Sigma Pi earns house back, moves in fall 2010

An e-mail to each of the members of the Sigma Pi fraternity early last summer announced the chapter lost its house on campus.

What followed was a semester of reconstruction.

The brothers will move back into their house on the North Jordan extension in fall 2010.

Alumni and national representatives visited the chapter, reeducated members on fraternal values, placed an emphasis on academics and redefined how executive members would lead.

“The toughest part was back in the fall, before everyone came to visit, keeping people’s spirits up,” Sigma Pi president and junior Will Mason said. “A lot of people thought nothing was going to happen, nothing good was going to come of it or nothing was going to be put back together.”

This weekend marked Sigma Pi’s Founders Day, and the men celebrated by travelling to Indianapolis and meeting with leaders in Sigma Pi and higher education leaders.

Mason said the celebrating continues as members remain in close contact with the national organization.

In addition, 21 new members just pledged Sigma Pi, and the men said they are excited for the Beta chapter’s progress. 

“The executive office, working in tandem with Beta alumni, went through a trusteeship with the new members,” said Sigma Pi Fraternity, International Executive Director Mark Briscoe. “We’re very proud of the young men in the chapter and of their accomplishments.”

Mason explained that the process is “starting over” and identified a “core group” of members, whom he said were determined to get back on campus.

“We had all gotten to the point where we were involved in the house. None of us wanted to go elsewhere,” said sophomore Vance Johnston, who now oversees risk management and alumni relations.

Both Mason and Johnston said the most challenging part of living off-campus was being separated from each other. Without a central location, they said it was difficult to hold chapter meetings, organize events or get to know each other.

“It was hard to find one area where everybody could live,” Mason said. “From what I’ve seen, people sacrificed their time and energy to make sure everything for the house works.”