Sigma Alpha Epsilon - University of Illinois

THE LION TATTLER Tom Donlan '79 and his wife, Pamela, join fellow alumni for an away game against Connecticut. From left: Pam and Tom, Elizabeth and Bob Petry '79, Tim Petry '81, and Joe and Myra Petry '85. Tom Donlan '79 standing with the ΣAE monolith built by Jon Olsen '79, Bob Petry '79, and himself. From left: Tom Donlan '79, Mitch Rogatz '80, Jamie Cohn '80, John Costanza '79, and John Bergstrom '79 enjoy a summer outing on Lake Shangrila, Wisconsin. J oining a fraternity in college opens new doors for young men trying to make the most of a short period in their lives. During senior year in high school, Tom Donlan '79 had no knowledge of Greek life before spring recruitment, but he quickly learned how impactful the brotherhood could be. "It wasn't my intention to join a fraternity that spring," Tom mentioned. "The energy and quality of the brothers I met, plus the whole house energy behind the recruitment experience, blew me away." Tom knew it was the right call to join Illinois Beta, even after seeing future pledge brother Casey Lartz '79 showing his vibrant personality in a yellow suit and carrying a cane. His experience at the University of Illinois was enhanced by Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and the brothers he met have remained an important part of his life. As an undergraduate, the Illinois Beta experience gave Tom new responsibilities and provided direct feedback on his personal development. Whether it was learning how to dress professionally or managing the kitchen as kitchen steward, Tom's college years helped him grow tremendously in just a few years. "Recruitment chairman was a big responsibility," Tom added. "It forced me to articulate and put into words what made us special and why a young man should pledge ΣAE. I also learned that I could stand up in front of a crowd and give a successful speech—a speech in which I freely borrowed from the greatest of all, Jay Rasmussen '77." Tom's role as recruitment chairman opened his eyes to the chapter's leadership operations, especially the service of EA John Carmichael '77. Whether it was dealing with negative consequences or celebrating positive results, chapter meetings were always focused on the betterment of Illinois Beta. Through all the serious conversation, brothers concluded meetings with fraternal singing and laughter. "I found this invaluable in the business world, especially in a meeting environment, which is notorious for taking too long, getting off-track, and ending without firm resolutions." In his professional life, Tom worked for 13 years with Coca-Cola. He acknowledges the profound impact his fraternity years had on not just his personal development, but his professional skills as well. The decision to join Sigma Alpha Epsilon has provided so much for Tom, and he appreciates the lasting impact of those undergraduate years. He even met his wife through the fraternity, thanks to Little Sister Chairman Andy Goldstein '82 doing Tom a favor. "After an outing, she knew something was up when she got a kiss goodnight." Nowadays, Tom enjoys alumni gatherings with brothers and even celebrated a hole-in-one at a PAGO alumni golf event, which spawned a conga line celebration. Tom and his wife have three children and two grandchildren. The family often skied and traveled when his kids were growing up, and Tom has enjoyed coaching, refereeing, and playing adult league soccer despite multiple knee surgeries. Tom and his wife relocated from Atlanta to Lake Forest two years ago. You can connect with him at tom.donlan@live.com. The Priceless Experience of Brotherhood T O M D O N L A N ' 7 9 R E F L E C T S O N H I S I L L I N O I S B E T A Y E A R S

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