Sigma Phi Epsilon - Missouri University of Science & Technology

2 work wonders: "We would negotiate with the Phi Kaps to bring it back, and we would always give them drinks (of course, the cheapest we could find) once they arrived with our rock!" Over the next 20 years, additional stops were added to the route as young men were spontaneously motivated. "There were a couple of occasions where the pledges would drag it to another fraternity and their pledges came out and started throwing water balloons and other miscellaneous objects at our pledges. This would go on for a bit, then the two pledge classes would team up and take it to another fraternity and leave it," Gene Kertz '89 remembered. This method of teaming up with others and dragging it to multiple fraternities evolved into a more consistent event as the years went on. By 2010, the SigEp Rock Drag had taken on a life of its own, and it had become recognized by other fraternities. SigEp Rock Drag Today Today, the event is held during the week of Homecoming and is known for its spirit of fun and camaraderie, with members from other fraternities joining in the pull or participating in the festivities. It starts out at the SigEp house, as Xavier Naeger '11 recalled, "Approximately 30 to 40 SigEp younger members begin the drag—remember, this thing is heavy; just guessing at its size and knowing its limestone composition (15cf/ton), it could be nearly 1.5 tons." (Editor Note: Maybe one of our readers, using their ancient knowledge of dynamics and Newton's second law, can determine the force required and verify the number of pullers required.) Xavier continued, "Each stop at different fraternities like Phi Kap, PIKE, TKE, and Sig Nu added to the number of people involved, with other fraternity freshmen joining in on the pull and others just along for the festivities. By the end of the journey, over 300 people are usually partaking in the event as it parades around the downtown streets of Rolla. Of course, there are plenty of stops for refreshments and to change out pullers. When I was there, the event culminated at the Lambda Chi house, who helped us celebrate the end of the journey." As participation has grown, so has the need for local involvement. "To avoid any legal troubles from clogging up the streets, we made sure to notify the school and get a police escort. They didn't mind everyone in the streets having a good time so long as we kept people to a single lane and avoided spilling over toward any oncoming traffic," stated Derek Steinbach '18. Enduring Tradition Today, even though the original rock has been replaced due to wear, the tradition remains steadfast and is looked forward to by both current fraternity members and alumni alike. The Rock Drag is a vivid reminder of the fraternity's history and shared memories and serves as an enduring symbol of SigEp's values. Thanks to all my brothers who have recalled memories to use in this story and to the current Chapter members who continue this tradition. And thanks to Grayson Lynch '23, whom I met with back in the spring, for inspiring me to write this story. If you happen to be around Rolla the night of October 19th this year, make plans to experience this event and see for yourself how SigEp continues to show its leadership to others. Remember, SigEps are brothers for life, and our relationships are as solid as a rock! THE ROCK THAT BINDS (Continued from page 1)

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