The Emerald - Winter 2022 by Sigma Pi Fraternity

Winter 2022

'AND THE OSCAR GOES TO...' PHOTOGRAPHER AL SEIB

P16

'IN THE KITCHEN WITH | 'TOP CHEF''CHRIS VIAUD'

P22 ALUMNI EVENTS

From the CEO

Brothers and Friends, On January 26, 1897, Miss Charlotte N. Malott, the professor of Latin and French at Vincennes University, spoke to a student group at the chapel hour. She spoke on the subject of ‘College Fraternities’ which sparked the interest of several students. Then, on the afternoon of February 26, a new fraternity had its first meeting. Today, that group of four men on one campus, has grown to over 115,000 men across 232 campuses in North America. In preparation for this issue of The Emerald, I took time to reflect on our past as it highlights the value of our mission and its impact on not just undergraduate college men, but on alumni, parents, siblings, spouses and friends. Our quest has navigated many challenges throughout the course of the world; many of those could have forced us to close our doors, as not all organizations or businesses that started in 1897 are still open. However, the resilient nature of a Sigma Pi man, strives and perseveres, and understands the deeper meaning of our motto: Progress, man’s distinctive mark alone, Not God’s, and not the beasts’; God is, they are. Man partly is and wholly hopes to be. As we celebrate 125 years, I ask that you take time to reflect on how Sigma Pi has made an impact on you. Whether you’re a Brother, parent, spouse, sibling, or friend, your involvement makes us all better. Personally, I never thought of being a Fraternity man, especially considering I am a first generation college man. However, on March 28, 1999, I was initiated into Sigma Pi while at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and my life was forever altered. As an undergraduate I learned how to work as a team, put on events, delegate duties, be a leader, and how to be my own man amongst men. As an alumnus, I’ve expanded upon those initial learnings while having a group of brothers to navigate life with. Being a Sigma Pi man is for life, no matter how actively engaged we are with the Fraternity; our oaths of membership ensure it is engaged in our hearts. I am humbled to serve in my role as CEO, and help continue to enhance our mission and opportunities for young men to grow. Thank you to our alumni and friends for your charitable support that continues to provide scholarships and grant funding for educational programs. Thank you to our volunteers who provide advice and mentorship to assist our young leaders in their ability to lead and grow. Thank you to our undergraduate brothers, through your efforts to continue to recruit and showcase the value of being a Sigma Pi man, we are seeing growth on the 103 campuses we currently are active at. Finally, thank you to my staff who have worked tirelessly, during a pandemic, to develop resources, provide consultation and support, and help keep me grounded. Our story is the true story of what a small group of people can do once they set their minds to it: from four to 115,000 and counting. Happy Founders’ Day Sigma Pi, and look forward to another 125 years! I Believe… Fraternally,

Jonathan M. Frost (UMSL '99) CEO & Executive Director

CEO Jonathan M. Frost (UMSL '99) jfrost@sigmapi.org

Contents

In This Issue ABOUT THE EMERALD VOLUME CVI, NUMBER 1 - Winter 2022 (ISSN 1074-5289, USPS 011-013) The Emerald has been published since 1911 by: Sigma Pi Fraternity 1101 Kermit Dr., Suite 730 Nashville, TN 37217 and additional mailing offices.

SUBMISSION DEADLINES Summer - May 10 Winter - November 10 ABOUT SIGMA PI Sigma Pi Fraternity was founded at Vincennes University, Vincennes, Ind. on February 26, 1897. The Executive Office is located in Nashville, Tenn. Sigma Pi has chartered more than 230 chapters in North America and has initiated over 115,000 members since 1897. The founding fathers of Sigma Pi Fraternity are:

Rolin Rosco James (1879-1953) William Raper Kennedy (1877-1944) James Thompson Kingsbury (1877-1950) George Martin Patterson (1877-1960) SHARE YOUR STORY Send pictures and stories to: emerald@sigmapi.org or Sigma Pi Fraternity 1101 Kermit Dr., Suite 730 Nashville, TN 37217

International Digest

From the Grand Sage

125 Years of Brotherhood

Calendar of Events

The Man Who Changed Everything

A Servant Mentality

Educational Foundation

Securing a Solid Foundation

Chapter Reports

Chapter Accomplishments

Education & Programming

Growth

Volunteers

Behind the Footage

Alumni News

Adytum on High

From the Archives

Photo Finish

Contributors

UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION To update your contact information, please visit: sigmapi.org/updateinfo or send an email to: records@sigmapi.org

EDITOR/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Chris Carter (Middle Tennessee '08) ASSISTANT EDITOR

Summer Clarkson

BUSINESS MANAGER

Jen Wyatt

CONTACT INFORMATION

CONTRIBUTORS

sigmapi.org

Jacob Camilleri (Saginaw Valley State '14) Drew Carpenter (Middle Tennessee ‘85) Jeff Cline (North Carolina State '85) CEO Jonathan M. Frost (UMSL '99) GS Joe Palazzolo (Monmouth '00) Alex Pettigrew (Indiana of Penn. '15)

@sigmapi linkedin.com/company/sigmapi 615.921.2300

38 FRATERNITY COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATION

sigmapi.org

International Digest

2021 Scholarship Recipients On October 19, 2021, the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation officially announced the recipients of scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year. Scholarships distributed included the Colonel Walter H. Lemmond Memorial Scholarship, Byron R. Lewis Academic Scholarship, Judge Curtis G. Shake Law Scholarship, and many more. The Sigma Pi Educational Foundation offers a variety of scholarships for undergraduate and graduate studies to help our members remain competitive in school and the Greek Community. This year the committee reviewed all applications and awarded a total of $42,750 in scholarships to 36 award winners in the fall of 2021. To see the full list of award winners, visit: sigmapi.org/21scholarships

"I am originally from San Jose, Costa Rica. I moved to the United States at the age of seven months old and have lived in Dover, NJ for my entire life. Through great opportunity and sacrifice I was able to attend and complete my first year at Monmouth University where I will be a part of the Honors school and majoring in Finance and Real Estate. In the future, I hope to become a successful commercial real estate developer, while also giving back to my community of Dover in any way possible. I want to express my immense gratitude and appreciation to the Educational Foundation and Sigma Pi for the Byron R. Lewis scholarship. This scholarship will aid me in furthering my education and provide great experience for me in the future." — Carlos Navarro (Monmouth ’21)

Content from The Emerald Online

2021 Grand Chapter Awards

Recognizing the 2021 Donors

Published: October 19, 2021

Published: January 17, 2021

Sigma Pi excitedly announced the winners of the Grand Chapter Award for the 2020-21 biennium.

Sigma Pi proudly recognizes and thanks the donors from the 2021 calendar year.

Read more at: sigmapi.org/21donors

Winter 2022

From the Grand Sage

A Message from the Grand Sage Brothers, As this biennium moves along, I am reminded of what binds us together. After traveling to 109 of our chapters, colonies, and interest groups, I experienced firsthand the warm, welcoming handshakes that we offer when meeting a fellow brother. Through volunteering for the last 20 years, I observed the lifetime opportunity for social growth that the Fraternity provides to alumni and undergraduates. And as a supporter of the Educational Foundation, I get to witness the remarkable financial impact that giving back has on the young men who bring the Fraternity to life everyday across North America. These are some of the elements that bound Sigma Pi Fraternity men together in a fellowship of kindred minds for the last 125 years. Together, we celebrated alumni who became successful professional athletes, academics, politicians, scientists, businessmen, entrepreneurs, and media superstars. We also recognized those alumni who spent time working to advance the Fraternity as members of the Executive Office or through volunteer service as Chapter Advisors, Province Archons, and members of the Grand Council. In my own Sigma Pi experience, I was inspired to serve the Fraternity by the commitment of my Province Archon Paul Gorman (Seton Hall ’93).

GRAND SAGE Joe Palazzolo (Monmouth '00) grandsage@sigmapi.org

Beginning now and for the duration of 2022, we are going to celebrate more than a century of the amazing success story that is Sigma Pi Fraternity. What a small group of military cadets founded in the American Midwest has grown to over 115,000 brothers living all over the world and forming the basis for fraternal excellence on college campuses and in local communities. The story of Sigma Pi Fraternity is the story of generations of men coming from different backgrounds to put their own mark on the definition of our brotherhood. In the early 1900s, men like Founders’ Award winner William Kiplinger (Ohio State 1909) focused their efforts on expansion and growth. In the mid-1940s, men like Past Grand Sage Jonathan Hillegass (Franklin & Marshall 1918) and Past Grand Second Counselor Colonel Walter Lemmond, Jr. (Emory 1924) worked to keep the Fraternity operating during World War II. And today, our undergraduate leaders can hold their heads high as they join the pantheon of Sigma Pi men who stabilized and improved the Fraternity through difficult times as we have witnessed through their resilience during the pandemic. To our alumni brothers reading this message, I invite you to join us in celebrating our brotherhood. Join us in making sure that our Fraternity remains an important part of undergraduate life. Join us in making sure that the Sigma Pi of tomorrow offers the same opportunities that you received from the Fraternity during your undergraduate years. When a fellowship of over 115,000 kindred minds comes together, how can the future not be bright? This year, let’s unite in brotherhood to celebrate our first 125 years. And when that celebration wraps up, let us all come together to recognize that it’s morning again in Sigma Pi, and that it is time to build the next 125 years of our Fraternity. Together! Fraternally,

GS Joe Palazzolo (Monmouth '00) Grand Sage #47 of Sigma Pi Fraternity sigmapi.org

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125 Years of Brotherhood A Look Through the History of Sigma Pi by Grand Sage Joe Palazzolo (Monmouth '00), contributing writer

The founders of Tau Phi Delta would have never conceived of an organization with the scope and influence of today’s Sigma Pi Fraternity. What started with a meeting of like-minded military cadets in Vincennes, Indiana has grown to become an enduring presence on college campuses across North America, from coast to coast, and over many generations.

onsidering the revolutionary and often tumultuous changes in national and global culture over the last 125 years, one may wonder how the Fraternity was able to persist and thrive through today. It has not been an easy road for Sigma Pi or any Greek-letter organization, but the importance of fraternity and sorority life in forming generations of young men and women cannot be understated. The story of our Fraternity’s resilience over the last 125 years is the story of why Sigma Pi still exists today. For many of our undergraduate brothers, the Fraternity provides social and emotional support while they are living away from home for the first time in their lives. For many of our alumni brothers, the Fraternity

provides a fun social atmosphere after a hard day’s work. Though, for most of our brothers, Sigma Pi is a connection - to people, to places, and to opportunities. When our brothers talk about their love for Sigma Pi Fraternity, they are talking about the connections that bind them together. And even after 125 years of operations, the Fraternity’s connections do not grow stagnant by any means. In fact, just like the Fraternity itself, the nature of connecting our brothers has drastically changed over the years. When the early members of Tau Phi Delta brought Samuel and Maurice Bayard into their brotherhood, they met with the two young men at their home in an effort to educate them about the fellowship they were

creating at Vincennes University. Today, our undergraduates connect with potential new members across a variety of platforms and engagement methods. From in-person meetings to video chats to shared conversations through chat-focused social media apps, connecting with the next generation of brothers is as diverse and complex as the individuals who comprise the Fraternity in 2022. And this diverse membership is another area where the Fraternity has evolved with the times. Early in its history, Sigma Pi restricted membership to white, Protestant males. Over time, the qualifications of membership grew to include not just Protestant men, but men of all different religious and faith creeds including Jewish, Catholic, Muslim, Winter 2022

