the band members who also has diabetes. The Lonely Biscuts who call Nashville their home town, were flown to Lincoln just for the Friday night concert.

The Lonely Biscuts won The Battle of the Bands- Eastern Conference and have become well known in the Omaha area.

Ferris said, "We are here to have fun and get good grades but we are also here to give back and that is part of it. That's why I ran for philanthropy chair."

260 tickets at $10 each, were sold before the concert even started. Total attendance is expected to have reached close to 500 people once all the sales are tallied.

The concert began at 9:15 p.m. and lasted until around 11:30.

Ferris said this is the last event he is coordinating since someone else will sit in his chair on the committee beginning next month.

The fundraiser is being considered a success.

Local couple puts out welcome mat for fraternity cyclists

Local couple puts out welcome mat for cyclists:

Patty Saunders and John Shea have
welcomed Journey of Hope cyclists into
their home for the past 12 years. 

"Sunday morning, 70 cyclists are slated to leave San Francisco and Seattle on an annual coast-to-coast fundraising tour for the developmentally disabled.

Twenty-eight of them will make their first stop around 5 p.m. in Napa — to be greeted by Patty Saunders and John Shea, a couple who have welcomed the riders for the past 12 years.

Their effort is part of a life spent aiding and advocating for disabled children and adults — and giving them the attention often denied them.

Each summer, the nonprofit Push America organizes the Journey of Hope, featuring fraternity members cycling from the West Coast to Washington, D.C.
...

Journey of Hope members, who belong to chapters of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, sign sponsors to donate funds before the tour, which includes two routes from the Bay Area and a third starting in Seattle. Along the way, the riders make donations to local programs supporting developmentally disabled residents, including Options3 Inc., a supported-living center in Santa Rosa."

'via Blog this'

Victor Ortiz reps SigEp fraternity on his shorts during Josesito Lopez fight | Larry Brown Sports

Victor Ortiz reps SigEp fraternity on his shorts during Josesito Lopez fight | Larry Brown Sports: "
Victor Ortiz represented the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity during his fight with Josesito Lopez on Saturday. Ortiz had “SigEp” embroidered on his trunks as a shoutout to the house he joined recently.

Back in April, Ortiz mentioned on Twitter that he was “officially a SigEp” at Kansas University."

'via Blog this'

Time to BEE Smart again!

This just in:
Snigdha Nandipati is the fifth Indian-American in a row to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 14-year old spelled 'guetapens,' which means ambush or trap. (link with video)

(Blatantly stolen from Sigep.org, the HQ Website)

This Thursday, May 31, 2012, at 8 p.m. EST, the finals of the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee will be broadcast live in Washington, D.C., on ESPN. For the seventh  year, the Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation will present a $5,000 college scholarship to the winner.  Board of Governors member Anthony Balestrieri, George Washington ‘03, will bestow the scholarship at the closing banquet on Friday night, June 1.

The Educational Foundation sponsors the Scripps National Spelling Bee because SigEp believes that when students improve their spelling, they increase their vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives.   This principle aligns with SigEp’s goal to be a valued partner in higher education.  Good spelling provides a basis for education and communication, which are building blocks for success, credibility and leadership.

Coverage of the semifinals begins at 10:00 a.m. EST, and the finals start at 8:00 p.m. EST. You will see SigEp listed as a sponsor during these broadcasts.  Please give the Bee your attention and support.

Many past winners have made an appearance at the biennial SigEp Conclave, and we look forward to the 2012 and 2013 winners joining us in August 2013 in Dallas.

Read more fascinating facts about the spelling bee and this year’s competitors.