Sigma Phi Epsilon - Purdue University

From the heart SIGMA PHI EPSILON 3 S igma Phi Epsilon has always played a key part for John Derr '58. "The brotherhood teachings are always on the forefront," John stated. From his college days to serving in the Navy post- graduation, his connection to the fraternity has been steadfast. His happiest times with SigEp were after his five years in the Navy, when he was active in the Sigma Phi Epsilon National programs, taught in the Carlson seminars, and attended Conclave for more than 20 years. His SigEp membership linked him with brothers from other chapters, afforded opportunities to mentor younger SigEps, and led to business with many in his professional life. "As an alumnus, you have to remain involved," he said. "You are rewarded over the years, not in any single event. If you're not involved beyond graduating, then it's just a college experience." He was instrumental in helping with Indiana Alpha's capital campaign brochure, with the goal of reminding his brothers of the benefits and experiences they received at Purdue. For John, SigEp was a pillar of support at Purdue while studying pharmacy alongside many of his brothers, which undoubtedly set him up for success in his career. When he wasn't studying, he was singing in Purdue's Glee Club, where he made some of his favorite undergraduate memories. "I was a member of the Purdue Glee Club and in a famous (at the time) barbershop quartette. We were on the road singing a great deal of the time," he shared. "My favorite memories from my undergraduate years include singing on the Bob Hope and Ed Sullivan shows." His unwavering support for his alma mater has led to many accolades over the years, including being named a Purdue Distinguished Alumnus, a Purdue Sir in the Glee Club honorary, being chosen as Gimlet, serving as the Purdue alumnus director of the Los Angeles Alumni Club, and being named Purdue Old Master. John was also recognized as a SigEp Distinguished Alumnus and served on SigEp's leadership committee. Additionally, he was one of the founding alumni board directors of the (new) SigEp chapter at UCLA in the 1980s and served on SigEp's alumni board at the University of Arkansas. John's post-college success in the Navy was recognized by achieving rank of Captain and being the reserve commanding officer of two destroyers. In healthcare, he's achieved two awards of lifetime support and was also chosen for multiple federal committees on long-term post-acute care and elderly care. His devotion to the university, the SigEp brotherhood, and his achievements in the Navy and his career speak volumes of his character and gracious spirit. He is the embodiment of a Balanced Man. Through SigEp, he learned that it's great to have other men to call "brother" and to know they have a certain level of the same shared experience—an experience that leads to lifelong friends. It's also been important to John to work with the young men following in his footsteps to eliminate the program of "pledging" and "Hell Week." "I'm lucky to have had a number of successes in my life running concurrently—family and the fraternity, the Navy, healthcare, and singing," he shared. "SigEp has always played a role." John and his wife, Polly, reside in Anacortes, Washington, and have two daughters, Deborah and Jennifer. His grandson, Cameron Neel '22, joined Indiana Alpha Chapter in 2019. You can connect with John at captainjohn181@mac.com. DR. JOHN DERR '58—A BALANCED MAN FOR LIFE C oming out of the unprecedented fall 2020 semester, Indiana Alpha made several major adjustments for the spring. The chapter decided to go completely virtual for chapter meetings and recruitment events to follow Protect Purdue Guidelines and stop the spread of COVID-19. As we face new challenges in this ever-changing environment at Purdue, active brothers maintain strong relationships and focus on establishing this chapter as one of the best on campus. As was the case in the fall semester, the Balanced Man Scholarship is one of our best ways to meet potential new members who exceed the expectations of a normal student. During the new recruitment format, we held successful virtual conferences with applicants, which led to insightful discussions about SigEp. Furthermore, smaller interactions were conducted in person, which consisted of one or two brothers grabbing dinner with a potential new member. Overall, this approach has been successful, as we have gained nine new brothers since the fall 2020 semester, and we have a solid plan going into the summer to add even more. We led the campus in both academics among fraternities and man-over- man recruitment numbers this semester. On this good note, our goal is to keep reaching for the highest all-campus cumulative GPA while building our fraternity, one balanced man at a time. Lastly, I would like to thank all of those who have been supporting the Indiana Alpha Chapter. Without this continuous support and mentorship from the AVC, National Headquarters, invested alumni, and all others who want to see Sigma Phi Epsilon succeed at Purdue again, we would not be where we are today or where we plan on going in the future. Fraternally, Justin Postma '22 Chapter President (269) 767-1751 jpostma@purdue.edu Growth in a Challenging Year Brothers Maintain Strong Grades, Connections with Potential New Members Brothers bond during a painting brotherhood event at Pickett Park. From left: Cameron Neel '21, Kevin Homan '22, Krish Jain '24, and Samuel Siwy '22.

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