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Members of Tau Phi Delta pose together with the shield of the Fraternity

Sikh, and other believers as well as atheists and more. Cultural and racial backgrounds expanded to include men from countries around the world and with racial identities that resembled the increasingly diverse student populations at our host institutions. Another evolution is the host institution itself. Unlike fraternal organizations like the Odd Fellows, Elks, Knights of Columbus, Masons, and Shriners, many fraternities and sororities started as organizations adjacent to local colleges, if not entirely designed and formed by collegians. In the early part of the 1900s through the post-World War II years, Greek-letter organizations grew to be an intrinsic part of campus culture. As fraternity and sorority life combined with college athletics, student government, and other campus-based organizations to form the fabric of student life, an administrative infrastructure developed around these groups. The role of this administrative sigmapi.org

function, today, looks and feels odd to many brothers who were undergraduates decades ago. Yet, the recent history of the Fraternity and the future of Sigma Pi cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the role of this expansive administrative function at many of our host institutions. When that administrative function works in an equitable and honest manner, the Fraternity’s chapters thrive. Eta-Eta Chapter at Bridgewater State University and Gamma-Upsilon Chapter at Murray State University are examples of chapters that have excelled while working in collaboration with purposeful and intentionally-driven campus administrators. Meanwhile, chapters like Alpha Chapter at Vincennes, Indiana and Iota-Kappa Chapter in the Orlando area are among the approximately 10% of the Fraternity’s chapters that are thriving while not being officially connected to a local campus. Some of our peers have designed their entire

business model around colonizing in areas where a market study proves they can be successful, regardless of the presence of a college campus - or official recognition from a traditional host institution. This type of approach to expansion does not disregard or end the traditional college-based chapters, rather it adds a new route to the same end - brotherhood in Sigma Pi Fraternity. And this is only one of several opportunities for the Fraternity to connect with new brothers. For example, several historically black, African American, and Latino fraternal organizations have achieved tremendous levels of success by developing substantial alumni chapters in metro areas. These chapters are the empowered entities that operate to recruit the next generation of their brotherhoods. They build connections among populations and age groups that are traditionally considered alumni and that is where recruitment and new member education takes place. 5

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Perhaps in the next 125 years (or sooner), Sigma Pi Fraternity will implement a few of the powerful lessons of our interfraternal brothers and sisters. One thing is for sure, though - the connections that built and sustained Sigma Pi Fraternity for its first 125 years will be critical elements in our immediate and future success. Those connections are what bring alumni back to their chapters for homecomings, sporting events, and alumni celebrations like Founders’ Day. Those connections are also what fuels our undergraduates to reach out their hands to the next new member class, and what inspires those new members to reach back and enter into the Fraternity. Many of our brothers joined Sigma Pi before the technological revolution that powers today’s college students. Before smartphones and the messaging apps that populate them existed, young men connected to the Fraternity by attending information sessions, meeting brothers in-person at campus and social events, and hearing all of the wonderful benefits of brotherhood from our alumni members. While it looks more and more like digital networking will build the foundations of our future membership, we should remember that all of us have a part to play in enhancing the name and reputation of Sigma Pi on our campuses and in our communities. Alumni visiting campuses should stop in and say hello to the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life and thank them for working with our undergraduate men. For those alumni who give their time, talent, and treasure to other nonprofits, including their colleges or universities, they should make it known that they are a proud 6

Founder George Martin Patterson

Founder James Thompson Kingsbury

Founder Rolin Rosco James

Founder William Raper Kennedy

alumnus of Sigma Pi Fraternity. And for those alumni who are in a position to do so, they should help build new connections with their undergraduate chapters by offering help and guidance, if needed, and talking to their local Chapter Advisor about how they may be able to give back - how they can build connections for the future.

consistency of Sigma Pi Fraternity’s brotherhood across the ages is what binds us - what connects us together. That brotherhood has stood the test of time across two world wars and a variety of regionalized global conflicts, two major global pandemics, social and cultural revolutions, changing dynamics at our host institutions, and shifting views on the benefits of fraternity membership. The resilience of our brotherhood is a defining

It is appropriate that we spend time thinking about our shared future as we celebrate our shared past. The

Winter 2022

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The Company L, 159th Indiana Volunteer Infantry in the Spanish-American War, was composed of Vincennes University Cadets and members of Tau Phi Delta

characteristic of our past and a bedrock on which we will build our future. Just as the generations that came before us weathered the storms brought on when our brothers were called to cross the oceans to fight for our country, the current generation of undergraduates is stemming the tide of disengaged student populations magnified by a mental health crisis that was only made worse by the pandemic. And yet, Sigma Pi Fraternity will prevail like we and our fraternal peers always have and always will. The lifelong connections that we

sigmapi.org

bring to the lives of our brothers are not easily found in a campus club or even among the members of campus athletic teams. Our connection is something different, something deeper and more complex. It is the shared cultivation of progress as we go about our daily lives. It is the shared experience of finding comfort among kindred minds. It is the unity of purpose with which Sigma Pi moves from day to day, year to year, age to age. The connections that we have with and among one another are stitched together by diverse individuals seeking truth and justice in the world.

For 125 years we - you and I, the Sigma Pi brothers reading this at any point across time - have breathed life into the words of our Creed by living lives inspired by the intellectual contributions of our Founders. With renewed commitment to those founding ideals, and with a focus on designing a future that exemplifies the best of our traditions and values, Sigma Pi Fraternity will continue to always be stronger tomorrow than it is today.

Calendar of Events

Events & Anniversaries February 2022 February 26 125th Founders’ Day

February 26 125th Anniversary Vincennes (Alpha)

March 2022 March 19 45th Anniversary Illinois State (Epsilon-Eta) Alumni from Alpha Chapter gather together at a Indianapolis Colts game on November 14, 2021

April 2022

April 28

April 11 30th Anniversary

June 8

10th Anniversary

110th Anniversary

Louisville (Iota-Omicron)

Purdue (Eta)

Carleton (Eta-Rho)

April 14 15th Anniversary

May 2022

August 2022

May 4

August 17-20

Southern Indiana (Theta-Psi)

April 17 40th Anniversary

15th Anniversary

45th Anniversary

25th Anniversary Saginaw Valley State (Theta-Beta)

60th Anniversary

October 2022

Central Missouri (Gamma-Gamma)

October 26

May 18

110th Anniversary Penn State (Theta)

105th Anniversary Cornell (Mu)

May 18 100th Anniversary

Elon (Epsilon-Theta)

April 25

Grand Chapter San Antonio, Texas

Middle Tenn. (Theta-Omega)

April 23

55/56th Biennial Convocation

Detroit-Mercy (Gamma-Alpha)

May 13

Drury (Epsilon-Rho)

April 21

60th Anniversary

Wisconsin (Tau)

November 2022 November 10 15th Anniversary UTSA (Iota-Delta)

June 2022 June 1 110th Anniversary Ohio Northern (Zeta)

Winter 2022

125th Celebration

Sigma Pi is proud to celebrate 125 years of our fraternal experience! This is a great opportunity to honor your Fraternity in many different ways. There are three key pillars outlined below that share means in which you can take part in this historic milestone within our Fraternity. CELEBRATE

LEARN

ENGAGE

One option may be to host or attend an event. Whether at the chapter, alumni club, or national level, there are many events hosted throughout the year. Contact your local chapter leaders or volunteers, or join an alumni club (sigmapi.org/alumni) or check out a list of events on our website (sigmapi.org/events).

Throughout the year, Sigma Pi will be sharing elements of our fraternal history that you may not know about! Revisit the Patterson Episode through a different lens, see how the collegiate experience has changed through The Emerald Archive, and much more content will be shared.

Take this Founders’ Day as an opportunity to begin a tradition of giving back to the Fraternity through financial gifts. As part of the 125th celebration, all donations through the 55th/56th Convocation will be counted towards our goal of $100,000! To learn more, visit give.sigmapi.org.

You can also consider joining the official Sigma Pi wine club, the 2 Twenty-Six Club, through Radiant Napa Valley (radiantnapa.com). Subscribers receive handcrafted, limited production wines made exclusively for Sigma Pi, and each shipment arrives in a fire-branded Sigma Pi wooden crate. 20% of all revenue comes back to Sigma Pi for educational efforts! Another way to celebrate is to wear the apparel! Sigma Pi offers a great selection of branded merchandise which you can find online at shop.sigmapi.org.

Additionally, you’ll be able to check out the new Owl Talk Podcast, a micro-podcast presented by Sigma Pi that will feature historical conversations, interviews, and much more! The Podcast is available on all your favorite podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also help others learn about your Sigma Pi experience! We’ve partnered with PCI to launch the Sigma Pi Oral History Project to capture the stories of our members. These stories will be preserved in a book that celebrates the impact that Sigma Pi has had on your life and who you are today. More information can be found on this partnership at sigmapi.org/PCI.

Sigma Pi is also proud to partner with Freewill to launch a new platform where our donors can streamline bequests. It’s easier than ever to make your impact through our FreeWill partnership, allowing you to write a legally valid will for free! Learn more at give.sigmapi.org.

