Straight From The Heart

Transcription

1 Event Itinerary TO: Mr. Nice Guy Pizaa Delivery - April Commencement - May 18th Summer recruitment Events - TBA Fall Scholarship Luncheon August 23rd MC Homecoming 2008 October If undeliverable, please return to: 2311 Welland Drive Champaign, IL Dear In 1996 we started the process of initiating our first brother through the Renaissance of Brotherhood program. As the Alumni Operations Director at the time, I was tasked with searching for the most worthy candidate. After personally interviewing a number of candidates the brothers of Illinois Gamma selected Virgil Boucher. Virgil expressed sadness that he did not have the financial means to join Sigma Phi Epsilon when his fraternity merged with Sig Ep and from the time he was initiated, Virgil pledged to do everything in his power to assist those brothers in need. He truly exemplified the core beliefs of our fraternity. I am writing this letter in that spirit. Virgil s passing last year left an empty spot in both the hearts and souls of the brothers. He had personally been active in recruiting qualified young men to attend Monmouth College and encouraged them to become productive members of Sigma Phi Epsilon. He assisted those who did not have the financial means to join the fraternity by providing financial help, and with his passing, Virgil left a substantial gift to the dedicated brothers of Illinois Gamma who would continue his legacy. This is an exciting time for Illinois Gamma. I invite you to join our efforts of brotherhood with your financial support to build upon Virgil s wishes. Our Alumni Board has set as a priority to strengthen existing endowed scholarships and leadership awards and intends to establish new awards in Virgil s honor. These will recognize our undergraduate brothers achievements on various levels, and will be founded according our fraternity s cardinal principles and Virgil s history of generosity. Please remember what this fraternity has done to enrich your lives and the experiences you had as a member of Illinois Gamma. Share the successes you have achieved with those who are now beginning their own journey toward success and give them the opportunities that we all had as members of Sigma Phi Epsilon. For additional information on how to donate or to share your thoughts, please contact me or one of the other AVC members. Thank you for your continued support. Pete Grutzius 87 V. Boucher Donates Remainder of Estate to IL Gamma! Straight From The Heart

2 Announcing the 2007 Balanced Man Scholarship Straight From The Heart Illinois Gamma Alumni Newsletter Spring, 2008 Presented to incoming freshmen males by the Illinois Gamma Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon Do you know an outstanding young man who is planning to begin his college career? Do not let him miss out on this opportunity! The successful applicant must exhibit academic excellence, demonstrate leadership skills, and have strong commitments to health and well-being. Several scholarships, funded by our alumni, the undergraduate chapter, and the alumni/volunteer corporation will be awarded to the winners of the BMS competition at Monmouth College. Applications are being accepted and the selection process will be ongoing over the summer months so be sure to apply soon! The applicant is in no way tied to Sigma Phi Epsilon or any of its members. For more information, visit our chapter s website at: department.monm.edu/sigmaphi/ or visit: This semester has been busy because of how the academic calendar was set up. We have had several social exchanges, brotherhood events, and philanthropies. We have already hosted five social exchanges; two of which were with the Kappa Kappa Gamma s, one with the Alpha Xi Delta s, and two with the Soccer girls. This semester we are really focusing on coming up with unique ideas and themes for these events. So far we ve had themes that have ranged from Guys in Ties, Girls in Pearls to Fiesta Night. One thing that the members of the house seem to enjoy is having exchanges not only with the sororities, but with different teams or groups. We also worked very hard to prepare for Greek Week that was at the end of the March and beginning of April. This year we were paired with Alpha Xi Delta for a Superheroes themed show. As for brotherhood events and philanthropy, Stephen Underwood, VP of Member Development, has been diligently preparing different types of events to help the chapter keep in sound mind and body. We have scheduled an Alcohol Awareness presentation for the campus that will be followed up by a fireside chat, between fellow brothers, to talk about traditions and experiences within the chapter. We are also planning to participate in the annual Relay for Life on campus and Mr. Nice Guy Pizza delivery where our brothers will deliver pizzas around campus for charity. Other events scheduled include golf and massage lessons and a senior citizen prom as Anthony Atkins Epsilon project. The Senior Prom will be a dance for an elderly community in Stronghurst, IL who are sure to have a blast! Caleb Brondos 07 and Jack Clifford 08 Illinois Gamma Chapter House Fellow As former President Brent Sherman mentioned in the last newsletter we are continuing to march forward into a new era in our history. With the emergence of a new fraternity on campus, Phi Delta Theta, we ve really had to examine how to reach our full potential. Needless to say we are looking forward to face the challenge and stay the premier fraternity on campus. To accomplish this we ve increased the number of philanthropy hours this semester and have been more involved in campus activities. Our dedication to the college community continues this spring as we have two teams of 20 plus members participating in the annual Relay for Life and many brothers have been selected as Resident Hall Assistants (RAs) and Orientation Leaders for the academic school year. Another integral part of achieving success is the time we spend among the brotherhood. Whether its helping each other with a dreaded term paper, grilling steaks on a cool spring day or conquering the Frisbee Golf links, a day rarely goes by without something special being shared over an activity. It is by working together that we will be able to be able to make the most of what college was meant to be. I am certain that if we are able to keep our focus on excellence and brotherly love we will without a doubt be a strong candidate for the Buchanan Cup in the years to follow. We came home with two awards for scholarship and manpower from the recent Carlson Leadership Academy, and the members of the fraternity who attended gathered new ideas about planning and leadership for our chapter. The experience left us all with a desire for greater success. We look forward to sharing future success stories with all our alumni! Come visit us or be sure to read all about it in the next edition of Straight from the Heart! Justin Lee 09 President

