From the Depaul Sigep Charter

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History

...for a Founding Father am I.

In the Fall Quarter of 2000, two representatives, Scott Thompson and Wes Stolp, from the headquarters of Sigma Phi Epsilon came to DePaul University's campus with the hopes of establishing a new Sigma Phi Epsilon colony. Sigma Phi Epsilon believed that DePaul University's campus would be an ecellent home for a new chapter of SigEp. SigEp believed that DePaul University's campus could provide the men to uphold its three cardinal principles: Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love. But was there potential for a new SigEp chapter on a small campus where less than five percent of the student population was greek? The National Fraternity believed so as they set forth to find those men who would become the founding fathers of the newest chapter of the largest collegiate fraternity in the country.

Where were they to start? How would they find the men that would carry the name of Sigma Phi Epsilon and help found the Illinois Xi chapter or Sigma Phi Epsilon? The first step was to present the idea of a new fraternity to teh already existing chapters on DePaul's campus. The interfraternity council consisted of five national fraternities; Delta Kappa Epsilon, Delta Tau Delta, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Phi Kappa Theta, Phi Kappa Psi. SigEp wanted to bring a truly different type of fraternity to campus. After overcoming initial resistence from chapters sitting on the interfraternity council, SigEp was granted permission to come onto campus and begin recruitment.

The Balanced Man Program

One major difference that sets Sigma Phi Epsilon apart from all the other fraternities at both DePaul's campus and on the national level is its abolishment of a pledge system. In the early 1990's, a revolutionary program entiltled "The Balanced Man Project" was used in place of the pledging process. The Balanced Man Program is a continuous four-year member development program aimed at enhancing all aspects of a man's collegiate life. The Balanced Man Project divides members into three challenges, each named after our three respective Greek letters. The Sigma Challenge is the "foundation of brotherhood"; The Phi Challenge is "building balance," and the last of the three is Epsilon, entitled "brothers as leaders."

In the new program, members complete requirements within each stage and at the end of each stage, go through a Rite of Passage in which they are exposed to more and more of the Fraternity and its ritualistic teachings. Each of these requirements are aimed at enriching and developing its menbers into, "modern day renaissance men," as Brother Sean Vitale once described it. Additionally, all members are given the full rights, responsibilities, and privileges of any other SigEp Brother, no matter how new they are to the fraternity.

The Growth of the Chapter

Initial recruitment began through the exisiting sororities on campus. Wes and Scott attended chapter meetings and explained the main themes of Sigma Phi Epsilon to the women and asked that they recommend gentlemen who did not currently belong to a fraternity and fit the image of SigEp and the "Balanced Man." Two sororities that were intrumental in locating the DePaul chapter's core group of individuals were Alpha Sigma Alpha and Alpha Omicron Pi. To this day they still support and help the chapter to expand and reach its goals.

After being given a list of gentlemen to pursue, Wes and Scot began setting up informal meetings with prospective members and also held general informational sessions. These informal meetings, often over lunch, gave Wes and Scott the opportunity to pitch the fraternity and determine whether or not the man they were interviewing would fit the mold of Sigma Phi Epsilon. The general informational sessions would open up the fraternity to the general publice and hopefully attract additional prospective members. As in their previous recruitment efforts, they were looking for men that wanted to bring a truly different type of fraternity to campus, express its ideals of Virtue, Dilligence, and Brotherly Love, destroy the "frat boy" image, build a strong organization from the ground up and benefit from all the Sigma Phi Epsilon had to offer.

The 'Original Seven'

This went on for several weeks until a core group of individuals was located. On October 2, 2000 the first SigEps of DePaul were put through the Sigma Rite of Passage. THe first initiated of the DePaul SEC chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon was Dennis Protasio, followed by Donald Barche, and Ruchir Gandhi, Nicholas Niziolek, Jason Petitte, Robert Sanoshy, and Michael Seraphin. These Seven Gentleman would come to be known as "The Original Seven" founding fathers of DePaul's chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon.

DePaul SEC

After "The Original Seven" founding fathers were formed, they began work on developing the local DePaul chapter which was given the designation, DePaul SEC, or DePaul SigEp Colony. Quickly following "the original Seven" were Jason Szeto, followed by Jonathan Ridgeway, and Kris Kazibut. By the end of DePaul's SEC chapter Sigma Phi Epsilon's first year, they had eighteen active members in their chapter.

Destined to Become...

Soon after the colony was formed, members began to encounter the first of the obstacles that would slow the growth of the chapter. A high rate of turnover and having to adjust to everyone's strengths and weaknesses were just a couple of the obstacles that beset the DePaul Chapter. However these problems could not hinder the drive of those members that wanted to achieve and build something they believed in from the ground up. For those members who stayed and those that have been invited to become SigEps since the original formation, it has been a long journey. But just beyond the last hill we see our destiny; our future in our hands; our possibilities boundless and endless. Sigma Phi Epsilon has found a new home on DePaul's campus. And as long as it's members carry that fire within, forever will we bring honor to the letters we hold so close to our hearts.