Learn more at sigmapi.org/125 sigmapi.org

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THE MAN WHO CHANGED EVERYTHING

A Look at How It All Went Down, from His Perspective

by The Emerald Staff

hen it comes to understanding the history of Sigma Pi Fraternity, it's important to know the improbable journey of Robert George Patterson, a student at the Ohio State University with a passion for America’s first nationally-known populist politician. As detailed in what the Fraternity has published for decades in “The Patterson Episode,” Patterson is single-handedly responsible for influencing the members of Tau Phi Delta, a local fraternity at Vincennes University, to change their name to Sigma Pi Fraternity. It all started in 1896 when, at 11 years of age, Patterson heard William Jennings Bryan make a speech during what turned out to be his first of three unsuccessful presidential campaigns. Thrilled by Bryan’s eloquence, Patterson was convinced he had seen and heard the greatest American of his time. Soon after the 1896 presidential election, Patterson’s father purchased 10

Winter 2022

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William Jennings Bryan (center) visited Gamma Chapter on September 27, 1908. Robert George Patterson stands fifth from the left.

a best-seller titled The First Battle, written by Bryan. There, in a brief biographical sketch, Patterson read: “Upon entering the academy (prep department of Illinois College), he joined Sigma Pi Society, and was an active member for six years..." This passage fueled his desire to become a member of Sigma Pi. Though his collegiate journey and his foray into fraternal affairs had many twists and turns, Patterson was ultimately unsuccessful in convincing Sigma Pi Society at Illinois College to expand into a national organization. Undeterred, he made the decision to create his own Sigma Pi; one with a falsified history and a nonexistent charter granted by the King of England. That is where Tau Phi Delta enters the story. Patterson suggested that he conducted research on college fraternal organizations on campuses around the country. In a chance encounter with a local librarian, he learned there was a local fraternity at Vincennes University that he did not discover in his prior research. Without even knowing the organization’s name, he sent a letter addressed to “The President of the Men’s Greek Letter Fraternity” at Vincennes University. Two months later, Tau Phi Delta became Alpha Chapter of Sigma Pi. Alpha Chapter’s chartering fee to join Sigma Pi Fraternity was $10. sigmapi.org

he chronology behind Patterson’s role in forming the Fraternity, Tau Phi Delta’s role in shaping the early years of Sigma Pi, and the many personalities involved in supporting this young organization has many more intricacies. To date, however, Sigma Pi has only told the story from the perspective of the men who expelled Patterson. Now, we can read a new perspective on this history - one provided by Robert George Patterson himself. Sigma Pi is proud to publish Concerning Sigma Pi, a manuscript written by Robert George Patterson immediately after he was expelled from the organization that he, in his own words, created. Thanks to the transcription provided by Grand Sage Joe Palazzolo (Monmouth '00), those interested in Patterson’s side of the story can begin reading the first 200+ pages of the document for free. To learn more about this and to begin reading the manuscript, please visit:

sigmapi.org/patterson

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Winter 2022

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A Servant Mentality Nelson Farris (Cal State Long Beach ’63) Sees Parallels Between His Sigma Pi Experience and Career with Nike

Throughout his 40-plus years with Nike, Nelson Farris (Cal State Long Beach ’63) has been dedicated to serving athletes to be the best they can be. Nelson is proud to be a part of one of the most successful organizations in the world that has been built upon teamwork, collaboration, passion, devotion, commitment, and competitiveness. While Nelson and his Nike colleagues have spent countless hours developing the company’s brand and first-class service to some of the world’s greatest athletes, the foundation for his career wouldn’t have been possible without the lessons he learned from his Sigma Pi brothers. “As I tell people, no Sigma Pi, no Nelson,” Nelson said. “I was an undisciplined 18-year-old with a lot of energy. The Fraternity became a family that I really didn’t have at home, and the older guys sort of became mentors to me. I grew from my college experience and have grown up at Nike. I’ve been with them a long time. I was just a young kid, but I brought that same fraternity energy into the business. There was a place for me. The Fraternity allowed me to be who I was. It didn’t ask me to become another person.” Just as Nike’s top-notch athletic footwear and apparel has helped athletes achieve their goals, Sigma Pi provided Nelson an environment to become the best person he could be. Nelson already had two good friends in Stan Wise (Cal State Long Beach ’63)

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and Ron Perry (Cal State Long Beach ’62), who had joined Sigma Pi before him, and they were men he knew he could trust. He quickly realized that the other men in the Chapter were blue-collar guys who hailed from the area just like he did, so there was an important sense of security that Nelson found at Sigma Pi. “I learned a lot about the discipline that came from working together during all the competitions like 49er Day, Homecoming, and Spring Sing where we would compete together as a Fraternity,” Nelson said. “I was learning how it wasn’t about me; it was about whether 50 guys could come together and trust each other to get something done. I played on two intramural flag football championship teams to accomplish the same goals, bringing diverse talents together to compete and win.”

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Brothers from Beta-Omicron Chapter at Cal State Long Beach gather together each year. This photo features a gathering of the Chapter brothers in 2013. Nelson Farris is featured bottom row, center.

Through his highest of highs and lowest of lows, many of Nelson’s Sigma Pi brothers have been his biggest supporters ever since he graduated from LBSU. They’ve enjoyed summer vacations and New Year’s Eves together and have also helped each other cope with the losses of loved ones. “Because of my connection to the Fraternity and Greek life, I met my first wife, Sharon, who was an Alpha Phi and a Sigma Pi queen. Sadly, I lost her to cancer in 2009,” Nelson said. “My family experienced the worst of life at that time, so we’ve tried to have the best of life for all of us who are alive. Part of that is why the Fraternity is so important to me. It’s giving back to help the people have their best life. You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow, so you might as well learn to live as fully as you can today.” Nelson has been a loyal supporter of his Fraternity over the years through his work and contributions to the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation. He’s been blessed to work alongside Ed Panconi (Loyola Marymount ’82) and many other brothers who have shown an unwavering commitment to developing lifelong educational and leadership values in Sigma Pi 14

undergraduates nationwide. “Investing in the foundation is investing in the management of the Fraternity. It has to be based on trust and the belief that you can make a difference by helping other young men across the country at this critical time in America’s evolution and the big picture,” Nelson said. “It’s giving back. Look what happened to you that was positive, learn from your failures, and look at what you can do to help the same thing happen for current and future undergraduates so we can produce the next generation of really talented men who are going to go out in the world and contribute.” Helping others succeed will never get old to Nelson. Even at some of the greatest heights of his career with Nike, there have been some small Sigma Pi connections along the way. During the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Nelson served as Nike’s track and field promotions director. His team used fraternity houses, including the UCLA Sigma Pi house, as bases of operations. “My job was to collaborate with the athletes and the people that were running the fraternity houses that we rented,” Nelson said. “We had a

team of people that oversaw the food and cleaning and a team that assisted athletes as needed. We had another team that worked with the IOC. I worked through all those groups, so my job was to pull everyone together. It was an amazing experience.” Working with others has long been one of Nelson’s greatest strengths, and it all started with his Sigma Pi experience. After spending much of his tenure with Nike as the senior director, he now serves in more of an internal consultant role to offer his insight whenever it is needed. Whether it’s been through his work with Nike or efforts with the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation, Nelson always strives to have a servant mentality. “Nike allowed me to be myself and work with others for greater causes— just like in the Fraternity,” Nelson said. “Nike’s greater good is serving athletes with innovative products. How could we be better? How could we compete better? How could we get along with other people? How could we really help other people? The word serve is huge. How do we serve our customers all over the world by doing a better job? A lot of that came from those four or five years with Sigma Pi.” Winter 2022

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

From the Chairman Brothers, We are excited to see that this fiscal year is off to a fantastic start with contributed support through November of over $139k, which is up 164% versus this time last year! We published a SPEF Annual Report for the first time in a decade, expanded ThankView video messages to donors who have reached new lifetime giving levels, and we executed a contract with FreeWill to offer online tools for documentation of Legacy gifts and bequests. We can see that, despite the hangover from the global pandemic, donor counts remain steady, while donation dollars have increased…communications have improved, and services have expanded…all leading up to the celebration of our 125th Founders’ Day! Together, we can change a life through the award of a scholarship, save a life through delivery of Health & Safety programming, and build a better future for the men of Sigma Pi. As a donor today, you can be an active partner in the development of the Sigma Pi leaders of tomorrow by creating the financial support they need to continue their educational pursuits and reach their goals. We encourage you to reflect on how Sigma Pi has enhanced your life and consider a taxdeductible gift to the Educational Foundation. No matter the size of the gift, all donations will benefit our members at a time when they need it the most. On behalf of the Board of Trustees, and all the men of Sigma Pi who have benefited from your generous contributions, we thank you for your continued commitment and ongoing support of the Educational Foundation. Because we all believe in Sigma Pi….

BOARD MEMBERS CHAIRMAN

Jeff Cline North Carolina State ’85 VC INVESTMENTS

David Presson Murray State ’77 VC LEGAL

Mike Long Oakland ’03 TREASURER

Daniel Daugherty Morehead State ’88 SECRETARY

Taylor Lapsys UC Irvine ’04 TRUSTEE

Robert Pankau Oakland ’02 TRUSTEE

Patrick Reimer Morehead State ’94

Fraternally,

Jeff Cline (North Carolina State '85) Chairman, Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

Winter 2022

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

Foundation Financials Revenues and Support

2021

2020

Contributions

$310,301

$226,148

Dividend & Interest, net of investment expenses

$60,593

$104,999

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

$919,629

-$1,140

Total

$1,290,523

$330,007

Expenses

2021

2020

Grants and Scholarships

$116,338

$62,655

Management & General

$66,777

$51,828

Fundraising

$50,650

$47,441

Total

$233,765

$161,924

Change in Net Assets

$1,056,758

$168,083

Total Net Assets

$5,332,307

Owl Society

The Owl Society was created for our young alumni (age 35 and under), who can start an unrestricted monthly gift of $18.97. Once giving has been established, the donor will receive a special lapel pin recognizing their membership in the Owl Society. After one year of annual payments, the donor will also receive a special gift.

$4,275,549

25+26+29+31+33+36+39+41+42+53

Total Net Assets $6,000,000 $5,000,000 $4,000,000 $3,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 0

2012

sigmapi.org

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Learn more by scanning the QR Code above or by visiting sigmapi.org/owlsociety. "I joined the Owl Society as an easy way to support the organization that gave me so much. Joining Sigma Pi gave me the opportunity to develop skills related to leadership, project management, and influencing others, which have been core competencies in my own career. It’s important to me that others get those same opportunities." —Erik Hansen (Miami (OH) '12)

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

Going Above and Beyond

Why Patrick Reimer Remains Loyal to Brotherhood

any students at Morehead State University come from humble and unprivileged backgrounds, which Patrick Reimer ('94) shares. So when Daniel Daugherty ('88), and Charlie Eldridge ('86) created the Delta-Rho Alumni Association’s Chapter Educational Fund, a chapter fund inside the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation (SPEF), Patrick knew he had to donate. For Patrick, it’s an honor and privilege knowing that his donations are used to help educate and mold the leaders of tomorrow as well as give scholarships to deserving students. “Giving to SPEF is a great way for Sigma Pi alumni to give back and support the Fraternity as well as local chapters,” Patrick said. “Increasing SPEF funds will help more students afford college and reduce the burden of student loans.” Patrick also volunteers on the SPEF board as a trustee, finding immense satisfaction in serving in a position with high fiscal responsibilities that grants thousands of dollars each year to the Fraternity and its members. “I was hesitant because I didn’t know what purpose the board served, but after learning the history of the SPEF and its mission to support the Fraternity, I felt it was another way I could support Sigma Pi.” Giving back was easy due to the significant impact Delta-Rho has had on Patrick’s life. Whether trading memes on social media, networking, 18

or asking for advice—there isn’t a day that goes by that Patrick isn’t in contact with a brother. “It’s a testament to the Fraternity’s ideals and the bonds formed,” Patrick said. “Throughout the years, we still get together for fraternal and collegiate events—with many of us traveling long distances back to Kentucky or meeting up in other states—to celebrate life and friendship.” Patrick is an airline pilot, which he says has its ups and downs. As a pilot for the world’s largest express delivery company, he travels around the world experiencing new cultures and meeting new people while ensuring goods are delivered to customers in a safe and timely fashion. “Right now, there’s no higher priority than to get pharmaceuticals, PPE, and critical medical supplies delivered on time around the world,” Patrick shared. “I am humbled, yet proud, to be a part of a team that makes a difference globally every day.”