3 Dear Brothers: Alumni Spotlight A Brother s Quest After five fun-filled years at Monmouth I moved to Columbia, Mo immediately after graduation in I moved in with my college roommate, A.J. Schmidt and spent the summer deciding what to do next. I considered joining the Peace Corps, but decided I would put my degree to work first. I was hired to teach English and coach wrestling at Hickman High School in Columbia. Teaching there was fantastic. There were more students in the high school, 2300, than people in my entire hometown, (Erie, IL, pop. 1600). Each day dawned with new challenges and surprises. In my second year of teaching I sponsored a diversity club, Voices of Intelligent Culturally Educated Students, and started a rock climbing club. It was also in my second year that I made the switch to the history department, and became an avid news consumer. My interest and curiosity in news led me to enter graduate school for journalism at the University of Missouri in the fall of By that time I had already started down the path that would eventually lead me to Mongolia. The weekend after Thanksgiving in 2000, I met an incredible woman, while shooting pool at a local pub. It s true; you can meet nice people at a bar. We quickly fell in love, took two road trips to the west where we tested our relationship on the rigors of the road, realized we both loved to travel, and that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. After Ashley graduated from the University of Missouri she started working at the Alzheimer s Association while I continued my graduate work. We got married in Because we had already been talking about serving overseas throughout our relationship, taking the plunge once we were married was easy to do. We applied for Peace Corps service that fall and received our invitation to Mongolia the following spring. So here we are after two years, having a great time, trying to help our friends where we can and hopefully gaining some global perspective. I teach English to the future accountants and tourism staff of the country at a small business college. I ve sponsored several clubs, including a mentor program, a sports club for children with disabilities and a Business Club. Together, we focus on teaching life and health skills to students as well as an appreciation for the environment and how to protect it. Our biggest project is the 24-hr Care Center. The people we ve worked with here have been amazing. Planning and coordinating across cultures and languages has been a rewarding challenge. Everything is in place, except for the funds to build it. Our goal is to raise $45,000, enough of the total $75,000 budget to put the project online to raise the remaining funds, of which our community is contributing 25 percent. Our friends and family have already generously donated around $3,000, a great start to be sure, but we need to expand our efforts. Mongolia is a rural country of about 2.5 million people spread across a vast landscape between Russia and China. Roughly half the population lives in the countryside, including the more than 115,000 people with disabilities. Currently modern care facilities for children exist only in the capital city, Ulaanbaatar. In Bayankhongor, a western state 14 hours and thousands of bumps from the capital city by van, more than 4,000 children with disabilities are underserved. Parents of children with special needs often can t work, or survive on one income because their child needs 24-hour care. A free care center dedicated to treating and educating their children and working with the community can allow parents to work, and provide their children with the self-confidence and know-how to excel in school and pursue a career. Your tax-deductible gift can help us begin constructing the center right away, building hope and opportunity with bricks and stone. The total cost of constructing and equipping the Care Center is $75,000, a significant amount of money, but a fraction of what a similar facility would cost in the United States. Even a contribution of $100 can purchase specialized games and educational materials. For more Information please visit the Illinois Gamma Alumni Web page, or Brother Burden directly at mjbclimb@yahoo.com Below: Tsedevsuren, who works to organize parents of disabled children, sits with her son who is both deaf and mute. Please look at the information on the care center and send me an if you are interested. It s been great writing to all of you, and I hope to keep in touch! Mike Burden 00 mjbclimb@yahoo.com

