Sigma Phi Epsilon - Florida International University

the Florida nus page 2 Tommy Dueñas '03 Returns Home to FIU T ommy Dueñas '02 couldn't be more thrilled to be back home at FIU. His return comes after a seven-year professional baseball career with the Los Angeles Angels, Kansas City Royals, and Colorado Rockies. He was drafted out of FIU his junior year in 2002 after being named an All- American catcher. He was a part of the 2001 FIU Regional Championship team that was one series away from the College World Series in Omaha. After his pro career ended, he began a six-year coaching career at Miami Dade College (MDC). His success at MDC as a hitting and catching instructor helped lead them to the National Championship game in the NJCAA JUCO World Series in 2014. Many of the players he coached over the years have moved on to play professional baseball. He also received the honor of coaching for the USA National Team in 2014 as an assistant for the 15u team. Last August, he was blessed to receive the greatest opportunity to be home with FIU baseball as the director of external operations. "I have such an immense feeling of pride to be back at FIU where my roots are. I grew up in Miami, got to continue my baseball career here at FIU, and this is where I can reconnect with the community and my SigEp brothers." Tommy's dedication to SigEp runs deep. When he first went through recruitment, he created strong bonds with his brothers and received nothing but support from them. "When I went through recruitment, my brothers knew my love and passion for baseball and to one day play professionally. There was nothing but support from them. The brotherhood was there from the beginning and never faded." Since returning to FIU last fall, Tommy has been in touch with several of his SigEp brothers. He hopes that with his new position on campus, he can give back to the chapter anyway he can. "I want SigEp to continue a tradition of leadership and to see the continued brotherhood and relationships build through life. There's an amazing legacy there, and I want that to continue. At the end of the day, it's about the connection to each other and with the community. I want our undergraduates to maintain our great reputation and to wear our letters with pride." Tommy and his wife, Natalie, live in Miami, with their two children, Iggy and Valeria. His job often requires much of his time, but when he's not working, Tommy takes every opportunity to spend as much time with his family. If you'd like to reach out to him, you can contact Tommy at tduenas@fiu.edu. Red Door Classic Raises $40,000 for Charity T he second annual Red Door Classic exceeded all goals and expectations. Miami Shores Country Club hosted 117 golfers on February 24, and helped us raise just over $40,000 for three great charities: the Buoniconti Fund, FIU First Generation Scholarships, and FIU SigEp Scholarships. Each charity will receive one-third of the proceeds from the event. Players were treated to great golf with some twists that included a par-tee-hole with a heckling DJ, several contest holes, and even a par 4 hole that let you hit the green with an air gun. The event included SigEp alumni from FIU, University of Miami, Florida State University, Florida Atlantic University, Austin Peay University, University of Connecticut, and University of Rochester. We were also blessed to have some incredibly generous sponsors, starting with Mark Marandino and Associates, who was the presenting sponsor again this year. Mark your calendars for next year's event on March 2, 2018.

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