Earning the rank of Captain has been the pinnacle of Patrick’s professional aviation career. In this position, he leads a team of flight dispatchers, maintenance professionals, weather forecasters, ramp workers, and first officers to ensure the flight is flown safely, legally, and efficiently. “Leadership traits I learned in the Fraternity, college, and military made upgrading to Captain a much smoother transition. They allowed me to focus on the technical and regulatory aspects of being an airline Captain rather than having to also learn the human factors and leadership.” When Patrick is back on solid ground, he enjoys playing percussion instruments, fishing, and off-roading and is a motorcycle enthusiast. “To any Sigma Pi alumni reading this article, please consider donating to SPEF,” Patrick advises. “Your donations do make a difference and will help educate and train tomorrow’s leaders.” Winter 2022

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

What Is a Chapter Educational Fund (CEF)? Unlike the Foundation, local chapters and housing corporations are not tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. As such, alumni that provide direct financial support to local chapters and housing corporations are not permitted to receive the benefit of any tax deductions. The CEF program allows donors to make gifts that specifically and directly address the needs of their local chapter while ensuring the tax deductibility of those contributions for federal income tax purposes. SPEF has the power to establish a separate account for each chapter, colony, and alumni association of Sigma Pi. The contributions can be designated for a specific chapter or colony, alumni association, and used for qualifying educational or charitable uses.

How many chapters have an active CEF? Throughout North America, there are 33 established Chapter Educational Funds.

How Are Grants and Scholarships Distributed? Grants and Scholarships $93,432

35% sigmapi.org

Grants $23,307 Scholarships $70,125

of scholarships were distributed through CEFs

Broecker-Barnard Scholarship Recipient

Eldon Pearson (Grand Valley State ’19)

Entering college, I thought that my home chapter, would simply offer me some unique college experiences and an easy way to make new friends. While my Fraternity easily met and exceeded those baseline expectations, my time in Sigma Pi transcended far past those expectations and laid the foundation for me to foster my academic, professional, and individual self. What receiving this scholarship means to me is so much more than alleviating the financial burdens that come with college—it is about being given the resources to ensure that, through my passion and involvements within my chapter and Fraternity community, I can lay a similar, yet stronger, foundation for incoming members to have the same opportunities and experiences I did to develop themselves into better men, brothers, and students. The opportunities given to me through my Fraternity created a safe environment for me to develop my leadership and professional skills and learn from my mistakes in a nurturing environment. I was given support from my brothers—challenged by them to pursue more and become more— and gained the confidence in myself as a leader to become the individual I am today. I thank the Fraternity, alumni, and donors to this scholarship for generously choosing to financially assist the brothers of Sigma Pi in their academic and professional pursuits as well as for selecting me for consideration for this scholarship. 19

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

Engaging the Conversation on Mental Health Bonds of Brotherhood

Jed Foundation

In 2020, Sigma Pi Fraternity moved to increase and provide a consistent pool of education and resources to its members when it comes to mental health. With that strategy and development in place, Sigma Pi is launching the Bonds of Brotherhood program. This will be an allencompassing program for Sigma Pi members with a three-pronged approach focusing its efforts in Awareness, Programming, and Fundraising.

In May 2020, Sigma Pi began its partnership with the Jed Foundation, allowing the Fraternity to provide a more abundant source of educational materials and resources pertaining to mental health. The goal has been to equip members with a standardized source of tools that prepare them for blossoming and sustainable membership in the organization—not only as undergraduates, but also as they move forward as alumni.

In order for Sigma Pi to create a sustainable program that gives back to its members, the Bonds of Brotherhood will focus on spreading awareness for mental health issues during times such as Suicide Prevention Week and Mental Health Awareness Month. The Fraternity will strive to create an environment that allows members to find the assistance they need and/or assist their peers in finding help—through storytelling, a dedicated website page, various email campaigns, and distributing materials chapters can disseminate on their respective campuses.

This partnership is but one step forward in the Fraternity’s ongoing mental health efforts. In the fall of 2019, Sigma Pi launched the Tightrope Health and Safety Training Program through its partnership with Plaid. The program created a system in which undergraduate members nationwide could receive pertinent information and resources. This health and safety training addressed topics such drugs and alcohol, the culture of drinking, hazing prevention and identification, sexual misconduct, and mental health.

Additionally, programming will be a key element of the Bonds of Brotherhood. We are developing a companion guide to educate members on mental health’s impact, relevant statistics, and more. Programming will also incorporate professional speakers at different conferences and events, normalizing discussion of these important topics upon our members. Finally, this program will focus on fundraising at both the chapter and alumni level, focusing on giving months and periods that will allow the organization’s resources and abilities to grow. The Fraternity will look to improve its reporting processes, better allowing the national organization to report funds raised not only toward the Bonds of Brotherhood, but also mental health efforts in general. While the program is currently in a soft launch phase, the major goal of the program will be to launch a national philanthropy geared toward mental health—while also providing standardized training to members on seeking professional support.

In the fall of 2020, Sigma Pi continued its efforts toward sustainable and standardized education by launching the Bayard Membership Experience, a program also geared toward new member development. This established a process in which new members would receive a uniform education on critical topics such as the national organization, history of Sigma Pi, financial literacy and time/ stress management, event planning, social media and conflict management, chapter structure, and Fraternity vernacular. These efforts have been the byproduct of creating an environment where our members of Sigma Pi have access to information that will assist them as they strive toward success on their respective campuses across the Land of Sigma Pi.

98,793

113,108

2020 Site Visitors

2021 Site Visitors

(May - Dec.)

(Jan. - Oct. YTD) Winter 2022

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

Al Seib

Leadership Speaker Series Fraternity-Hosted Online Interview Event Features Notable Alumni Leadership Across Many Industries In February 2021, Sigma Pi Fraternity and the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation kicked off a new online-only event series for members of the Fraternity. Each 45-minute live session takes place bi-monthly, and features an update on the Fraternity from Executive Director/CEO Jonathan M. Frost (UMSL '99) followed by an interview with a notable alumnus. In its first year, the programming has featured key leaders in their industry, including: - Al Seib (Valparaiso '75) - Photographer and videographer for the Los Angeles Times since 1984. His photos have won numerous awards from national and international associations. - Nelson Farris (Cal State Long Beach ’63) - Nike’s longest tenured employee, who estimates that he has held 20 different jobs during his almost 45+ year career and traveled to more than 50 countries on six continents. - Alan Boehme (Cal State Long Beach ’78) - Chief Technology Officer of H&M Group, and is an experienced digital transformation leader with nearly 30 years of experience innovating enterprise architecture, IT strategy, and cloud technologies. - Ken Zampese (San Diego '87) - An American football quarterbacks coach for the Washington Football Team of the National Football League. Throughout his NFL coaching career and prior to his current role, Zampese has had stops with the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, sigmapi.org

Nelson Farris

Cincinnati Bengals, and Cleveland Browns, as well as several roles in the collegiate ranks. - Anthony Zampese (San Diego '17) - The Football Recruiting Coordinator for San Diego State University. He is a Founding Father of the recolonized Chapter at the University of San Diego (Epsilon-Chi), where he served as the Chapter Sage from 2017-2019. - Eric Cole (Ferris State ’07) - Corporate Partnership Sales Director for the Indiana Pacers. Eric is a young alumnus in the sports industry who has served in a variety of revenue-generating positions ranging from the NHL, Collegiate Athletics, the USL Championship, and the NBA. In addition to his day-to-day career, he serves on the board of trustees for Sigma Pi University. - Cliff Wilke (UMSL ‘77) - An accomplished visionary technology leader at the CIO level with an exemplary record with senior strategic experience leading the technology function for Fortune 50 companies and major government agencies. He is a driver of innovation, evangelizing emerging technologies, and responsible for building global information technology solutions that meet business needs.

Alan Boehme

Ken Zampese

Anthony Zampese

Eric Cole

Stay tuned in the future to see who joins us for the next edition of the Leadership Speaker Series virtual event! Cliff Wilke 21

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

How We Recognize Donors Undergraduate Giving The Delta Society is an honorary membership society recognizing undergraduate members who have begun a tradition of unrestricted financial support for Sigma Pi, and offers three options for giving to meet the needs of undergraduates at various stages in their collegiate journey.

Young Alumni The Owl Society serves as recognition for the Fraternity’s young alumni (age 35 and under), who can start an unrestricted monthly gift of $18.97. Established in 2020, this level creates an opportunity for those new or transitioning in their careers to form a habit of giving.

Lifetime Giving

Annual Giving The Circle of Pythagoras is a new step in the progression to recognize those who contribute $500 or more per fiscal year to the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation (SPEF) unrestricted fund. The Circle of Pythagoras creates a new pillar of support in your giving before joining the Brotherhood of the Golden Cross. The Brotherhood of the Golden Cross recognizes annual gifts to Sigma Pi of $1,000 or more. Established in 2001, the Brotherhood of the Golden Cross Club recognizes alumni and friends who have donated $1,000 or more in a fiscal year.

"I would like to make a bigger impact on my Fraternity that has given so much to me. I also understand how important this donation is as it helps make the undergraduate experience better." - Brad Ferguson (Vincennes '07)

Emerald Society Gifts of $5,000 or more

Tau Phi Delta Society Gifts of $50,000 or more

Shadowwood Society Gifts of $10,000 or more

Founders' Society Gifts of $100,000 or more

Old Vincennes Society Gifts of $25,000 or more

Radiant Triangle Society Gifts of $500,000 or more

Winter 2022

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

10 Stars Campaign Recap the 2021 Campaign, and Looking Forward to 2022 • Theta-Omega at Middle Tennessee had the most donors with 28 total, while Epsilon-Nu at Cal State Fullerton and Theta-Beta at Saginaw Valley State followed up with 23 and 17, respectively.

During the month of February 2021, Sigma Pi hosted its first-ever 10 Stars Campaign. The fundraising effort centered around the idea of “give $10 and ask 10,” where members were asked to give what they could, whether it’s $10 or more, then prompted to ask 10 of their friends to do the same.

This is a tremendous accomplishment for our inaugural 10 Stars Campaign. Because of you, we have not only made Sigma Pi history, but we have also ensured the continued success of our organization.

Through the efforts of our brotherhood, we collectively raised over $61,000 from 187 donors! Thanks to those gifts, we were able to not only hit our original goal of $25,000, but also go above and beyond both of our stretch goals of $35,000 and $50,000.

With the money raised, Sigma Pi will be able to develop new resources and materials for our chapters, reimagine programming to fit the needs of today’s undergraduates, and increase focus on the growth and investment into our volunteers.

Here are a few other notable achievements of this giftgiving:

We asked, and you supported. It really was that simple.

• 130 of the gifts were given directly to the General Fund, allowing Sigma Pi to allocate the funds to various educational and programming efforts. • 35 different chapters were represented by donors.

