Welcome to Houston and the 56th Grand Chapter Conclave!

You are about to experience a century-old tradition that has shaped Sigma Phi Epsilon and the lives of tens of thousands who have attended. 

Fifty years ago this month, Neil Armstrong, a fraternity man who started his own journey in Houston, took a step out onto the lunar surface that would become mankind’s boldest achievement. So, it is only appropriate that Space City is our host this week. As you enter Conclave and consider our theme, One Giant Leap, you should feel emboldened to build your own legacy in the Fraternity and embrace the intrepid spirit that has defined SigEp.

At the 2017 Conclave in Orlando, I challenged our brothers and guests to be the heroes, leaders and champions SigEp and our communities need. Together, as undergraduates and alumni, friends and volunteers, you responded to those calls for real change and have improved the fraternity experience for those to come. This week, we must continue to chart our course as a Fraternity that leads all others — a Fraternity that is different.

I hope you will find this Conclave experience an unforgettable one. I hope that you will rediscover and build deeper connections through the brotherhood of Sigma Phi Epsilon. And I hope that you will make a giant leap of your own as we continue trailblazing SigEp’s future together.

Chris Bittman, Colorado ’85
Grand President