4 From the AVC President: Can You Rejoin a Fraternity, Again? Our Alumni Board takes great pride in reaching out to provide valuable assistance to this brotherhood. Yet you are critically important to our energies and we welcome your insights, your encouragement, and your involvement. If we offered you the chance to join this fraternity again, would you say, YES or No? Any fraternity worth its salt is really a reflection of its alumni. It is said that alumni are a direct reflection of the strength of the vibrant Chapter. A strong alumni brotherhood serves as the fraternity s guiding light a light which enables the chapter to learn, nurture, grow, and be successful in its overall mission. Through the regular involvement of alumni, our fraternity is better able to act with clarity of purpose, develop valued and purposeful relationships with other generations, and establish an outside network of opportunities for future real world successes. You are integral to these possibilities. The Alumni Board of Illinois Gamma continues to provide a great deal of guidance, yet really we are a small slice of the whole. With your help we can do so much more. In the coming months we will embark on a financial appeal to enhance the bequest of Virgil Boucher to create outstanding scholarship and programming support to benefit Illinois Gamma! Your dedication and contributions is the difference in helping these young men today and future generations to come. While the word contribution is most often associated with cash donations, your ability to give of your time and talents can be just as important. We would welcome to hear back from you if you are interested in hosting an alumni event in your home or business setting; mentor or arrange an internship for a brother, offer to meet a brother for lunch during the summer, and or attend alumni meetings. By doing so, you serve as living proof that SigEp is a lifelong commitment, with lifelong rewards. CLA this year yielded two honors: a Manpower Award and a Scholarship Cup. The most recent Carlson Leadership Academy (CLA) proved to be a success for our chapter as a whole. We came home with two honors, the Manpower Award and the Scholarship Cup. We are very proud of our hard work however, we are constantly looking for ways to improve the chapter. CLA gave us the chance to do just that. The members of the fraternity who went, gathered many essential insights to bring into their executive positions in the house. In the words of Steven Underwood, the VP of Member Development, The tasks and challenges that CLA asked me to complete were essential to making me a better person. It taught me that my role as VP of Member Development can be taken to the next level if I desire and showed me what I can attain and strive for. This truly is what the program strives to complete and furthers the effect that Sigma Phi Epsilon has on our lives. Sincerely, Caleb Brondos 11 VP Communications I would like to personally encourage you to consider contributing a financial gift in the coming months to advance academic excellence. Your impact can be life changing. Let s hear from you, we can all do something! Stephen Ehrhart 77 Alumni Volunteer Corporation President Above: At Ed Wildermuth s recent wedding to Jill Barrs, pictured from back to front are Josh Shevokas, Jay Kruger, Jeff Samp, Tom Hewes, Adam Volpp, Andrew Zimmerman, Scott Shaw, Matt Burge, Dick Johnson, Ed Wildermuth, and John Mueller. Be sure to send your best wishes onto the Newlyweds!