With the 125th anniversary of Sigma Pi on February 26, and the success of the program in 2021, the 10 Stars Campaign will now take place in the fall 2022! Join us in going above and beyond our achievements in 2021, and let’s raise the bar in 2022. Visit give.sigmapi.org for more information.

How You Can Support Sigma Pi Online

Mail

Corporate Matching

Giving with your debit or credit card

You can mail a check or credit card gift

Numerous companies match an

online at give.sigmapi.org is a quick

to the SPEF at the address below:

employee’s personal donation to a

and secure way to make a contribution,

Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

nonprofit, tax-exempt organization.

which accepts Visa, American Express,

1101 Kermit Drive, Suite 730

Ask your employer for details.

MasterCard, and Discover.

Nashville, TN 37217

Mobile

Phone

On your mobile device, you can quickly

To make a donation over the phone, or

and easily visit give.sigmapi.org

for more assistance, please give us a call at 615-921-2300.

sigmapi.org

You can learn more about all the ways to donate by scanning the QR Code to the right or visiting us on our website at

give.sigmapi.org.

Feature

Winter 2022

Feature

Securing A Solid Foundation Alan Boehme (Cal State Long Beach ’78) Shares Why He Supports the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation

hen it comes to understanding the importance of blending tradition with modernity to achieve indefinite success, Alan Boehme (Cal State Long Beach ’78) has aced the test time and time again throughout his career. After successful stints in technology innovation with Coca-Coca and Procter & Gamble, Alan has flourished as H&M Group’s chief technology officer since August 2020. Working alongside so many great leaders, Alan has developed an even deeper appreciation for those who helped hone his leadership skills. The early stages of Alan’s leadership development took place while he attended Long Beach State, specifically at Beta-Omicron Chapter of Sigma Pi. Alan remains committed to inspiring, promoting, and supporting the lifelong development of Sigma Pi brothers, which is why he supports the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation. “Life is about paying it forward and paying it back,” Alan said. “The ability to help and educate future leaders is a core part of my beliefs.” The camaraderie and brotherhood Alan experienced during recruitment preparation and events such as the Orchid Ball are among his most treasured Sigma Pi memories. However, a big part of what has made Sigma Pi so special is that Alan’s Beta-Omicron experience was still just beginning when he graduated from Cal State Long Beach. The lifelong friendships he’s forged with his Sigma Pi brothers have made a tremendous impact in the years since.

sigmapi.org

“Remember what others did for you when you were early on in your career,” Alan said. “I’ve been inspired to give back to Sigma Pi from alumni such as PGS Michael Carey (Cal State Long Beach ’63), PGS John Marino (Cal State Long Beach ’55), Nelson Farris (Cal State Long Beach ’63), and others.” Alan hopes that Sigma Pi undergraduates nationwide will realize they can accomplish anything they put their minds to if they are dedicated to promoting fellowship, developing character and leadership, advancing heightened moral awareness, enabling academic achievement, and inspiring service. He was grateful to share a little bit about his career and his role as H&M Group’s CTO during the Fraternity's Leadership Speaker Series in May. “Adoption of technology has become a driver for change in both lifestyle and fashion needs,” Alan said. “H&M has been a leader in fast fashion and sustainable fashion and the opportunity to stay relevant and drive change in the fashion industry through the use of new technology is a fantastic opportunity.” As Alan looks back on how Sigma Pi shaped his career and personal life, he enjoys reflecting on the growth of the people he has mentored. “Other than having over 4 million frequent-flyer points and a similar amount of hotel points, the biggest accomplishment is the number of former employees who have been promoted or taken on CIO and CTO roles in major corporations,” Alan said. “Also, the number of startups I’ve advised that have become unicorns or IPOs means a lot to me."

Chapter & Colony Reports

Chapter and Colony Statistics A

STATE - Location of the chapter

AVERAGE GPA - Average GPA of chapter during the 2021-22 academic year

BALANCE - Ø indicates a zero balance; $ indicates that money is owed to the national organization

CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT - Percentage of chapter involved in other campus organizations during the 2021-22 academic year

ROSTER SIZE - Total number of undergraduate members during the 2021-22 academic year

DONORS - Number of members who donated to the Educational Foundation during the 2021-22 academic year

NEW MEMBERS - Total number of new members during the 2021-22 academic year

CHAPTER EDUCATIONAL FUND - Indicates if the chapter has started a CEF or not

INITIATES - Total number of initiates during the 2021-22 academic year

CEF MINIMUM BALANCE RECEIVED Indicates if the minimum balance of the Chapter Educational Fund has been met

LIVING MEMBERS - Total living members

*All data as of November 1, 2021 NOTE: Empty cells in columns G and H indicate data that wasn't submitted

Iota-Tau Chapter at St. John's

Winter 2022

Alabama (Theta-Omicron)

442

Auburn (Alpha-Delta)

1660

West Alabama (Theta-Gamma)

226

Arkansas (Alpha-Sigma)

575

Arkansas Tech (Iota-Lambda)

171

Southern Arkansas (Epsilon-Kappa)

443

Arizona State (Beta-Kappa)

592

Northern Arizona (Beta-Iota)

520

Cal Poly (Eta-Delta)

342

3.43

47%

Cal State Chico (Theta-Mu)

266

2.65

Cal State Fullerton (Epsilon-Nu)

901

2.95

Cal State Long Beach (Beta-Omicron)

1505

3.22

Carson, CA (Eta-Iota)

344

San Diego (Epsilon-Chi)

419

3.35

Santa Clara, CA (Zeta-Eta)

823

3.3

UC Berkeley (Iota)

661

UC Irvine (Eta-Upsilon)

531

UC Santa Barbara (Alpha-Omicron)

UC Santa Cruz (Iota-Eta)

UCLA (Upsilon)

Colorado (Zeta-Delta)

Colorado State (Eta-Sigma)

Florida State (Eta-Epsilon)

√

2 2.94

48%

1 0

2.95

28%

0 0

94%

√

13 √

√

622

√

361

1377

√

632

267

774

Orlando, FL (Iota-Kappa)

341

South Florida (Iota-Sigma)

105

Georgia (Alpha-Phi)

919

3.56

100%

√

Iowa (Xi)

771

2.85

15%

sigmapi.org

100%

9 1 0

69%

2 1

32%

3.79

3.1

0 0

Chapter & Colony Reports

Eastern Illinois (Beta-Gamma)

1868

Illinois State (Epsilon-Eta)

550

SIU-Carbondale (Beta-Nu)

954

Western Illinois (Epsilon-Zeta)

690

Purdue (Eta)

932

3.38

52%

Southern Indiana (Theta-Psi)

126

3.3

69%

Valparaiso (Beta-Tau)

623

3.2

100%

Vincennes (Alpha)

980

Kansas (Beta-Delta)

169

3.23

Eastern Kentucky (Epsilon-Lambda)

539

2.88

Kentucky (Epsilon-Beta)

1035

Louisville (Iota-Omicron)

100

3.37

100%

Morehead State (Delta-Rho)

530

2.59

36%

Murray State (Gamma-Upsilon)

669

Bentley (Iota-Theta)

173

Bridgewater State (Eta-Eta)

442

Fitchburg State (Eta-Tau)

278

Worcester Polytechnic (Gamma-Iota)

783

Salisbury (Theta-Xi)

236

Towson (Eta-Nu)

408

Central Michigan (Delta-Alpha)

895

3.19

Detroit-Mercy (Gamma-Alpha)

550

3.1

Ferris State (Theta-Theta)

204

Grand Valley State (Theta-Rho)

316

3.2

Lawrence Tech (Zeta-Omicron)

320

3.11

Michigan State (Zeta-Mu)

547

3.4

30%

Michigan Tech (Zeta-Epsilon)

366

2.95

100%

Oakland (Zeta-Pi)

323

3.18

44%

40%

√

1 1

3 1 12%

4 1

3.26

3.02

0 33%

39%

100%

0 100%

1 3

24%

√

1 0

√

Winter 2022

Saginaw Valley State (Theta-Beta)

228

3.15

59%

Wayne State (Gamma-Omega)

433

Minnesota (Iota-Zeta)

207

3.23

28%

Central Missouri (Gamma-Gamma)

738

3.2

100%

Drury (Epsilon-Rho)

492

3.56

100%

Missouri S&T (Alpha-Iota)

887

3.59

100%

Missouri State (Alpha-Rho)

1202

Mississippi (Beta-Mu)

586

East Carolina (Eta-Kappa)

296

Elon (Epsilon-Theta)

645

3.5

North Carolina State (Rho)

857

3.16

Wake Forest (Alpha-Nu)

1173

3.34

Keene State (Iota-Rho)

2.825

Ewing, NJ (Theta-Delta)

401

3.2

FDU-Florham (Iota-Phi)

FDU-Metropolitan (Epsilon-Xi)

252

Monmouth (Delta-Beta)

430

Montclair State (Iota-Iota)

144

2.8

NJIT (Alpha-Mu)

872

3.07

Rowan (Zeta-Chi)

508

2.87

Rutgers (Gamma-Eta)

679

3.54

86%

√

Stockton (Iota-Upsilon)

3.19

100%

√

William Paterson (Theta-Tau)

150

2.7

Cornell (Mu)

1341

St. John's (Iota-Tau)

127

Miami (OH) (Eta-Phi)

740

Ohio Northern (Zeta)

956

ONT

406

Carleton (Eta-Rho)

sigmapi.org

0 √

1 2.68

38%

1 1

78%

1 1

92%

√

5 0

35%

0 0

3.44

0 4 1 32%

2 0

0 1

3.42

100%

√

Chapter & Colony Reports

Iota-Kappa at Orlando, FL

Oregon State (Omega)

742

3.46

East Stroudsburg (Beta-Psi)

788

3.1

Indiana of Pennsylvania (Theta-Epsilon)

194

Penn College (Theta-Phi)

126

2.99

Penn State (Theta)

1245

3.6

Penn State-Altoona (Theta-Iota)

199

Ursinus (Theta-Sigma)

161

3.52

86%

West Chester (Zeta-Alpha)

435

33%

Middle Tennessee (Theta-Omega)

198

Houston (Theta-Nu)

156

UTSA (Iota-Delta)

184

Old Dominion (Theta-Eta)

228

3.23

√

Radford, VA (Theta-Lambda)

239

2.98

√

Virginia (Beta-Pi)

968

3.4

100%

William & Mary (Alpha-Eta)

816

3.58

63%

Washington State (Iota-Nu)

204

3.2

Wisconsin (Tau)

193

Wisconsin-Oshkosh (Gamma-Mu)

523

2.96

Wisconsin-Platteville (Delta-Iota)

559

2.87

2 68%

1 0

77%

1 0 1

√

1 0 √

√

Winter 2022

Accomplishments Celebrating the achievements of our chapters, colonies, and undergraduate members across the land of Sigma Pi. 1

1 2

ALPHA-MU HOLDS TOY DRIVE

The brothers at NJIT were able to donate over $1,000 dollars worth of toys to St. Joe’s Children Hospital THETA-EPSILON GRANTS A WISH

Sigma Pi at Indiana of Pennsylvania held their first annual Fall Frenzy philanthropy week raised $1,420, providing a brand new bike and accessories for a Make-A-Wish child ZETA-EPSILON HAUNTED HOUSE

On December 16, 2021, Michigan Tech's Sigma Pi presented a check of $1,400 for the Pigs n’ Heat fund during the Houghton City Council meeting, which was raised through the Chapter's haunted house

DELTA-BETA LIFTS FOR SERVICE

Members at Monmouth presented a check to the Mental Health Association of Monmouth Co and the Counseling and Psychological Services of Monmouth University from proceeds generated during the Chapter's Lift-A-Thon event. Photo features Nick Zapata ('20) THETA-THETA GOES UP FOR CANCER

The brothers at Ferris State rocked their way to a raising $1,175 for the Susan P. Wheatlake Cancer Center by staying on a teeter totter for 72 hours

4 sigmapi.org

Education & Programming

Online Programming Enhancing the Fraternity's Educational Reach by Alexander Pettigrew (Indiana of Pennsylvania ‘15), Director of Education and Programs

n today's day and age, it is imperative that in order to remain relevant and in a position to positively (contribute to/impact) all constituents of an organization, that the organization must continue to enhance its reach through technology. Sigma Pi is no different in that way and has consciously put in the effort to continue making significant strides allowing it to stay on par and ahead of the curve in that regard.

also allowed for Sigma Pi to reevaluate its delivery when it comes to major program launches, virtual conferences and programming, and even future decision making in the form of voting and gathering.

