Sigma Phi Epsilon - University of California, Berkeley

The Golden Heart CALIFORNIA ALPHA CHAPTER t SIGMA PHI EPSILON t SPRING 2019 LINKED SINCE BIRTH t 2 CHAPTER REPORT t 2 CATCHING UP WITH CA ALPHA t 3 Inside: T his past September, I had the distinct honor of being invited by Dr. Michael Green '62 to an alumni reunion in Monterey. I did not hesi- tate to attend, and a trip away from Berkeley in my last semester as an undergraduate seemed like a great way to relax after recruitment week. At first, I did not expect anything special, as I had met many SigEp alumni in the past. But by the end of my short visit, I left knowing that the experience would remain with me for a lifetime. A GENERATIONAL GAP? These men, many who had graduated in the 1960s, had known each other for longer than I had been alive. I did not want to be an intruder encroach- ing upon the few moments these brothers could share with each other before the next reunion. I worried it would be nerve-wracking showing up to a gathering without knowing anybody and feared there would be a generational gap. Many events had transpired, both in the SigEp com- munity and the greater social landscape of the world, since these alumni graduated college. As a first-generation Filipino immigrant whose fraternity experience cen- tered around the Balanced Man Program, I had doubts of my ability to connect with men who experienced a predominantly white SigEp chapter operating under a pledging process. While the letters of the fraternity have remained unchanged through the years, and I was just as much of a brother in Sigma Phi Epsilon as these men, I was uncertain of how these changes would affect my interactions with the alumni. A BINDING BROTHERHOOD All these anxieties quickly quelled upon arriving at dinner. I felt complete- ly accepted within their presence as if I had known them my entire life. They told stories of the great times they had in college, experiences I could entirely relate to, from social interactions with brothers to struggling with Berkeley's academic rigor. And while it was clear that certain aspects about how the fraternity operated during their time vastly differed from the SigEp of today, its core has not changed. As has always been the case, brotherhood remains the binding force of this fraternity. My experience in Monterey taught me that despite any dif- ferences in race, religion, political affiliation, sexual orientation, age, or anything else, our common bond through Sigma Phi Epsilon is everlasting and triumphs over any of our differences. These men showed me that SigEp will continue to be a part of my life for as long as I live. Seeing the alumni interact with each other so vibrantly assured me that even though my brothers and I will inevitably go our sep- arate ways, live our own lives, and pursue our own goals, our relationship will continue outside of collegiate walls. Now an alumnus myself, I look forward to maintaining the brotherhood I've formed with the SigEps I've met across the country. Maybe a few decades from now, I'll have the same opportunity to meet an undergraduate and impact him as much as these men have influenced me. HFF, Jerome Andres '18 CONNECTING IN MONTEREY ALUMNI REUNION BRINGS GENERATIONS TOGETHER

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