Winter 2012
of Sigma Alpha Mu
Delta Zeta at FIU –
Sammy Spirit!
(see more “Around the Chapters” action, page 4)
In this issue:
Our Man in “Gitmo” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 3
Alumni Club & Reunion News . . . . . . . page 8
Chapter Eternal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 11
Foundation News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 12
100 Years Ago in the Octagonian. . . . . page 16
From Supreme Prior, Marc Perlstein
Celebrating the arrival of the New Year
implies a sense of renewal – a fresh start,
suggesting an opportunity for a “second
chance.” Fraternity expansion efforts are
no different. Reviving dormant chapters,
regardless of the historical circumstance
of their passing, brings a certain sense
or fraternal rebirth. I am very pleased
to announce that the Fraternity has established colonies at
two former ƙƈƓ campuses: the University of Kansas (Sigma
Lambda, originally chartered in 1923) and the University of
Massachusetts (Beta Epsilon, originally chartered in 1965).
Both of these campuses have a rich fraternity history.
And, we’re not stopping there! Our immediate
plan for expansion has targeted Missouri,
Iowa, Towson, Rhode Island and UCLA.
Given the success of our first semester efforts,
we are extremely optimistic that we will be
successful in working our plan to fruition.
January 2013 also includes the kickoff to
our sensational, bi-annual undergraduate
program, “Developing Leaders Initiative.”
Thanks to generous donations by committed alumni, we are
able to identify a select group of 12 of our best and brightest
young men and work with them intensively for eight months,
culminating at Convention. Their curriculum includes
leadership training in several key areas; Community Service,
Risk Management, Finances and Philanthropy. Experience
has shown us that once DLI men complete their training, they
have a higher rate of (and a greater commitment to) becoming
involved as alumni leaders in the Fraternity and serving in
their communities.
Sigma Alpha Mu’s 104th year is shaping up to be a very
positive and exciting one. Here’s wishing you and your family
a happy, healthy, safe and prosperous New Year.
ƙAM is Now Interviewing
Interested in a great job working for the fraternity?
Be an Educational Leadership Consultant and serve on
next year’s executive staff. Sharpen your leadership and
communications skills – visit our chapters – help start new
ones – meet with alumni and university administrators.
ƙƈƓ
Y
AMM
S
o
G
This paid position is challenging
and exciting. Benefits and housing
included. For information, contact
Executive Director Lee Manders at
the Fraternity Office or e-mail your
resume and cover letter
to samhq@sam.org.
How To Reach Us
Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity
Fraternity
Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation
Leland D. Manders, Executive Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . leem@sam.org
Bill Schwartz, Executive Director Emeritus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .bill@sam.org
Lenny Dave, Director of Alumni Services & Communications . . lennyd@sam.org
Jean Richardson, Office Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . jeanr@sam.org
Denise Benson, Administrative Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . deniseb@sam.org
Jean Waugh, Initiation Secretary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .jeanw@sam.org
Matthew Modansky, Director of Chapter Services . . . . . . . . . matthewm@sam.org
Adam Gross, Educational Leadership Consultant . . . . . . . . . . . . . adamg@sam.org
Kyle Riegler, Educational Leadership Consultant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . kyler@sam.org
Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation of Canada
The Octagonian
Address: |8701 Founders Road
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Fraternity Phone: 317-789-8338
Foundation Phone: 317-789-8339
Fax: 317-824-1505
Recruitment Hot Line: 888-369-9361
Email: Editor@sam.org
Fraternity Website: www.sam.org
Foundation Website: www.sam-fdn.org
Foundation
Maria Mandel, Director of Scholarships and Donor Relations. . . . mariam@sam-fdn.org
Phyllis Grzeskowiak, Administrative Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . phyllisg@sam-fdn.org
ƙAM Foundation (U.S. and Canada) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . sam-fdn@sam-fdn.org
The OCTAGONIAN ISSN 0744-6969 LEONARD DAVE, Editor Vol. XCIX, No. 4 Winter 2012 LELAND D. MANDERS, Executive Director
The OCTAGONIAN is published quarterly in the spring, summer, fall and winter by Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, Inc., with editorial and business offices at 8701 Founders
Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268. Copyright 2012 by ƙƈƓ. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Periodical postage paid at Indianapolis, IN, and additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The OCTAGONIAN, 8701 Founders Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268. All manuscripts and matter for publication should be
addressed to Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, 8701 Founders Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268. Return of manuscripts and photographs promised, if requested. Articles published and
opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the editorial views of The OCTAGONIAN or of the national officers and various entities of Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity.
Sigma Alpha Mu
Strategic Corporate Partnerships
In recent years, the Octagon has carefully investigated and
engaged in strategic, corporate partnerships that are beneficial
both to our fraternity members and to our organization.
In this issue, we share the news of our partnership with
GEICO (see ad at right). Who knows - maybe the gecko will
soon be seen wearing an ƙƈƓ t-shirt!
members
c ou l d g et a
Special Discount
on car insurance.
Your quote will also help
support Sigma Alpha Mu.
Get a quote .
Chapters are invited to contact Men’s Wearhouse to schedule
a complimentary “How to Dress for Success – Interviewing
101” seminar addressing the essentials of preparing for an
interview. Contact Mike Sins, National Director of Special
Events, mcs3@tmw.com.
geico.com/greek/sigmaalphamu
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or in all GEICO companies. See geico.com for more details. GEICO and
© 2013 GEICO
Affiliates. Washington DC 20076. GEICO Gecko image © 1999-2013
Chapter Leaders Day – 2013
A one-day, drive-in leadership training program for current officers and future chapter leaders.
January 26 - Gainesville, FL* February 9 - New Brunswick, NJ*
January 27 - Chicago, IL*
February 16 - Los Angeles, CA
February 2 - Albany, NY*
February 23 - Dallas, TX
* Program held in conjunction with Sigma Delta Tau Sorority
Fraternity Education, Leadership and Teamwork.
Chapters sending a full delegation** will receive a 5% discount
on their Risk Management Contributions for next year (liability
insurance premiums).
To register and for more information, please contact Director of
Chapter Services, Matthew Modansky, matthewm@sam.org or
call 888-369-9361.
** Prior, Vice Prior, Exchequer, Recorder, Candidate Educator.
Three “emerging leaders” optional.
Our Man in “Gitmo”
Sigma Alpha Mu received an e-mail on Founders Day (Nov. 26) from our Gamma Rho (UCSD) Chapter Advisor, Lon Nguyen
‘95. His Coast Guard unit is presently serving in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and will be stationed there through the summer.
Back home, Lon is a law enforcement officer in SanDiego. ƙAM salutes you, Fra Nguyen, and offers a fraternal“Thank You!”
3
Around the Chapters
Many thanks to the following chapters
for responding to the Octagonian’s
request for a brief report on their
accomplishments and achievements
of the past year. Despite numerous
attempts to communicate this editorial
opportunity, not all chapters complied.
Don’t see yours here? Ask them why.
