Sigma Phi Never Forget Never Forget Never ForgetFLAMENever Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget NUMBER 112 • DECEMBER 2008 Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never F Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never F Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never F Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget A Tribute to Cal Howard, S’54 1934 - 2008 Also Inside: Wisconsin Centennial Convention Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never Forget Never F PAGE 2 THE FLAME The Chairman’s Message: “An Old Pair of Shoes” by Marshall Solem, F’79 [email protected] lose your eyes for a minute and Society would have withered on the vine think back to your days on cam- decades ago. C pus. More specifically, consider The easy truth is that we all know your days at the Sigma Phi Place. Think the impact involved alumni can have. back to the Sig alumni who influenced The hard truth is that Sigma Phi needs your undergraduate experience. still more alumni participation – today, Perhaps it was the brother who tomorrow, and every day. When you presided over your initiation. Perhaps it think back to those alumni who was the alumni board president who influenced you, I suspect if we compared helped guide the chapter’s affairs. notes many of us bring to mind the Perhaps it was an older brother whom same few alumni – the same alumni Marshall Solem, F’79 you befriended at a homecoming or who still carry the torch! Compared to similar event. Perhaps it was an alumni other fraternities, Sigma Phi achieves work and family commitments. But brother who offered career guidance or unparalleled alumni participation in staying out of the shoes for too long is helped you get a job. our dues campaigns. But an equally vital dangerous for our Society. If you have I suspect it is fair to say that at least dimension – leadership involvement – slipped out of your Sigma Phi shoes, one alumnus had – and perhaps still finds us comparing poorly … and perhaps it’s time to go back to the has – a significant impact on your performing poorly, too. closet, dust them off, and put them experience of Sigma Phi. Money helps us achieve certain back on. Your leadership contributions When I learned of the death of things like engaging periodicals, quality could make a SIGnificant difference Chairman Emeritus Cal Howard, S’54, merchandise, paid insurance premiums, in the health of your chapter, in the this past summer, I reflected back on and other fraternal bric-a-brac. It’s an health of your national organization his many contributions to Sigma Phi (as undisputed cornerstone for Sig survival. and – yes! – in the lives of young Sigs. discussed on succeeding pages in this But, in a very different way, the contin- Getting involved is easy. Just contact issue of the Flame) and to my experi- ued growth and development of the your alumni corporation president or ences with him. Cal was a Sig for the Society really depends on more, and me if you are interested in getting eras. He truly left a legacy across many different, alumni stepping up – at regu- involved on the national level (contact fraternal dimensions, both personally lar intervals – to help guide and manage info listed elsewhere in this Flame) and and through his skilled leadership. As I our chapters and our national affairs. we’ll be happy to make sure those shoes bring to mind Cal’s many contributions, Depending on the same few for decades still fit you well and are comfortable. it’s the most natural segue in the world is a recipe for “keeping the circle small” Clearly, few will leave a Sig legacy to think about the ongoing contribu- … and for staleness in leadership. of the magnitude of Cal Howard, S’54. tions of many other alumni who like- As I said at Cal’s memorial service, But all of us can create legacies just the wise help this Society and its chapters he left very large shoes for his succes- same, and the Society needs us to do so. make progress, year in and year out. sors to fill. And while I’ve been walking “Esto perpetua” doesn’t just happen, And as we approach the holidays, it is in those shoes for a few years now, they you see. It’s driven by those who appro-priate to give thanks to Cal and still feel a bit sloppy on my feet. continue to care … and to make these alumni for their contributions. Sometimes, I slip out of the shoes too themselves available. Without them, our robust, 181-year-old easily as I try to balance Sigma Phi with Sig legacies. What will yours be? Sigma Phi Kudos & Thanks … The Sigma Phi Society publishes the Sigma Phi … to the following Sigs for their articles, information or Flame twice yearly. Please direct all inquiries, suggestions supporting this issue of the Flame: John Bonk, suggestions, photos and changes of address to M’06; John Connelly, S’54; Glenn George, C’82; Scott Sigma Phi National Headquarters, Post Office Hekel, F’97; George Ketterer, F’65; Sean List, T’08; Scott Box 4633, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-4633. McCrae, V’82; Dan Neumann, F’71; Josh Taxson, I’95 & EDITOR: MIKE IMIRIE M’69 Jesse Wetzel, S’04. [email protected] Issue after issue, we solicit Sig perspectives from real Sigs in all walks of life. Each shared viewpoint improves the MEMBER,NATIONAL quality and readability of the periodical in which it appears. INTERFRATERNITY Each is a genuine gift to our readers, coast to coast: a modest, personal testr- CONFERENCE monial about brotherhood. Contact Mike Imirie, M’69 ([email protected]) Sigma Phi Home Page: www.sigmaphi.org with your feedback, suggestions, photographs and – of course – Sig stories. DECEMBER 2008 PAGE 3 “The Classy Kids on the Block” by Scott McCrae, V’82, General Secretary [email protected] t was Friday night at the 2008 which have brought Greek organiza- Society has needed from day one. National Convention in Madison tions through often-tumultuous envi- In a rush setting, how about I and I was at the Hicks Oratorical ronments on campus and in the larger sponsoring a contest like the Hicks Contest. My mind was swirling with all society, too. Once such ideals and values Oratorical? First, we open up the the Sigly information I had gleaned that can be identified, Greeks need to be contest to freshman and sophomore day: first from the delegates in the able to communicate them extremely men and allow them to apply with a morning S&A meeting, and also from effectively to new generations waiting to copy of their speeches. Second – and undergraduate Sig leaders in the be recruited. very importantly – we enlist celebrity afternoon workshop. But there’s a catch. Today’s faculty members to be judges along with Sigma Phi is in a great place now: students – “Millennial Generation” Greek advisors, IFC and even Panhel a place for proactivity, not reactivity. men and women – have some great members and staff to administer the For example, during the S&A meeting, attributes, you see, but their greatest contest... We advertise all over campus – we talked about strategic planning and shortcoming may be the ability to in a very classy way, of course! – and made a list of future agenda priorities. effectively communicate socially. It look for key sponsors (bookstores, edu- To tie this theme in with the undergrad- seems that enthusiastic (excessive?) use cational venues, etc.) to donate cash uates in their workshop, we did a group of text messaging, blogging, e-mail and and/or prizes for the winners. assessment about just who we are in this all related techno innovations like With this groundbreaking initiative, day and age. What are Sigma Phi’s val- Facebook and Myspace.com have two things happen. Sigma Phi stands ues? Why is Sigma Phi important? Who worked to change (limit?) good, old- out in everybody’s eyes, making for are the stakeholders? What makes us fashioned, face-to-face interaction. remarkable public relations. More relevant on today’s college campuses? But I see an opportunity in this importantly, the event exposes a group Such sessions invariably turn us strange social dynamic. In my mind, this of talented underclassmen to Sigma Phi towards the perpetual challenge of makes Sigma Phi all the more relevant: through their participation. Wouldn’t recruitment. While rush has always been an even more important factor in that be a great group of men on which vital, it’s never been more challenging. today’s college experience. After all, to base the core of a pledge class? Experts say that 90% of all fraternity wouldn’t most Sig alumni agree that: The facts: we are the oldest national and sorority problems stem in some way “we learned academics in the classroom fraternity in the country. We exist at from poor recruitment of new mem- but our social education came from our America’s finest institutions.