Sigma Phi Epsilon - University of Florida

Page 2 SigEp Gator Heart F riday, October 13 was not an unlucky day. It was on that day that Flor- ida Alpha held its annual Balanced Man Scholarship (BMS) banquet honoring some of the best and brightest young men at the University of Florida. The Florida Alpha recruitment team processed and interviewed every single one of the 184 scholarship applicants, narrowed the field down to 15 finalists, and actively recruited a number of these outstanding men to join our Chapter. The BMS has played a prominent role in the development of the UF SigEp Chapter, and more than 57% of the current brotherhood can trace their recruitment to the BMS in some fashion. This year, 15 incredible finalists were chosen to be considered for one of three grand prizes of a $1,000 scholarship. More than 100 brothers, alumni, representatives from the UF administra- tion, and their guests gathered at the Gainesville Golf and Country Club for a delicious catered buffet dinner. A highlight of the evening was the in- spiring keynote address by SigEp headquarters CEO, Brian Warren, who flew in for the event and to attend the Grand Opening of the new Florida Alpha Chapter House. The Balanced Man Program (BMP) struggled through the early years, but thanks to our own Bert Harris '74, who took action as Grand President, the program is on the road to success. In 2011, Brother Harris launched an effort to refocus support and resources to the BMP. He launched a focus group of undergraduates to identify the strengths, weaknesses, and op- portunities of the BMP. Next, the BMP task force was formed to rethink and reinvigorate the program. Harris' vision for the BMP changed the landscape for fraternities all across the country. Ever since, SigEp has made it the mission of the Fraternity to acknowledge and promote health and wellness of college males, both those in the Chapter and in the com- munity, through inspiring a dedication to the principles of Sound Mind and Sound Body. We interviewed more than 180 of the most qualified candidates based on their resume, and further evaluated them on the core criteria of achieve- ments and participation, success, and involvement at the University of Florida, their definitions and embodiment of SigEp's core principles of Sound Mind and Sound Body, and their philosophical outlook on life. Though we had many more accomplished applicants, these 15 finalists of- fered passionate and persuasive responses that differentiated them from the crowd. From 184 applicants, through a rigorous interview process, we arrived at three of the most balanced men, our remarkable winners. John Cerillo – After traveling to the Dominican Republic with a friend and witnessing the poverty there, John and his friend created a nonprofit organization called "A Smile for the Sole." They raised money to support their efforts by providing DJ services at school dances and birthday parties. Every dollar they made was put toward their mission to provide water and electricity to a small elementary school they visited on their trip. Bartholomew Gavana – He led a team of professionals—doctors and teachers from Cardiff University in the United Kingdom—to remote areas of Uganda where the local community uses traditional herbs for eye treat- ment. He was directly involved with training local people on the preven- tive measure of glaucoma. Impressively, Bartholomew is also a lifeguard, taught swimming, surfing, and kayaking, and was part of the soccer team that represented Uganda in the Netherlands. Even more, he has won math and chemistry competitions globally, and won bronze in the Cardiff mara- thon in 2012. Gerardo Hernandez – Gerardo taught fitness classes in Germany, despite not knowing how to speak the language as he gained experience overseas. He carried a translation dictionary with him to communicate. While in Eu- rope, he organized a project week with the collaboration of Serve the City Amsterdam, during which he helped renew a homeless shelter and decorat- ed the house of a refugee from Nigeria. At his high school in El Salvador, he was also captain of his soccer team and captained another team after his move to Germany. He is now involved in intramural sports at UF. Florida Alpha Educational Foundation Awards Another highlight of the BMS banquet was the recognition of five out- standing brothers who received scholarship awards from the Florida Alpha Educational Foundation (FAEF). Presented by Bert Harris, chairman of the FAEF, the scholarships are given each year to brothers who contributed significantly to the growth and fraternal spirit of SigEp at UF and have a need for financial assistance. (Continued on next page) Florida Alpha's Balanced Man Scholarship Banquet – Rewarding Excellence By John Hughes '20, Balanced Man Banquet Chairman Editor's Note: Sigma Phi Epsilon has taken re- cruitment to a whole new level. Florida Alpha alumni prior to 2012 remember the good old days where potential new members—high school graduates who would soon be freshmen at UF— would be invited to summer water ski parties or other events where brothers would "rush" them to "pledge" SigEp. Those days are gone forever. Today, Florida Alpha has joined more than 200 chapters nationwide who use the Balanced Man Scholarship (BMS) program to find men who embody the Fraternity's values and ideals. It is the single best recruitment tool in the fraternity world. When used effectively—and SigEp at UF uses it to near perfection—the BMS is the Chapter's most valuable asset in recruiting great students, strong leaders, and well-rounded new brothers. Offering three $1,000 scholarships, the BMS program attracts young men of Sound Mind and Sound Body, while rewarding them for espousing the ideals of the Fraternity. The University of Florida, as it does for all orga- nizations offering scholarships, gives the Chap- ter the names and contact information of all entering freshman men so they can be sent infor- mation about the scholarships. The application allows for unparalleled access to incoming or current students. The Chapter not only has infor- mation on each candidate, but also has the op- portunity to interview those candidates in their homes over the summer or on campus in the fall. The BMS attracts the best and brightest, and brothers can immediately add applicants to the Chapter's potential new member list. Each year, Florida Alpha holds an awards banquet at which the scholarships are presented. John Hughes '20, chairman of this year's Balanced Man Scholarship banquet, reports on the Friday, Oc- tober 13, 2017, event. – Al Alsobrook '60, Editor

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