Prior to the pandemic that changed the environment and landscape many are used to, Sigma Pi had already begun taking steps in the direction of streamlining and improving its educational reach virtually. While the Fraternity had done this through its work with Plaid, the pandemic

As previously mentioned, the work the Fraternity has done with Plaid, who focuses on individuals and organizations becoming better, has inspired and led to the creation of various educational programs. Dating back to the 2018-2019 school year, Sigma Pi released an online

Before discussing how Sigma Pi has navigated increasing its educational reach today during Covid-19, it is important to acknowledge the steps and decisions that were made years ago that allowed for this path to be set in stone.

curriculum in the form of modules and courses which have included: • Officer Transition Module • Volunteer Training Module • Tightrope Health and • Safety Training • Bayard Membership Experience • Conflict Management and Critical Thinking - Continued Member Education Programs such as the Officer Transition, Volunteer Training, and Tightrope Health and Safety Training Modules have offered members a standardized means of completing uniform curriculum across the country. With programs such as these, members, regardless of where they are in the world, are Winter 2022

Education & Programming

able to complete the same training without restrictions. Sigma Pi has launched these modules to assist members of the organization in various capacities, which range from effective transitioning between chapter leaders, impactful leadership qualities and strategies for volunteers, and standardized health and safety training and knowhow for all members. Continuing on with the education that has come from the Learning Management System are programs that are not modules but similar in that they are still course-based. This includes the Bayard Membership Experience and Continued Member Education in the form of courses on Conflict Management and Critical Thinking. The significance of these programs can not be understated, however as implementing them was important, but maintaining them during a time where distanced learning was put on the forefront has been critical. With the launch of the Bayard Membership Experience in the fall 2020 semester, the Fraternity moved quickly to develop and launch its program that would allow New Member Education to be conducted outside the confines of a university or campus. With the ability to log in to the Plaid Learning Management System, members were able to complete their New Member Education Program as they navigated a new environment of remote and hybrid learning on their respective campuses. Additionally, by incorporating the Tightrope Training along with the Bayard Membership Experience, Sigma Pi was able to deliver curriculum on the following topics: sigmapi.org

Bayard Membership Experience The National Organization, The History of Sigma Pi, Financial Literacy & Time/Stress Management, Event Planning, Social Media, and Conflict Management, Chapter Structure, and Greek Vernacular. Tightrope Training The Facts about Alcohol and Other Drugs, The Culture of Drinking, Hazing Prevention and Identification, Sexual Misconduct, and Mental Health. By providing a space to complete these types of trainings, virtually Sigma Pi has created a space where it has been able to see thousands of members complete these standardized trainings, with as many as 85% of members completing them in a given school year. Beyond delivering online programs such as those mentioned before, Sigma Pi has also taken this time to enhance its educational reach by hosting virtual events. After the cancellation of the 2020 summer convention, Convocation, it became apparent that the 2021 Mid-Year Leadership Conference would suffer the same fate if not taken to a virtual platform. The Fraternity worked diligently in finding a company that would allow for it to deliver the same high-level focus on leadership development topics that attendees received in person. Eventually, this would lead to Sigma Pi partnering with CrowdCompass, who, through the implementation of a dedicated landing page for the event along with its own application, would go on to see over 400 registered attendees for the event, with hundreds of members joining each day of the event.

While not conducted on CrowdCompass, Sigma Pi has also been hosting events and spaces for members to gather by maximizing its working relationship within the Zoom platform. This has been done through two major channels, which have included the launch of both the Inaugural Back to School Virtual Summit and Leadership Speaker Series. The Back to School Summit was an event where the Fraternity was able to leverage its educational reach through a virtual means by incorporating experienced speakers within the industry to assist chapter leaders as they returned to campus for the Fall 2021 semester. With the launch of the Leadership Speaker Series, Sigma Pi has also been able to re-involve successful alumni within their respective industries, to speak with members in these monthly Zoom gatherings. Some of these alumni have included Ken Zampese (San Diego '87), Quarterbacks Coach for the Washington Football Team of the National Football League, Nelson Farris, Senior Director, Nike, Inc., and Alan Boehme (Cal State Long Beach ’78), Chief Technology Officer - H&M Group, among many others, with more planned for the near future. As many have navigated and continue to do so through what has been a time like no other, it is understood that technology will continue helping us propel forward. Sigma Pi is no different in this way as it has acknowledged it must continue to challenge itself to maintain relevance while also increasing its impact and enhancing its educational reach through these virtual technologies.

Education & Programming

Celebrate Sigma Pi at Convocation! Take Part in the 125th Celebration of the Fraternity in San Antonio, Texas We are now just over six months out, August 1720, 2022, from a truly historical and monumental moment as Sigma Pi will celebrate its extensive 125 years of history. This time, our Fraternity convention will combine both the 55th and 56th Biennial Convocation allowing members from across North America to come together and live out our mission as we continue to inspire, promote, and support the lifelong development of our brothers. Whether you are a delegate, general attendee, or spouse of an attendee, there will be programming available for you throughout the event. Virtual business sessions focused on bylaw votes will take place in July 2022 to ensure those are completed prior to Convocation. Those in attendance will have the opportunity to attend the Sigma Pi Golf Classic as the week begins on Wednesday, August 17th, while also attending the kickoff reception later that evening. On Thursday, business sessions will begin where the Fraternity will be able to discuss and reflect on decisions relevant to the future of Sigma Pi. That day will also include a spouse/partner outing for those who will not be attending the business sessions that afternoon. Later on that night, attendees will be able to explore the beautiful

scenes of San Antonio, Texas along its historic Riverwalk. The River Walk, a world-renowned 15-mile urban waterway, is a San Antonio treasure and the largest urban ecosystem in the nation where you will be able to partake in sightseeing, shopping, food, and fun. Friday will include educational sessions where keynote speakers are brought in to join the attendees as well a luncheon that afternoon where the history and future of the organization is put on full display. The day will continue with the election of the Grand Council, followed by the installation of those newly elected officers, and close with the Grand Council Reception and 125th Celebration Banquet. The event will conclude on Saturday with members and friends of Sigma Pi experiencing a thrilling day at Six Flags while enjoying the celebration of our Fraternity. We hope you will plan to join us that week as Sigma Pi commemorates it’s brotherhood with family oriented excursions, opportunities to reconnect with other members, and convention wide educational programming like never before. Stay tuned as Sigma Pi continues to release more information on this convention as it will be one that goes down in history!

Winter 2022

Growth

E X PA N S I O N

U P D AT E S TAKING SIGMA PI TO NEW (AND OLD) PLACES

by Drew Carpenter (Middle Tennessee ‘18), Director of Strategic Growth

In March 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic closing campuses, Sigma Pi had to make some difficult decisions in order to navigate the fall out of campuses moving to virtualbased classrooms. More than a year later, with universities returning to campus appearing to be a reality, the decision was made to relaunch the Growth Department. The primary objective of the revamped department is to look at not only expansion to new campuses, but to also support and work with Chapters that were hardest hit from the pandemic and lack of recruitment. The decision was made by CEO Jonathan Frost to bring on a new graduate, who had excelled in his role as Chapter Sage, won multiple awards not only from Sigma Pi but from his campus, and that search led to bringing on Drew Carpenter (Middle Tennessee '18). “In order to work with and recruit college students, I felt it was important to hire someone with first hand knowledge of the college experience today. Drew’s experience as Sage, IFC President and handful of other extracurricular accolades

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New Members of Iota-Beta Colony at Delaware celebrate their colonization alongside Grand Sage Joe Palazzolo (Monmouth '00), standing to the right

brings a sense of knowledge and hard work to our team.” Existing chapters have received substantial assistance in an effort to recover from the past 18 months. 12 chapters across six different states have received growth-related visits in the past three months. The number of new members reported this fall suggests these visits were successful. To give an idea of the progress since June, Sigma Pi has been in discussions with several alumni groups about reactivating their chapters, including but not limited to: • Iota-Beta at Delaware • Beta at Indiana • Eta-Alpha at CSU-Sacramento • Eta-Omega at Johnson & Wales It is important to know that alumni involvement of both time and financial resources is important to these talks and efforts. The reason being that engaged and committed alumni provide valuable knowledge and resources to aid the young members in their pursuits and matriculation through college.

have never been to with two of them already scheduled for Fall of 2022, that includes Coastal Carolina University and Kennesaw State University. While our focus will be working with alumni to reconstitute closed Chapters, we will also assess and evaluate the opportunities of new markets. The reason being, that we know the value of being a Sigma Pi man, and want to provide a place for young men to grow their leadership skills and we feel that Sigma Pi provides the best opportunity for that growth. If you know of a young man who is not attending a campus where we are currently located, it could be a great opportunity for him to start a Chapter and become a Founding Father on his campus. If you are curious about the process to re-open your Chapter, or know of an outstanding young man who can help open a Chapter, please contact our office at dcarpenter@sigmapi.org.