BETA – Cornell
We achieved “Founders Level” (90
or higher) on our Chapter Performance
Report, earning multiple recognition at
Convention; a Jimmy Hammerstein Award
for Best in Province (Empire), co-winners
of the Outstanding Publication Award for
our Beta Bulletin, Scholastic Recognition
Award (for a GPA over the Campus All
Men’s Average), Undergraduate
Achievement Award (Senior Division) to
Benjamin Michaels, Honorable Mention
for Founders Cup, and Honorable Mention
for Outstanding Recorder (Jonathan
Weinberg). We recruited our largest
Fall class in years and are planning to do
likewise in Spring. Smart and strong, Beta
is intent on besting last year’s 3.424 GPA.
Our teams reached the semifinals in softball
and bowling, and qualified for the playoffs
in flag football. Beta partnered with Tri-Delta
to host a successful stand-up comedy event
(with 14 comedians) to raise money for the
Alzheimer’s Association. Ever the gentlemen,
we’ve also held social events with 11 of the
12 sororities on campus!
4
ETA – Syracuse
When we celebrate our chapter’s
centennial anniversary this summer, we’ll
have plenty of reason to thump our chest.
Last year, we raised almost $5,000 for the
Judy Fund in the Alzheimer’s Association
– tops among all ƙƈƓ chapters. This Fall,
we hosted our first-ever “Sammy Sweetheart”
philanthropy event in our march to defend
our title. In campus-wide philanthropy
activity, we won IFC’s “Can-Struction”
event plus a basketball tournament. Our flag
football championships were also a source
of athletic pride. Academically, Eta earned
a collective 3.145 GPA last year. We produce
leaders on campus, with members serving
on executive boards on IFC, Phi Kappa
Alpha Men’s Leadership Honor Society and
Order of Omega. Among all IFC chapters,
ƙƈƓ has the highest number of initiates in
Order of Omega. Eta continues to receive
accolades from both the Syracuse Greek
community, and from the University.
See you at the centennial (see page 10)!
Eta
Juniors (l. to r.) Pat Devine, Jeremy Brown
and Aaron Budnick are three of Eta’s five
ROTC members. All five plan to go into
active duty after college.
THETA – Pennsylvania
At Convention in Indianapolis, Theta
earned Founders Level recognition on our
Chapter Performance Report for the third
consecutive year! In addition, our Recorder,
Clifford Fishler, received the Outstanding
Athlete award. But, perhaps our greatest
source of pride was last year’s 3.566 GPA –
tops on an intensely academic campus. At
the campus Greek Awards banquet, our
Housing Advisor, Michael Finkelstein ’93,
received well-deserved recognition for his
outstanding service. Theta men also know
how to have fun! Our marquee social
highlight occurred during Spring Fling, the
school’s annual festival, when the Sammy
Band, comprised exclusively of brothers,
kicked-off the weekend’s festivities. The
highlight of our Alumni Weekend in May
was the 25-year reunion of the Class of ’87,
featuring Philly Cheesesteaks and fries made
right in our chapter room. Alums shared
their life stories and career insights with
our graduating seniors. Theta has updated
our website: www.samtheta.org. Visit us!
RHO – Illinois
Rho continues its success in the
classroom, in the community, and on the
athletic field. We achieved “Founders Level”
(90 or higher) on our Chapter Performance
Report, received a Jimmy Hammerstein
Award for Best in Province (Heartland), and
earned a Scholastic Recognition Award for
a GPA over the Campus All Men’s Average.
We’re consistently among the top three
academic fraternities on campus. Rho
once again claimed ƙƈƓ’s Outstanding
Community Service Award; our men
performed over 12,000 hours! The biggest
event we help facilitate is “Camp ISOO”
(Illini Summer Opportunity Organization),
a local charity that helps to send
underprivileged children from the area to
summer camp. In philanthropy, last year
we raised almost $10,000. This year’s event
will be a major, musical concert. In athletics,
we do well in many sports. But, our
shining moment is always the annual
grudge match that pits our freshmen
against ZBT in football!
PSI – Pittsburgh
We again returned from Convention
with hardware-in-hand! Psi won a Jimmy
Hammerstein Award for Best in Province
(Keystone) – Alex Murdoch received an
Undergraduate Achievement Award (Junior
Division) – Efraim Adler won the Rabbi
Liebman Award for Religious Endeavor.
For the second year in a row, we kicked off
the semester with a successful Alumni
Dinner at Del’s Ristorante DelPizzo. It
attracted alums from several chapters and
as far back as the 1940’s! We recruited seven
impressive candidates; the class president
immediately established a regular
philanthropy activity for the chapter,
volunteering at a local food bank to support
Feeding America. For the third year in a
row, we participated in the Walk to End
Alzheimer’s (see photo below) at the
Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium. Psi and
Psi
D-Phi-E raised nearly $3,000. Our newest
community service project will benefit
Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh during
the holiday season. Keep an eye on Psi!
SIGMA DELTA – Rutgers
Timing is everything. We recruited
our largest Fall candidate class since our
re-founding in 2002. A few short weeks later,
Monster Storm “Sandy” gave us all a new
understanding of what it means to truly be
our brother’s keeper. We’ve been involved in
efforts in our community and in the region.
While we escaped relatively unharmed,
others not that far away, including the home
neighborhoods of some of our men, weren’t
quite as lucky. Sigma Delta notched the
Sigma Delta spirit is resurgent on the banks
of the Raritan.
highest fraternity GPA on campus during
spring semester – 3.487. At Convention,
we received a Scholastic Recognition Award
for having a GPA over the Campus All
Men’s Average. Two of our chapter officers
were also honored internationally as the
best at their respective council positions:
Sharif Farghaly, Outstanding Vice Prior, and
Bryan Hayzler, Outstanding Exchequer.
Homecoming Weekend featured a
successful alumni dinner on Friday and a
tailgate on Saturday. In philanthropy, we
raised approximately $3,000 in the Rutgers
Dance Marathon.
SIGMA ZETA – Indiana
To those chapters in ƙƈƓ who
still don’t believe that a bigger chapter can
maintain a close bond of brotherhood, think
again. We’re proud to be the largest on the
Chapter Roll (173) and are always striving
to improve in all areas of chapter operation.
The university recognized our scholastic and
philanthropic efforts, awarding us the “Most
Improved in Civic Engagement and Value
Integration.” We’ve participated in events
for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, a
Red Cross Blood Drive, and a Bone Marrow
Drive through the Gift of Life Foundation.
SIGMA IOTA – Michigan
Winning the Founders Cup for the
second time in three years has taught us
that, as good a chapter as we think we are,
we can never rest on our laurels. With
our 3.564 GPA (no small task for a
142-man chapter), we won the fraternity’s
Dr. Alexander Lowy Scholarship Award
(top academic chapter in ƙƈƓ). Also at
Convention, we received the Outstanding
Publication Award for our “U-M Sammy
Times,” one of our alumni communication
tools. In mid-October, we hosted an alumni
reunion for fratres from the “Fabulous 50’s.”
Many thanks go to Fra Alan “Moose”
Greenberg for sponsoring the brunch
before we all went to the Homecoming
football game. Our men performed over
1,100 hours of community service. We
raised nearly $52,000 in philanthropy.
And, unsolicited, we received a letter from
IFC commending our chapter for “going
above and beyond the call of duty in
enhancing New Member Education.”
