Sigma Phi Epsilon - Oklahoma State University

4 OKLAHOMA ALPHA Alpha Artery Lance Miller '95 (Continued from page 3) the 130-man chapter taught Lance about responsibility to both Oklahoma Alpha and his brothers. Aside from being co-owner of Miller-Tippens with Sam, Lance has stayed connected with his brothers through get-togethers, rounds of golf, and meeting up for a couple of beers. "It's absolutely important for alumni to stay in touch with the chapter. If we've ever failed in one department, it's losing a lot of brothers that have disconnected," he said. Lance and his wife, Elizabeth, have two children, Libby and Sarah Jane. In his free time, Lance enjoys golfing and supporting his daughters in their various sports and activities. Lance lives on 80 acres in Luther, Okla., and can be reached at lance@miller-tippens.com. Sam Tippens '96 (Continued from page 3) the lives of the current undergraduates and prepare them for the world after graduation. "Like anything, the younger generation can always benefit from the wisdom and life lessons learned from their elders," he said. "There is more to life than financial success, and the real champions in life must have a healthy balance between God, family, friendships, and career." Sam and his wife, Shea, have two daughters, Kalli and Jaycie. In his free time, he enjoys building hot rods, boats, or anything that has a motor and is fast. He also enjoys snow skiing, boating, shooting, spending time with friends and family, and being outdoors. Sam lives in Edmond, Okla., and can be reached at sam@miller-tippens.com. "The new chapter house is desperately needed. I know we won't make it without it. I can't stress enough that we need to raise some more money or we won't exist in 10 years." T his fall semester, things are well underway at Oklahoma Alpha. We had a very successful summer recruitment and have many things to look forward to this semester. Our membership is one of the largest at OSU with 140 active members and 48 new members. Our chapter GPA from the spring is currently fourth out of 23 chapters with a 3.33. This is a drastic improvement from our previous 10th place last fall. making an impaCt on CampuS We had a western-themed philanthropic event in early September called SigEp Shindig, with live music, food, and a mechanical bull, and all the money raised benefitted Big Brothers Big Sisters of Stillwater. We are paired with Gamma Phi Beta for Homecoming, Chi Omega for Freshmen Follies, and with Alpha Chi Omega for intramurals. Oklahoma Alpha had the most on-campus leaders than any other house last year and we aim to continue that trend. Blake Giles '19, Carson Taber '19, Jake Pulliam '19, Vishnu Patel '19, and Cardin Hart '19 were listed in the top 20 freshman at OSU. Additionally, Blake, Vishnu, and Cardin progressed to the top 10. This is a huge honor and we are proud to have such prestigious brothers in our fraternity. 2016 tragoS QueSt to greeCe I had the honor of being selected as a 2016 Tragos Quest to Greece scholar this summer and it was an experience I will never forget. For 10 days we were pushed mentally and physically across Greece in order to find the roots of fraternalism and inherently, the reason for SigEp's existence. There were 19 undergraduates representing chapters from 16 different states. Most of us began the trip as strangers, but quickly realized that no matter our background or distance apart, we are all brothers and we were soon acting like old friends. We spent our days seeing several museums and archaeological sites and immersed ourselves in the Greek culture. The trip helped us understand the history of Greece, which would later influence western culture and the creation of Greek-letter organizations. The Tragos Quest to Greece was truly an honor and the 10 most formative days of my life. After experiencing Tragos, I feel a devout sense of obligation to give back to SigEp with my time and talents and I look forward to serving this fraternity that has given me so much. thank you, alumni Join us this semester at any home football game. Alumni are always welcome to park at the chapter house. I would like to personally thank each and every alumnus for your continued efforts to the chapter. I promise that your efforts do not go unnoticed. Oklahoma Alpha can only recruit and compete so much, and without devoted alumni we would not be where we are today. It is truly a lifetime responsibility of each brother to help cultivate better undergraduates and I look forward to serving the chapter long after my college years, as many of you continue to do. Fraternally, Levi Close '18 Chapter President levi.close@okstate.edu Oklahoma Alpha Prepares for All-Around Success Chapter haS moSt on-CampuS leaDerS at oSu Blaine Maye '20, Brendan McCarron '20, Hayden Frederiksen '20, and Michael Wright '20 after Sigma Ritual. Wes Hallof '19 placed eighth at the Big 12 Track and Field Championships.

• Cover