As the fall term gets underway, now is an opportunity for you to begin considering a simple question: Why?
- Why did you join Sigma Nu?
- Why does your Fraternity invest in the growth and development of its members?
- Why do thousands of alumni stay engaged and involved in Sigma Nu?
- What is your personal “why”?
At some level, every brother of Sigma Nu – from the Founders to you – was invited to join because of a desire for camaraderie and connection to others with whom common principles are shared. That is a powerful reason to make a lifetime commitment. The upcoming year is a tremendous opportunity for you to further understand who you are, why you are here, and the value your Sigma Nu experience may have to your future.
LEAD Phase II: The Life of Love is a tremendous springboard to answering these questions of “why.” To fully understand why you do the things you do, you first must understand who you are – your values, your strengths, your weaknesses, and all the intricacies that makeup you. Two sessions in Phase II that focus on understanding who you are:
Personality Types
Living Our Values
Talk to your chapter's LEAD Chairman about organizing these sessions this semester, if they are not already planned.
Another valuable resource is Simon Sinek’s popular TED Talk, in which he explains how impactful discovering your why can be.
Brotherhood Impact
Part of discovering your “why” is gaining an understanding of how you impact, strengthen, and serve your brothers. Or, put another way, where you fit in the greater Sigma Nu brotherhood. Brotherhood is a key, albeit implicit, part in the mission of Sigma Nu, but is aptly described in The Way of Honor:
“And there is another reason why Sigma Nu appeals especially to the mature. Only the mature can afford sentiment, and Sigma Nu is for those who care about others, their Brothers. It goes beyond family and friends to encompass regard for, and loyalty to, an even larger slice of mankind. This in turn opens the door to understanding the ideal toward which the world gropes, a true Brotherhood among all men.”
Imagine the direct impact that our Sigma Nu brotherhood can have on the global community if we fulfill this “reason why” described above. Thankfully, we do not have to imagine it. We see examples of this impact every day in our brothers:
- In the generosity of Sigma Nu alumni, with their time, talent, and treasure, not just to the Fraternity, but to their families, their professions, and their communities.
- In our collegiate brothers who commit to the growth and development of themselves and their chapters.
- In the bonds of fraternal friendship that last well beyond years spent in school together.
It is in this context that we find the value of the various experiences and opportunities offered in the Fraternity. These opportunities, like the following, are right at your fingertips.
To further aid in the deeper discovery of who you are, and how best to serve your brothers, look to Sigma Nu’s vision: “Excelling with Honor.” It is a statement that gives all brothers a framework through which to consider the choices we make and the behaviors we employ. Throughout your Sigma Nu journey, take time to consider how you will excel with honor, every day.
Ultimately, understanding who you are – your “why” – will be a critical factor in your future success.
Take advantage of every opportunity that will further your understanding and set you up for success.
Not Just a College Thing
Eventually, your collegiate career in Sigma Nu will come to an end, and when it does the path of your fraternal journey will become a climb. Why climb? Because once you are out of school, the sheer number of other things demanding your attention will increase exponentially.
Right now, you are probably busier than at any other point in your life. Classes; a part-time job; managing and nurturing relationships with friends, family, professors, a significant other; and Sigma Nu all demand your time and attention. They also create some level of stress. When you leave school, some of these will change.
Take a moment to consider the things that demand your daily time and attention. Which are most likely to stop being daily occurrences after you leave school? Classes and Sigma Nu, most likely, because some combination of the following will take their place:
- New job/Work
- Graduate school
- Paying bills
- Managing and reducing debt
- Starting a family
- Purchasing a home
- Retirement planning
This list is not comprehensive by any measure, but the point should be obvious – as an alumnus, you do not “live” fraternity every day. Does that mean that Sigma Nu is just a college thing? Absolutely not. In fact, just the opposite is true. Sigma Nu is a lifelong commitment. As an alumnus, your commitment will be reflected in the initiative you take to stay connected and engaged.
Your Why Has Impact
Whether you realize it or not you are undergoing a transformation. Part of this transformation would occur if you had joined Sigma Nu or not – that part is called growing up or life experience. There is another part of the transformation that accelerates your life experience and opens doors that may have otherwise remained closed – that part is your Sigma Nu experience. Put another way, your Sigma Nu experience can better prepare you for what lies ahead, and the value of that preparation – along with how to live each day by Love, Honor, and Truth – is why alumni stay connected and engaged with the Fraternity.
Love, Honor, Truth: These founding principles create a supportive environment of brotherhood.
Environment of Supportive Brothers: That environment empowers brothers to dig deeper into understanding who they are.
My WHY - Individually and Collectively: That understanding reveals how they can impact their community.
How I Impact My Community: That impact creates a desire to perpetuate the cycle.
The Next Generation: How you, as an alumnus, will continue this cycle will be up to you. Some brothers take a more passive approach while others are significantly active.
Your fraternity is an organization built on the strength and dedication of all its members, past and present. By taking an active role – both now and later, as an alumnus – you will have the opportunity to add to the continuing cycle of growth and development that has built Sigma Nu from three men at Virginia Military Institute to an international leader among Greek-letter organizations.
Take your next steps today.