We volunteer at the local Hoosier Hill Food
Bank on a weekly basis with sororities. Recent
improvements to the chapter house helped to
create a better Study Room. At Convention,
Sigma Zeta received a Scholastic Recognition
Award for a GPA (3.15) over the Campus
All Men’s Average. Congratulations to Past
Prior Jordan Shwide who received “Greek
Man of the Year” honors from IU’s
Panhellenic Association.
MU LAMBDA – Penn State
Our 117-man chapter’s emphasis
on academics resulted in a 3.385 GPA for
the year and earned us a Scholastic
Recognition Award at Convention for
having a GPA over the Campus All Men’s
Average. Mu Lambda raised nearly $122,000
in philanthropy – tops among all ƙƈƓ
chapters! We came in second place overall
in last year’s Greek Week, and placed third
in Greek Sing, paired with the ladies of
Alpha Phi. Every spring, our day-long
ƙƈƓStock event helps raise money for
IU head basketball coach Tom Crean (center)
pauses to say “Hi” to Sigma Zeta men (l. to
r.) Matt Scheff, Ethan Greenberg, Michael
Ainbinder and Matt Kugelman.
The Judy Fund in the Alzheimer’s
Association. We also hosted a fundraiser to
benefit the S. June Smith Center in their
support of children with developmental
(continued on page 6)
5
needs. In the community, we’ve been
assisting families in the neighborhood,
cleaning up the streets and sidewalks. Our
new basketball hoop in the backyard was a
good investment – we reached the
semifinals in Greek intramural
basketball… and soccer!
MU RHO – Rochester
We’ve been busy on and around
campus. Our Alumni Weekend attracted
several of our chapter founders from 1957
as well as more recent graduates. This past
year, Mu Rho raised money for the
Alzheimer’s Association with our “Beach
Bash,” a party celebrating the arrival of
spring. We have taken on the responsibility
of helping to care for the grounds of Mount
Hope Cemetery, the resting place of several
notables in history such as Susan B. Anthony
and Frederick Douglass. We also helped
with the restoration of Sojourner House, a
shelter and support service for families in
need. On campus, Mu Rho has co-sponsored
several speakers on a variety of hot topics.
Finally, as Greek Life and Res. Life begin
to merge and share resources, we look
forward to the installation of the Graduate
House Advisor program.
MU CHI – Michigan State
Since our reactivation last April, Mu
Chi has continued to focus on developing
the core of our chapter – emphasizing
Scholarship, Recruitment, Financial
Management, Leadership & Brotherhood,
Candidate Education, Public Relations and
Risk Management. On the Alumni Relations
front, this Fall we distributed our first alumni
newsletter and experienced our first major
alumni reunion. We are grateful for the
generosity of those fratres from the 1960’s
who created the Mu Chi Educational Fund
to provide scholarship opportunities for the
Mu Chi men of today and tomorrow (see
page 13). Following our brotherhood
retreat (and now that we’re fully involved
with IFC), we participated in our first IFC
Recruitment Week and took an enthusiastic
candidate class of five men. Onward and
upward!
MU PSI – Miami (Ohio)
It’s been exciting and eventful here
at 206 South Campus Avenue! Still young
as a recently reactivated chapter, Mu Psi has
6
coordinated community service projects,
sold grilled cheese sandwiches for
philanthropy, improved our academic
performance, made a strong showing in a
very competitive Greek Week, and enjoyed
Phase One of the renovations to our chapter
house. The highlight of first semester was
our 50th Anniversary Alumni Reunion (see
page 8) that gave us a large-scale, first-hand
look and feel of the meaning of “life-long
fraternalism,” a phrase we had heard plenty
about but couldn’t quite grasp and envision.
From Friday afternoon’s Welcome through
Sunday morning’s Brunch, the fraternal
atmosphere was, in a word, palpable.
Now, we get it. Next up: Recruitment!
BETA GAMMA – Arizona
Beta Gamma reached a memorable
milestone this year; obtaining a new “home,”
an officially recognized fraternity house.
Yes, we understand that a chapter is made
of men… and a house, of bricks. Still, the
private pool and parking lot have brought
added “marketability” to our deeply-rooted
commitment to fraternity life at Arizona.
In November, we celebrated the 25th
anniversary of our chapter’s original
founding. A strong recruitment class of
22 has grown our chapter size to 63. At
Convention in Indianapolis, Beta Gamma
received the “Religious Endeavor” award.
On campus, we continue to support Jewish
organizations, both philosophically and
philanthropically. Hillel’s “Israelpalooza”
was a perfect example. Our new
philanthropy event, “Sammy Field Day,”
gave sororities the opportunity to participate
in different athletic events as we raised
money for The Judy Fund in the
Alzheimer’s Association.
BETA IOTA – Wisconsin
Just steps from the placid, scenic
shores of Lake Mendota, Beta Iota has
moved into a fantastic new residence that
presently houses 42 of our 65 members
(see photo). Earning our Badger stripes and
academic accolades, we posted a 3.365 GPA
last year, receiving a Scholastic Recognition
Award at Convention. This school year
began with a successful philanthropy event,
raising $1,000 for Breast Cancer awareness.
Our candidates are working on their event
for the Alzheimer’s Association. In athletic
news, we reached the semi-finals in fraternity
intramural soccer. More fun, though, is our
intra-chapter basketball league that most
of our men participate in – a great way to
build stronger bonds of brotherhood on a
weekly basis.
BETA UPSILON – Boston
The words “fire” and “flame” have
new meaning for us. From the ashes of the
fire that burned down the home of seven
Beta Upsilon fratres, the flame of our fraternal
bond now shines more brightly than ever.
We are extremely grateful for the emotional,
financial and physical support which so
many of our Sammy brothers around the
country extended to us in the wake of the
blaze. May you never have to experience
such a nightmare. With our impressive
“Iota” candidate class of 16 men, we now
become one of Boston University’s largest
fraternities – a milestone we couldn’t
imagine just four short years ago. Our
message to new, growing ƙƈƓ chapters:
“One step at a time, keep moving forward.
Then, down the road, turn around and see
how far you’ve come!”
BETA PSI – Virginia
Beta Psi is riding high! Several of
our men were inducted into Intermediate
Honors, a society that represents the top
20% of students in a given class year at
UVA. Also from the university, individual
accolades went to Fra Joseph Linzon, winner
of the McIntire Cup, a competitive business
opportunity hosted by the Commerce
School. Fra Arjun Chopra is a Jefferson
Public Citizen, for which he received a
grant to study in rural India. Last year, our
chapter raised almost $4,500 for The Judy
Fund in the Alzheimer’s Association. This
year, we held our 2nd Annual Texas
Hold’em Poker Tournament to benefit the
fund. Beta Psi also contributes to the
community, volunteering for the Boys and
Girls Club of Virginia (shown below) and
the Hope Community Center. Other
highlights: an Alumni Cookout hosted by
our housing corporation during
Homecoming, and an enjoyable Family
Weekend dinner with parents.
BETA OMEGA –
Kentucky Wesleyan
On a campus of less than 600 students, you
soon realize that everything is relative. Beta
Omega secured the top Recruitment class
on campus this Fall, besting the other two
fraternities. We took in seven good men.
The other two fraternities only took seven
men between them! Two major community
service projects highlighted our Fall semester.
