Sigma Phi Epsilon - Auburn University

Generally A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI OF ALABAMA ALPHA t SIGMA PHI EPSILON t SUMMER 2015 SPEaking Inside: Letters to Our Brothers t 2 Undergraduates and Alumni Shape the Future t 3 Alumni Update t 4 G reetings from the Plains! One of the benefits of living in Auburn is watching the construction take place on and near campus. If you have not already heard, the intersection at Samford and Magnolia is under construction for the duration of the summer in preparation for fall. Once finished, the changes will allow for a more pedestrian-friendly area and increase the iconic value of Toomer's Corner. A rendering is available at www.auburn.edu. I hope you and your families will plan a trip to Auburn during football season to see these upgrades and, more excitingly, experience the new, largest-in-the-country digital media screen in the stadium. Just this week, I drove past the screen's newly erected steel support structure and felt a sense of excitement for all these incredible changes. Change is a prominent theme as I write this article. As you know, fraternal organizations across the country—not just SigEp—are assessing their chapters in an effort to determine how to structure their programs in a way that offers its members the most developmental experiences possible. Recent events involving fraternal organizations and chapters have unfortunately brought negative national attention to the quality of fraternal programs and how they support individual and leadership development. While these incidents are in no way connected to Alabama Alpha, they do warrant conversations about fraternity policies and practices and how they support core organizational values. In recent weeks, members of our Chapter have engaged in lengthy discussions with John "Doc" Cottier '62, the alumni board, and most importantly, the brothers, to assess where we are as a Chapter and where we have capacity to improve. The outcome of those discussions is the decision to implement the Balanced Man Program (BMP) within Alabama Alpha. Doing so offers our brothers a comprehensive program that focuses on scholarship, leadership, and life skills that complement their academic experience. I applaud the undergraduate brothers for having the vision to move Alabama Alpha into a new era while keeping the traditions and values that we all have come to know and love alive. With change comes challenges and concerns. There is concern that we will lose our identity as a Chapter when we convert to the Balanced Man Program. I will be the first to tell you that if we stay together as a Chapter, we will, as brother Devaughn Pettit '99 put it, "Adapt, overcome, and roll with the punches." Alabama Alpha's identity is strong because of every brothers' contribution over the years. The BMP will provide a framework for development and we, as a Chapter, will be able to customize the BMP challenge programs to maintain our identity as Alabama Alpha. I challenge each of you to get in touch with some of your brothers who you haven't seen or been in contact with over the past few years. Share stories about what has changed in your life and your families' lives. The bonds of brotherhood last a lifetime and nothing will change that. I wish all of you well and War Eagle! HFF, P. Bryan Huff '00 Alabama Alpha Alumni Board President pbryanhuff@gmail.com Balanced Man PrograM Preserves TradiTion, Provides scholarshiP and leadershiP changes Bonds of Brotherhood Last a Lifetime Doc Leadership Award Developed for Alabama Alpha Members A n award for leadership in our fraternity was envisioned by George J. "John" Cottier '29 around the time of his death. In the late 1990s when I assumed duties of faculty advisor for the fraternity I started this award. The original plaque was redone and 22 brothers have been recog- nized from 2000 to 2014. The award generally hangs on the wall of the doc room, but has been removed and will likely move to the University archives. The top of the plaque states, "Let all men know of my fraternity and let all men know that I was a part of it all." Generally, individuals selected have made significant contributions to not only Alabama Alpha, but also to the University and our outreach activities. Last spring, three individuals were selected. Included was Blake Brookshire '15, who was our philanthropy chairman and in charge of our KARMA mentoring program. Another selected individual was Tanner Scott '15. Tanner was an excellent chaplain for Alabama Alpha and instigated many useful programs to the Chapter and was also very active in Youth Life Ministry in the Auburn school system. Letters from Blake and Tanner can be found on page 2. The last identified individual for this award was Creighton Titus '16. Creighton has taken major leadership roles since his days as a pledge, has served as pledge trainer, and is pres- ently vice president of programing. HFF, John "Doc" Cottier '62

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