Sigma Phi Epsilon - Missouri University of Science & Technology

Ganz remembers certain things more vividly than others about that Friday afternoon at Lions Club Park. "That thing must have weighed 300 pounds," he exclaimed, "and I needed help to get it on my back." In those 10 yards of total concentration and exertion, the body must zone out and stay totally focused. Randy says that one thing is still very clear in his mind: "...Andy Cox '79 screaming at the top of his lungs, right into my ear. He was so loud!" Thanks to Randy and Stacy's efforts, SigEp earned a second-place trophy, and a celebration ensued long into the night. OVER THE COURSE of the next few years, SigEp became more adept at procurement and techniques in cudgel making. Rich Nickols '85 remembers, "Cedar trees were mostly a nuisance to people, and they had no problem giving permission to take a tree out of their yard." But finding the right tree was not always that easy, as Nickols recalls: "I do remember that on one occasion, a covert operation was necessary to procure the perfect specimen!" As the carving process became more ornate, so did the time to do the carving. "In 1983, we came up with an idea to split the tree in two pieces," Nickols explains. "That allowed us to carve on both sides at the same time." In 1984, MO Gamma received their first "First Place" in the Cudgel competition. Nickols, who was Cudgel Chairman that year, recalls: "It was the 76th anniversary of St. Pat's at Rolla, so our theme was based around the American Revolution, complete with a carving of Mt. Rushmore and our own St. Pat's Declaration of Independence." Mike Reiner '85, who carried the massive tree, recalls: "Rich spent many hours working with his team to lay out the design and make it happen. I'm not sure how he was able to pass his classes that semester." DURING ST PAT'S TODAY, freshmen can still be seen carrying shillelaghs and pummeling snakes, although only on a volunteer basis. Unfortunately, only a few cudgels are still being crafted. For those of us who spent countless hours crafting these Irish artifacts and participating in the week's follies, a strong sense of pride in our school and our fraternity endures. Some brothers kept their shillelaghs for many years, and a few cudgels made their way into their own personal homes, a testament to their love of MO Gamma and their days at Rolla! 2 CHAPTER REPORT Driving Out the Demons (Continued from page 1) KEEPING MO GAMMA ON TOP Brothers Support One Another While Giving Back Trey Schreckenberg '25 Chapter President tpsbdr@mst.edu A s we enter the new year, MO Gamma is excited to tackle this spring semester and continue to be the best fraternity Missouri S&T has to offer. Currently, we have 67 in-house members, six out-of-house members, and three members on co-op, bringing our total Chapter membership to 76. This upcoming spring and summer, our members are focusing on recruitment efforts to further increase these numbers. Last semester, MO Gamma really hit the books, bringing our Chapter GPA to a 3.37, a jump of 0.1 over last semester. Improving our grades has been a major focus for the Chapter, and it really showed last semester. This semester, Brother Ryan Ewald '26, our scholarship chairman, has made it our goal to continue improving our academic performance. He plans to implement a GPA incentive and reward system while continuing our current tutor program. Learning through giving back remains a focus of our Chapter. We completed three highway cleanups, and several of our members helped create dream bedrooms for children with cancer. MO Gamma co-sponsored a blood drive with Omega Sigma and assisted at another. Additionally, we served at Backpacks for Bros (a program where we fill bags with food for children in need) every week. As a Chapter, we totaled 841 service hours, with Dylan Brewer '28 being our top contributor, logging 51 hours. This semester, we are introducing the Senior Reaffirmation Ceremony. After speaking with our Chapter's success manager about ways to grow SigEp pride and set a strong example for underclassmen, the Senior Reaffirmation Ceremony emerged as a great opportunity. The ceremony, held on January 27, was conducted for those graduating in the current academic year. It serves as a reminder of what Sigma Phi Epsilon expects from our brothers and reaffirms their lifelong commitment to brotherly love. A special thanks to our Alumni Board for all your support of our Chapter! We welcome all our alumni to stop by the Chapter House for a visit anytime. From left: Brothers Rich Nickols '85, John Leong '87 and Ken Mersmann '87 celebrate first place in the 76th annual St Pat's Cudgel competition.

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