During the fraternity convention in New Orleans, my chapter at Delta Beta garnered some amazing accolades. You may not understand the meaning of some of these awards if you’re not a member of Sigma Pi Fraternity.
- 11 of only 30 All-Sigma Pi Collegiate Honors were handed to Delta Beta brothers
- I was asked to serve on the prestigious Nominating Committee to help select the new Grand Council for Sigma Pi Fraternity
- Delta Beta was awarded the Best ACE Project in the nation (will be featured in a separate spread in the Emerald)
- Delta Beta met and far exceeded their pledge and initiate goals for the last biennium, receiving awards for each
- Paul Salvesen served on the Philanthropy Committee and helped change Sigma Pi’s international philanthropy
- The Gold Standard submitted in May garnered one of the highest scores in the nation at 96%
- Brother Brett Stevens was awarded the Frank E. Gray Scholarship for helping grow and develop Sigma Pi chapters
- Delta Beta was 1 of only 2 chapters in the nation that received the Beyer-Fryburg Perfect Efficiency Award
- Our Province Archon received the Most Outstanding Province Archon Award
- I was humbled to win the Most Outstanding Chapter Director Award again and to be named the new Province Archon for New Jersey (will receive a separate spread in a future Emerald)
- Our brothers received the Grand Chapter Award for being a Top 25 Chapter nationwide
- Our brothers received the Grand Council Award for being a Top 12 Chapter nationwide
- And at the Grand Banquet, Delta Beta received the Grand Sage’s Cup for being the #1 chapter in the nation
This night was a night many, many years in the making. So many of us worked so hard for so long to achieve the accolades listed above that it literally breaks me up every time I even think about it.
In the face of ridicule from the general public for being a fraternity, disrespect from Monmouth University (remember, a 4-person sorority was named their chapter of the year), mocking from older members of this chapter who were and still are aggravated that we took away their drinking club and made it into our fraternity, and general disbelief in success by undergrads who were are are constantly concerned about a superficial image – we did it. We succeeded.
To all of those on the outside who said it couldn’t be done, I say we win. To all of those on the inside who actively fought against success, I pity you but will not return the same ridicule back to you. This is the culmination of a dream that a small group of men in this chapter had many years ago. And now, that dream has come true.
Thank you to everyone who worked towards it and congratulations to all of them who received these honors.
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