5 I am excited to say that the financial situation of the chapter has continued to improve from what it had been in previous years. As the new V.P. of Finance, I immediately made it clear to our brothers that they would be held accountable for the deadlines and obligations they made to the house. In order to do this, I have become increasingly involved with the Standards Board, as the practice of fining for late payments had proven ineffective in the past. With that, this spring we as a chapter were able to pay our spring bill to nationals on time, without the help of our AVC! We only have $1000 of accounts receivable left to collect this spring falling due April 1 st, at which time, I expect there to be no delinquent accounts. I am excited to budget for next year and am working closely with the rest of the executive board to make sure our dues are being used to achieve the greatest benefit for all brothers in the house. We have recently purchased cookware for the house so we can prepare breakfasts, lunches, or dinners at the house, for everyone! Our first planned house meal is on the calendar for April and should prove to be a great event. In the near future, we are looking to purchase a new barrel grill, new house speakers, and more seating for our formal lounge, as we have overgrown what is currently available. To help make this happen, outside of our own dues, we have begun to collect aluminum cans and pop-tops and bringing them to the recycling center for cash. I am optimistic about the future of the house and feel this is an exciting time in which positive changes are being made. Our chapter is always looking for ways to improve our financial situation and we welcome donations of any kind. If you are interested in giving advice or funds to the chapter please contact me. John Kaiser 10 VP Finance The new Standards Board this year has become committed to restoring the academic success that SigEp s have always been known for. Even though our grades slipped from last semester, we still had a considerably higher G.P.A. than the other two fraternity s on campus. Part of being a Balanced Man is the drive to become better through our studies, so to help struggling brothers the Standards Board assigned a mentor to each of them to help and encourage them to attend to their studies as well as study sessions to help them get homework done in a timely fashion. We hope that with enough hard work and perseverance that all the undergraduate brothers will achieve a 2.5 or higher this coming semester. Caleb Brondos 11 VP Communications Our Graduating Seniors!!! Brad Brooks Business Administration and Economics Brad plans to work in the insurance industry in Bloomington, Illinois and was involved on Standards Board for one year as well as VP of Finance for two years. James Dye Math Education James plans on teaching out-of -state for his first few years out of college. Although he is not yet sure where he will be heading he would love to continue his education and become a college professor in the years to come. He also served for two years on the house Standards Board. Brandon Fuhr Business Administration and Economics Brandon has been an integral part of shaping the members of SigEp by serving terms as VP of Member Development, Phi Coordinator and Risk Management. He plans on working for a Missouri Treasurer candidate next year. Erik Kammerer Business Administration and Public Relations Erik has been involved in A.S.A.P. for three years including President his senior year. He has also been an active member in SigEp as VP of Programming. He is still unsure of what his plans after college will entail. Scott Wolfmeyer Physics Major and Math Minor Wolfy plans on continuing his education by pursuing a masters degree but has yet to choose among a variety of schools including Washington University. He also served as a member on Standards Board and VP of Member Development.

6 AVC and Undergraduate Contact Information: Steve Ehrhart, 77 (309) Tom Sargent, 85 (309) Derek Anderson, 98 Pete Grutzius, 87 (708) Scott Shaw, 03 (815) Justin Lee, 09 Undergraduate President Caleb Brandos, 11 Undergraduate Communications Illinois Gamma Alumni Page and click register Undergraduate Home Page Send Alumni Correspondence to: Scott Shaw 2311 Welland Drive Champaign, IL We hope you enjoy reading about all these activities related to Illinois Gamma. This is published to keep you, our brothers, connected with your home chapter and each other! We encourage you to share your news with us. via the alumni website and/or writing to us. Scott Shaw and Caleb Brondos Editors Current AVC board members It s Time to Start Giving... If you are reading this short piece, I know what you are thinking. Here we go again the guys in the house are looking for more money. Let me set your mind at ease up front this is not another pitch to give money to the house. But I am going to ask you to give something to your fraternity that is just as valuable as your hard earned money: your time. At the local level, Sigma Phi Epsilon is a completely volunteer organization. Without the dedication of countless alumni brothers there would be no EDGE new member programs, no Carlson Leadership Academies, no Ruck Leadership Institute, no Conclave and no Tragos Quest to Greece. More importantly, without the commitment and passion of thousands of alumni brothers across the country, there would be no Alumni & Volunteer Corporations guiding and nurturing the 250 undergraduate chapters that bring the Sig Ep experience to life year after year for our undergraduate brothers. To be sure, many of these volunteers financially support the great works of our brotherhood, but even more of them support their fraternity with their time, their skills and their knowledge. No matter where you live, no matter what you do, no matter how much you earn, you have the ability to give back to your fraternity by giving us your time. When the members of the Illinois Gamma AVC contact you and ask for your help on the board or ask you to come back to the house to share your experiences or ask you to mentor a brother, make a commitment and give us your time. Better yet, don t wait for that call. Pick up the phone or send an to the brothers listed in this newsletter and ask us how you can help your fraternity. When you were initiated into the bonds of brotherhood in Sigma Phi Epsilon you were provided a manual about the fraternity. Its title? A Lifetime Responsibility of Brotherhood. Please start making it so. Bradley C. Nahrstadt, 89 Sigma Phi Epsilon District Governor, District 16