Sigma Phi Delta - University of Illinois

DELTA DISPATACH 3 F rom a special road trip to the Rose Bowl to a summer spent at the chapter house along with countless other memories, Eric Messerschmidt '86 experienced all the joys that Sigma Phi Delta had to offer during his time as an undergraduate. He served as recruitment and social chairman for Delta Chapter, but held sev- eral other leadership positions throughout vari- ous on-campus organizations, such as president of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engi- neers and a member of Engineering Council. "All of these opportunities to serve others were extremely important in my development as a leader and helped shape who I am today," Eric said. "They taught me valuable lessons about accountability, collaboration, being action-ori- ented, having a positive attitude, communicating clearly, and influencing others." Strong Leadership Like many of his brothers, Eric was fortunate to have a few strong leaders in the chapter house, including Bill Tai '84 and Gregg Bardel '84, throughout his tenure. "These brothers, along with many of other upperclassmen, set the ex- ample for my peer group and had a positive in- fluence on me during my college years," Eric said. "Sigma Phi Delta represents a brotherhood that supports one another on our respective aca- demic, social, and professional journeys." D uring the past few semesters, Delta Chapter has participated in philanthrop- ic events, intramurals, and events with other fraternities, all while achieving academic excellence. We have also continued our trend of recruiting the best that the University of Illinois has to offer and have enjoyed our interactions and relationships with alumni and parents. Committed to Education In the fall, our chapter earned a 3.24 GPA, mov- ing us from our previous rank of eighth to sev- enth out of 40 IFC fraternities. Evan Kay '18, Jonathon Wexler '19, Jason Drews '22, and Joseph Zabinski '19 also achieved 4.0s. To en- sure we stay on top academically, we created a document that brothers can update with informa- tion from the courses they've taken so others can gain useful knowledge that will help them excel. Helping Hands During the past semester, Delta Chapter support- ed the community through various philanthropic events. In the fall, brothers volunteered at Habitat for Humanity and at a local FIRST Lego League. We also hosted a float bash to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and this se- mester, we are planning multiple events to raise money for the Honeybee Conservancy. On the Rise With 72 active members, our chapter is larger than ever thanks to our recruitment efforts dur- ing the last few years. We had 16 new members join last semester, and we welcomed six pledges in the spring. We are excited to see what these members can accomplish during their time in Sigma Phi Delta and at University of Illinois. Choosing to Make a Difference Eric Messerschmidt '86 Shares His Motivation to Support Delta STRENGTHENING OUR ΣΦΔ LEGACY Undergraduates Make New Strides in Academics, Philanthropy, and Recruitment Invest in a Better Tomorrow Because of his positive experience, Eric was motivated to support The Castle Renovation: Engineering the Future of Sigma Phi Delta. "I wouldn't be who I am today without the experi- ences I had during my campus years––many of which were enabled by the fraternity," Eric said. "I made my contribution because I felt a sense of duty to offer future generations the same op- portunities that ΣΦΔ offered me." Although, Eric does not view his donation as payback, but rather an investment in the future of others that can hopefully bring positive change to the world. The Time Is Now In recent years, Eric visited the chapter house and was pleasantly surprised by the large num- ber of members in the chapter, but was also shocked at how little had changed to the physical infrastructure of the chapter house. "The house is in desperate need of a full renovation," Eric said. "The current living conditions are not conducive to a strong future for the chapter. We can do so much better for the students there now and for generations to come. ΣΦΔ needs us right now, and it is our time to step up." Life After School After graduating from the University of Illi- nois in 1986, Eric went on to receive his MBA from the University of Chicago. He works as senior vice president of marketing strategy, loy- alty, and customer relationship management for Ulta Beauty in Bolingbrook, Illinois, but lives in Glen Ellyn with his wife, Becky. They have three children and expect to visit the Champaign area more often in the next few years as their son will be attending the University of Illinois for computer engineering in the fall. Eric invites his brothers, especially those from 1982-86 era, to reach out to him at emesser123@hotmail.com to reconnect. Samuel Atac '21 and Thomas Ng '21 after volunteering as judges at FIRST Lego League in December. Jacob Anderson '20 after accepting the second-place award for outstanding risk management for Delta Chapter at the Greek Oscars last semester. (Continued on page 4) Eric Messerschmidt '86 and his wife, Becky.

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