In addition, we are looking at new opportunities to join a campus we

Volunteers

Volunteer Opportunities Open Province Archon and Chapter Advisor Roles Chapter/Colony Advisors Cal Poly (Eta-Delta) Cal State Chico (Theta-Mu) Middle Tennessee (Theta-Omega) Orlando, FL (Iota-Kappa) South Florida (Iota-Sigma) Western Illinois (Epsilon-Zeta)

Province Archons Arkansas Province Arkansas (Alpha-Sigma) Southern Arkansas (Epsilon-Kappa) Arkansas Tech (Iota-Lambda) Central California Province UC Santa Barbara (Alpha-Omicron) Cal Poly (Eta-Delta) Ontario Province Cornell (Mu) Carleton (Eta-Rho)

Volunteer Appointments

Recently Appointed Province Archons and Chapter Advisors Chapter/Colony Advisors ELON (EPSILON-THETA) Shane Ray (East Carolina '90)

KANSAS (BETA-DELTA) Kyle Pacha (Kansas '18)

FDU-FLORHAM (IOTA-PHI) Ernesto Goldberg (FDU-Florham '18)

LOUISVILLE (IOTA-OMICRON) Steven Standiford (Vincennes '83)

FITCHBURG STATE (ETA-TAU) Colin McShane (Fitchburg State '18)

MINNESOTA (IOTA-ZETA) Michael Wessels (Minnesota '15)

GEORGIA (ALPHA-PHI) Neel Swamy (Georgia '16)

SIU-CARBONDALE (BETA-NU) Trey Hentis (SIU-Carbondale '16)

GRAND VALLEY STATE (THETA-RHO) Ty Krueger (Grand Valley State '05)

Winter 2022

Volunteers

Newsletter

NEEDED: The Emerald Contributors Put your talents to use and volunteer for the Fraternity! Do you have a knack for telling stories in written form? Want a unique way to give back to the Fraternity? Here's your opportunity! Sigma Pi is searching for talented writers to take on a number of articles for The Emerald and The Emerald Online. There are stories to tell all across the landscape of Sigma Pi, and we've just barely tapped into them. Some of the great stories we've been able to tell recently include: • And the Oscar Goes To…, an interview with Al Seib (Valparaiso ’75), lead photographer at the LA Times (featured in the Summer 2021 issue of The Emerald) Are You Subscribed to Receive the Sigma Pi Quarterly? Visit our "Update Your Information" page on the Sigma Pi website, fill in your information, and select "Yes" in the question"Would you like to receive emails from Sigma Pi?" To update your information, visit

sigmapi.org/updateinfo

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• In the Kitchen with ‘Top Chef ’ Chris Viaud, a Q&A with Chris Viaud (Johnson & Wales ’09), owner of two restaurants (Greenleaf and Culture), ‘Top Chef’ contestant, father, and proud member of Sigma Pi (featured in the Summer 2021 issue of The Emerald) • How to Overcome Adversity, the story of Bryan Duarte (Monmouth '10), a recovering quadriplegic who has regained the ability to walk and use his arms after a devastating car crash (featured on The Emerald Online). As a contributing writer, you can help bring more stories like these to life!

If interested in volunteering for this opportunity, send an email to communications@sigmapi.org with writing samples. 37

Feature

"Because of Sigma Pi, I’m able to travel the country and see more than I would have ever thought."

Photo by Sierra Elhart

Winter 2022

Feature

Behind the Footage Max Hauser (Wisconsin-Oshkosh ’14) Shares His Stories from His Work on the Road for Sigma Pi by Summer Clarkson, Assistant Editor

broken drone, a secret handshake, and a Best Buy employee in small-town Auburn, Alabama… the power of brotherhood is stronger than you could have ever imagined. Max Hauser (Wisconsin-Oshkosh ’14), creator of the 2021 Sigma Pi National Recruitment Video, shares his wildest story from his trip shooting chapters across the country. While on site at Auburn University to shoot content with Alpha-Delta Chapter, Max’s drone breaks and needs wings. Max quickly heads over to Best Buy, but unfortunately, the wings were sold out, and the next pair would not be in store for a few weeks. To his luck, another Best Buy employee overhears Max pleading with customer service and walks over to give him the secret handshake. Max was baffled entirely, and the man responded, “I heard you were a Sigma Pi; I’m from Missouri...” Max continues on to share about the video with Alpha-Delta Chapter and the Best Buy employee was unaware that a local chapter was less than five minutes away from him. After a quick phone call, the Best Buy employee tells Max, “I have the same

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drone as you; my wife opened our garage door. Go borrow the wings off mine, fly it around, and just drop them back off when you finish.” In that moment, Max knew the absolute power of the Fraternity… for a random Missouri Sigma Pi, who happened to work at that Best Buy, who happened to have the same drone and completely trusted a total stranger all because he had faith in the brotherhood of Sigma Pi. WORKING ON THE SIGMA PI RECRUITMENT VIDEO All under a two-minute span, Max Hauser is able to capture the brotherhood, the history, the philanthropy, and more, showcasing how Sigma Pi Fraternity could benefit a potential new member. This video highlights statistics on undergraduates, chapters, GPA, scholarships, and conferences while also displaying the fun of joining a brotherhood with service, events, intramurals and, not to mention the spotlight on these incredible houses and campuses across this country. Max and his team have traveled to 15 chapters or events across nine states since 2020 to get a diverse feel of the Fraternity’s landscape.

Feature

While filming and traveling take up a lot of his schedule, much of Max's time is spent in his editing bay

Max also partnered with cinematographer Jon Kline to film some of the golf outings. Jon Kline’s website reads "He has been trusted to tell stories by brands including Nike, Rolling Stone, the NFL, American Express, Target, Wells Fargo, and AT&T.” He is currently preparing for a feature-length western, filming in Oklahoma in 2022. When asked how he was able to capture so many dynamics of the Fraternity within this video, Max stated, “Honestly, it’s about showing what is already there... Brotherhood is already happening all over the country at any given point. Chapters are already raising money for important topics and helping the community, and in between that, they’ve learned to have fun with each other, and I think that means a lot.” Max said the hope for the video is to “inspire a young man to join something that is good for his mental health, good for his professional 40

health, and to just have fun and be young with a community that wants to be active in their campus.” Max continued on to explain the goal of the video was to capture how each chapter is unique. To do this, Max sat down with the brothers at each chapter he visited and asked them directly, “what is special about THIS house” and “why did you want to be a Sigma Pi.” Once Max was able to better understand each chapter’s unique perspective, he was able to capture what is special to the brothers of this national organization across the country. From his time on the road visiting chapters, Max learned one thing that makes each chapter unique is that with each location and university comes different experiences. Some campuses are near the beach, others rural, and some in the heart of a big city. Based on where each undergraduate brother is in the country, he will get the best of

what each campus has to offer. Additionally to the campus location comes the origin of each brother; some brothers are from other cities, states, and even countries. Max notes that even though fraternity men often get the stereotype of a “white guy in a polo,” he’s found that the most diverse men he’s had the opportunity to meet are the men of Sigma Pi. Each brother brings a unique perspective and diversity to the conversation. Max reflects on his time at Wisconsin-Oshkosh as an undergraduate where coming from a small town, he was able to learn a lot about culture, how people communicate and disagree, and come to compromise. Having his eyes opened to other cultures and learning how to work with different people in his chapter helped prepare him for his career today. Max finds it easier to come into new situations and know how to understand a person’s needs. Winter 2022

Feature

MORE ABOUT THE MAN BEHIND THE CAMERA From a young age Max knew he wanted to be in the entertainment industry; what started as a child actor and model grew into a desire to pursue film. Max credits his passion for filmmaking to his mother, who encouraged him to follow his dream throughout his childhood no matter how unlikely the odds. While in college pursuing film and directing, Max’s mother was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and an unclear prognosis. He recalls the uncertainty of the situation and the bills that stacked up, but his brothers of Sigma Pi stepped up when it counted the most. The brothers of Gamma-Mu Chapter rallied together to organize a fundraising event for Max and his family. The funds raised allowed Max’s mother to get into remission. It’s been six years, and she’s still holding steady in remission. While reflecting on the support his brothers gave in college, he said, “these brothers stepped up out of nowhere, and not only did it help a lot, it meant a lot to have their support.” Shortly after graduating college, Max’s short film So We Bowl won awards at film festivals. Max has worked on a variety of projects, including corporate clients like Cisco, Roundy’s, Wilderness Resort and Water Park, H.O. Wolding, Amcor, and even filmed an episode of a television series on the History Channel. The list goes on and on of film projects, music video collaborations, and other documentary projects. Max continued working and now is the owner of a production company

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Max visited Japan while following Brett Newski for his documentary

called Liminal Vision Films, based in central Wisconsin. Liminal Vision Films is focused on creating exciting and provocative work internationally through documentaries, music videos, short films, and more. Max says the goal is to see between the lines of your story. One of his biggest projects in the works currently is with musician Brett Newski. Max is developing a rock music documentary that has followed Brett, a determined indie songwriter, worldwide. The film features footage from the

United States, Vietnam, Japan, Mexico, South Africa, and various European countries. When asked what’s next for director Max Hauser and his future, he said, “continuing to direct films… your job should be fun, so accepting projects that I truly enjoy working on, like the Sigma Pi videos.” Any brothers interested in venturing into the entertainment industry feel free to reach out to Max Hauser directly for support by emailing him at Max@liminalvisionfilms.com.

Alumni News, Events, And Accomplishments

Sigma Pi-Hosted Events As fraternity men we all know that joining Sigma Pi is a lifelong decision and it doesn’t end after graduating college. The power of brotherhood and building relationships is key in having a successful fraternal experience during and after college. Since July 2021 Sigma Pi has been presenting alumni and active members the opportunity to connect with brothers in their area by hosting events for them to network and learn how to stay involved with Sigma Pi. Whether it's donating your time, talent, or treasure it is important for alumni to give back to the Fraternity so we are continuing to build a better organization for the future.

These events have helped us raise financial support so Sigma Pi can continue to provide our members with educational programming, resources, and scholarships necessary to further our mission and enhance their undergraduate experience. Sigma Pi understands the importance alumni have on the organization and we look forward to seeing you at our next event! These events also don't take place without dedicated volunteer support. Special thanks to Colorado Province Archon Kyle Koelbel (Arizona State ’06), Iota Chapter Advisor Grant Hannon (Colorado State ’17), and Sigma Pi Educational Foundation Secretary Taylor Lapsys (California-Irvine ‘04) for their involvement.

DENVER ALUMNI EVENT

Sigma Pi two alumni events in Denver, Colorado on the weekend of September 10th. A golf event took place at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club. The second event took place at Mile High Stadium on September 11th. Over 70 guests were in attendance at the two events!

SAN JOSE ALUMNI EVENT

Sigma Pi was ecstatic to have an alumni/active reception at True Brew Taproom & Kitchen on September 23rd in San Jose, CA! Six alumni and 15 undergraduates from the Zeta-Eta and Iota-Eta chapters in attendance! The active brothers exchanged numbers and ideas with each other and alumni offered their time.

BERKELEY ALUMNI EVENT

Sigma Pi hosted ninth alumni event this year at the Iota chapter house on October 30th in Berkeley, California! 31 members were in attendance for the event. Special thanks to the men at Iota for hosting us!

