Fall Rush Schedule - TBD

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Fraternity?

A fraternity is a group of men who believe and live by the same set of values, and who foster a close friendship through those values. These values bind together not only the current chapter members, but members and alumni throughout the country. Fraternity men incorporate these values in all aspects of their lives, never letting go of those beliefs. Sigma Phi Epsilon's values are Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love.


What is a Bid?

A bid is an invitation for membership into a fraternity. A bid indicates that the brothers of the fraternity believe that you will make an excellent addition to the brotherhood. Bids are not given out lightly as each person is carefully discussed and considered before being invited into any fraternity. By signing your bid, you declare that you wish to become a member of SigEp with all the opportunities and expectations therein. 


Why should I rush SigEp? 

Sigma Phi Epsilon is the largest fraternity in the United States. SigEp at the University of Maryland promotes principles that are essential to success in college, relationships, and life.  Sigma Phi Epsilon is about finding and developing the Balanced Man; a leader, an athlete, a scholar, and a gentleman. We're dedicated to building and developing lasting friendships and memories, promoting leadership skills, and having fun.


Why does Sigma Phi Epsilon pride itself on being different?

SigEp prides itself on being different because that difference has helped us come to lead the fraternity world and recruit the best men on college campuses across the country. SigEps refuse to be stereotyped as "frat boys," living in an "animal house." Sigma Phi Epsilon is dedicated to the idea that a fraternity is much more than a social organization; it is an institution of higher learning dedicated to social, academic, and athletic excellence that will allow its men to live their best lives.

What is the Balanced Man Program?

The Balanced Man Program is a four year membership development program that SigEp's begin the day they join the chapter and continue in until they graduate college. The program eliminates fraternity pledging and the many problems that accompany it and replaces it with a system that fosters individual members to develop the skills needed to succeed in the fraternity, in college and in life. 

The program is broken into four challenges; Sigma, Phi, Epsilon and Brother Mentor. Each stage shares several things in common including goal setting, mentoring from an older brother or alumni and experiential learning. Each stage begins and ends with a fraternity ritual where members learn the secrets of the fraternity and the meaning of fraternity symbols. 

A new member begins as a Sigma and becomes acclimated to the fraternity. Sigmas work with their Sigma Class and Sigma Mentors to learn the history, traditions and offerings of the fraternity as well as focus on time management and creating bonds of brotherhood within the chapter.

A member moves onto the Phi Challenge after completing their Sigma requirements in the semester they join. The Phi Challenge focuses on leadership, social excellence and excelling in college. Members in the Phi Challenge are required to serve on a committee in the fraternity, complete a community service event, join another campus group and learn skills of etiquette and college networking. Members complete the Phi Challenge after about one year and then move onto the Epsilon Challenge.

The Epsilon Challenge focuses on older members of the chapter giving them opportunities to excel in the fraternity and on campus. Epsilons are challenged to take on leadership roles on campus and in the fraternity as well as learn skills that will help them in the future such as resume writing, speaking, art appreciation, professional networking and how to find a good internship.

The Brother Mentor Challenge is the final step for undergraduates in Sigma Phi Epsilon. This challenge promotes skills for after graduation such as how to negotiate your starting salary, picking out an engagement ring and lessons on credit and investing. 


What is the Leadership Continuum?

Sigma Phi Epsilon's Leadership Continuum is a balance of self-development and team leadership skills training composed in four programs: EDGE, the Carlson Leadership Academy, the Ruck Leadership Institute, and the Tragos Quest to Greece. Through self-discovery, analysis, and interaction, brothers participating in the continuum develop skills necessary to lead balanced lives and to continue leading the fraternity world.


What is rolling recruitment?

SigEp is looking for the best (read: social, talented, athletic, outgoing, intelligent, ambitious and balanced) men on campus to become our brothers. Accordingly, we have a system of year round recruitment that allows a new member to join at any time, not just during rush week. This means we are meeting the best potential brothers all year round and helps ensure we continue to be a leading fraternity at the University of Maryland.


