spring 2012 alumni newsletter

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Brotherhood online @ www.SigmaNuUSF.com Spring 2012 Volume 45 | Issue 1 SIGMA NEWS Philanthropy 2 The active chapter continues to make giving back a priority. Beach It! 3 Mark your calendar for Alumni Beach Weekend – June 22 – 24. We’re heading back to the Beachcomber! House 4 Learn what’s happening with the Housing Corporation. Spring Recruitment Guess which USF fraternity chapter had the largest pledge class this Spring? Continuing on strong recruitment trends and traditions, Theta Alpha Chapter accepted 23 exceptional young men to go through the Spring candidacy program. “The chapter was successful with recruitment because of our recent successes in winning the chapter of the year, several intramural sports such as football and softball and the obvious strength of our alumni,” said AJ Williams, Eminent Commander. “Our house is clearly the nicest among fraternity houses at USF and the diversity within the chapter allows us to recruit from a larger pool of students than some other fraternities.” If all 23 young men complete their candidacy program, the active chapter roster size will increase to 100 active brothers. This is a great manpower triumph for the active chapter, growing from 24 active brothers in 2009 to currently having 77 active brothers. To believe in the Life of Love, to walk in the Way of Honor, to serve in the Light of Truth; this is the Life, the Way and the Light of Sigma Nu – this is the Creed of our Fraternity.

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Page 1: Spring 2012 Alumni Newsletter

 

Brotherhood  online  @  www.SigmaNuUSF.com  

Spring  2012   Volume  45  |  Issue  1  

SIGMA  NEW

S  

Philanthropy          2  The  active  chapter  continues  to  make  giving  back  a  priority.  

Beach  It!                          3  Mark  your  calendar  for  Alumni  Beach  Weekend  –  June  22  –  24.    We’re  heading  back  to  the  Beachcomber!  

House                                  4  Learn  what’s  happening  with  the  Housing  Corporation.  

Spring  Recruitment  Guess  which  USF  fraternity  chapter  had  the  largest  pledge  class  this  Spring?  

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Continuing  on  strong  recruitment  trends  and  traditions,  Theta  Alpha  Chapter  accepted  23  exceptional  young  men  to  go  through  the  Spring  candidacy  program.    

“The  chapter  was  successful  with  recruitment  because  of  our  recent  successes  in  winning  the  chapter  of  the  year,  several  intramural  sports  such  as  football  and  softball  and  the  obvious  strength  of  our  alumni,”  said  AJ  Williams,  Eminent  Commander.  “Our  house  is  clearly  the  nicest  among  fraternity  houses  at  USF  and  the  

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diversity  within the  chapter  allows  us  to  recruit  from  a  larger  pool  of  students  than  some  other  fraternities.”    If  all  23  young  men  complete  their  candidacy  program,  the  active  chapter  roster  size  will  increase  to  100  active  brothers.     This  is  a  great  manpower  triumph  for  the  active  chapter,  growing  from  24  active  brothers  in  2009  to  currently  having  77  active  brothers.  

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To  believe  in  the  Life  of  Love,    to  walk  in  the  Way  of  Honor,    to  serve  in  the  Light  of  Truth;    this  is  the  Life,  the  Way  and  the  Light  of  Sigma  Nu  –  this  is  the  

Creed  of  our  Fraternity.  

Page 2: Spring 2012 Alumni Newsletter

 

Brotherhood  online  @  www.SigmaNuUSF.com  

Spring  2012   Volume  45  |  Issue  1  

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Friday  Knight  Lights:  ΣN  Effort  to  Help  St.  Jude  On  Friday,  March  23rd,  Theta  Alpha  Chapter  hosted  its  Second  Annual  Flag  Football  philanthropy  to  help  St.  Jude  Children’s  Research  Hospital. Friday  Knight  Lights  is  a  co-­‐ed  flag  football  championship  where  teams  pair  up  with  another  organization  and  compete  in  a  tournament  to  see  who  will  set  the  stage  for  many  years  to  come!  

Unlike  other  on-­‐campus  philanthropies,  the  bulk  of  the  funds  raised  come  from  sponsorships  and  donations.    This  year,  the  tournament  raised  more  than  $5,500,  a  more  than  100%  increase  over  last  year.    

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On-­‐Campus  Philanthropies  Theta  Alpha  Chapter  has  won  all  the  philanthropies  in  which  it  has  participated  so  far  in  the  Spring  semester,  including  1st  place  in  the  AOΠ  Kickball  tournament  against  other  IFC  organizations.  

