Sigma Chi - Kansas State University

2 PrinciPles of sigma chi continue to guide tyler Pratt '77 I t was a unique journey that ultimately brought Tyler Pratt '77 into the folds of Sigma Chi. Beginning with recruitment before his freshman year, the men of Delta Upsilon stood out. Rush Chairman Brad Roberts visited Tyler's home in Eureka, Kansas, and an alumnus, Frank Garver '73, took him out water skiing with his family the summer before joining. "Brad Roberts made an incredible impression on the type of men currently in the fraternity and Frank was an exceptional man outside of college who made me feel that by joining Sigma Chi, maybe I could become like either of them. Both were absolutely wonderful to meet." As Tyler started his freshman year at K-State, the functions, fraternity duties, and the many distractions of life on a college campus began to take their toll. Though he had made almost straight A's since junior high, Tyler found himself in a difficult position when he didn't make the grades to be initiated with his pledge brothers in the spring of 1974. "I made a gut-wrenching decision that my studies and education took precedence over anything else and I dropped out of the house and moved into a dorm. During the next semester, my grades improved substantially, and while on campus I would run into my pledge brothers who had now become active. I have to say, I missed them and was envious. I really wanted to be an active member of Sigma Chi." "During the first semester of my sophomore year, I decided to see if I could rejoin the fraternity. I was accepted back to the chapter starting the second semester of my sophomore year. I was going through pledgeship all over again. I was initiated my junior year and walked on a cloud for weeks after the initiation." The experience was significant for Tyler and left a lasting impact on his life. "The men that founded Sigma Chi and their stories were imprinted in my thinking as the type of man I wanted to be, and there were a number of brothers at the chapter who I considered role models. I wear a Sigma Chi ring that reminds me of how I should act, how I should behave, and how I try to give back to others." Professionally, Tyler has owned an executive search firm since 2003 that serves health care companies all over the United States by recruiting for senior executive positions. Prior to this business, he worked for 15 years as the co-founder and principal of another national healthcare search firm with five offices across the country. He and his wife of 34 years, Dawn, live in Rockford, Illinois, and have three children: Audrey, Victor, and Nolan. Tyler can be reached at tyler@prattassoc.com. Hunter Yakle '17, Tate Lancaster '17, Ryder Chaffee '17, Nick Jones '17, and Kyle Romick '17 participate in last year's Homecoming 5k run. Delta Upsilon members earned first place in Gamma Phi Beta's kickball philanthropy, Kickin' it with Gamma Phi Beta. Delta Upsilon Chosen as Pilot Chapter for New Pledge Education Program T he Delta Upsilon Chapter of Sigma Chi has an exciting year ahead of us. To increase campus involvement, we are currently in the early stages of creating a fall philanthropy event. In addition to a new philanthropy, we are hoping to raise more than $8,000 in charitable contributions. Last year, we implemented GPA teams within the house and it was a huge success. Each member of the winning team was granted a $100 scholarship from the Mom's Club. The GPA teams gave brothers another incentive to strive for academic excellence and we expect that it will help raise the chapter's GPA. The biggest change Delta Upsilon will see this year is that our chapter was chosen to be a pilot chapter for the new pledge education program known as Preparation for Brotherhood. This program takes our new recruits through a different way of learning, including online material that will help to further educate them about Sigma Chi. We are expecting our new pledge class of 18 men to do great things for our chapter in both academics and intramurals. In Hoc, Nicholas D. Greco '17 Consul greco@ksu.edu Watch your mail for an opportunity to give this fall!

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