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VP of Communications - Edd BendaEdd is from Birmingham, Michigan and enters his Junior year studying Film Production at USC. His father, Bruce, is a Michigan Alpha alumnus, Class of 1984.

CAL BETASigma Phi Epsilon Fall 2011 Newsletter

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIAThe USC Cal Beta Chapter hits the ground running for the Fall Semester. With continuously growing man power, SigEp remains a force on “The Row” in all aspects of Greek Life at The University of Southern California.

What a fantastic time to be a Trojan! We have a brand new President, C.L. Max Nikias. We have not one, but two Heisman trophy candidates in Matt Barkley and Robert Woods. We continue to climb the U.S. News and World Report rankings for top Universities in the United States (beating that school in Westwood for the second year in a row), and we are also home to the most storied and well known Fraternity in the nation: Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Fall is synonymous with change. As a Midwest Native, I often associate fall with the changing leaves, and the cooling temperatures. In Southern California, however, I consider fall more as a bonus summer. But while the weather may stay beautiful, change is still in our midst. This fall, many brothers returned from SigEp Conclave in Phoenix with new and

innovative ideas to improve our Chapter; our fraternity house at 700 W. 28th St. underwent several housing renovations that took it from being just another house on the row to a welcoming environment that all brothers can proudly call “Home,” and we welcomed a pledge class of the best and brightest of USC’s incoming freshman class.

Change, as the name indicates, is not static. Cal Beta constantly adapts to the ever-changing college life at USC, and fosters the optimum undergraduate college experience for all of its members. Fall 2011 is a fantastic time to be a Trojan, but for all members of Sigma Phi Epsilon, it is only a sign of great things to come. WIth all due respect to Conclave’s motto, “This Fraternity will be different,” I can proudly say that SigEp Cal Beta already is. Fight On!

“This Fraternity

will be different.”

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SigEp Conclave 2011: Paying Homage to the Legends

-Nathan PalanovThis August, over 20 brothers ventured into the Arizona desert for the 2011 Conclave in Pheonix, Arizona. The motto for the year was “This Fraternity Will Be Different”, and as for most of us this was our first conclave and national SigEp experience, these words certainly proved their worth. It was a unique experience being surrounded by so many SigEps from around the country, and a sense of brotherhood and friendship remained with us throughout the four days, from the formal events like the ritual explanation to simply spending the day at the Hotel’s lazy river, meeting other SigEps young and old from across the nation.

This was of course a special year in particular for Cal Beta, as it was brother Garry Kief’s last conclave as the Grand Chapter President. Gary has been an influential part of SigEp nationals for over a decade, and an equally important part of our local chapter; it was a great honor for us to be there in such strong numbers to

congratulate him on his years of service, for which he won the Order of the Golden Heart, Sigma Phi Epsilon’s greatest honor. He was also presented with a plaque from us naming the Cal Beta Chapter Room in his honor.

There was much to see and do during the four day event. There were many great alumni speakers, such as Marc Elliot (Washingtion ’08) who spoke about his unique experiences struggling with Tourette’s Syndrome in college, and Steve Hofstetter (Columbia ’02), who’s comedy show was a hilarious wrap up to Friday evening. Of course, Cal Beta alumnus Frank Butterfield was there to make sure we were all up early and exercised for the day ahead.

Although we were sad to leave, the future undoubtedly looked bright for SigEp, and Cal Beta’s alumni will continue to have a large role to play in shaping our national organization. None of us will forget the friendships we made and the sights we saw (the deafening roar of applause when Mohamed Ali took the stage to introduce the Balanced Man Celebration being one of the most memorable), and I personally look forward to seeing many more brothers in Texas in 2013.

IN ACTION

From Top to Bottom (1)Brothers at Joshua Tree National Park atop one of the many Rock Formations. (2)Brothers at a “U.S.A.” themed Sorority Mixer. (3)Brothers Gideon Welles and Ryan Bates sharing company with Distinguished Alumnus Todd Grodnick. (To the Right) President Rob Cala and VP Member Development present Garry Kief with his commemorative plaque.

Commemorating Garry Kief

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A New Semester, a New Look, and A New Attitude: The Road to Being the “Best House on the Row.” -David BessinSig Ep kicked off the year with some impressive additions to the house just before rush week started! We added a brand new fence to our front yard, accompanied by brick pillars, to improve the security as well as accentuate our new front lawn. We also installed a new HD projector screen in the common room, which is crucial for watching our all-important Trojan football team during away games as well as NFL Sundays. Many more improvements were made, including a new card-swiping security system for our main doors, wooden blinds on the windows, replacement of all three air conditioning units, and a renovation of our front lawn. We are currently painting the living room with a massive Sig Ep mural; spanning one length of the room, it has our Sig Ep name and crest boldly painted in our house colors!

As if that wasn’t enough, we have many more proposed additions in store. We plan on adding an ADT security camera system with a recording hard drive for increased security. We are preparing to repaint the house exterior, as well as repave and repaint our basketball court. Installing contemporary fixtures and touching up the patio benches finishes off a remarkable renovation project for the chapter house.

These housing renovations were made possible thanks to ongoing Alumni and Parent support. Todd Grodnick, a c u r r e n t m e m b e r o f t h e AV C Committee, is responsible for spear-heading the majority of these projects. He is at the Chapter House on a regular basis, and is responsible for many of the housing improvements. HIs contributions do not go unnoticed by the undergraduate members, and this is an opportunity to extend a massive thank you to Todd for his continued support, and to recognize his unwavering commitment to SigEp Cal Beta.

