Sigma Phi Epsilon - University of Florida

Page 6 SigEp Gator Heart Forming Lifelong Friendships at Florida Alpha Slade Hayman '75 Shares How SigEp Shaped His Life A s Slade Hayman '75 prepares to celebrate his 50th anniversary of joining Sigma Phi Epsilon next fall, it has been important for him to ensure that, just like he has, young men benefit from being a part of Florida Alpha's tradition-rich brotherhood. Slade has generously given back by making donations to the Chapter's annual and capital campaigns. Along with being thankful for how SigEp has shaped his life, Slade has enjoyed witnessing how brothers of all generations are still reaping the rewards of the Florida Alpha experience. "I bought a house in Lake Alfred for my wife's daughter. When we were closing, lo and behold, the closing agent was Mike Plum '75! Small world," Slade said. "Bill Lambert '76 and I live in Wauchula, Florida. Bill is a past Chapter president and my brother for the rest of our lives. Brother Lambert heads our county's Economic Development Council; that is right up Bill's alley. He did such a good job as a SigEp president, we decided to let him spend our county's millions of EDC money on its population." Slade fondly remembers recruiting Bill with Bert Harris '74. One year earlier, Bert had recruited Slade to Florida Alpha. "I lived in the Hume Hall dorm, and it was a short walk to the SigEp house. We had three square meals a day and got to organize our meals with our classes," Slade said. "I seemed to fit right in with the pledge class, [even though] the brothers back then told me that the only reason I was allowed to be a brother was to raise their GPA." Self-discipline and time management were just a couple of the important skills that Slade developed during his time as a Florida Alpha undergraduate member. He recalls the Chapter House being mostly quiet from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., yet there were still instances of brothers having some late-night fun. Bridge games would feature 10 to 12 brothers and sometimes last all night. "I enjoyed the camaraderie of the brotherhood," Slade said. "I was pledge trainer my junior and senior years. I enjoyed teaching the history of SigEp and Florida Alpha." Slade took what he learned and successfully applied it to his career as a veterinarian. He hopes that the SigEps at the University of Florida will always realize the amazing things that can be accomplished with the combination of faith and Florida Alpha. "You put forth the effort, pray about it, and God will give you the power to overcome. I fixed the dog's broken leg, but God healed the fracture," Slade said. "My hands were effective and fruitful under a higher source of power for 40 years as a veterinarian. The older you get, the more you rely on power sources other than your own strength and determination." After recently retiring, Slade has stayed active by doing yardwork, working with his cattle, and tending to his small orange grove. He and his wife, Celia, have one adult son, six dogs, five cats, and 11 chickens. Slade shares that he's incredibly blessed and hopes that God continues to bless them in many ways. "I financially support the current brothers so that they will learn from the history of Florida Alpha and, in doing so, build an even stronger bond between current and past brothers. The current brothers appear to be doing good and therefore deserve the older brothers' financial help," Slade said. "God bless the brotherhood. I hope to see everyone at the next gathering." Today, Slade is a lifetime member of the University of Florida Alumni Association, the Florida Sheriff's Youth Ranches, and the Dean's Circle of Excellence in the UF College of Veterinary Medicine. You can connect with him at critter711@embarqmail.com. Florida Alpha Online www.flalpha.org SigEpFLAlpha@gmail.com www.flalpha.org/make-a-donation

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