What kind of community service and philanthropy does SigEp do?

We pride ourselves on doing a lot of service, both for the Maryland community and beyond. In addition to our philanthropic efforts benefitting the University of Maryland Medical Center's new wing, each year, we plan a service trip to help communities in need.

Last year, for Spring Break, a group of ten brothers travelled down to Clemson, SC to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity. Years prior, we have also led week-long trips to New Orleans to help rebuild houses that have still not been repaired after Hurricane Katrina. Additionally, for two years ago, during January, we sent brothers to support the Sandy relief effort on the Jersey Shore. The fraternity also participates in service events like Adopt-A-Highway, making sandwiches for the homeless in D.C., and teaching junior achievement classes to local school children.

The fraternity also participates in a number of philanthropy events. 

Our brothers are raising money for a new wing to be built at the University of Maryland Medical Center's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With only 40 beds available in the center currently, babies often have to share rooms, posing a problem if infection is a factor. In response to this, we have made a pledge that by 2018 we will raise $25,000 towards a new wing for the NICU. This wing will provide more rooms, allowing for individual placement for the infants as well as a more effective waiting/overnight area for the parents. 

For this cause, we have developed two exceptional philanthropy events: our Car Smash in the fall, and Powderpuff Tournament in the spring. 

In 2014, our first annual BIG10 Car Smash was a huge success. In conjunction with the Maryland Athletics Department, we hosted the car smash and raised about one thousand dollars for NICU. Only in its first year, the event holds a lot of potential due to the buzz the event created about campus as the UMD Men's Basketball team participated. Additionally, ESPN covered the official "Big10 Game Week Event," and a few seconds of the event was nationally televised.

In the spring, our annual Powderpuff Tournament remains a very well executed event. Sororities on campus enter teams into a bracketed-style football tournament to raise money for charity. In its third year this past spring, the tournament had every sorority on campus participate and raised thousands of dollars for NICU. On top of all of our own efforts, SigEp also cosponsors and participates in numerous other Greek philanthropy and service events throughout the year.


What is Sigma Phi Epsilon's stance on hazing?

There is no place for hazing in SigEp or the Balanced Man Program. A key tenant of the Balanced Man Program is that all brothers have equal weight and value in the chapter and hazing goes against our cardinal principles. Accordingly, every member from Sigma to Brother Mentor receives the same rights, responsibilities and privileges as every other member. In short, the first day a man signs their bid for membership they are allowed to vote in chapter meeting, participate in all chapter activities, have access to the chapter house and consider themselves a SigEp.


What is Sigma Phi Epsilon's perspective on alcohol & alcohol abuse?

Sigma Phi Epsilon goes to great lengths to educate its members on alcohol and its effects. Through national, university and chapter programming, Sigma Phi Epsilon helps its members understand the consequences of one's choices when alcohol is involved. SigEp also promotes risk management guidelines to help chapters and members make smart decisions when it comes to alcohol. SigEp at UMD has numerous alcohol-free social events and many brothers who do not drink.


I don't like paying for my friends. 

Sigma Phi Epsilon does not like paying for their friends either. SigEp is not just a group of friends; Sigma Phi Epsilon is a brotherhood and a family. Membership dues allow SigEp to hold a wide range of social events, intramurals and brotherhood programs. These events are chosen and planned by the brotherhood to ensure money is well spent. Any SigEp brother would agree that the benefits they receive from the brotherhood greatly outweigh the cost of dues. A short list of programs the chapter puts on that dues go towards include:
  • - Socials with Sororities
  • - Brotherhood camping trips
  • - Winter and Spring Formals
  • - Dated Events
  • - Participating in Greek Week and Homecoming
  • - Annual Fall Luau Party
  • - Travel around the country for National Fraternity events and our annual service trip to New Orleans
  • - Networking and academic programming

I'm concerned about my grades; will joining a fraternity hurt my GPA?

Becoming a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon is actually likely to help your grades. Sigma Phi Epsilon's average GPA has been considerably higher than the all-men's average at UMD for years. Additionally, we have consistently ranked in the top 3 for grades amongst all fraternities.