Sigma  Nu  also  took  1st  place  in  ΚΣ’s  First  Annual  5K  philanthropy,  with  all  the  proceeds  benefitting  military  veterans.  Congratulations  to  brother  Jake  Hamilton,  who  finished  in  first  place,  completing  the  race  in  just  22  minutes.  

 

 

 

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Alumni/Active  Softball  Game  The  Alumni/Active  Softball  game  will  be  held  on  Sunday,  April  15th  at  11  a.m.  at  Eddie  Lopez  field  off  of  22nd  Street,  near  Sligh  Avenue  in  Central  Tampa.    The  Actives  stand  as  defending  champs.  

If  you’re  interested  in  playing,  please  contact  Brett  Farrar  at  [email protected]  or  813-­‐838-­‐4770.  

 

 

The  Actives  Give  Back  Whether  it’s  our  philanthropy  or  one  being  held  by  another  Greek  organization,  ΘΑ  brothers  dominate  the  field.                Photos:  top  left  –  Kicking  it  for  AOΠ    top  right  –  Taking  1st  place  in  the  ΚΣ  5K  center  –  Friday  Knight  Lights  

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Brotherhood  online  @  www.SigmaNuUSF.com  

Spring  2012   Volume  45  |  Issue  1  

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Alumni  Beach  Weekend  III  

The  Snakes  are  heading  back  to  the  Beachcomber!  

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After  the  last  three  year’s  hugely  successful  Alumni  Beach  weekends,  with  more  than  100  people  each  time,  we’ve  decided  to  hold  the  event  the  same  time  every  year,  the  weekend  after  Father's  Day.    

This  year’s  event  will  be  held  June  22-­‐24,  2012  at  the  Beachcomber  Resort  on  St.  Pete  Beach  (727-­‐367-­‐1902,  800-­‐544-­‐4222  or  beachcomberflorida.com).      

“Celebrating  our  unique  brotherhood  at  Beach  Weekend  is  about  the  best  thing  I  can  do,”  says  Dan  McSherry  (ΘA  317),  the  de  facto  host.    “I  look  forward  to  it  all  year.”  

The  hotel’s  room  rate  is  $115  per  night,  which  is  the  same  low  rate  as  last  year.  The  rooms  are  reserved  under  Dan  McSherry’s  name.    

Put  it  on  your  calendar  NOW,  and  plan  on  bringing  your  family,  kids,  significant  others  and  friends  as  it  is  sure  to  be  a  blast  once  again!    

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We’ll  have  all-­‐day  access  to  the  pool,  beach,  game  room  and,  of  course,  the  Tiki  Bar!    We  will  have  games  for  the  different  decades  (horse  shoes,  corn  hole,  etc.)  to  compete  against  one  another.    Pizza  will  be  provided  on  Saturday.  We  will  also  have  first-­‐come,  first-­‐serve  access  to  the  overflow  parking  lot  across  the  street.  It  will  be  a  fun-­‐filled  day  with  friends  and  family  in  the  sun!  Hope  to  see  everyone  there!  

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Brotherhood  online  @  www.SigmaNuUSF.com  

Spring  2012   Volume  45  |  Issue  1  

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 House  Corporation  Report  2011  has  to  be  the  best  year  in  the  history  of  the  House  Corporation  (HC)  since  1991  when  we  made  the  initial  $20,000  down  payment  toward  our  campus  house.  In  partnership  with  the  Active  Chapter,  we  made  significant  accomplishments  in  funding,  house  improvements,  membership,  scholarship,  policy,  and  alumni  connection.    

Working  together,  we:  

• Launched  the  50-­‐50-­‐50  Fundraising  Campaign  and  raised  more  than  $30,000  towards  our  $50,000  goal.  

• Sponsored  the  Homecoming  Alumni  Reunion  with  more  than  120  brothers  and  spouses  attending.  

• Completed  Phase  I  of  the  KPATOΣ  Hall  Chapter  Room  remodel  with  both  KPATOΣ  and  Sigma  Nu  memorabilia  and  composites  from  1985-­‐2010.  

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• Totally  remodeled  the  kitchen  and  living  room  as  an  “all  brother”  project  with  the  generous  contributions  of  time,  talent  and  treasure  from  Chris  Beckwith  (ΘΑ  459),  Nelson  Cusmano  (ΘΑ  94),  Andy  De  La  Parte  (ΘΑ  216),  Jim  Harvey  (ΘΑ  313)  and  Ernie  MacFerran  (KPATOΣ/  ΘΑ  435).  

• Awarded  three  full  $1,200  scholarships  to  AJ  Williams,  Will  Warmke  and  Brent  Davenport  from  the  Alumni  Scholarship  Fund.  

