Sigma Phi Epsilon - Florida International University

the Florida nus page 2 GENEROUS CONTRIBUTORS PROPEL CAMPAIGN FORWARD TO $1.18 MILLION Join the Growing List of Donors Today! T hank you to the supporters who have contributed more than $1.18 million to the Building Our Future, Securing Our Legacy campaign. We are well on our way toward our $2 million goal. All donors will be recognized in publications by graduation year in their appropriate giving levels. Those who commit $5,000 or more will be recognized on a permanent plaque at the campaign's completion. If an error has been made in recording your gift, or your name has been mistakenly omitted, we sincerely apologize. Please contact our campaign coordinator at alehr@penningtonco.com to make any corrections. Founders Society ($500,000 and above) Rebecca and Tom Jelke '90 Florida Nu Society ($250,000 to $499,999) 100% tax deductibility available! Golden Heart Sociaety ($100,000 to $249,999) Ruben King-Shaw Jr. '82 Francisco A. Oses '94 Red Door Society ($50,000 to $99,999) Jorge A. Dominicis '86 Manuel Becerra '87 Dr. James N. Horst '92 Panther Society ($25,000 to $49,999) Julio A. Martinez '87 Eduardo V. Hondal '88 Nathaniel Ortiz '93 Benjamin A. Sardinas '01 Brotherly Love Society ($10,000 to $24,999) Joaquin R. Urquiola '87 Rafael A. Espinosa '90 Frankl Gonzalez '90 Frank J. Gaviria '93 Manny Vadillo '96 Tony Gomez '99 Michael A. Hernandez '04 David C. Hernandez '08 Diligence Society ($5,000 to $9,999) Timothy M. Benjamin '89 Carlos M. Cruz Jr. '90 Karl E. Diaz '90 Eduardo J. Lamazares '92 Evelio E. Herrera '95 Axel E. Lapica '99 Virtue Society ($2,500 to $4,999) James M. Freyre '86 Hugo F. Sueiro '88 Sean P. Powers '03 Andre R. Villarreal '11 SigEp Society ($1,000 to $2,499) Jovany J. Noy '08 Donor Society (Up to $999) Seth Tugg '05 Campaign Status At-a-Glance As of September 10, 2018 Goal $2 million Total Committed $1,187,340 Total Donors 30 F rom a challenging home life to working with President Barack Obama, Michael Hernandez '04 is proud of and thankful for his SigEp membership. After his father was sentenced to federal prison, "I could have chosen not to enroll at FIU or become a SigEp. But some undergraduate brothers convinced me that I needed to keep moving forward." With the support of those men and The Balanced Man program, Mike realized "there are highs and lows throughout your journey. Life is about maintaining a clear understanding of who you are and where you want to end up." Mike's experience in Florida Nu inspired younger brother Dave '08 to join SigEp: "I saw the comaraderie that was shared, and I knew I wanted to be part of it." Both men agree that the Chapter instilled a sense of pride, by being a part of something bigger than themselves, and Mike—while admittedly biased—says, "I'm confident objective FIU students and even some administrators would say that from 2000 to 2004 Florida Nu was the most influential fraternal organization" on campus. Not only did the Chapter boast manpower and campus involvement, but it was also "building a better Chapter during a period of enormous transition." Reflecting on those days, Mike says the ritual is "without question" a favorite memory because of the link back to the core principles of the fraternity. For Dave, he most enjoyed the brotherhood events and retreats, which led to lifelong bonds. And when asked if any alumni made an impact on his undergraduate years, he mentions Tom Jelke '90 and Ben Sardinas '01. Mike agrees: "Dr. Jelke had the right idea about where our Chapter needed to be heading. And Ben continues to be an outstanding mentor to the Chapter." After graduating with a B.A. in political science, Mike began his career in politics and communications. In 2007, he was working at a public affairs consulting firm in Coral Gables when an Illinois senator asked them to work on his presidential campaign. Barack Obama eventually won, and Mike became a surrogate for him, the Democratic National Committee, and South Florida Democrats for Spanish- language press. Hernandez Brothers Give Back to Next Generation of Balanced Men Michael and Dave Are Proud to Come to Brothers' Aid (Continued on page 4)

• Cover