SigEp Newsletter

A trip to the Zollinger House in Richmond, Virginia was more than just a visit to the place of origin for Sigma Phi Epsilon; it was a brotherhood bonding event. I did not know what to expect for the trip, but I knew one thing, I was going to be driving again. The first destination was a stop in Washington D.C. The drive down was interesting; two brothers were constantly hanging out of the windows most of the ride trying to get worthy pictures. Not only that, but it was discovered that some brothers needed to learn some of the most known music, such as “Don’t Stop Believing” and other classics.

When we arrived in Washington D.C., we experienced the area like any other group would. At 2 am, we took a trip across the city to see the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and the National World War II Memorial. This late night adventure brought us together more than any previous event I had experienced.

The next morning we drove to the Zollinger House. The drive there was filled with snoring and slight shifting into the most comfortable positions. We got breakfast at a small-family owned coffee place, Brewer’s café, and then right over to the house.

Seeing the house might not give you any insight into what a place such as the Zollinger House could make you feel. The house itself was a historical museum of SigEp items and each item had a story associated with it about a brother or another organization. Even with the Zollinger House now being the headquarters of SigEp and a place of work, it still has a homely atmosphere.

Zollinger House might be far for someone not used to driving for four hours long, but it is closer to us than most other chapters and I think we don’t take advantage of that as much as we should. I relate this experience to Ralph Walden Emerson’s quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination”; the travel there was just as memorable as the place itself.

This year I had the honor of representing SigEp PA Beta Beta at the Ruck Leadership Institute in Richmond, Virginia, alongside one of my brothers Justin San Juan. In the weeks leading up to Ruck, I was unsure of exactly what to expect from this traditionally amazing SigEp week. However, after landing in Richmond and meeting over 100 brothers from all across the country I knew I was in store for a once in a lifetime experience.

Throughout the five days at the University of Richmond, I felt as though I was able to develop and grow as a leader and a SigEp. By critically analyzing what it means to be leaders, we were able to point out personal strengths and weaknesses while also diving into ways to improve upon them. Supplemented by a plethora of sound mind and sound body activities this week was truly one to remember for years to come.

On the first day, Grand President Rick Bennet said, “This week is going to be the smartest investment you have ever made in your future”. This statement really stuck with me through my time at Ruck. I believe that I will be able to take the lessons I have learned to develop myself as a leader altogether, but more importantly inspire and develop my SigEp chapter to be better than it was before. In addition, for all the undergraduates reading this, I encourage all of you to apply next year! Ruck is something you have to experience to fully understand!

SigEp starting off strong when Greek Week began in early April this year. The brothers managed to get full points in the early events. In Football, our offence made several critical mistakes and although our defence was good, it was not enough to repair the damages. This was not the end all be all though. Brother Justin Bright quickly brought home a 1st place finish in tile designs. A few hours later, underdog Brendan Zimmie brought home 1st place in heavyweight arm wrestling followed by a 3rd place finish by brother Jonathan Napolitano in the lightweight category.

With a much needed boost in motivation, the chapter began planning for the all important Greek Week talent show. The theme was the 1986 movie Top Gun. Brother Paul Ciaccia III mustered up a group of guys and began creating a choreography. Meanwhile, graduating seniors Brian Bucci, Kyle Fitzpatrick, and Daniel Stenger led the prop construction team. The night before the show, the brothers faced a miserable defeat in Quizzo. SigEp had to place in the show to keep up.

On the day of, the brothers were faced with fierce competition from the other houses. When their turn was up, the last to go, the whole gym roared as brothers ran out in their cardboard airplanes, white shirts,boots, and jeans.The performance was stellar, perfect sync to the soundtrack and magnificent display of movie knowledge. After an eternity it may have seemed, the judges finally announced the winners. SigEp brought home 2nd place that day.

First place was still hotly contested, so the chapter turned to the upcoming events. A 3rd place finish in the chariot race contributed greatly to our cause. Soon after, a defeat in dodgeball to the eventual winners of Greek Week, poor performance in both volleyball and tug of war solidified our standing.So we thought. The chapter was faced with even more disappointment when 30 potential points were not gained in missed events. SigEp dropped from a solid 3rd place to 5th place out of 13.

Our results may not have stellar, but I am proud to say the standings do not reflect how much fun, drive, and unification the chapter showed during this year's greek week. Every single member contributed in a meaningful way that helped advance us to a common goal. Although it is always fun to win, it was more important for us this year to give 110%. PABB will be sure the mistakes made this year will not be repeated. Hopefully next year will bring better results and bring back the title of greek week champions to PABB.