• Rewrote  and  passed  new  Chapter  Bylaws  to  better  define  policies  and  procedures  for  house  leases,  parlor  fees,  priority  for  living  in  the  house  and  HC  obligations.  

• Entered  2012  with  more  than  $15,000  in  the  Special  Housing  Fund  and  more  than  $8,000  in  the  Scholarship  Fund.  The  majority  of  these  funds  are  budgeted  toward  completing  Phase  II  of  KPATOΣ  Hall  remodel  with  built-­‐in  trophy  cases  and  wainscoting  of  the  entire  chapter  room.  

• In  partnership  with  the  Greek  Housing  Association  (GHA),  Sigma  Nu  took  the  lead  to  influence  USF  to  hold  the  Greek  Housing  Lease  at  its  current  rate  with  no  increase  proposed  for  2012-­‐13.  

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• Represented  the  GHA  at  the  USF  Student  Affairs  Fraternity  &  Sorority  strategic  planning  meeting.  

• Expanded  the  HC  Board  to  eight  members,  adding  Scott  Kalman  (ΘΑ  386)  and  Brett  Farrar  (ΘΑ  741).  

 As  we  begin  our  plans  for  2012,  the  HC  has  set  the  following  goals:  

• Continue  the  50-­‐50-­‐50  Fundraising  Campaign  to  raise  $50,000  to  support  ongoing  maintenance,  upgrades  and  improvements  to  the  house,  chapter  room  and  furnishings.  

• Double  the  scholarship  fund  endowment.  

• Complete  Phase  II  of  the  KPATOΣ  Hall  remodel  and  begin  Phase  III,  budget  permitting.  

• Update  our  five-­‐year  strategic  plan  to  guide  the  long-­‐term  future  of  the  HC.  

 Special  thanks  to  the  work  and  dedication  of  my  fellow  HC  Board  members,  Mike  Castellari  (ΘΑ  462),  Brett  Farrar  (ΘΑ  741),  Jim  Harvey  (ΘΑ  313),  Frank  Hult  (ΘΑ  139),  Scott  Kalman  (ΘΑ  386),  Steve  Mangione  (ΘΑ  429),  and  Russ  Maynard  (ΘΑ  369).  

Respectfully  submitted,  

Jim  Crotty  (ΘΑ  116)  

Before                            After  

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Brotherhood  online  @  www.SigmaNuUSF.com  

Spring  2012   Volume  45  |  Issue  1  

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Reconnect  Theta  Alpha  is  online,  able  to  connect  with  you  through  multiple  channels.  

Start  with  SigmaNuUSF.com.    It’s  full  of  pictures  from  across  the  years  and  recently  added  a  Brother  Business  Directory.    Joining  is  free  and  it’s  a  great  way  to  stay  current  with  the  chapter.    All  kinds  of  information  is  regularly  posted  on  this  website.  

On  Facebook,  search  for  Sigma  Nu  –  Theta  Alpha.    It’s  a  private  group  (meaning  your  posts  are  not  seen  by  non-­‐members)  where  more  than  300  of  your  brothers  are  maintaining  the  bonds  of  brotherhood.    Click  the  Request  to  Join  link.    The  Facebook  group  helps  keep  you  informed,  and  there  are  many,  many  random  and  entertaining  posts.  

There  are  numerous  Sigma  Nu  groups  to  join  on  LinkedIn,  plus  one  for  Theta  Alpha  brothers  who  want  to  stay  connected  professionally.    Search  for  Sigma  Nu  –  Theta  Alpha.  

Congratulations!    William  Bracken  (ΘΑ  340)  was  appointed  by  Governor  Rick  Scott  to  the  Florida  State  Board  of  Professional  Engineers.  

Andy  Coe  (ΘΑ  537)  was  appointed  to  the  USF  Alumni  Association  Board  of  Directors.    His  term  begins  in  June.  

Matthew  Dolson  (ΘΑ  745)  is  the  Organizational  Effectiveness  Intern  at  HCA,  the  leading  healthcare  provider  in  the  nation.  

Amanda  and  Kevin  Fitzgerald  (ΘΑ  391)  announce  the  pending  arrival  of  a  second  child,  which  will  join  Ella,  who  is  13  months  old.  