In October, we worked a cumulative 147.5
man-hours for the benefit, “Show Jolo,” to
assist the family of a popular, local radio
personality who had passed away. In
November, Beta Omega drove 45 miles to
spend a day working with the St. Mary’s
Food Bank as part of ƙƈƓ’s national
community service partner, Feeding America.
Founded in 1969, we’ve been steady ever
since, waving the purple and white in the
Bluegrass State.
GAMMA KAPPA – Texas A & M
“Down here in Aggie-Land,
tailgating is what we do!” So says Gamma
Kappa’s Alec Becker, shown above serving
up some smoked brisket. “And now that
we’re in the SEC, we’re seeing more
alumni, more parents and more fellow
Sammies from across the nation coming to
our football games than ever before!”
Gamma Kappa has performed nearly 1,000
hours of Community Service around
College Station. Their new candidate class
of nine men brings an infusion of energy
to the chapter. On their radar is improving
scholarship and philanthropy, along with
strengthening the chapter’s infrastructure.
For now, though, grab a plate!
our largest candidate class – our philanthropy
has already surpassed last year – our involvement
in and around the campus community is on
the rise – the number of men living in the
chapter house has increased. Alumni have
helped to pave the pathway for success,
including the establishment of a housing
corporation. We’ve also been attending
organized alumni events in the area to share
in timeless, fraternal camaraderie. “Witness
the Change,” was the motto when some of us
joined Gamma Lambda. We’re doing just that!
GAMMA RHO – California/
San Diego
Every so often, you need to pause, reflect and
take an honest look at the situation around
you. Gamma Rho began that process recently
when 12 undergraduates sat down for dinner
with “The Legend” and founding father, Ira
Rubenstein ’86, two members of the Alpha
class, Derek Ikehara ‘86 and Stefan Loren ‘86,
and two Chapter Advisors, Martin You ‘09
and Daniel Peskin ‘05. ƙƈƓ is the secondoldest, active fraternity on the UC- San Diego
campus. We have “history.” We have alumni.
We have resources. We have also been given
the opportunity and the responsibility as
fraternity men to decide our own fraternal
fate. We’re looking forward to our Alumni
Networking Dinner on Sunday, April 7 (see
page 10). We hope that any and all Sammy
alumni in the area, from any chapter, will
join us then.
GAMMA LAMBDA –
Northern Illinois
Over the past four years, Gamma Lambda has
shown continued growth in several areas of
chapter development. Scholarship is on the
rise, especially since we raised the GPA
requirement for membership. Not surprisingly,
everything else has begun to fall into place,
just as we were told it would: we just recruited
GAMMA TAU – Florida
Convention was an eye-opening
experience for our delegation of chapter
leaders. “Year Two” of ƙƈƓ in Gainesville
has seen growth in several areas. The current
men of Gamma Tau (see below) met their
ancestors during a very successful alumni
weekend that also included family of
alumni. Having the opportunity to bridge
the years in our chapter’s history also helped
(continued on page 14)
Gamma Tau
7
Alumni Club & Reunion News
Mu Psi – Miami U.
It was worth the wait! Over the course of a midOctober weekend, 180 Mu Psi alumni (see photo spread across
bottom) returned to Oxford to belatedly celebrate the chapter’s
50th anniversary with a reunion that also praised the current
undergraduates for their recent reactivation efforts. Several
fratres from the chapter’s earliest years were on hand, recalling
stories of Marguerite “Mom” Keene’s zest for life… and Jack
Samuelson’s diligent days as Mu Psi’s first Chapter Advisor.
chapter, and with a chapter house that other fraternities on
campus still envy, “Phase One” of completed improvements
to 206 South Campus was funded entirely by the House
Corporation to the tune of nearly $100,000. Mu Psi alumni
now launch into “Phase Two” of a capital campaign aiming
to raise almost $400,000 for major renovations and further
upgrades. An earmarked program for alumni donations has
been set up through the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation. For
more information, please contact Jerry.Miller@muohio.edu
or call 513-523-3759.
New York Alumni
Two weeks before “Sandy” made landfall, 25 alumni
representing several chapters arrived in waves at the
m1-5 Lounge in Tribeca. National Alumni Committee Chairman
Steve Stern even flew up from South Florida for the event! This
alumni group is picking up steam but needs your presence.
Future events around the Big Apple are being planned. For
more information, contact Steve Stern, sstern1054@aol.com
or Brandt Cybul, bcybul@gmail.com, 201-538-2824.
Mu Psi’s first Prior, Bob Wenz ‘59 and current Prior Eythan Gregory ‘11
compared similar leadership stories separated by five decades.
However, for the vast majority of reunion attendees, Fra Jerry
Miller was, and still is, their stalwart Chapter Advisor; the thread
of continuity now spanning 38 years. The weekend provided an
opportunity for decades of Mu Psi men to say, “Thank you, Jerry!”
With an alumni base of over 1400 men, with solid alumni
House Corporation leadership, with a motivated, young
8
Sigma Zeta – Indiana
On Friday, November 2, four dozen alumni,
undergraduate chapter leaders and guests attended
a Shabbat dinner held in the Sigma Zeta chapter house to
honor Charles A. “Chuck” Cohen ’60, recipient of the ƙƈƓ
Certificate of Merit. The national award is bestowed by the
Fraternity to recognize a frater’s service in his community
and achievement in his professional endeavors.
Remarks were offered by several chapter officers, by Executive
Director Lee Manders, and by the honoree himself who
Alumni Club & Reunion News
commented on how the lessons he learned in his college
fraternity days later served him well. While attending law
school at IU, Cohen also successfully completed the CPA
exam. After graduation, Fra Cohen entered the U.S. Army
and was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in
a combat zone in Vietnam.
Sigma Chi – Maryland
Thirty fratres initiated at Sigma Chi in the 1960’s
held their annual dinner in late October, once again
gathering at The Artful Gourmet in Owings Mills. All alumni
of the chapter have been asked to “Save the Date” of Thursday,
October 10, 2013 for the chapter’s 80th anniversary celebration.
The event, also open to any Baltimore area Sammy alumni,
will be held at Woodholme Country Club in Pikesville. For
more information, contact Robert Rombro, 410-752-6595
or rrombro@rombropa.com.
Sigma Zeta alum Chuck Cohen ’60 and Immediate Past Prior Jordan Shwide
’10 were beaming with pride for good reason. Also see page 5.
Fra Cohen is co-founding partner of the law firm, Cohen
Garelick & Glazier. His community volunteerism has served,
among others: Jewish Federation of Greater Indianapolis, the
Jewish Community Center, Indianapolis Hebrew
Congregation and Israel Bonds. A proud Hoosier, Cohen has
also been appointed a “Sagamore of the Wabash,” the highest
honor the state of Indiana can bestow on a citizen.
Three Past Priors of Sigma Chi chapter (l. to r.), Ronald Schwartzman ’62,
Robert Rombro ’62 and Jay Feinglass ’63.
(continued on page 10)
9
Alumni Club & Reunion News
Dallas Alumni
In early November, 40 alumni from over a dozen
chapters gathered at Champps Americana Restaurant
for an evening of alumni networking, watching Cowboys
football, and honoring James R. “Jimmy” Alexander ‘41
(Mu Alpha, SMU) for his seven decades of unwavering
effort to support and develop Sigma Alpha Mu.