From Top to Bottom (1)The new iron fence that extends around the entire front yard. (2) The new HD Projector in the living room. (3) Brothers enjoying the NLCS in the living Room. (To the Right) What once resembled a barren highway through the desert is now a pathway flanked by lush grass and cornered by stone pillars leading to our Red Door.

OUR CHAPTER

A whole New Entrance.

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Parent’s Weekend: A Night in Monte Carlo, and a Day Beating Up The Cardinal-David Bessin

The Cal Beta chapter of Sig Ep cannot wait for Parent’s Weekend 2011! This year we invite all family members of Sig Ep brothers to come visit from October 28th to the 29th for USC’s home game against the Stanford Cardinal, who are currently ranked fourth in the nation.

We have an excited schedule for those who attend, starting with a friendly casino night at the chapter house. Come meet other parents and relatives during a game of poker or black jack; the player with the most chips at the end of the night wins a surprise gift! This is also a

great chance to tour the house for first-time visitors or examine our house improvements for the veteran visitors.

Saturday is game-day! Come celebrate USC football Sig Ep style with a tailgate at the chapter house before the

game. We’ll then all head over to the coliseum and root for Heisman Candidate Matt Barkley and our beloved Trojans to take down another Heisman Candidate, Andrew Luck, and the Cardinal. Those who didn’t purchase a ticket can either do so at the

game or watch the Trojans on our massive projector screen.

We look forward to seeing everyone out there; please RSVP if you can attend!

Cal Beta Happenings(Below) Brothers Edd Benda and Frank Ingriselli competed in the annual USC Golf Tournament, placing Second in the Greek Community. (Left) On the final day of school, undergraduates and their family celebrate the graduating Seniors.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR PARENTS WKND HOMECOMING FOUNDERS DAY TAILGATE W/ US

SigEp Cal Beta’s doors are always open to Parents and Alumni. Here are a few upcoming events that are significant to SigEp and our Chapter.

Oct. 28th-30thA weekend for Parent’s to enjoy the company with the Men from Cal Beta.

November 12thJoin us for a BBQ on McCarthy Quad. All Cal Beta Alumni are welcome.

November 1stCelebrate the day SigEp was founded at the University of Richmond in 1901.

November 19thIt doesn’t have to be Parents or Homecoming Weekend. Join us as we take on the Ducks.

Parent’s Weekend: Oct.

28th-30th

IT’S NOT JUST UNDERGRADUATES

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-David Bessin

We always have high expectations for the Fall’s rush and this year was no exception. The rush week started off on Sunday, August 21st, with an on-campus barbecue and every fraternity setting up a tent in McCarthy quad; the quad was soon bustling with students, also known as “rushees,” trying to find out as much as they could about each house. After the barbecue came the house tours on Monday; rushees could actually come to Sig Ep and meet more of the brothers, as well as get a glimpse of what our house looks like from the inside. An added incentive is our traditional car bash; everyone had an opportunity to pick up a hammer (or bat, or pickaxe) and take a couple swings at a used car!

Tuesday marked the beginning of the house events. We pile everyone into cars and drive to locations throughout the Los Angeles area to relax and learn more about the potential new members while they in turn learn about us. Our first venue was Jake’s Billiards in Pasadena, where we coordinated to have the whole place to ourselves! Rushees and brothers alike could test their pool skills or grab some buffalo wings and chat.

On Wednesday we ventured to Lucky Strike Bowl at L.A. live, where we rented out their private party room. Featuring bowling lanes, more pool, drinks and a delicious pasta bar, it was another great kick-back as we started to narrow down

who we planned to offer bids to.

Af ter much more c o n v e r s a t i o n -o r i e n t e d e v e n t s , Thursday was a little faster paced. We d r o v e o v e r t o Speedzone, which had everything from go-karting to mini golf to an arcade. After downing some pizza after the 30 minute drive, we had a s m u c h f u n a s possible, testing all three of the race tracks and playing several rounds of Speedzone’s challenging putting courses.

Friday signaled Blue Chip Night, an invite-only event that is the final night before we offer bids to rushees. Dressed in formal attire, we sit down for an elegant dinner at The Great Greek, a classic Greek restaurant in West Hollywood. The night was filled with delicious food, Greek dances by the waiters, and speeches given by several brothers, including our President, Rob Cala.

Finally, the week ended with Bid Night on Saturday. After deciding who we want to offer bids to, we invite those rushees to the house for a relaxing evening, giving them their bids and welcoming them into the Sigma Phi Epsilon family.

We are proud of the Fall Pledge Class of 2011, which has 19 incredibly balanced men. We look forward to introducing them to Sig Ep’s values and are excited as they begin the next step in becoming active members of Cal Beta and Sigma Phi Epsilon.

A Brand New WebsiteThis past summer, Cal Beta updated

it’s website. While the old website was a good enough way to take up space on the internet and provide some semblance of SigEp identity, the new website proves to be a powerful recruitment tool. Take a moment to visit sigepusc.com and see for yourself.

FALL RUSH 2011Ever wonder how we find the best and brightest at USC?

Want to Get Involved?Cal Beta is always recruiting. That does not mean we are only recruiting undergrads. We want YOU to get involved! If you are a Parent looking to find out more about what your son is up to, or you are an alumnus looking to get re-connected, please get in contact with us. We look forward to having you!

Parent’s AssociationHead of The Parents AssociationJody Zerunyanjody.zerunyan@gmail.com

AVC CommitteeAlumni & Volunteer CommitteeFrank Butterfieldfrankbutterfield@gmail.com

SIGEP CAL BETA700 W. 28th St. Los Angeles, CA 90007 Undergraduate ContactEdd Benda Edd.Benda@gmail.com

SigEp Cal Beta celebrates

the 1980s!