Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity530 Hudson StreetHoboken, NJ 07030

[Alpha] SpeaksSpring 2010 Issue - Volume 5, Number 1

www.sigepnja.comThe Alpha Speaks newsleer is published by SigEp New Jersey Alpha, for the undergraduates and

alumni of the fraternity

Have a great idea? Submit it to Alpha Speaks! We welcome all entries and concepts. Just email alphaspeaks@sigepnja.com and we will include it in our next issue.

Inside:

Brothers and Parents of Sigma Phi Epsilon, Three years ago a group of men sat down to develop a vision of the future of this chapter. Goals were set and the bar was raised high above what many thought was achievable. But with time came the dedication and determination of many brothers, alumni and volunteers towards realizing those goals. Today we are at a major turning point in our history. Today we are 103 men strong. We are athletes and scholars, gym rats and book worms the best of the best that Stevens Institute of Technology has to offer. However, the summit on which we now stand coincides with one of the most critical points in our history. We stand at a major crossroad and must decide the path we wish to take. Do we bask in the glory of our successes or do we remain thirsty for the challenges that lay ahead? The task ahead of us is a daunting one and now it is more important than ever that we reach out to our parents and alumni to help us meet these new challenges. As a chapter this large we cannot afford to reinvent the wheel each year with the induction of a new EC and brothers. Specifically, we pride ourselves on our Membership Development program and our focus on professional development. Membership Development doesn’t stop with graduation. The first few years ouout of school are the most challenging and difficult and only with a firm grounded base have you all succeeded. As parents and alumni you are in the unique position to offer your experiences and knowledge to us, the undergraduates. As mentors you can share with us what worked for you, what you wished you had done, and

what you wished you hadn’t said in that first interview. We all became a part of Sigma Phi Epsilon because we all believed in a common set of values and principles. We came looking to improve leadership skills, we came looking for friends, and we came because we wanted to become a part of something bigger than ourselves. To become better men than we ever dreamed we could be. If we are to remain one of the pioneering chapters of Sigma Phi Epsilon we must work to impress these ideals into all off our members. We only remain undergraduates for a few short years and the impression we leave on this fraternity is small compared to the influence you can continually leave on our chapter. AlumnAlumni and volunteers lead great chapters to strive towards constant improvement, and are the reason great chapters never wavier from the path of success. We need your help, your drive and your motivation. Please consider offering up your time and talents for the betterment of the fraternity. We will be discussing chapter operations and our 5 year plan on June 12th at 10am. I hope to see you there.

Andrew BoyleChapter President

SigEpSweetheart SigEp brothers act as role models to the Stevens campus. They participate in everything from sports to clubs to honor societies. Brothers perform community service, are leaders in what they do, and overall bring a positive attitude. The brothers are everyone’s best friend. The kind of man you want to bring home to show the family – that’s a SigEp. While SigEp already has a strong presence on campus, it could always be further enhanced. The SigEp Sweetheart is meant to strengthen ties between SigEp and the women on campus – including the sororities. Furthermore, the SigEp Sweetheart acts as a representative for the house, especially during recruitment events where females are also invited to participate, for example Hall Brawls. Becoming the first official SigEp Sweetheart means more to me than most people can fathom. It is with tremendous

pride I wear my Sigma Phi Epsilon letters. The brothers of this house are people I know I can always turn to; whether I need a person to study with, a person to chat with, or someone to walk me home, these men have always been there for me. As the Sweetheart, I feel I am a part of the brotherhood even more than just a friend. I hope to serve the house well and will be there to help whenever needed. Thank you for this incredible honor.

Erika DeWan, 900.5Erika DeWan, SigEp Sweetheart, and fellow SigEp Brothers at the Delta Phi Epsilon Royal Pearl Ball.

Brothers and Alumni bring home some hardware from this years CLA in Harord, CT.

Thank You Bertucci in the JournalNew Jersey Alpha would like to thank all the wonderful donations that our alumni have made to the house. With your support, we were able to fund new projects to improve the study, clean up the chapter room, and many other enhancements which have boosted the atmosphere of the chapter tremendously. Stop by the house , attend an AVC meeting, and see what enhancements have been made at Sigma Phi Epsilon New Jersey Alpha RLC.New Jersey Alpha RLC.

Be sure to check out the SigEp Journal from Spring 2010. Peter Movilla, ‘10, was lucky enough to have one of his articles published on recent alumnus Michael Bertucci, ’09. The article on page 13 is a personal interview between the two brothers detailing Bertucci’s successful college career, his future plans, and how Sigma Phi Epsilon has made him a Balanced Man.