Gamma – Columbia
Monday, January 28 – Gamma alumni from the
mid-1950’s to early 1960’s are invited to attend
a Florida Reunion Luncheon at The Morgan House in
Ft. Myers. Contact Steve Berzok, 561-742-7119
or berzoks@bellsouth.net.
Las Vegas Alumni
Sunday, January 20 at 11:00am – Alumni Networking
Brunch at Red Rock Country Club. Open to all
Sammy alumni from all chapters. For more information and
to RSVP, contact Stuart Mann ‘57, stuart.mann@unlv.edu
or call 702-336-4105.
Chicago Alumni
Sunday, January 27 at 5:30pm – Alumni Networking
Dinner for all Sammy alumni living in the Windy City. All
chapters welcome! The Canopy Buffet at Rivers Casino in
Des Plaines. Free shuttles run every 10 minutes from the
Rosemont Blue Line Station. RSVP to David Jacobson,
rsvp@niusam.org or call 847-809-2074.
Supreme Prior Marc Perlstein and Jimmy Alexander.
In 1943, the Octagonian identified Alexander as a “Man of
Promise,” a campus star in recognition of his two terms as
Prior of his chapter and for being the first president of Hillel
at SMU. While pursuing his law degree at the University of
Texas, Alexander became even more active as an alumnus.
Since then, he has gone on to serve ƙƈƓ in numerous roles
at the local, regional and national level. He has also endowed
two scholarships for students through the Sigma Alpha Mu
Foundation. In 2009, Alexander received the “Distinguished
Service Award,” an honor bestowed sparingly.
For more information on future Dallas-area alumni events,
please contact Phil Glauben, piglauben@aol.com
Upcoming Alumni Events
South Florida Alumni Club
Major event and fundraiser planned for April 20
at the Lynn Cancer Institute in Boca Raton.
Details coming soon. Meanwhile, for those alumni on the
Gulf Coast, a sub-group is forming in Naples. Contact
Steve Stern, sstern1054@aol.com or Richard Matties,
rmatties@binghamton.edu or 239-594-8318.
Eta – Syracuse
It’s 100 years in the making! Eta’s centennial
celebration will occur in June, 2013 in New York
City. The essential details are almost ready to announce.
For more information, please contact Dean Mandel,
Dean.Mandel@katz360.com.
Gamma Kappa – Texas A & M
Founded in 1982, Gamma Kappa alumni now have
their sights set on promoting involvement with the
chapter and celebrating an upcoming 25th anniversary. For
more information, please contact Chapter Advisor Nathan
Cheng ’04, nathan185@gmail.com or call 713-857-9755.
San Diego Alumni
Sunday, April 7 at 5:30pm – Alumni Networking
Dinner for all Sammies, all chapters. Details
now being finalized. Contact Lenny Dave, Lennyd@sam.org
or Steve Stern, sstern1054@aol.com.
Philadelphia Alumni
Several alumni have expressed interest in forming an
alumni group in the City of Brotherly Love! For
more information, please contact National Alumni Chairman
Steve Stern, sstern1054@aol.com or Dan Schulman,
schulmanjdaniel@gmail.com or 410-991-8714.
Sacramento Alumni
Building on the momentum generated from
last summer’s event, we’re now planning our
Spring alumni get-together. Contact Mark Motell,
mark@lepetitchateau.biz.
Golden Gate Alumni
Efforts are still ongoing to form an alumni group in
the Bay Area. For more information, please contact
Steve Stern, sstern1054@aol.com or Lenny Dave,
Lennyd@sam.org.
10
Active Chapter Roll
Founded at the College of the City of New
York, November 26, 1909, as a fraternity
of Jewish men. For more information on our
Chapter Roll, please visit sam.org.
BETA – Cornell
ETA – Syracuse
THETA – Pennsylvania
KAPPA – Minnesota
RHO – Illinois
TAU – Alabama
PSI – Pittsburgh
SIGMA BETA – Ohio State
SIGMA DELTA – Rutgers
SIGMA ZETA – Indiana
SIGMA THETA – Texas
SIGMA IOTA – Michigan
SIGMA SIGMA – California/Berkeley
MU EPSILON – U. of Miami
MU ETA – Drexel
MU THETA – Southern California
MU LAMBDA – Penn State
MU RHO – Rochester
MU CHI – Michigan State
MU PSI – Miami (Ohio)
BETA GAMMA – Arizona
BETA IOTA – Wisconsin
BETA UPSILON – Boston
BETA PSI – Virginia
BETA OMEGA – Kentucky Wesleyan
GAMMA EPSILON – Illinois/Chicago
GAMMA THETA – California/Davis
GAMMA KAPPA – Texas A & M
GAMMA LAMBDA – Northern Illinois
GAMMA RHO – California/San Diego
GAMMA TAU – Florida
GAMMA PHI – Arizona State
GAMMA CHI – Brandeis
GAMMA PSI – Temple
DELTA ALPHA – Hofstra
DELTA BETA – American
DELTA ZETA – Florida International
DELTA ETA – West Florida
DELTA THETA – SUNY-Stony Brook
DELTA PI – Ottawa
DELTA UPSILON – UNLV
DELTA OMEGA – RIT
EPSILON ALPHA – Stephen F. Austin
EPSILON DELTA – Johnson & Wales
EPSILON EPSILON – Geneseo
EPSILON ETA – Louisiana State
EPSILON THETA – West Virginia
EPSILON IOTA – Chapman
EPSILON LAMBDA – Buffalo State
COLONIES:
SIGMA LAMBDA – Kansas
BETA EPSILON – U. Mass
Listing of school names does not imply
college/university recognition but only
notes a chapter’s location.
In the next issue:
Tau Installed - 'Bama's Back!
Chapter Eternal
Editor's Note: For accuracy and consistency, the year shown after
a frater's name is his initiation year, not his graduation year.
Chapter Eternal information comes to the Fraternity Office from sources of varying reliability,
and occasionally innocent errors are printed in spite of our best efforts to prevent them. While
The Octagonian cannot guarantee the accuracy of Chapter Eternal listings, we continue to
publish this feature because readers want it.
