What an appropriate topic for the 50th blog post.
This weekend I attended my fraternity's leadership training workshop as a facilitator. It was my 5th time attending since 2009, and it has been the most rewarding and one of the most memorable.- 2009 (UNC Chapel Hill)- Colony
- 2011 (UNC Chapel Hill)- Intern / Consuls
- 2012 (Purdue) - Alumni Track
- 2013 (Purdue) - Alumni - Facilitation Training
- 2014 (Ball State) - Facilitator - Theta Theta Chapter, University of Michigan / Consuls
- 2015 (Bowling Green State)- Facilitator - Kappa Chapter, Bucknell University / CrossRoads Training
2009 at Chapel Hill is where it all began when we were a colony (awaiting to be installed as an official Chapter of the fraternity). It was this experience that opened my eyes and my heart to this fraternity when I saw the magnitude of it all. I had realized Sigma Chi is not just our group at Bryant University, but so much more. It spans across the US and Canada. It was clear to see then that these guys were connected by a common bond.
In 2010 we were installed as a Chapter, but I could not attend that year as I was abroad for the summer. Part of my being away that summer was a Sigma Chi workshop called Horizons, an all expenses paid leadership workshop that takes the elite of the younger undergrads (you must be going into your sophomore or junior year) to Snowbird, Utah.. That was another experience that opened my eyes to how great this fraternity is. I grew so much during my experience at Horizons, and on top of that created bonds that have lasted since. Some of the guys in my small group I connect with on a bi weekly to monthly basis. Meanwhile other guys from other small groups I have the same bond with. One brother I didn't spend much time with there was up in Boston earlier this year, and he had contacted me before his trip from DC remembering I am from here, we met for drinks and went out, it is like no time had passed and we may as well have been from the same Chapter.
2011 BLTW was back at Chapel Hill in UNC, a familiar place for us. During this year, I was an intern at Sigma Chi headquarters over the summer, and saw all the inner workings of what goes into this workshop. The staff does not get enough credit for what they do. So while there aside from doing the intern duties, I was allowed to go to the Consul sessions during my free time as I was Consul (president) of my Chapter at the time. However, the most memorable part of this experience was walking down to 'He's Not Here' (one of the bars we would go to), and seeing brothers from my Chapter who had just graduated waiting there for us on the balcony of the bar. They had decided last minute to road trip down. Walking up to the bar and seeing them all waiting there is something I'll never forget.
2012 & 2013 at Purdue were also good experiences. These were the last years I'd get more enjoyment out of thee experience with undergraduate brothers from my own Chapter, as I had only just graduated so still had a strong connection with those who attended from Bryant. On top of that I connected with many brothers from Horizons during these years during the workshop. They are also the years that pulled me in to continue attending BLTW as an alumni, to facilitate.
Last year, 2014, at Ball State was my first year as a facilitator. I was there with a couple alumni brothers from my Chapter who were doing the same thing. During this time I facilitated the Theta Theta Chapter from University of Michigan, along with co-facilitated the Consuls division. In the Consul division you could see how diverse each Chapter really was, and as diverse as they were, some were dealing with the same issues. What I really enjoyed from this year that was different than prior years, was the pairing of a Chapter with a facilitator, something they only did with the colonies before. During this time, I was able to connect with the Chapter and help them arrive to their own solutions rather than give them the answers. It was one of the most rewarding experiences having them say 'thank you' and 'we appreciate everything you've done'.
This year at Bowling Green State was definitely one of the best and most rewarding experiences at BLTW. What's funny is I spent little to no time with brothers from my Chapter (as I am even further removed from school now), but I am beyond proud of them for upholding the Peterson Award for 5 consecutive years! What is so great about this experience is that over the years you continue to build relationships there, and when you go back it is great to reconnect, along with make new connections. I met a couple brothers and the 4 of us connected right away and were almost inseparable during our time there. One of them was the installed Consul from Bentley who I had worked with in prior years. After sessions we would meet up and go out with brothers I had connected with in years prior - even through undergrad. I felt while I was there that I was happier than I had been in a long time; I was just in an all around better mood. Not sure what exactly it was, but being around this group of people allows you to just be yourself and you get to get to know each other as people, as brothers. Something that I realized this year while I was there was that the alumni brothers that attend, that go back year after year - well, they're just like me. They care just as much about this fraternity and believe in it just as much as I do. Then it hit me that I will be seeing this group of guys, or guys very similar to myself each time I go back. The brothers that attend this workshop, yes most are undergrad; but many are alumni brothers (this year we had 244+) that range from 22 years old and just graduated to 75+ years old and still involved or even starting to get involved again. It's a great thing to see that you can connect with there guys no matter what your age, how long you have been involved, where you are from; because you are brothers all bounded by that similar experience and the same values.