Winter 2022

ARAB AMERICA 30 UNDER 30 Bilal Hammoud (Wayne State ’14) was recognized for the 2021 30 Under 30 initiated by Arab America - a national media organization founded with the purpose of promoting an accurate image of the Arab American community

BOWLING INTO HISTORY Bill O'Neill (Saginaw Valley State ’00) was selected into the 2020 Saginaw

Valley State Athletics Hall of Fame. The induction took place on October 1, 2021. He is a 13-time Pro Bowlers Association Champion, winning two majors: the 2010 US Open and the 2020 Players Championship. O'Neill is a seven-time member of Team USA and has three World Championship Gold Medals

PARSONS HONORED Arkansas Tech recognized Dustin Parsons (Arkansas Tech ’09) as part of its 19 of the Last 9 award winners during Homecoming

2021. The 19 of the Last 9 award is named in honor of Arkansas Tech's founding year, 1909. It is presented each year to 19 alumni who have graduated within the last nine years

BOOGEY MAN Hugh Hayden (Cornell '03) currently is featured at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami. “Hugh Hayden: Boogey Men” features a suite of monumental new works created for the occasion. In his innovative

work across mediums, Hayden creates anthropomorphic forms that explore our relationship with the natural world.

4 sigmapi.org

Adytum on High

"Our Ancient Sage firmly believed in the persistence of the soul beyond the grave, and although we mourn our brother’s passing from this world, we take comfort in sharing this belief that life is not ended, but changed, and that he now enjoys the reward for a life welllived and guided by the ideals of our Fraternity." Accurate as of November 30, 2021 ARKANSAS (ALPHA-SIGMA) Richard Johnson ('48) ARKANSAS STATE (ALPHA-PI) Carl Lacy ('54) AUBURN (ALPHA-DELTA) James Holley ('41) Donald Odell ('37) Charles Pearson ('37) BLOOMSBURG (DELTA-PI) James Canterbury ('70) CAL STATE FULLERTON (EPSILON-NU) Wallace Canterbury III ('78) Gregory Kerr ('88) Cameron Wood ('87) CAL STATE LONG BEACH (BETA-OMICRON) Jeffery Verner ('62) CORNELL (MU) Benjamin Kellogg ('39) EASTERN ILLINOIS (BETA-GAMMA) Philip Gulledge ('58) Terry Harrmann ('63) Preston Holdner ('60) Mark Justison ('87) Thomas Kirkwood ('50) Gary Martinie ('63) Andrew McDevitt ('94) Robert Taylor ('63) Leslie Woodcock ('66) EMORY (PSI) Thomas Cook Jr. ('37) Charles Spencer ('41) FLORIDA STATE (ETA-EPSILON) Stacy Thomas ('88) FRANKLIN & MARSHALL (NU) George Gager ('41) James Robb ('39) Richard Welsh ('37) FRESNO STATE (ALPHA-XI) Roland Wolfe ('50) GEORGIA SOUTHERN (GAMMA-TAU) Richard Van Atta ('75) ILLINOIS (PHI) Ira Johnson ('47) Norman McLintock ('41) Alphonse Wallen ('46)

INDIANA (BETA) Maurice Egan ('40) Gilbert Mascher ('64) Fred Pain Jr. ('52) INDIANA STATE (GAMMA-PI) Joseph Bachman ('70) IOWA STATE (SIGMA) Robert Funk ('37) Earle Peterson ('57) KENYON (LAMBDA) Richard Allen Jr. ('49) Paul Bedell ('56) George Benner ('48) Asher Bernstein III ('37) Donald Bivens ('55) James Busenburg ('45) Kenneth Campbell ('50) Philip Doughten ('40) Richard Duke ('56) Yale Greenfield ('65) Frederick Gutekunst ('49) Joseph Hall ('49) Felton Hammond ('47) David Kearney ('61) Charles Koehler ('44) Charles Lantz ('67) Charles McIlvaine Jr. ('54) Frederick Pfau ('54) Daniel Reasor ('67) James Scurfield ('46) Richard Simmonds ('51) MIDDLE TENNESSEE (THETA-OMEGA) Matthew Corn ('08) MISSISSIPPI STATE (ALPHA-LAMBDA) Glen Huffstetter ('40) Richard Montgomery ('40) John Patterson ('40) MOREHEAD STATE (DELTA-RHO) Kyle Hammonds ('05) NJIT (ALPHA-MU) PGS Howard Beyer ('53) Theodore Roosen-Raad ('38) OHIO (EPSILON) Gordon Koons ('39) William Schofield ('40) OHIO STATE (GAMMA) John Botting ('37)

PENN STATE (THETA) John Hanlon ('82) William Hopwood ('37) ROCHESTER TECH (BETA-PHI) John Kosta ('64) SANTA CLARA, CA (ZETA-ETA) Justin Ebner ('20) SHIPPENSBURG (BETA-UPSILON) Jeffrey Breighner ('64) SIU-CARBONDALE (BETA-NU) William Winter ('54) ST. LAWRENCE (ALPHA-ZETA) Frank Allen ('46) Robert Holzhauer ('40) Sydney Magill ('48) TEMPLE (KAPPA) Raymond Witkowski ('39) TULANE (OMICRON) Harold Thiedeman ('71) UCLA (UPSILON) William Greenwalt ('40) Joseph Henriksen ('48) Harold Mahn ('37) UTAH (PI) Maxwell Armstrong ('39) VALPARAISO (BETA-TAU) Allen Belanger ('68) Alan Benzer ('73) John Chikerotis ('80) Timothy Vojslavek ('84) VINCENNES (ALPHA) Mark Adams ('75) James Haecker ('69) Jeffry Hurwich ('75) Michael O'Neill ('65) Jon Rosenbaum ('83) Kip Wilson ('95) WAKE FOREST (ALPHA-NU) Cornelius Bullock Jr. ('80) WASHINGTON (ALPHA-GAMMA) Burtin Fadich ('50) WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC (GAMMA-IOTA) Kenneth Beyer ('79) Liam Godin ('20) YOUNGSTOWN STATE (DELTA-ETA) Albert Miller III ('69) Winter 2022

Engineering (now known as New Jersey Institute of Technology). He dedicated many years of service to the Fraternity at the national level, including serving as Grand Herald from 1968 to 1970, Grand Third Counselor from 1970 to 1972, Grand Second Counselor from 1972 to 1974, Grand Sage from 1974 to 1976, and Past Grand Sage from 1976 to 1978. Additionally, he held a trustee position with the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation from 2000 to 2004.

Past Grand Sage Howard Beyer (NJIT ‘53) passed away on Thursday, September 23, 2021. He was 86 years old.

Thanks in part to his dedication to the Fraternity, PGS Beyer was awarded the Founders’ Award in 2004 at the 47th Biennial Convocation in Chicago, Illinois. In addition, the Beyer-Fryburg Award is named in his honor alongside PGS Frank Fryburg (Penn State ’44) and is presented to the chapter(s) with the highest chapter score at the end of each academic year.

PGS Beyer joined Sigma Pi while attending the Newark College of

He kept his commitment to the Fraternity local as well, with

PGS HOWARD BEYER NJIT '53

continued involvement with AlphaMu Chapter. His service to Sigma Pi started in 1957 when he became a Chapter Director for Alpha-Mu. He then served for ten years as Province Archon of what was then the Beta Province, which consisted of 13 chapters. PGS Beyer helped AlphaMu Chapter acquire and maintain their current house. Professionally, PGS Beyer was the second generation to operate the Unique Wire Weaving Company, a firm dedicated to manufacturing industrial woven wire cloth since 1946. He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy and is survived by his son, Kenneth Beyer (Worcester Polytech ’79) – an alumnus from Gamma-Iota Chapter – and his wife Cheryl, his daughter Donna Anderson, and his son Richard Beyer. Memorial donations may be made to the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation at give.sigmapi.org.

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From the Archives

The Emerald Recovered

Found! Sigma Pi's Birthday In the year 1905, while the writer was a student at Vincennes University, he was appointed chairman of a committee of Tau Phi Delta, the predecessor of Alpha Chapter, to conduct a research concerning the circumstances attending the establishment of the Fraternity. This step was taken because of the fact that the proceedings of the chapter for the first year of its existence had been lost, leaving some uncertainty as to its early history. Considerable correspondence was had by this committee with the founders and other early members of the Fraternity. The responses brought forth many interesting and important facts, but in every instance one essential fact was lacking, and that was the exact date of the first meeting of the founders. All agreed that the chapter came into existence "early in the spring of 1897,'' but no one was found who would venture a more definite statement of the exact date. There the matter rested, so far as the writer was concerned, until something more than a year ago, when he became a member of the committee created by the last convocation to compile a history of the Fraternity. When that duty was assumed a conference was had with Grand Herald Byron R. Lewis (Vincennes 1902), and the conclusion was reached that the time was ripe to clear up this uncertainty with respect to the history of Alpha Chapter, if it was physically possible to do so.

A careful and exhaustive survey was first made as to the condition existing at Vincennes University at the time and immediately prior to the time the Fraternity came into being. Particular attention was given to every form of student activity of which any information could be had. College periodicals, catalogues, bulletins, yearbooks, and other similar materials were carefully gone over as a basis for further research. Then just when the committee was about to despair of solving the perplexing question as to when the fraternity was founded, a discovery was made which quickly produced the desired results. It is first necessary to say that for about three quarters of a century there has been on the statute books of the state of Indiana a law requiring the county recorder to bind and preserve files of two newspapers published in the county espousing the cause of the two predominating political parties. In the dark and musty recesses of the county courthouse was found a dingy volume containing the files of a newspaper, now defunct, which was published during the year 1897. In this paper there appeared quite regularly during the spring of 1897 a column under the heading, "Vincennes University News." Here, at last, was the key that was to make it possible for Sigma Pi to have a birthday party and, perchance, a Founders' Day banquet each year!

exercises. This paper must have been more interesting than the usual small-college chapel discourse, for we learn from a subsequent issue of the same paper that on February 26, 1897, "a number of the young men students have formed a secret society and have appointed a committee to prepare a constitution and by-laws." By following up the facts disclosed by the above items it has been possible to identify the "secret society" referred to as Alpha Chapter.

From these notes it was learned that on January 26, 1897, Miss Malott, a member of the faculty, read a paper on "College Fraternities" at the chapel

Such, in brief, are the circumstances and the evidence by which the Sigma Pi may be said to have been founded on February 26, 1897.

This article was printed in The Emerald, Vol. 9, No. 1, in April 1922, and was written by HGS Curtis G. Shake (Vincennes 1903).

Winter 2022

Photo Finish The brothers of Theta-Rho Chapter at Grand Valley State had a great bid day this fall and welcomed new brothers! To submit your own photos for consideration as the Photo Finish, please email them to emerald@sigmapi.org or tag @sigmapi on your social media accounts.

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The Emerald - Winter 2022

Articles inside

From the Archives

Growth

Behind the Footage

Alumni News

Education & Programming

Chapter Accomplishments

International Digest

The Man Who Changed Everything

From the Grand Sage

A Servant Mentality

Securing a Solid Foundation

125 Years of Brotherhood