Sigma Phi Epsilon - Kansas State University

Sigma Phi EPSilon PAGE 2 A dam Griffin '07 earned a B.S. in hotel and restaurant management with a minor in business. Today he is the founder and CEO of Bodeefit, a health and fitness company with the goal of getting the world moving. He writes regularly on creating the best version of ourselves on his personal blog, adamgriff.in. His writing has been featured in Men's Fitness, Huffington Post, Lifehack, Inc. com, SELF Magazine, Greatist, and Under 30 CEO. Adam enjoyed reflecting on his time in Kansas Beta and the benefits of Greek life. Why did you join Sigma Phi Epsilon? I didn't go through traditional recruitment at KSU. I had actually joined a fraternity at KU and was planning on attending there the fall of my freshman year. A couple weeks before school started, I decided that going to college with most of my closest friends from high school wasn't the best idea, from a "branching out" perspective. So I headed down I-70 and reached out to a friend of mine from high school that was a SigEp at KSU. I asked if they had room in the pledge class. He said yes. And that was that. It all happened just a few days before classes began. What sense of pride did you gain as a Kansas Beta member? Obviously being a member of a fraternity has a similar camaraderie to being a part of a sports team. You bond. You want to win (intramurals, recruitment, etc.). You spend most waking hours together. That is one of the core benefits of the Greek system. You fill a fundamental human need of belonging to a group. Did you hold any offices in the Chapter as an undergraduate? I was social chair, recruitment chair, and president. All taught me innumerable and invaluable lessons on human interaction and leadership. What has been your favorite project that you have worked on since graduating? I've had several of them, and Bodeefit has by far been the most rewarding and successful. There's a major need in our hyper-connected world to simply get people moving. If we can get people off the couch or out of their office chair and into a quick but intense workout, that has massive impacts on their overall well-being. That's what inspired me to start Bodeefit in the first place. How, if at all, did being in Sigma Phi Epsilon impact your career path? It certainly affected my ability to lead and work with others. There is only so much you can learn in a book. SigEp gave me the opportunity to learn through trial by fire. I was able to walk away with years of experience that most people don't get to accumulate until their first few years post-college. You often write about being the best version of yourself. What advice would you offer to undergraduates to help them succeed in being their best self? College makes it very easy to be a poor version of yourself. There aren't many rules, and there's no one telling you what to do and what not to do. Savor the memories, the good times, and the bond between your brothers, but know that you carry with you everything that you do. Take those years and use them to your advantage, not to your detriment. Were there any alumni that had a positive impact on Chapter operations and your overall college experience? There were a lot. I was president during the transition from the old house to the new house, so my interaction with alumni was significant and they were the sole reason that we were able to make such big strides forward from a facilities standpoint. Looking back on your time in the Chapter House, what are your fondest memories? Pretty much my entire first semester being a new member. Never again in your life do you get so close with so many people in such a short amount of time. That, by nature, creates innumerable memories and sets the tone for the rest of your class' time at KSU. Have you stayed involved with the Chapter since graduating? Unfortunately, no. It's a little tough being in Colorado, but someday I will. I'd also love to get involved at the national level. Do you stay in touch with your brothers from the Kansas Beta Chapter? I keep in touch with a lot of them, and I'm always up-to-date on most of them through the other guys. We meet up whenever we can here in Denver or back in Kansas City. We had a quasi-reunion at one of the football games last year which was a blast. What would you say to alumni who may have lost touch with Kansas Beta and their pledge class? Send an e-mail. Make a call. It's an entire community of people that are there for you if you just keep in touch. Do you have any hobbies? Is there anything else you would like to add? My hobbies are fitness, startups, and anything that involves the mountains. I'd like to add that we only get one ride on the Ferris wheel. Make it one you're proud of. Adam Griffin '07 Encourages Members to Make the Most of Their Undergraduate Years T he names on our front porch signify the families, individuals, and even humor of our past. These bricks remind us all of so many that have been here, and even though we do not know them, when they visit, we know their names. Past presidents, alumni from other chapters, even wives and sisters have left their messages to us alongside proud Kansas Beta alumni. We would like to thank you for adding to our history; it is appreciated. If you have not stopped by, please do so. We always enjoy hearing about you. We have even started a notebook for you to come and write down your Kansas Beta memories, making them part of our written history. As we approach our 100th year, we encourage you to join our tradition. The Pathway to the Red Doors is just one of the ways we will celebrate our first 100 years. Our engraved brick program is for you, our alumni, so that you can become a part of our history. The pathway is installed on our porch, visible to all that enter every day. The project will be ongo- ing, and we hope to lay new bricks in June. Please contact Max Kuhn '18 at (785) 201-2694 to become part of history. A Walk through History Adam and his wife, Emily Otto, a KSU Pi Beta Phi, live in Denver, Colorado, where he is the head strength coach for a CrossFit gym, in addition to his work with Bodeefit and writing. You can get in touch with Adam at adamjgriffin@gmail.com.

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