Sigma Phi Epsilon - San Diego State University

Page 2 Cal Delta News & Views Cal Delta Hosts Parent and Family Weekend Barbecue Nearly 100 Guests in Attendance S an Diego State held its annual parent and family weekend September 20-22. University activities were Friday evening and Saturday morning, which left a perfect window for CA Delta. The annual parent and family barbecue began at noon on Saturday, which allowed for a smooth transition into a football tailgate at Qualcomm Stadium later in the afternoon. With close to 100 guests in attendance, the event was enjoyed by all. Attendees share their thoughts about the event below. "The barbecue went very well. We had the food catered by Bridges Bar and Grill and everyone really enjoyed the food. Jack Heaton '14, Josh Morse '14, and Jessica Savalla gave brief speeches. We had a very good turnout of both parents and members, with around 90 in attendance. The house was very clean and in good condition, and I'm pretty confident that the parents got the positive impression of SigEp that we were trying to make." –Alex Nelson '15, Vice President of Programming "It was a very classy affair. Alex Nelson '15 deserves much credit for arranging excellent food among other things. Tables filled the backyard and were well filled with brothers and parents. Josh Morse '14 gave his passionate SigEp testimonial and I got to meet his dad, who I really wanted to give a big hug. He claimed that all he did was give the kid a home to do his own growing from. Joe Dendy '70 was there and Brian Odell '65 seemed to have a good time. He told many people that he had not been to the house for 40 years and liked what he saw. This event is a very positive connection for parents and they were impressed. The living room looks good and the guys really like it. Damn proud of all of us." –Bob Gibbs '63 "The guys have been absolutely fabulous and are extremely welcoming. I talked to a new member's parents for some time. They were pleased to know that the alumni and Christine and I are there for the members. Apparently their son was offered full scholarships at some other schools, and he also was supposed to play lacrosse here at SDSU. However, he chose SDSU for the business program and SigEp. His parents were worried that his academics would falter but were excited to hear that the guys have mentors. Their son was a scholarship recipient at last Monday's Balanced Leader Scholarship Banquet event." –Jessica Savalla, Faculty Fellow Brother Maintains Fraternal Bonds Kevin Kwoka '11 Encourages Alumni Involvement A fter his first year of college, Kevin Kwoka '11 knew he wanted to be a part of something more. He hadn't heard a lot about the Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter on campus and thought that meant they had been doing something right. When Kevin met with the California Delta brothers he knew the chapter was unique. "The more brothers I met, the more I realized they had their heads on straight and were campus leaders. I knew they could make me better," he said. After graduation, Kevin worked for SigEp as a regional director with 20 chapters throughout the Southeast. Today, he works for Orion Energy Systems as the midwest regional sales manager, selling energy-efficient lighting solutions to large commercial and manufacturing facilities, as well as large office buildings. Kevin credits the fraternity for his current position because he was recruited from his regional director job. "The CEO of our company is a SigEp. He believes in the training I've had and the leadership, problem solving, and public speaking skills that the fraternity provided me with. He was willing to take a chance on me because of that." Kevin stays connected with California Delta as much as possible. He is a member of the Alumni Volunteer Corporation and is working to reconnect young alumni with the fraternity, spending time every month to ensure the tradition of excellence carries on. Kevin also stays connected with many of his brothers. "I'm in two different SigEp fantasy football leagues. I've been in Chicago for a year and have had several brothers come through town and hang out. There's quite a few that I talk to on a regular basis, some daily." He encourages brothers that have lost touch to reconnect with the chapter, reminding them that it is never too late to get back involved or to rekindle relationships. "It just picks up right where you left off. It's a good time to be a part of the fraternity; there's a lot of good things going on," he said. Kevin lives in Chicago but travels throughout the midwest for work. In his free time he enjoys social sports like kickball and dodge ball, as well as exploring the city and "walking to Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs lose." If you would like information on how to get involved as a mentor, you can contact him by e-mail at azteckwoka@gmail.com.

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