Preparing for a Lifetime

• Personally: LEAD Phase II is a chance to dive further into the development and understanding of your own leadership knowledge, skills, abilities, and style. Serving on a committee provides a chance to practice and refine these skills and your leadership style. Engaging with The Ritual and taking time to reflect on its meaning to you permits a deeper insight to your core values and your place in Sigma Nu.

• Organizationally: You will learn more about the governance and operations of your chapter, and you may begin to develop an interest in holding an office/position. You will find your voice in chapter meetings and you need to provide your constructive opinions and thoughts for the betterment of the Chapter. 

• Professionally: Now is a great time for you to begin utilizing the vast network of Sigma Nu alumni who want to help you be successful. Take the time to identify the networking opportunities available to you and begin considering your professional future and career goals. 

There are a tremendous number of resources available to you. Some will be made available by, and through, your chapter. Others will require your own initiative. The General Fraternity also offers numerous resources to address your personal, organizational, and professional development needs. The choice is yours, but the next few months are a prime opportunity to start planning for what is next along your path.  

• LEAD – The Light of Truth (Phase II) – Do you know who you are as a leader? Do you understand the importance of vision and ownership of it? How does a leader make decisions and communicate those decisions to others? Do you know your principles and are you living up to them? These questions, and many more, can be answered if you choose to invest your time into discovering who you are, and who you could be, as a leader. 

• Officer Resource Pages – Whether or not your path includes holding an office in your chapter or not, it is incumbent upon all brothers to be familiar with the roles and responsibilities of the officers, because it is the brothers the officers serve. Everything an officer should need is likely included on their respective resource page. Whether your future role is to be a responsible brother who holds officers accountable to their responsibilities, or an officer who is accountable to your chapter brothers, knowing the officers’ responsibilities should not be ignored. 

• Pursuit of Excellence –The intent of this program is reflected in its title, Pursuit of Excellence. It is Sigma Nu’s assessment, standards, and improvement program and is designed to be a year-round process of planning, evaluation and improvement. Through planning and evaluation, the Pursuit of Excellence provides collegiate chapters with direction to improve and provide a fraternal experience that works towards fulfilling the Fraternity’s mission. 

• Strategic Plan of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc. – Sigma Nu is a brotherhood where the members set the direction and leadership of the Fraternity. That direction is evidenced in the Fraternity’s strategic plan. As a Sigma Nu, not only should you know, you need to know, how your Fraternity is working to fulfill its mission. 

• Sigma Nu Mentor Network – In a 2013 study, 82% of Sigma Nu’s collegiate brothers believed their membership would have an influence in preparing them to start their career. Whether or not you held a similar belief when joining Sigma Nu, the reality is that Sigma Nu can help influence your professional preparation. The Sigma Nu Mentor Network is an on-demand mentoring platform that offers you global access to the professional knowledge and career experience of our alumni advisors who have been where you want to go. 

• Sigma Nu’s LinkedIn Group – With more than 10,000 brothers in the group, joining Sigma Nu’s LinkedIn group is a wonderful introduction to the vast network of the Fraternity. This group is a closed/unlisted group; therefore, you will need to request to join and be verified by a group administrator. 

Just as your Sigma Nu membership is for life, the opportunities for you to grow and develop will continue to present themselves for the rest of your days. The opportunities above are just a few of the chances for you to take an intentional step forward, on your own, to prepare yourself for the days, months, years, and the lifetime that follow.