Uncle Billy had a special place in his heart for agricultural colleges, and he often chose these schools for SigEp’s first chapters. He wagered that a student from rural America who made it to a then so-called “cow college” after years on a family farm had the work ethic it took to build a new chapter.

Uncle Billy’s bet paid off, and for the last century, men with an appetite for hard work have been busy building this Fraternity. Today, SigEps come from every type of academic institution and socio-economic background, but the desire to jump in the trenches and get our hands dirty hasn’t changed. It is core to our character, and we call it diligence.

Whether our brothers are working beyond formal recruitment to find the best men on campus, making time to mentor a younger brother, or serving others in our local communities, they put in countless hours each day to make the most of their SigEp experience and improve the world around them.

This issue of the Journal explores the many ways our brothers have applied SigEp-style diligence to the service of others. When our Fraternity talks about philanthropy, we talk about service learning—a kind of work that requires us to jump in the trenches and serve our fellow man face-to- face. These brothers make personal sacrifices and lean into problems to help others. Their work is sometimes thankless, but their impact changes lives.

Stories like those in this issue make me proud to spend time leading an organization whose mission is Building Balanced Men. I know the positive impact I can make on the world is leveraged dramatically by leading our amazing 15,000 undergrads. You too can take advantage of that leverage when you volunteer with a chapter, mentor an undergraduate, or support SigEp. Imagine what we could do if we all got our hands just a little dirty.

When Uncle Billy passed away, he left a legacy that is arguably greater than any of our Founders. It wasn’t because he was the first to dream of a new fraternity; it was because he was the first to build it. We remember William Lazell Phillips, our Uncle Billy, for some of the same qualities he saw in the turn-of-the century A&M college student. Since the beginning, Uncle Billy was recruiting men who shared his tenacious work ethic, and we remember him today for his relentless devotion to SigEp, his brothers, and his community.

Fraternally,

PHILLIP A. COX

Grand President