On April 13-15, 2018, Trine University SigEps gathered to commemorate the chapter’s 50th anniversary with a weekend of celebrations, meetings and get-togethers. Of the chapter’s 813 alumni, 206 returned for the celebration. Most had not seen each other or even been on campus since their college days.

Prior to the anniversary weekend, the chapter’s history was researched with assistance from SigEp Headquarters and using newspapers, yearbooks and other records at the Trine University Library. As a memento of the occasion, attendees received copies of the chapter’s history. It was originally founded in 1927 as the Delta Epsilon Chapter of Phi Sigma Chi and was later the Lambda Chapter of Alpha Gamma Upsilon before being chartered as SigEp’s Indiana Theta Chapter on May 4, 1968. Twenty-two of the original charter members returned for the celebration.

The celebration officially started on Friday with a meet and greet at the university’s MTI Center, a recently constructed venue for basketball, golf and alumni events. While brothers spent time getting reacquainted, a slideshow of more than 1,000 photos submitted by alumni played on a loop on TV screens in the background. The pictures prompted many memories, as well as quite a few laughs.

Saturday morning began with a business meeting by the alumni board and was followed by lunch in the campus cafeteria. A formal dinner was held Saturday evening at the Trine Athletic and Recreation Center, with 346 alumni, undergraduates, spouses and guests attending. Tables throughout the room displayed personal memorabilia from alumni, including scrapbooks and historical items. The red door from the original chapter house was displayed onstage and became a backdrop for many brothers to take photos and share memories.

Dr. Earl Brooks, president of the university, gave a presentation, and guests watched a video prepared by Trine staff about the campus and university. National Director Brad Nahrstadt, Monmouth ’89, presented a proclamation from SigEp Headquarters in recognition of the chapter’s 50 years. The alumni board announced its annual scholarship recipients, giving seven awards totaling $7,000 (double last year’s amount). A major highlight of the evening was the presentation of Fraternity Alumni Man of the Year for 2018 to the charter members, some of whom were in the audience.

As the weekend came to a close, brothers got together one last time for a Sunday morning brunch at the campus cafeteria and exchanged hugs, handshakes and goodbyes before heading home after a memorable weekend.