Brotherhood in sigma phi epsilon- already graded
A fraternity is perhaps the most extreme discourse community available to college students. It is a commitment they must honor the rest of their life and for good reason. When students are initiated into the brotherhood they swear an oath to follow its values, beliefs, and more importantly keep its secrets. What they gain in return is a lifelong brotherhood that they can always rely on. One fraternity in particular stands out from the rest in that it stays the most true to its intended purpose; Sigma Phi Epsilon. When I began the Rush process, I wanted to know what made SigEp different from the other fraternities and what its values and beliefs are.
I spoke to Austin Tinsley, a member of SigEp, in order to gain an insiders perspective on the fraternity. He told me that the main reason he joined the fraternity was to meet people and become a part of something bigger. He said the reason he chose SigEp was because he thought that it best represented his values and beliefs. He noted that since he became a member his confidence and communication skills have improved immensely, due to experiences he has had participating in Greek life. He also noted that if someone did not follow the goals set by the fraternity they would not last a semester. This shows how serious the members are about their goals.
The members of this fraternity put the values and beliefs they are sworn to before anything else. Through the Rush process, initiation, and being a member for a week I have learned what it means to be a member of SigEp. It is not about partying or dressing in polo every day. Being a member of SigEp is about becoming a “Balanced Man”(sigep.org). Members of the fraternity go to fundraisers, social events, and chapter meetings together.
In order to gain new members, every fraternity has what is called a Rush week. This is a specific week at the beginning of a semester where fraternities host events for the sole purpose of attracting potential members. At the end of the week, the fraternities decide whom they want to extend an invitation to join them (a bid). If the person accepts the bid they are immediately put through the pledge process. The initiation process to become a member is confidential information. Members are sworn to secrecy upon entering the fraternity. Thusly, I cannot divulge any information on these matters. But what can be shared is that SigEp is a non-hazing fraternity and that once initiated, the pledge is considered a full brother.
The difference between SigEp and other fraternities is that the emphasis is on brotherhood and not partying. If a student joins SigEp to party, they will realize pretty shortly that they do not belong there. Being a member of SigEp means you have to be disciplined enough to balance good grades and partying. If you joined SigEp it means that you “…wanted to be apart of something bigger.” (Tinsley) You cannot stop your involvement at partying. Another notable difference I noticed is that the way SigEp members talk to each other is not “fraty”. They talk like ordinary guys except they are more familiar and endearing. “It is like talking to a sibling.” (Tinsley) Most guys in fraternities all have that same loud cocky manner of talking. If you passed a member of SigEp, you would think they were an everyday person.
In order to separate itself from other fraternities, SigEp developed the Balance Man Program. “The goal being to give the member an experience focused on scholarship, leadership, professional development and life skills.” (sigep.org) Each member starts this process when they first join and completes it upon graduating. The result being a man equipped with the skills to enter the real world and succeed. This is the part of SigEp I most look forward to. Learning all kinds of life skills in communicating and time management seems like something every college student could use.
When I set out to find the right fraternity for me, Sigma Phi Epsilon seemed like the obvious choice. Its goal is to create a Balance Man out of every member that enters. This is unlike every other fraternity in that it strives to do more than just through parties and maintain the minimum GPA. It is not a fraternity for those who are not willing to make the sacrifices needed to uphold its virtues.
Final: 55
I spoke to Austin Tinsley, a member of SigEp, in order to gain an insiders perspective on the fraternity. He told me that the main reason he joined the fraternity was to meet people and become a part of something bigger. He said the reason he chose SigEp was because he thought that it best represented his values and beliefs. He noted that since he became a member his confidence and communication skills have improved immensely, due to experiences he has had participating in Greek life. He also noted that if someone did not follow the goals set by the fraternity they would not last a semester. This shows how serious the members are about their goals.
The members of this fraternity put the values and beliefs they are sworn to before anything else. Through the Rush process, initiation, and being a member for a week I have learned what it means to be a member of SigEp. It is not about partying or dressing in polo every day. Being a member of SigEp is about becoming a “Balanced Man”(sigep.org). Members of the fraternity go to fundraisers, social events, and chapter meetings together.
In order to gain new members, every fraternity has what is called a Rush week. This is a specific week at the beginning of a semester where fraternities host events for the sole purpose of attracting potential members. At the end of the week, the fraternities decide whom they want to extend an invitation to join them (a bid). If the person accepts the bid they are immediately put through the pledge process. The initiation process to become a member is confidential information. Members are sworn to secrecy upon entering the fraternity. Thusly, I cannot divulge any information on these matters. But what can be shared is that SigEp is a non-hazing fraternity and that once initiated, the pledge is considered a full brother.
The difference between SigEp and other fraternities is that the emphasis is on brotherhood and not partying. If a student joins SigEp to party, they will realize pretty shortly that they do not belong there. Being a member of SigEp means you have to be disciplined enough to balance good grades and partying. If you joined SigEp it means that you “…wanted to be apart of something bigger.” (Tinsley) You cannot stop your involvement at partying. Another notable difference I noticed is that the way SigEp members talk to each other is not “fraty”. They talk like ordinary guys except they are more familiar and endearing. “It is like talking to a sibling.” (Tinsley) Most guys in fraternities all have that same loud cocky manner of talking. If you passed a member of SigEp, you would think they were an everyday person.
In order to separate itself from other fraternities, SigEp developed the Balance Man Program. “The goal being to give the member an experience focused on scholarship, leadership, professional development and life skills.” (sigep.org) Each member starts this process when they first join and completes it upon graduating. The result being a man equipped with the skills to enter the real world and succeed. This is the part of SigEp I most look forward to. Learning all kinds of life skills in communicating and time management seems like something every college student could use.
When I set out to find the right fraternity for me, Sigma Phi Epsilon seemed like the obvious choice. Its goal is to create a Balance Man out of every member that enters. This is unlike every other fraternity in that it strives to do more than just through parties and maintain the minimum GPA. It is not a fraternity for those who are not willing to make the sacrifices needed to uphold its virtues.
Final: 55