When Steve Janowiak, Valparaiso Renaissance, started at Valparaiso University in 2013, he was approached by a friend to serve on the mentor board for the Indiana Zeta chapter. Steve thought it was a great idea and immediately became mentor to the chapter president. He knew SigEp was a great fraternity to work with since he helped start a chapter at the University of Idaho in the early 2000s.

Steve also volunteers because of the Fraternity’s philosophy of partnership with higher education institutions and administrators. These reasons even made him want to become a member. He officially became a brother in 2021 when he was a Renaissance initiate of the Indiana Zeta chapter. When Steve was initiated, he chose the first chapter president he worked with, Caleb Liptak, as his big brother.

Steve has helped Indiana Zeta in many ways since starting on the mentor board. Whether it’s serving as a sounding board for the chapter president, speaking at dinners and helping to recruit the best men on campus, facilitating at Carlson, hosting events/talks for the Balanced Man Program, or any other day-to-day help he has offered, Steve always goes above and beyond for Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Some things Steve thinks about as a volunteer:

• What is your favorite thing to do as a volunteer?
  Steve loves to do educational programming (in and outside of the BMP) with the chapter, celebrate the seniors/brother mentors of the chapter, speak at preference dinners, and have talks with the president.
• What keeps you up at night as a volunteer?
  Hoping the chapter is staying financially stable (on their terms or university terms).
• What is your biggest accomplishment/impact you have had/made during your time as a volunteer?
  Steve recently switched roles and is now the vice president of student life at Newberry College. Seeing and hearing the little things members say about him has made him realize how much brothers appreciated him there on campus whenever they needed help or someone to talk to. SigEp gave him joy in serving as the VP of student life at Valpo and seeing the great things play out on campus for the chapter.

Thank you, Steve, for all the amazing work you have done and will continue to do with the young men of the Indiana Zeta chapter!

Check out more inspiring alumni & volunteer stories here!