What was different this year than last year, was because I signed on late, I was put in CrossRoads Facilitation Training. Now, I support this program 110%. It's not your typical drug and alcohol program where someone goes in speaks on the dangers of drugs and alcohol and 'oh this is bad don't do it' and leaves. This program gives the opportunity to have an open and honest discussion with the undergrads on these topics and more, rather than the way I see it - other programs are basically turning a blind eye the issue. Not only is it about drugs and alcohol other topics such as suicide, or sexual misconduct may be addressed. The latter is very important in today's day and age as no one really has any experience approaching this issue, while we've had these drug and alcohol programs rammed down our throats since high school. One of the key components of this program is not only you having open discussion with them, but teaching them how to have those difficult conversations with their brothers, a tool which they will carry throughout life.
While I wasn't in that training session I was working with an undergrad Chapter. This year I worked with the Kappa Chapter from Bucknell, and we really enjoyed our time together. They are going back to school feeling fulfilled and excited to introduce new ideas and things that we had talked about. I also ran into one of the brothers from University of Michigan that I worked with last year. He gave me feedback saying that he didn't realize till just now everything we had done, and that going back to school they were able to implement what they wanted because of an exercise that we did. I had asked him before that if the exercise helped, if they had liked it because I was contemplating doing it again with the Kappa group this year. He said it was the single most memorable and helpful thing that they did, and to definitely continue using it. So I did it this year again with my group and upon leaving. They said that one exercise on top of everything else will really help them when they get back to the Chapter to address problems, especially those that have to do with apathy. What the exercise was, was basically an icebreaker to having a potentially difficult conversation, or addressing even the smallest of problems. Upon leaving they said that they had thought Balfour was going to be boring because it is what they had heard from the other brothers in their Chapter. They told me that they enjoyed their time with me, learned a lot, honestly had a lot of fun while doing it - and that I, as their facilitator made their experience a very positive one, and that others can't wait to come back next summer. Hearing that on the last day is the most rewarding thing of the entire experience, and what makes me look forward to going back again next year; knowing that I am having some sort of an impact on these young brothers.
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| UNC 2011 |
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| Purdue |
Last year, 2014, at Ball State was my first year as a facilitator. I was there with a couple alumni brothers from my Chapter who were doing the same thing. During this time I facilitated the Theta Theta Chapter from University of Michigan, along with co-facilitated the Consuls division. In the Consul division you could see how diverse each Chapter really was, and as diverse as they were, some were dealing with the same issues. What I really enjoyed from this year that was different than prior years, was the pairing of a Chapter with a facilitator, something they only did with the colonies before. During this time, I was able to connect with the Chapter and help them arrive to their own solutions rather than give them the answers. It was one of the most rewarding experiences having them say 'thank you' and 'we appreciate everything you've done'.
This year at Bowling Green State was definitely one of the best and most rewarding experiences at BLTW. What's funny is I spent little to no time with brothers from my Chapter (as I am even further removed from school now), but I am beyond proud of them for upholding the Peterson Award for 5 consecutive years! What is so great about this experience is that over the years you continue to build relationships there, and when you go back it is great to reconnect, along with make new connections. I met a couple brothers and the 4 of us connected right away and were almost inseparable during our time there. One of them was the installed Consul from Bentley who I had worked with in prior years. After sessions we would meet up and go out with brothers I had connected with in years prior - even through undergrad. I felt while I was there that I was happier than I had been in a long time; I was just in an all around better mood. Not sure what exactly it was, but being around this group of people allows you to just be yourself and you get to get to know each other as people, as brothers. Something that I realized this year while I was there was that the alumni brothers that attend, that go back year after year - well, they're just like me. They care just as much about this fraternity and believe in it just as much as I do. Then it hit me that I will be seeing this group of guys, or guys very similar to myself each time I go back. The brothers that attend this workshop, yes most are undergrad; but many are alumni brothers (this year we had 244+) that range from 22 years old and just graduated to 75+ years old and still involved or even starting to get involved again. It's a great thing to see that you can connect with there guys no matter what your age, how long you have been involved, where you are from; because you are brothers all bounded by that similar experience and the same values.
While I wasn't in that training session I was working with an undergrad Chapter. This year I worked with the Kappa Chapter from Bucknell, and we really enjoyed our time together. They are going back to school feeling fulfilled and excited to introduce new ideas and things that we had talked about. I also ran into one of the brothers from University of Michigan that I worked with last year. He gave me feedback saying that he didn't realize till just now everything we had done, and that going back to school they were able to implement what they wanted because of an exercise that we did. I had asked him before that if the exercise helped, if they had liked it because I was contemplating doing it again with the Kappa group this year. He said it was the single most memorable and helpful thing that they did, and to definitely continue using it. So I did it this year again with my group and upon leaving. They said that one exercise on top of everything else will really help them when they get back to the Chapter to address problems, especially those that have to do with apathy. What the exercise was, was basically an icebreaker to having a potentially difficult conversation, or addressing even the smallest of problems. Upon leaving they said that they had thought Balfour was going to be boring because it is what they had heard from the other brothers in their Chapter. They told me that they enjoyed their time with me, learned a lot, honestly had a lot of fun while doing it - and that I, as their facilitator made their experience a very positive one, and that others can't wait to come back next summer. Hearing that on the last day is the most rewarding thing of the entire experience, and what makes me look forward to going back again next year; knowing that I am having some sort of an impact on these young brothers.
