|
|
Fall Newsletter
November 2014
To
alumni, brothers and friends of Georgetown SigEp, we hope this
newsletter finds you well and having a great fall! We want to share with
you what we've been up to these past few months, what's upcoming, and a
little about our new members.
|
|
|
|
|
In this issue
- Halloween 5K Against Domestic Violence
- Retreat to Harpers Ferry, W.V.
- Meet the Sigmas
- Homecoming at Pink House
- Formal at the Huxley (Alumni welcome!)
- Join the SigEp Relay Team
|
|
|
Halloween 5K Against Domestic Violence
For the first time in its history, our chapter hosted a
university-wide 5K in support of a local charity. Labeled “The Halloween
5K Against Domestic Violence,” our chapter organized an effort to raise
awareness about domestic violence and raise funds to support survivors.
A board of brothers devoted a significant amount of time to garner
support and funds from the greater Georgetown community, and they proved
extremely successful in this endeavor. Preceding the big day, a viewpoint authored by brothers Matt Hamblin (COL '15) and Christian Chung (SFS '15)
appeared in the Hoya to promote the event and make the case that Greek
groups on campus have a responsibility to adopt Georgetown's values of
service. With the run itself taking place on Halloween, runners were
encouraged to come in costume as they followed a well designed route
through the Georgetown campus. Serenaded by the Georgetown Chimes,
the Georgetown Phantoms, and live student acts provided by WGTB
(Georgetown Radio), the event was one that observed a wonderful level of
campus support as we were able to successfully raise awareness for this
important cause. With around 150 runners and supporters in attendance,
we were able to reach a wide segment of the University population, and
we were proud of the event that resulted. Cosponsors included the Corp,
GUASFCU, Blue and Gray Tour Guide Society, Georgetown University Women
in Leadership, and more.
From a financial standpoint, our efforts were extremely successful. We raised over $11,000 that we in turn donated to Doorways for Women and Families, a local shelter for battered women and their families. With
this event, our chapter brought the Georgetown community together in
support of a great cause, and we look forward to hosting the second
annual Halloween 5K next fall!
Check out our 5K photo gallery on Facebook! |
|
Retreat to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
GU SigEp had an awesome time on their Fall 2014 retreat to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. We arrived around noon on Friday where
we split up into our cabins and dove into the first activity of
retreat, storytelling. Prompted by words that they pulled out of an
envelope, groups of four SigEps shared a story from their life that
related to that certain word. Like all exercises on retreat,
storytelling was very open ended, and the stories we heard varied from
hilarious, to profound, to nostalgic, to inspiring.
Next, we headed to the river for white water rafting. In
groups of four to six, we split up into rafts, chose bold team names,
watched a safety video that undoubtedly had the attention of everyone in
attendance, and got on the river. Once in the water, the focus turned
away from racing each other downstream, and almost immediately to
sabotage of other brother’s rafts and crew. Not one raft made it too far
ahead without another catching up to pull them out and into the river.
After a couple hours of rafting, we changed into dry clothes,
then immediately into the town of Harpers Ferry for the next retreat
activity, dyadic encounters. We again found ourselves in groups of four
brothers and answered a list of questions designed to have us open up
and learn about our brothers. An experience like dyadic is what sets
SigEp apart: spending hours talking about the kind of people we are and
want to become, talking about what’s important to us as students,
brothers, and men, and admitting our fears and faults, but also our
greatest attributes.
Upon finding one open field in tiny Harpers Ferry for SigEp
Circle, we were approached by a police officer that refused to believe
that 50 college-aged guys could be up to anything constructive in a park
at midnight. Christian Chung (SFS ’15) went and explained
the nature of our presence there, but we all like to think he flashed
his badge and pulled rank. He let us carry on, and we got underway. As
always, SigEp Circle was a moving and profound experience with brothers
contributing, participating and observing. Questions ranged from
amusingly lighthearted to very introspective, with everything in
between. As three hours passed without anyone fully noticing, we agreed
that it was necessary to head back to camp to sleep. En route, my van
decided to sneak away to McDonald’s…and we weren't really surprised when
we ran into four other vans there that all had the same idea.
Sunday morning brought Hayden Pascal's (COL ’17)
birthday pancake breakfast, and the start of our next activity, goal
setting. The brothers met in a room and each VP on the E-board explained
their achievements thus far, and the upcoming goals for their
respective boards. The chapter gave their advice for each VP, and we
have a lot of beneficial ideas going forward: including the founding of
an established fall philanthropy effort to match our efforts from the
springtime Relay for Life. (Editor's note: This ended up being our
Halloween 5K!).
|
|
|
|
|
SigEp sophomores pose at the top of our hike in Harper's Ferry.
|
|
Finally we ended with a hike up the mountain in Harpers Ferry.
After an hour of hiking, brothers got to enjoy what Abraham Lincoln
described as ‘the best view in North America’. On the way up and down, I
was part of multiple amazing and constructive conversations, all of
which were spontaneous, and the types that one can only enjoy with
brothers in SigEp.
The catchphrase oft
associated with retreat is that it’s a weekend that you’ll remember
after you graduate, a standout in a blur of Lau, parties and hanging out
in your dorm. Personally, I know I’ll remember this retreat after I
graduate; I already find myself thinking about the conversations I had
that weekend almost daily. Retreat has been my favorite weekend while at
Georgetown this year, and I’m excited about the efforts to bring some
of the elements of dyadic back to conversations held on campus. The
weekend was rewarding and enjoyable due to the fine company of men,
brothers, in which I shared my personal goals and ambitions. Such a
retreat wouldn’t have been possible with any other group of men at
Georgetown, exemplifying something that I know to be true, but somehow
keep relearning: this fraternity truly is different.