The New Jersey Alpha chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon, as many of us know, has a rather dynamic past here at Stevens Institute of Technology. It has seen many intelligent and passionate boys walk through its red doors, and walk out into the world as balanced men, and while its methods may have changed, that mission still stands strong today. We have many people to thank for the continued success of NJ Alpha, and while it requires no particular input from the Alumni, we simply would not be anywhere close to where we are today without the continued support and guidance from the Alumni and the AVCAVC. For that reason I would like to personally thank all of you, on behalf of the entire undergraduate body. I would also like to extend a special thank you to a man who has been a part of this chapter, going above and beyond the call of our Fraternity for forty seven years: Gary Blauth. Imagine a heavily industrial, lower class, Hoboken where bars provided a refuge of sorts for the many workers who lived here and the mornings smelled just like the evenings . . . like coffee, “and not very good coffee” as Gary points out. While Stevens was thriving much as it is today, the average senior class size was a hundred students, who had been whittled down from the 200 or so incoming freshman. Such a competitive and cut-throat environment, that a 2.0 GPA was nothing to be ashamed about. Greek organizations were prevalent on campus as the majority were members of some Greek organization, but even so when Gary joined SigmSigma Phi Epsilon in his Sophomore year, he knew that he would be joining a small group of brothers who were committed to each other. While larger than the 4 brothers that SigEp had become in 1960, the thirty men of 530 Hudson in 1963 were known throughout Stevens as “the most brotherhood oriented” and known to Gary as a truly tight knit group of individuals. How tight, might one ask? Imagine sitting down every evening of the week with each member of the brotherhood for dinner, this is something many families don’t even do. Speaking of family, “Moma” Grace Rettig, a widow of a Stevens’ professor, was there almost everyday for more than ten years keeping a careful eye on her boys. While Gary went on to describe SigEp as an often rowdy and fun loving bunch who often hosted females from other nearby colleges for huge parties on the first floor, “Moma Grace” kept everyone in check and reminded the brotherhood how toto be gentlemen. As editor of Alpha Speaks, Gary fondly remembers publishing it on antique typesetting machines in Horace Oliver’s basement. “We didn’t have computers or laser printers in those days, and couldn’t afford to have it printed professionally. Horace was an alumnus from class of 1935 who occasionally sent a generous check to the Alumni Board with a note saying ‘thanks for doing a good job’,” says Gary. It has been said the recruitment is the life blood of the fraternity, and while that may be true, the support that NJ Alpha has always received from its alumni serves as its heart, encouraging everyone to work together and enabling our fraternity tto build upon the successes of the past with a continued sense of commitment and brotherhood. Gary joined the Alumni Board (now called AVC) soon after graduating in 1966, and was impressed by the participation of older alumni such as Bob Lankering, ‘19, Walter Steinmann, ‘21, and Professor Ken Moser, ’28, who were instrumental in helping us purchase 528 Hudson Street. “They were role models that caused me to stay involved with the AVC for the past 44 years. Ken Moser was one of the founders of NJ Alpha when we incorporated in 1938.”

S E NJA

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New Jersey Alpha RLC chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon is one of the few RLC chapters in the nation. What makes a chapter an RLC (Residential Learning Community)? The answer to this is a resident scholar. A resident scholar is a student working towards a higher education degree that can act as a mentor to the undergraduate brothers. John Frega, ‘07, is New Jersey Alpha RLC’s resident scholar. Not many people realize that John Frega was actually an undergraduate brother of New Jersey Alpha during the re-chartering of the fraternity. As an undergraduate he was on the recruitment committee, a Sound Mind Chair and finally an Academic Chair. When asked about the transition into becoming resident scholar, he replied, “The transition was very smooth. I was helped in the process by having Professor Wharton, a past resident scholar”, Frega said. “All of the brothers were especially welcoming to me and in many ways helped me transition into this role.” As resident scholar, Frega is acting as mentor to the house and as a liaison between the undergraduateundergraduate chapter and the AVC (or alumni board). He also assists the chapter by helping in membership development, whether it is by holding seminars, helping brothers with papers, grad school applications, and much more. Because of the fact that the position did not have a set role, Frega faced many challenges as resident scholar. “The biggest challenge for me is determining the best way to take my experiences not only in the house, but in my career and now in law school and use them in a way that really is helpful to the brothers,” he said. “The best way, I’ve found to meet this challenge is by trying new programs, holding seminars and learning from what has worked and in some cases what hasn’t worked.”has worked and in some cases what hasn’t worked.” John Frega came from being an undergraduate to a res scholar in the matter of only a few years. When coming into this position, it is hard to know what to expect, but Frega used his past experiences as an undergraduate brother to shape his expectations. He said, “I was fortunate enough to have Prof. Wharton serving in the role of resident scholar when I was an undergraduate and it really helped me not only with my class work but taught me a lot of lessons that I’ve taken with me. So I hope I can have the same type of impact on the brothers as a resident scholar.”

Chapter Facts: Calling All AlumniAlpha Speaks has played a critical role in re-forming connections with alumni. The newsletter has provided alumni with insight to the workings of our chapter form the re-colonization, to chartering. However, this newsletter shouldn’t be the end of your connection to SigEp. The current undergrads of New Jersey Alpha want your help in connecting with your classmates and older brothers. We want to hear from you about what you want to read about, after all this is your alumni newsletter. So send us an email at alphaspeaks@sigepnja.com and let us know. If you would like to nominate someone for next fall’s Hall of Fame and alumni spotlight, send us anan email for that too! Also, check out the newly created Alumni Facebook group to catch up with old brothers and see any upcoming alumni events.