Estan J. Bloom (Alabama ‘42)
Dr. Maxwell J. Lipkind (Alberta ‘43)
Larry Michaels (Buffalo ‘63)
Dr. Clarence M. Calman
(CCNY/Baruch ‘39)
Scott L. Wayne (Case ‘12)
Dr. Stewart Parker (Cornell ‘43)
David M. Cohn (Drexel ‘54)
Sidney Elgart (Drexel ‘49)
Richard N. Leonard (Drexel ‘54)
The Honorable Samuel S. Lieberman
(Drexel ‘41)
Ira H. Rakley (Illinois Tech ‘50)
Theodore L. Diamond (Lehigh ‘34)
Howard Kleinrock (Lehman ‘66)
Judge Ronald J. Meyers (Manitoba ‘53)
Dr. Robert I. Fruchtbaum (Maryland ‘68)
Mr. Murray J. Grant (Michigan ‘45)
Norman B. Steinberg (Michigan ‘35)
Gerald L. Cohen (Minnesota ‘63)
Norlie H. Feinstein (Minnesota ‘39)
John L. Hoffa (Nebraska ‘94)
David L. Ruback (Nebraska ‘75)
Miles B. Heyman (Ohio State ‘53)
Gene C. Schear (Ohio State 37)
Arthur L. Maharam (Pittsburgh ‘41)
Stanley J. Marcus (Purdue ‘43)
Stanton S. Unger (Purdue ‘50)
Irwin A. Kay (Southern Methodist ‘47)
Lewis H. Fineberg (Syracuse ‘57)
Victor L. Klein (Syracuse ‘47)
Ernest A. Shapero (Syracuse ‘39)
David M. Forchheimer (Texas-El Paso ‘65)
Gabriel Werba (Texas ‘45)
Robert P. Kaplan (Toronto ‘54)
Lionel B. White (Toronto ‘53)
Stuart Jay Cutler (UC Berkeley ‘63)
Leonard B. Robin (UCLA ‘49)
Ira P. Buchsbaum (USC ‘61)
Ronald P. Cohen (USC ‘70)
Harvey Kopitsky (USC ‘57)
Fred H. Tannenbaum (Utah ‘48)
Martin S. Berger (Washington U. ‘55)
Dr. Joseph A. Schuster (Washington ‘56)
ƙAM Remembers James R. Favor
Over the past dozen years, though not a member
of our fraternity, James R. Favor (∏KA) played an
integral role in the daily life of our international
organization and literally every member of every
ƙƈƓ chapter. Jim was an innovator and expert
in the field of liability insurance for the fraternity
and sorority “industry.” He was one of only four
Americans who were authorized to act as underwriters
by Lloyds of London, the pre-eminent insurance
consortium in the world.
Indeed, the merit of Jim’s liability wisdom was
tested and upheld in a number of federal courts
for several of his Greek organization clients. ƙƈƓ
crafted much of our current Risk Management Policy around the risk-reducing
advice that Jim provided. At our Convention in Phoenix in 2011, he was honored
with our “Sidney H. Guller Interfraternity Service Award.” Jim was a pioneer, an
advocate, and a good friend to ƙƈƓ
11
Foundation
Thoughts from HQ
2012-2013 Annual Appeal
Unrestricted gifts to the Sigma Alpha
Mu Foundation’s Annual Appeal
support the operations of the
Foundation and make the educational
programming grant and scholarship
programs possible. Generosity to the
Annual Appeal allows the Foundation
to make a difference by supporting
initiatives that reach more than 2,000 students each year. The
Foundation encourages all alumni to make an annual gift to
the Campaign; the Campaign year runs June 1 – May 31.
Contributions to the Annual Appeal Campaign are tax
deductible and may be made by grants from a donor-advised
fund or a family foundation. The 2012-13 Annual Appeal
Campaign goal is $210,000. As of November 30, 2012, a
total of $64,606 has been contributed by 398 donors. To
support the Annual Appeal, visit sam-fdn.org or mail your
contribution to the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation (PO Box
7096 – Dept. #255, Indianapolis, IN 46207).
Foundation Staffing Update
Effective December, 2012, I will be leaving the Sigma Alpha
Mu Foundation. My 18+ years on the ƙƈƓ professional staff
have provided the experience of a lifetime – and while I will be
departing from the staff, I will cherish the memories. I have
visited more than 140 campuses, 44 states, and four Canadian
Making A Difference for Students:
Leslie and Bobbi Raffel Scholarship Increased
First presented in 2001, the Leslie and Bobbi Raffel Scholarship
is awarded annually to a student frater studying engineering.
Through Fra Raffel’s generosity, the scholarship’s endowment
has been increased so a $3,000 scholarship can now be awarded
in 2013. Fra Raffel, Sigma Eta (Purdue) ’63 is President of
Barclay Products Ltd. and resides in Mettawa (IL) with his
wife, Bobbi.
Les stays in contact with Sigma Eta men
from his era and tries to attend their alumni
get-togethers. When asked about his support
of the Foundation’s scholarship program,
Les commented that he plans to significantly
increase his scholarship endowment value
in the next few years. He joins a growing
number of loyal fratres and friends of Sigma Alpha Mu who
have increased their scholarship endowments to support larger
awards; increasingly important with the ever-rising cost of tuition.
12
provinces; I have met with alumni as near as Indianapolis
and as far away as Bangkok. I continue to be amazed by the
accomplishments of our chapters and our members. I have
also been fortunate to work with many outstanding alumni
volunteers and dedicated Office Staff. “Thank You” to the
many fratres who have made my travels a pleasure – from
the undergraduates who met me at train stations, bus stations,
and airports… to the alumni who have opened their homes.
The leadership of the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation is in good
hands. Foundation President Hanno Mott and his fellow
Directors will continue to play active roles in providing vision
and direction for the Foundation. I am also pleased to report
that Maria Mandel now assumes the title of Director of
Scholarships and Donor Relations. She will oversee the
Foundation’s day-to-day operations (see “How to Reach Us”
on page 2). I will be helping out in an advisory capacity so you
can still reach me at aarong@sam-fdn.org. I plan to continue
my support of the Foundation’s efforts to make a difference
for students.
Finally, I want to say “Thank You” to the loyal fratres and
friends of Sigma Alpha Mu whose financial support allows
the Foundation to carry out its mission. It has been my honor
and pleasure to work with many of you… and a great experience
to help the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation expand its ability to
support student fratres.
Student Aid a Priority for the ƙAM Foundation
In 2013, the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation plans to distribute
more than $175,000 in scholarships to worthy students. The
Foundation’s endowed scholarship program is the cornerstone
in our effort to support access to higher education. In addition
to scholarships for fratres, we also offer:
- The Schwartz Scholarship for Daughters of Fratres, and the Weiss
Brothers Scholarship for Daughters of Fratres. These scholarships
are for fratres’ daughters who will be attending college in 2013.
- Scholarships for young men involved with USY or NFTY.
These $1,000 scholarships are for a high school senior who
will be attending college in Fall 2013 and has been involved
with USY or NFTY. The young man need not be affiliated
with Sigma Alpha Mu.
Applications are online at www.sam-fdn.org.
This page is endowed
by a gift to the
Centennial Campaign.
Michigan State Reunion Launches Mu Chi Educational Fund
Autumnal East Lansing provided the backdrop as Mu Chi fratres
from several mid-1960’s pledge classes gathered for their HalfCentury Anniversary Reunion. They came in from California,
New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, South Carolina, Florida,
Mississippi, Illinois, New Mexico, and from cities near and
far within the Great Lakes State. The festive weekend opened
with a casual dinner at “Coral Gables,” a nostalgic locale.
Saturday afternoon, many cheered on their Spartans to
gridiron victory. And that night, 40 alumni, spouses and
current Mu Chi chapter officers attended a banquet featuring
an appearance by “Sparty,” the university’s mascot (see above).
members and award grants to support educational programs
on the Michigan State campus. Fra Michael Serling ’64 is
extending a challenge to all Mu Chi alumni: he will match
gifts to the Mu Chi Educational Fund up to a total of $3,000
per year for the next three years.