Jack Coaty (MSB '17)
|
|
|
Meet the Sigmas
This fall's recruitment cycle was a tremendous success. The 11 new
brothers were selected out of a pool of 55 applicants. Together they
represent all that our fraternity stands for, and we were proud to
welcome them into our chapter. Please enjoy the self-provided
descriptions of these new SigEps.
|
|
|
|
The Fall 2014 Sigma Class
|
|
|
Connor Duquette
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
School and Year: MSB '18
Interesting Facts:
- The first time I took my driver's test, I failed for going too slow... I didn't even know that was possible.
- I've gone glacier hiking in Alaska.
|
|
|
|
George Donaldson
Hometown: Jupiter, FL
School and Year: MSB '18
Interesting Facts:
- Every summer I go to Haiti with a team of doctors and nurses and we open a clinic in a small farming village.
- I have a twin who plays football at Fordham.
|
|
|
Gregory Jarvis
Hometown: Granville, MA
School and Year: NHS '17
Interesting Facts:
- I want to work abroad studying neglected tropical diseases.
- One of my main hobbies is rock climbing.
|
|
|
Ben Livingston
Hometown: Dallas, TX
School and Year: MSB '17
Interesting Facts:
- I've been dunked on by Julius Randle (now plays for the Lakers) in a game.
- I've never been north of D.C. in the U.S. (i.e. New York, Boston, Philly, etc.)
|
|
|
George Lober
Hometown: Wellesley, MA
School and Year: College '17
- Interesting Facts: I was a tri-JV captain (soccer, hockey, lax) my senior year of highschool.
- My senior superlatives were most likely to be twitter famous and friendliest.
|
|
|
Ashwin Puri
Hometown: Rockford, IL
School and Year: SFS '18
Interesting Facts:
- I worked at the United States Senate as a page.
- I sung the National anthem with choir at many Bulls and Bucks NBA games during high school.
|
|
|
|
Jack Sanford
Hometown: Lynnfield, MA
School and Year: MSB '17
Interesting Facts:
- Owns & rides a Kawasaki Ninja.
- Holds unofficial record for most beef eaten at Nick's Roast Beef in Beverly, MA.
|
|
|
|
Michael Simon
Hometown: Colts Neck, NJ
School and Year: NHS '17
Interesting Facts:
- I’m from central New Jersey, the same town as Matt Paras (MSB '15) and the same high school as Tony Pezzullo (MSB '17).
- I’m in the NHS majoring in Human Sciences, and I’m hoping to become an orthopedic surgeon
|
|
|
|
Matthew Sutter
Hometown: Buffalo, NY
School and Year: College '18
Interesting Facts:
- I've been to the tallest section of the Great Wall of China.
- I'm an avid sailor during the summer.
|
|
|
|
Christopher Regan
Hometown: New Rochelle, NY
School and Year: College '17
- Interesting Facts: I'm a Pre-Med Political Economics Major, doing neurology research at Georgetown Med.
- I am also single-handedly keeping Monster energy drinks in business.
|
|
|
|
Chris Walla
Hometown: New York City, NY
School and Year: College '17
Interesting Facts:
- I am a third generation Armenian and both my maternal grandfather's
family and my maternal grandmother's family survived the Armenian
Genocide in Turkey.
- In little league baseball, I hit a grand slam off of Spike Lee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Homecoming at Pink House
GU SigEp was proud to welcome back over 30 alumni brothers for
homecoming on October 26. We started the weekend with a chapter at which
several alumni were present and we enjoyed an Epsilon presentation by
current brother Andrew Arbeeny (MSB ’15). We then had a gathering at
3338 Prospect at which even more alumni were present. The next morning
started with the tailgate at 11 A.M. where both current and alumni
brothers were found in plenty. Properly adhering to Georgetown
tradition, no attention was paid to the actual football game, as Pink
House’s classic barbeque held much more sway. Alumni and brothers alike
had a fantastic afternoon in weather that was far too comfortable for
late October.
Starting with the roast of a pig that seemed too large to
actually have lived, the party went on into the late afternoon, and we
hardly had any trouble with our friendly local SNAPS officer. From
Jeremy Cairl’s (COL '13) lederhosen providing a hint of Octoberfest to
Marc Byrnes’ (MSB ’16) dogged commitment to those classic rock songs
that everyone miraculously knows the words to, we did Pink House proud for
its last homecoming. In all, it was a great weekend, and seeing so many
alumni back made us undergrads proud of where our fraternity has come
thus far, and, more importantly, it helped us connect with brothers that
can’t ever come back enough to the Hilltop.
|
|
|
|
Winter Formal: Monday, December 8
We're having our Winter Formal at the Huxley in DC (the same place we all loved last year for those in attendance). As always, we'd love for alumni to attend, so if you would like to come, email Marc Byrnes at mpby...@gmail.com.
|
|
|
Join the SigEp Relay Team - Help us be the top group on campus!
We're competing with
other student groups to sign up the most team members by Friday 11/14
at midnight (extended deadline). Winners get their group logo featured on
the event shirt. Visit this page and click "Join Our Team" to make SigEp the winner of the sign up challenge for the third year in a row!
|
|
|
|
GU SigEp at Relay For Life 2014
|
|
|
|
|
|
