Famed as one of SigEp’s most innovative leadership events, the Tragos Quest to Greece helps SigEp’s top scholars connect with the ancient Greek ideals that gave rise to modern democracy and the American college fraternity. This program continues to earn attention from higher education professionals and undergraduates around the country. The story below originally appeared in the University of Rochester’s The Buzz.

A summer expedition in Greece recently gave an undergraduate at the University of Rochester the opportunity to better understand his Fraternity’s mission of “Building Balanced Men.”

Russell Rosenkranz, Rochester ’15, a senior majoring in applied mathematics and financial economics, was selected among hundreds of nationwide applicants for this year’s Tragos Quest, a 10-day trip through Greece sponsored by Sigma Phi Epsilon.

Reading selections from Homer and Socrates and subsequently venturing through the country’s archeological sites, he was given the opportunity to challenge himself mentally and physically in hopes of obtaining the Greek goal of having a “sound mind in a sound body.”

The trip allowed Rosenkranz, president of the Rochester’s New York Xi Chapter of SigEp, to simultaneously experience Greek culture and consider the origins of his Fraternity. Along with 18 undergraduates from chapters around the nation, he traveled through Greece this past June.

“Each day of the trip was both mentally and physically rewarding,” Rosenkranz said. Typically, the morning routine would consist of an early, 6:30 a.m. breakfast and an hour-long discussion with a professor based on writings from the poets and philosophers of Greek antiquity. Each day, the group would visit archeological sites that corresponded with the readings and history discussed.

The first day of the trip brought the team to Poseidon’s Temple in Cape Sounion, a visit that helped to explain the capital’s namesake—Athena—the goddess who defeated Poseidon in battle. Evening discussions were then held in smaller groups of two to three undergraduate Tragos Scholars, who focused on the values of Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love, upon which the Fraternity was founded.

Rosenkranz found the search for a sound mind to be perhaps the most challenging part of the expedition. The nightly group discussions often forced the students to think both outside of the box, as well as their comfort zones. “We constantly pushed the envelope to have some of the best and deepest conversations I have ever had in my life,” Rosenkranz said. Delving into topics such as fear and the pursuits of happiness and success, the nightly discourse pushed the undergraduates to think critically and introspectively.

The trip included other obstacles. Physical challenges included hiking up mountains for better views of temples and dig sites and climbing a 1,000 step fortress overlooking Nafplio to get a panoramic view of the seaport city. Rosenkranz also won a race among the Tragos Scholars, held on the original Olympic track.

“We were also constantly challenging one another to try new experiences or tasks each day,” he said. The group’s mentors asked them to prepare a lunch for the team on a set budget, for example, which forced the Tragos Scholars to coordinate and barter with locals despite lacking a common language.

The Quest’s focus on physical fitness and mental equilibrium did not detract from the showcase of Greece’s beautiful scenery. Rosenkranz recalled gorgeous, breathtaking views from the Hosios Loukas Monastery in the town of Nafpaktos. “I cannot do it justice describing it in words,” he admitted.

The sixth day of the trip offered views of Delphi and the natural landscape of the Corycian Cave. The final day of the trip ended on the tallest hill of Athens, which overlooked the entire city and the Acropolis. A late dinner allowed the group to watch the sunset and see the entire city light up at night, a sight which Rosenkranz remembered as one of the most memorable of the entire trip.

Through all of the challenging physical activities and treks through memorable sights, Rosenkranz found a conversation with a stranger to be the most meaningful experience of his journey. He asked three locals in Nafpaktos for words of wisdom. One older gentleman shared a story of the loss of his child. “It was shocking how this stranger was able to open up to us—four young Americans— and tell us his emotional story in such a vulnerable state.” This brief, but meaningful, interaction moved Rosenkranz to empathize and made him feel somewhat of a surrogate son to the Greek man. Rosenkranz lost his father exactly a month prior to boarding the plane to Greece and understood the man’s sadness.

A discussion on fear on the following day gave him the chance to share his grief with his mentors and fellow scholars. “That night, everyone opened up and showed that level of emotional vulnerability which led to the deepest and most meaningful conversation of the entire trip,” he said. “It was an experience I will never forget; though short, it made the biggest impact on the rest of my trip and my life.”

Rosenkranz’s time in Greece, in addition to being an enriching cultural experience, taught him a few lessons that he hopes to carry with him through senior year and beyond. The first lesson involves being more vulnerable and emotionally open to his peers. He believes that this alone will allow him to develop deeper relationships with those he trusts. The second is to make time to grab a cup of coffee with friends—or even strangers— and to “soak it all in” day-by-day. “I am one to always be on the go, so being able to sit and hangout with people helps clear my head and open my mind,” he said.

Rosenkranz, a dual-degree student of math and economics, hopes to establish a career in consulting or banking. “When it comes down to it, I will choose a path that challenges me to grow and constantly learn.” In the meantime, he manages involvement with SigEp, the varsity swim team, and a role in the Students’ Association. With a Sound Mind and Sound Body, Rosenkranz is more than ready to take on the commitments of a Balanced Man.