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SigEp

Sigma Phi Epsilon, better known as SigEp, is the nation's leading collegiate fraternity.  In the past twenty years, more men have joined Sigma Phi Epsilon than any other fraternity in history.  In that same period of time, SigEp has maintained the highest average GPA nationally of any fraternity.  SigEp has chapters at more than 260 college campuses nationwide, over 14,000 undergraduates in school today, more than 212,000 living alumni, and the nation’s largest Educational Foundation.  SigEp offers programming, scholarships, resources, and development to help undergraduates succeed in college and beyond.      The Balanced Man Program is Sigma Phi Epsilon’s award winning personal and professional development program, a program that has completely eliminated the pledging process.  It centers on the core principals of Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love and is enacted through mentoring, experiential learning, community service, and brotherhood.   The Balanced Man Program fosters the development of a Sound Mind and a Sound Body, the true Balanced Man philosophy.

I can't count the number of times I've had people tell me "you don't look like a frat boy" or "I would never have guessed you were in a frat in college."  This stems partly from people's perceptions what a typical fraternity member should be like (sometimes justified, other times not) and partly from my being a little atypical of the average fraternity member.  Regardless, joining SigEp was, without doubt, one of the best things I did while I was in college.  Not being much of a drinker, I certainly didn't join for the parties.  Rather, it was because it allowed me to meet a lot of great people (whom I probably wouldn't have met otherwise), it helped me develop leadership and communication skills, and it provided me with opportunities for participating in philanthropic activities and community service.  I even went on to spend a year working for the fraternity after I graduated.  If a student joins the right fraternity for the right reasons, it will be a positive life changing experience.  If he joins the wrong fraternity or for the wrong reasons, however, it can be equally life changing, but in a negative way.  I continue to volunteer with SigEp in order to help make as many chapters as possible places where college men can change their lives for the better, rather than for the worse.

SigEp National HQ (Richmond, Virginia)	The national headquarters for SigEp is located in Richmond, Virginia, the same city in which the fraternity began.  (SigEp was founded at Richmond College in 1901.)  The people who work there include both men and women and they are the ones who coordinate all the fraternity's regional and national activities and produce various materials for SigEp chapters.
Ohio Sigma (Case Western Reserve U.)	A large proportion of students at Case belong to Greek organizations, and so it should be no surprise that SigEp counts itself among the fraternities on campus.  Now that I'm in Cleveland, I've gotten involved with the Case SigEps (Ohio Sigma) and am  serving as a Faculty Fellow for their Residential Learning Community.  The chapter is one of the more accomplished fraternities on campus, and once again won Greek Week in 2006.
Illinois Mu (The University of Chicago)	When I was at The University of Chicago, I spent most of my SigEp time working with the chapter there (whose chapter designation is Illinois Mu).  It is a chapter that defies most of the fraternity stereotypes - they have no events that involve alcohol, they don't haze, they have a great chapter GPA (around 3.3), and they have a creative schedule of events and community service activities.  In 1999 they received the Buchanan Cup Outstanding Chapter Award at the fraternity's biennial national convention.  I most recently served as their Chapter Counselor, a role that involves acting as an advisor for the chapter leadership.
Iowa Gamma (The University of Iowa)	The Iowa Gamma chapter of SigEp at The University of Iowa is where I joined the fraternity, and I lived in the chapter house at 702 N. Dubuque St. all four years in college (serving as Chapter President for two of those years).  I'm proud to say they, too, are a great chapter - lots of members, high GPA, great at intramural sports, and lots of community service.  They have been awarded the Buchanan Cup three times (at last count).
Regional Directors (HQ Staff)	SigEp, like most national fraternities, has chapter consultants that travel around the country working with chapters and their leaders, alumni, volunteers, and school representatives.  At SigEp, these 10-12 men are known as Regional Directors.  They start in June after graduation, go through an intensive training program for two months during the summer (including training in public speaking, budgeting, time management, retreat facilitation, etc.) and then spend the rest of the academic year visiting chapters throughout their region.  I did this after I graduated and it was an outstanding experience (and not just because I got to travel Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina!)  I still keep in contact with most of the guys I traveled with.