Sigma Phi Epsilon - Colorado School of Mines

2 SIGMA PHI EPSILON Giving Our Time and Talents Jared Canada, Memphis-Lambuth '07 Encourages Alumni to Get Involved I n February, Jared Canada, Memphis-Lambuth '07 was sitting in a hotel room in Austin, Texas, exhausted after a 12-hour day of travel and work. All he wanted was a Lone Star and a barbecue sandwich, but Eric Wilson '94 and other AVC members urged him to join the Zoom meeting that night instead. He did, and after the group's regular business, the brothers played a video of Grand President Tom Jelke, Florida Nu '90 announcing Jared as Sigma Phi Epsilon's Volunteer of the Year. "I was floored!" Jared said as he recalled Brother Jelke reading a bio the brothers submitted on his behalf. The video recognized Jared as a vital asset to Colorado Delta and its AVC for nearly five years. He was acknowledged for always attending meetings, for his eagerness to meet with brothers one-on-one, and for approaching goals with positivity and humor, among other accolades. "I'm not very good at receiving compliments, so I was, of course, awkward about the award—but very grateful." Jared began volunteering for SigEp at Texas Iota Chapter while working at Texas Tech. His career brought him up to Colorado, and he quickly reached out to nearby chapters for volunteer opportunities. Colorado Delta responded, and Jared has been a valued AVC member ever since. "I can't say enough about how great volunteering for the guys at Mines has been," he said. "Their determination and tenacity through this past year, the years before, and into the future are second to none that I've worked with." Those qualities were crucial at the height of the pandemic, and Jared recognized how difficult it was for the actives to go into three Chapter House lockdowns. Jared kept in frequent contact with the brothers through those challenges, and he and his fellow AVC members tried to do all they could to support the Chapter from a distance. "By all accounts (including from the university itself), they were the easiest of all the fraternities and sororities to deal with during the lockdowns." Jared believes Greek life has many great lessons and resources for college students, including teaching them to navigate social situations, career workshops, and volunteer work. The SigEp ritual inspires him to give back to organizations that have given him so much. He also believes that every alumnus has a skillset that can help SigEp if they take the time to volunteer. "I love volunteering for SigEp on both a local and national level, but that's not for everyone. The best thing you can do is reach out to your local Chapter and let them know you're around." Jared suggests a few ways to volunteer, including helping with the active Chapter or the AVC, guiding someone toward an internship or job, or by simply sharing SigEp stories. "Giving your time and talents—whatever that looks like for you—is the absolute best thing you can do. You'll be happy you did." In his free time, Jared enjoys riding motorcycles ("I have three bikes, and my wife says that I have a problem."), playing bass in a bar band, and fishing when he gets the chance. You can connect with him at canada.jared@gmail.com. C olorado Delta Chapter needs your help spotlighting brothers in future issues of our alumni newsletter. Do you know a Mines SigEp who has made a difference throughout the pandemic? Are you one of them? We want to hear from you! Tell us stories about healthcare heroes, men handling crisis management, brothers who are involved with nonprofit or volunteer organizations that are community lifelines—any brothers with purpose whom we should feature in a future Colorado Delta Chapter publication. Let's shine some light on our courageous brothers! Please send submissions with the subject line "CO Delta Spotlight Suggestion" to dbettenhausen@penningtonco.com. Thank you for staying connected with Colorado Delta Chapter of SigEp. We appreciate your support and encourage you to reach out to your brothers during this time of uncertainty. President James Lende '23 Commerce City, Colo. lende@mines.edu (970) 371-6399 VP Finance Holden Anderson '23 Portland, Ore. (503) 780-5614 VP Programming Nathan Sandoval '22 Parker, Colo. (720) 999-2874 VP Communications Wyatt Sears '23 Longmont, Colo. (720) 695-9911 Chaplain Kevin Grant '22 Keller, Texas (314) 322-0334 VP Member Development Joseph Herr '22 Eagle River, Ala. (907) 406-7048 VP Recruitment Nicholas Karst '22 Denver, Colo. nkarst@mines.edu (303) 916-8647 CHAPTER OFFICERS Spotlight Search for True SigEps in Action

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