As is the fraternal essence of all chapter reunions, these Mu Chi
alums vividly recalled their undergraduate Sammy experience;
sharing stories, singing fraternity songs, and catching up on each
other’s life. Perhaps the most significant outcome of the reunion
was the decision to establish the Mu Chi Educational Fund
through the Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation. The fund will
allow alumni and friends of Mu Chi to make contributions
that will be used to provide scholarships to current chapter
As of November 15, 2012, the following fratres and friends of Mu
Chi have already made a gift to the Mu Chi Educational Fund:
Michigan State joins the growing number of alumni groups
that have established a Chapter Educational Fund in the
Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation. To contribute to the Mu Chi
fund, to establish a Chapter Educational Fund, or for more
information, please contact Director of Scholarships and
Donor Relations, Maria Mandel at Mariam@sam-fdn.org.
Michael Serling ‘64
Robert Britton ‘64
Jeffrey Marcus ‘64
Sid Greenbaum ‘66
Doug Edwards ‘62
Michael Roth ‘61
Steve Mandell ‘59
Ron Barron ‘64
Academic Excellence Rewarded
Thanks to the Guller Young Scholars Program, the
Sigma Alpha Mu Foundation is proud to offer an
award of $300 for each candidate who achieves a
3.75 GPA or higher during the semester in which
they are initiated. Funded by the generosity of Past
Supreme Prior Sidney Guller (shown left, signing
Young Scholar certificates), this innovative program
remains one of the most often complimented in the
fraternity and sorority foundation community.
As of November 14, 2012, the following young men
have earned Young Scholar awards for 2012-13:
Jacob Glick, Cornell
Daniel Alfi, Penn
Julian Heller, Penn State
Michael Saulle, Rochester
Bradley Mills, Cornell
Jacob Lerner, Penn
Sunil Rohatgi, Florida
Michael Bock, USC
Kyle Oliver, RIT
Daniel Raikin, Penn
Ofir Brodie, Drexel
Merek Johnson, Indiana
Jared Hirschl, Arizona State
Evan Shor, Penn
Peter Boguszewski, Rochester
13
us to understand that one day, we will be
the “old guys” coming back to see what the
“kids” are up to! In philanthropic activity,
we rose before the Florida sun on a
Saturday morning in mid-September to
assist with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
We also raised money for the event.
Gators!
GAMMA PHI – Arizona State
At Convention, Gamma Phi won a
Jimmy Hammerstein Award for Best in
Province (Southwest) and a Scholastic
Recognition Award for having a GPA over
the Campus All Men’s Average. Those
honors are tangible proof of our success.
But, we’re definitely growing as a chapter
in more ways than one. With a strong
candidate class, we’re now over 50 men
strong. Our annual “Sammy Paint Splash”
philanthropy event (see photo) attracted a
large crowd and helped us to raise money
for the Alzheimer’s Association. For our
efforts, we were also awarded IFC’s “Chapter
of the Week.” Sammy is surging in the
Valley of the Sun.
GAMMA PSI – Temple
Over the summer, chapter leaders
met with seven former Priors of Gamma Psi
to hear their wisdom and learn from their
experience. Since then, we’ve had three
events with our alumni, giving the rest of
the chapter the opportunity to get to know
our alumni and our chapter history. At
Convention, we received a Scholastic
14
Recognition Award for having a GPA over
the Campus All Men’s Average. In Fall of
2011, we had the #1 Fraternity GPA on
campus (3.06). We’ve joined a Hurricane
Sandy Relief Drive for New Jersey,
worked at the Jewish Relief Agency and at
Philabundance Food Bank, and participated
in the Philadelphia Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
Gamma Psi is involved on and around
campus!
DELTA ZETA – Florida
International
As evidenced on the cover and below,
Sammy Spirit is unbridled!.Our intramural
softball and football teams are highly
ranked and a great source of Delta Zeta
pride. Taking a candidate class of 30 men
last year has primed the pump for developing
future chapter leaders. We plan on being a
force in the FIU Greek community. In
order to get there and stay there, we’ll need
to constantly challenge ourselves to take
things one step further; never settle for
mediocrity. Fall term began with our 12th
annual “Sammy Foam Party” attracting a
huge crowd. We won FIU’s Homecoming
Competition in a three-chapter, joint effort
with D-Phi-E and Sigma Chi. Above all,
though, we know that scholarship has to
be emphasized if Delta Zeta is to truly
make the grade!
DELTA ETA – West Florida
This year may quite possibly be
looked back upon as the turning point in
Delta Eta’s history. “PhiredUp” from
Convention, our recruitment efforts brought
in 21 men, doubling our chapter size. As
we’ve already witnessed, there is strength
in numbers: fraternal, academic, financial,
social and athletic. Last year, we raised
$2,500 for The Judy Fund in the Alzheimer’s
Association. We performed hundreds of
community service hours first semester –
many at a senior facility for residents with
Alzheimer’s. It has helped us to see firsthand for whom our efforts are benefitting.
Other Delta Eta philanthropic activities on
campus include “Sammy Shenanigans”
and “Dodge for the Cause.” Finally,
“Congratulations” to Joshua Kolapo on
his receiving Honorable Mention in the
Undergraduate Achievement Award’s
Junior Division… and for being selected
to participate in the national fraternity’s
Developing Leaders Initiative “Class
of 2013.”
DELTA THETA – SUNY-Stony Brook
Challenged by the university’s new,
“Five Star” program that rates all campus
organizations, ƙƈƓ was not only ranked at
the five-star level… we were the only fivestar fraternity!.For the third straight semester,
Delta Theta had the highest candidate GPA.
Four Sammies were inducted into Order
of Omega – three of their four executive
board positions are Sammies – and the
president of the campus IFSC is a Sammy!.
New ties with the Alzheimer’s Association
have allowed us to raise awareness and raise
funds on campus by setting up information
tables twice a week for the entire year!.
Finally, we express our gratitude to all
of those who have contributed to the
Jonathan A. Schmidt Memorial Scholarship
Fund. His spirit lives on in Delta Theta!
DELTA PI – Ottawa
Riding a Canadian wave of energy
from last Spring’s re-chartering, our 60man group has recruited another 16. As
they learn about who we are and the path
we’ve traveled to accomplish chapter status,
we know they’ll develop the same love
for Sammy that we have. We’re constantly
learning, whether from our own
leadership conference or from visiting
other ƙƈƓchapters. Delta Pi was fully
engaged in “Movember,” raising nearly
$10,000 for prostate cancer research. Our
intra-fraternity hockey league gave us the
opportunity to raise awareness and funds
for The Judy Fund in the Alzheimer’s
Association. We held a “Sammy Olympics”
last winter, playfully pitting alumni vs.
undergraduates in hockey and football
in the snow. Want to guess who won?
DELTA OMEGA – RIT
Recruitment – that’s our #1 mission
(scholarship is a given at RIT). Delta Omega
simply has to grow. With the help of
lessons learned at Convention, we’re
confident of accomplishing our goal of
rising to a 40-man chapter… for now!
Small group activities, sharing our personal
stories, and just being genuine in conversation
are the three keys we’ll use to meet
prospective candidates and invite them to
join our brotherhood. One of our most
popular philanthropy events is “Pole-Sit,”
held during the first week of class in the Fall.