The  first  thing  that  comes  to  mind  when  thinking  of  what  I  learned  from  being  initiated  into  the  Legion  of  Honor  is  the  true  meaning  of  what  it  means  to  be  a  Sigma  Nu.    I  spent  twelve  weeks  learning  about  all  aspects  of  Sigma  Nu  including  history,  leadership,  our  purpose,  and  more.  Reading  about  the  purpose  of  our  fraternity  over  and  over  again  could  only  mean  so  much  to  me.  I  had  been  involved  in  all  sorts  of  organizations  on  campus,  but  this  experience  was  different.  For  the  first  time,  I  felt  that  I  was  part  of  something  bigger  than  myself.    Even  though  I  was  listening  to  a  22-­‐year-­‐old  from  Clearwater,  Florida,  talk  about  the  fraternity,  I  heard  a  young  cadet  at  the  Virginia  Military  Institute  speaking  about  his  love  of  creating  this  fraternity.    It  gave  me  a  greater  understanding  of  what  I  had  actually  joined  but  in  turn  made  me  realize  not  everyone  around  me  fully  grasped  what  we  stand  for.    Over  250,000  people  have  taken  the  same  oath  that  I  had  taken  that  night  and  I  wasn’t  sure  if  they  actually  took  that  seriously.    I  learned  from  Initiation  that  it  is  my  place  to  hold  other  brothers  accountable  for  their  actions.    It  is  my  place  to  make  sure  they  are  living  to  a  code  of  honor.    It  is  my  place  to  make  a  difference  in  this  world.    There  are  very  few  times  in  your  life  when  a  person  will  commit  to  an  oath.  I  learned  that  I  needed  to  do  my  part  and  not  take  my  oath  to  the  Legion  of  Honor  for  granted.    

Spencer  Montgomery  (ΘA  750),  a  leadership  consultant  with  National,  recently  contributed  the  following  to  the  Sigma  Nu  blog  (sigmanublog.com).  

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Cari  and  Russ  Burcham  (ΘΑ  528)  welcomed  daughter  Whitley  Belle  into  the  family  on  November  10.    Big  brother  Everett  is  six.  

Jill  and  Scott  Arendell  (ΘΑ  565)  welcomed  their  son  Colby  to  the  family  on  February  6.    Big  sister  Hailey  is  three.  

Jenn  and  Travis  Loxton  (ΘΑ  628)  welcomed  their  daughter,  Savannah  Kate,  to  the  family  on  January  4.  

Mike  Gonzalez  (ΘΑ  724)  married  Julie  Montgomery  on  March  24.  

The  active  chapter  recipients  of  the  Alumni  Scholarship  Awards  have  been  announced.    Kudos  to  Brent  Davenport  (ΘΑ  763),  Jay  Moor  (ΘΑ  803),  Tyler  Richter  (ΘΑ  778)  and  Will  Warmke  (ΘΑ  779),.  

Join  Us  Team  USF  ΣN  Alumni  Golf  is  competing  against  Team  USF  ATΩ  on  Friday,  April  13th  at  the  USF  Claw.  Brother  Andy  De  La  Parte  (and  his  ATΩ  brother-­‐in-­‐law)  will  host  the  after  party  at  their  Cold  Storage  Craft  Brewery  exclusively  for  ΣΝ  brothers,  spouses  and  significant  others  (and  the  ATΩ’s  as  well).  The  party  starts  at  6-­‐ish  p.m.  and  lasts  until  it’s  over.    This  will  be  a  great  Happy  Hour  to  hang  out  with  your  brothers  and  try  the  delicious  local  craft  beers  that  Cold  Storage  has  to  offer  for  only  a  $5  admission!    Please  RSVP  to  Jim  Harvey  at  [email protected]  or  813-­‐784-­‐6398.  

Check  out  their  website  –  coldstoragecraftbrewery.com  –  or  like  them  on  Facebook.  

Page 6: Spring 2012 Alumni Newsletter

 

 

Spring  2012   Volume  45  |  Issue  1  

  Your  brothers  want  to  know  about  changes  in  your  life.    Help  us  stay  current.    While  you’re  at  it,  renew  your  Alumni  Dues.    It’s  $75  –  chump  change  for  a  successful  magnate  like  you.  

Tell  Us  What’s  Going  On  

Please  detach  the  above  section  and  return  it  to  us  with  your  Alumni  Dues.      By  the  way,  has  anyone  told  you  that  you  look  like  you’ve  lost  a  few  pounds?    Is  your  hair  thicker?    Gray  hair  is  distinguished.  

Sigma  Nu  Alumni  Club  

P.O.  Box  23352  Tampa,  FL  33623  

Name:                            Badge:      

Address:                                

                               

Phone:  (   )                This  is  my:      ☐  Mobile                ☐ Home                ☐  Work  

Email  Address:                              

Marital  Status:                  Children:              

Enclosed  is:         ☐  $75  for  2012  Alumni  Dues     ☐  $75  for  2011  Alumni  Dues  

Mail  checks  to:     Sigma  Nu  Alumni  Club         P.O.  Box  23352         Tampa,  FL  33623  

Address  Correction  Requested