The fraternity opens new members up to a network of older brothers who often have taken the same classes and can give valuable academic advice. The chapter house also provides an excellent place to study on week nights and during midterms and finals. Additionally, any brother whose GPA drops below a 3.0 is required to complete study hours which are tracked by the chapter to encourage better grades. 

It is also important to remember that your grades are ultimately your own responsibility and every SigEp must balance the fraternity, school, work and fun in their years of college in order to be successful. The fraternity is often very helpful to member's grades though and, not surprisingly, the average GPA of a brother in Sigma Phi Epsilon increases after joining.


How much are dues, and is it worth the money?

Dues are $600 per semester and are paid by all brothers.  Dues may seem like a lot of money at first but they really represent a very small segment of college expenses. The estimated cost of attending the University of Maryland each year for an in-state student is $21,500 and $37,400 for an out-of-state student. Dues are 6.5% and 3.7% of this cost respectively assuming a brother doesn't live in the house and doesn't take advantage of any discounts. A brother can expect his dues to represent only 4.3% or 2.4% of his yearly college costs.

The chance to be a member of SigEp provides countless opportunities and benefits that a college student is unlikely to find anywhere else. Countless brothers and alumni of our chapter would have never met their best friends, girlfriends, fiances or wives had they chosen not to join the fraternity because they felt the upfront cost was too high. Numerous other brothers would never have found the jobs they currently hold, learned the social and leadership skills the world demands of them every day, or had half the fun in college if they hadn't joined. 

Ultimately, joining any fraternity and SigEp in particular is an investment that is likely to pay large dividends in the years you are in college and for the rest of your life. If you believe that the cost of dues is beyond your means but still believe SigEp could be for you then please contact the VP of Recruitment or the VP of Finance so we can discuss your concerns.


Dues still seem like a lot of money to me; is there anything else I should consider?

This is a wonderful question and the simple answer is yes. If you don't see the benefits of being a SigEp and how it is a great investment for now and the future then you should consider the following:

  • If you are in the fraternity for all 8 semesters of college and pay the maximum possible in dues each semester, it will only take seven and a half weeks of work to pay off the entire cost once you graduate assuming you get a job paying $40,000 a year. That means spending less then two months of a 45 year working career to cover all the fun and fellowship of being a SigEp for all four years of college and for the rest of your life.
  • Beyond being fun, being a SigEp can yield real financial dividends to your future. Having a strong network of alumni and brothers through the fraternity can provide opportunities for jobs upon graduation and for the rest of your life. Opportunities to learn leadership, time management, and organizational skills while in SigEp will make you more valuable no matter what field you choose and lead to greater success (and more money) in your profession.
  • Fraternity men represent about 2% of the male population of America and they are leading the entire nation. Approximately 80% of the executives of the 500 largest corporations in America are fraternity men. More than three fourths of our U .S. Senators are fraternity men and 41 of the 47 US Supreme Court Justices since 1910 were fraternity men. Of the sixteen U.S. Presidents who had a chance to join a college fraternity, thirteen took advantage of the opportunity. In short, joining a fraternity has given many of the great men in this country their starts.


Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Please see the "Contact" page and contact either the president, VP of Recruitment, or the VP of Communications. 

Profile: Dennis Morozov, VP of Recruitment 

Josh is a sophomore studying fire protection engineering with a minor in construction project management. He enjoys watching TV, hiking, and most importantly hanging out with his friends and SigEp brothers around a fire pit. Josh and the recruitment committee he put together are committed to reaching out and connecting with as many balanced men as possible during the next recruitment period while maintaining the longevity and high standards of the chapter.

Who can I contact if I have more questions?

Christian Love
President
(443) 619-0375
christiangreylove5@gmail.com 

 

Josh Lumpkin
VP of Recruitment
(443) 591-6363
joshlumpkin0523@gmail.com




James Gordon
VP of Communications
(847) 951-9655​
jgordon1@umd.edu