Sigma Alpha Epsilon - University of Montana

Spring 2015 Newsletter

Montana Beta Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity at the University of Montana

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BETA BEAT Sigma Alpha Epsilon s University of montana spring 2015 THE Keeping a Positive Outlook Alumni Encouraged to Get Involved with Chapter E arly this semester, our organization was floored by the unforgivable actions of another SAE chapter. Needless to say, it has been a rough time for our fraternity in the media. I would like to focus on the positive events that continue at Montana Beta and will let Brother John Greener '79 address the Oklahoma issue with his article on page 3. Our spring membership is at 41 members with 16 living-in. Our financial situation continues to improve and by the looks of projections for fall we will have a full 24 live-in members. This will be the first time in the last 15 to 20 years we can say that. The addition of Tara Nicholson, our cook and house director, has had a very positive influence on the whole atmosphere at 1120 Gerald. We encourage you to stop by the house if you get a chance and see for yourself. The Alumni Luncheon on the second Thursday of each month at 1120 Gerald is the perfect opportunity to meet some of our hardworking alumni and undergraduates. Contact John Greener '79 for details at (815) 459-0099. The chapter leadership has shown strength and maturity that are always signs of a healthy atmosphere and will help us grow and improve. I believe Montana Beta's future is in good hands. We continue to deal with the luxury of having a beautiful old chapter house. The renovation in 2006-07 (100+ years after its construction) took care of a lot of the basic internal problems like new plumbing, wiring, painting, energy-efficient windows, and some sewer problems. The new kitchen in 2013 has been a game changer for recruitment and making the house whole. The lawn and landscape work has enhanced our outside appearance. Chimney repair was necessary last summer and was completed. The furnace will probably need replacement in the near future, we will need a new roof, and the siding shows signs of needing replacement. Wear and tear on the inside has been no more than normal, and the actives have taken good care of the house since it was renovated. The point of all this is we still need your support. I personally have very fond memories of my time at 1120 Gerald as an undergraduate and more recently with my alumni involvement. I know many of our thoughts recently went back to these good times and we were saddened by the events in Oklahoma. I hope we'll be able to provide a positive experience for generations of future SAEs and the True Gentlemen we all aspire to be. In the bonds, Dick Ford '64 (925) 876-8625 / dickford94596@gmail.com In this issue: Montana Beta Sees Growth - p.2 Embracing Higher Ideals - p.3 Alumni Update - p.4 Brent Beckley '03 ShareS how SAE ValueS haVe Shaped hiS life W hen I first moved into the Montana Beta chapter house of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at 1120 Gerald, I really had no idea what a fraternity was or what the true meaning was meant to be. My older brother had pledged the previous fall and had told me a lot of great stories about the chapter, but not much about what a fraternity actually stood for or did. I decided to move in when he told me that I could live in the house for $500 for the entire summer. I couldn't really pass that up, since I didn't have many other options and was lacking financial means. I quickly made friends with a number of the guys living in the house over the summer. When school started in the fall, I was extended a bid to pledge. I wasn't really clear on what that meant either, but I figured it would be easier than moving out. As I matured as an active member, pledging certainly turned out to be a lot harder than moving out; however, it was an extraordinarily memorable experience. Pledging SAE has turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life. During my pledgeship, I grew much closer to the other 11 pledge brothers in my class, as well as the actives and alumni groups, and started to learn more about what it meant to be part of a fraternity. Looking back, I learned some of my best life lessons at the MTBE chapter of SAE. The tradition, history, and work ethic of the fraternity, including its values and guiding principles, are the cornerstones of my values today. I learned what it meant to work with others that I might not always see eye to eye with but have a common agenda of things that must be accomplished. I learned how to work within an organization to get things (Continued on page 2) Pledging SAE has turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life.

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