Over the course of four days, brothers take
turns sitting atop a 40-foot telephone pole
in a crow’s nest as other brothers are busy
below raising money for a good cause. This
year, we chose the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
EPSILON ALPHA
– Stephen F. Austin
Some progress happens quickly and can be
measured easily. Other progress happens
more slowly and is less tangible. The past
year for Epsilon Alpha has seen a bit of both.
Fall semester, we recruited the largest pledge
class of any fraternity on the SFA campus.
We look forward to the candidates’
involvement in learning all aspects of chapter
operations. In philanthropy and community
service news, we raised over $1,500 for the
Alzheimer’s Association during our annual
“Bounce for Beats.” Epsilon Alpha has also
adopted a highway cleanup program to
benefit the greater Nacogdoches area. Our
Alumni Banquet in mid-October gave us a
chance to meet those men who carried the
ƙƈƓ torch before us. In Greek Week, out
of 17 fraternities, we placed fourth overall,
our best showing ever! Progress continues,
regardless of how you measure it.
EPSILON DELTA
– Johnson & Wales
To once again benefit the Wounded
Warrior Foundation, Epsilon Delta teamed
up with the National Guard to host a rock
wall climbing event. We’ve found that, in
addition to the philanthropic and athletic
aspect of this activity, it’s also great for
recruitment. Another successful event
involved our hosting a pizza and pasta
buffet dinner at a local, upscale club.
Tickets were sold in advance, with 40% of
each sale benefitting the Alzheimer’s
Association. Epsilon Delta also logged over
100 man-hours in one day while working
“security detail” at a world class cycle-cross
race at Roger Williams Park and Zoo in
Providence. Another community service
project involves our helping at a local food
bank as part of ƙƈƓ’s national
commitment to “Feeding America.”
events or social exchanges with us. All we
had been asking for was a chance to play in
the same Greek sand box. Now, we suddenly
have many new friends. Interesting. We
have a busy Spring calendar of social,
philanthropy, community service and
brotherhood events ahead of us. These
are exciting times at Epsilon Iota.
EPSILON EPSILON – Geneseo
Since our founding in 2003, Epsilon Epsilon
has developed a reputation of excellence on
the Geneseo campus. We earned a
Scholastic Recognition Award at the ƙƈƓ
Convention for having a GPA (3.115) over
the Campus All Men’s Average. We’ve hosted
on-campus events such as “Inflatable
Snow-Tubing Night,” welcoming touring
comedian Eric O’Shea, and the aptly-named
“Slimefest 2012.” Our men are leaders on
campus, too, in organizations such as
Geneseo First Response and the Political
Affairs Club. Our seven new members
have kept pace with the rest of the chapter
by participating in the “Walk to End
Alzheimer’s” philanthropy project.
EPSILON LAMBDA – Buffalo State
In a busy Fall semester, Epsilon Lambda has
already accumulated over 300 community
service hours – this with only 13 active
brothers. Our chapter turned out in force
at the City of Buffalo’s “Community Service
Day.” As we prepare to move into a new
chapter house, we realize the challenges
before us. We must grow – we must improve
academically – we must develop internally –
we must become an even deeper brotherhood.
We’ll be sending a full delegation to
Chapter Leaders Day to soak up as much
information as possible to bring back to the
chapter. Finally, “Congratulations” to our
Prior, Ryan Somerville, on his being
selected to participate in ƙƈƓ’s
Developing Leaders Initiative “Class of
2013” which begins later this month.
EPSILON THETA – West Virginia
Lucky 13… or so we hope! Epsilon
Theta welcomed 13 new members in Fall
recruitment. We’ll add to that number in
the weeks ahead, though. Last year, we
initiated 30 men during the year. Our
popular Spring philanthropy is the “Sammy
Open,” a tennis tournament for sororities.
These ladies can play! Our Alumni Weekend
included a hayride and a tasty tailgate before
the football game. It was a great way for the
current brothers and candidates to meet and
mingle with our predecessors about whom
we have heard so much. High among our
internal chapter goals for development
are improved scholarship and greater
involvement on campus. The Mountaineers
are on the move!
EPSILON IOTA – Chapman
We’re coming off of what can only
be described as a great semester! Our chapter
was finally recognized by Chapman
University as an official member of IFC.
On top of that, we then won the Kappa
Alpha Theta philanthropy, “KATWalk,” a
Cirque Du Soleil themed pageant. Because
of Epsilon Iota’s overnight visibility, several
Greek organizations have come knocking
on our door, asking to do community service
BETA EPSILON (Colony)
– U. Mass
Good news! In our first semester as a colony,
we’ve already been approved by IFC and
are now fully recognized by the university.
Beta Epsilon held its first philanthropy
event – a “Give Back” Night at the local
Chili’s restaurant to benefit the BayState
Children’s Hospital in Springfield. We
have two more “Give Back” nights scheduled
to benefit The Judy Fund in the Alzheimer’s
Association. We are planning to sponsor a
Date Rape seminar, among other topics, in
our effort to help inform students on
campus about responsible behavior. We
know we have a lot to accomplish to
become a chapter, but we think we’re
moving confidently in the right direction.
15
SIGMA ALPHA MU FRATERNITY
8701 Founders Rd.
Indianapolis, IN 46268
Moving? Please send your new address to
samhq@sam.org or to the address above
or call or fax.
Parents: Has your son established his
own address? If so, please tell us and
we'll correct our records.
100 Years Ago in the Octagonian…
“Sassulsky, who priors at Epsilon, is raising a mustache.
After two months, you can see it with a microscope,
provided you are gifted with an imagination.”
“The laws of conservation of matter and energy apply to
all things under all circumstances. You can get no more
from an enterprise than you put into it. So with your
fraternity – what you get from it depends entirely upon
what you give it. What are you giving?”
As we continue to celebrate the centennial anniversary of our
national publication, the two excerpts (above) from the very
first issue of the Octagonian remind us of the timelessness and
power of the written word. The thoughts, one of humor and
one of purpose, were penned in an era when college men
dressed in wool suits and wore stiff-collared shirts; an era
when they read essays and great works of literature, then
engaged in spirited discussion and debate; an era long before
television and the computer commanded the mind’s attention.
And yet, their words ring as true today as a century ago; their
messages still fresh, undiminished by time’s passage.
The earliest bound volumes of The Octagonian (ranging
from 1912 to 1940) are few in number and extremely
rare. When the Fraternity recently moved into its new
headquarters, boxes of the following six volumes were
unearthed. The years included in each volume are listed
below. The number in parenthesis indicates the quantity
left of that particular volume.
1941-1946 Sold Out!
1957-1964 (32)
1946-1951 (6)
1964-1975 (27)
1951-1957 (11)
1976-1990 (40)
Call to purchase any one or a combination of these five,
remaining, historic volumes: $20 for one book, $15 for
two or more books (shipping and handling not included).
Once they’re gone… they’re gone! All orders must be
placed by contacting Jean Richardson in the Fraternity
Office. Call 888-369-9361 or 317-789-8338. e-mail
jeanr@sam.org. Credit cards only. Order your personal
ƙƈƓ history today!