Over 3,000 young men joined SigEp chapters at campuses around the country in fall 2023 — nearly a five percent increase over fall 2022. In fall 2023, the Fraternity became part of the life stories of thousands of young men who will forever carry with them friendships with their chapter brothers. But brotherhood goes beyond friendship. By entering a community of young men dedicated to understanding their purpose and stepping into their potential together, these new members, like all SigEps, will begin a lifelong journey of raising their bar.

Countless fraternities fall into stereotypes and behavior that does very little to add value to a young man’s college experience. But SigEp has always been different. Our Fraternity is a place where men come together to strive for more, not more of the same. What is it about SigEp that appeals to young men today? Several new members — some of whom initially believed those stereotypes applied to all fraternities — spoke with the Journal about their decisions to join SigEp.

Support Network

Elijah Lewis, North Texas ’27
Elijah Lewis first learned about SigEp in the fall of his freshman year through a brother he worked out with. “He told me that SigEp was focused on developing its members into strong leaders and helping them become better men overall, as well as building strong bonds as brothers.” Curiosity made him want to check out the Fraternity for himself.

When he visited the chapter house, he quickly felt at ease with the brothers and was impressed by how close they were. “After talking to each of them and getting to know them, I realized they had the same drive to achieve their aspirations that I did,” he said.

I definitely want to be a part of building better men for the future.

Creating a network of supportive friends was part of the foundation Lewis wanted to build for a successful college career, and he said he found that with SigEp. “I knew I wanted to surround myself with like-minded men.” He added, “Overall, Texas Beta changed my perspective on what fraternity life is, and that’s one of the big reasons I wanted to be a part of it.”

Now having completed his second semester of college, Lewis is serving as the alternate Sigma challenge coordinator. He looks forward to taking on additional leadership roles in the chapter and said he can envision serving as vice president of member development one day. “I definitely want to be a part of building better men for the future,” he said.

Defying Stereotypes

Trent Hettinger, Illinois ’28
Unlike many new brothers, Trent Hettinger was very familiar with SigEp, even before he started college. He grew up hearing stories about the Fraternity from his father, Doug Hettinger, Eastern Illinois ’00.

When he learned Illinois Alpha was returning to campus, the elder Hettinger happily connected his son to the chapter. But meeting other members of the chapter is what solidified the younger Hettinger’s decision to make the Fraternity a family tradition.

He explained, “When I met the guys, I realized this was not your stereotypical fraternity. They were down-to-earth, hardworking, disciplined individuals with real goals, not a bunch of people who just wanted to party.”

It’s been nice to be able to relate to my dad in this way and get to share my own SigEp stories with him.

Since joining SigEp in fall 2023, Hettinger has been involved in a whirlwind of activity, hanging out with his new brothers, attending chapter retreats and getting up to speed on chapter operations. Hettinger is currently serving as vice president of recruitment and balancing his involvement in SigEp with pursuing a degree in business and data science, participating in the ROTC program, and serving in the Army National Guard.

In just a short time, Hettinger has found his own place within the Fraternity. But he’s also proud to be a second-generation SigEp. “It’s been nice to be able to relate to my dad in this way and get to share my own SigEp stories with him.”

True Brotherhood

James Perrin, Jacksonville State ’26
Initially, James Perrin “was very against joining a fraternity.” Things he’d seen in the media and observed on campus made him feel a fraternity wouldn’t be a good fit for him. Then during the second semester of his freshman year, a friend who’s in a sorority told him he should check out a fraternity that was returning to campus. Heremained skeptical, but figured it couldn’t hurt to learn more.

When Perrin spoke to members of SigEp’s new chapter development team, they connected over their shared distaste for the stereotypical fraternity experience and a desire for true brotherhood. They told him about what makes SigEp different and their own experiences as members.

SigEp has exceeded my expectations in every way possible.

Since becoming a brother in spring 2023, Perrin has embraced everything SigEp has to offer. During his first year in the Fraternity, he was elected chapter president and served as Alabama Theta’s delegate to the 58th Grand Chapter Conclave last summer. He currently serves as vice president of member development.

The entire experience has been a transformative one for Perrin. “SigEp has exceeded my expectations in every way possible,” he said. Growing up, he lived in four different states because his father went through a career transition and changed jobs several times. Perrin, a secondary education major, said SigEp has played a huge part in helping him feel settled at Jacksonville State.

“The minute I got comfortable in a place, my family was moving somewhere new again. SigEp brought me a stable, supportive band of brothers that filled a hole I haven’t filled in almost seven years. They mean the world to me.”

No Pledging, No Hazing

Andrew Nguyen, Michigan ’27
After learning about the Balanced Man Scholarship, Andrew Nguyen submitted an application. He was asked to come in for a “short” scholarship interview, not expecting it would lead to him joining the Fraternity. “It turned out to be more of an hour-and-a-half conversation than an interview,” said Nguyen. (He was later awarded a $250 scholarship by Michigan Alpha.)

He’d heard negative things about fraternities, though, so he still wasn’t completely swayed. After that conversation, he went home and researched SigEp. Nguyen was impressed by several things.

Setting the foundation is important, and I want to be that person to help set the foundation for the future.

First and foremost, he admired SigEp’s non-pledging, non-hazing policy. That was a major factor in his decision to join the Fraternity. He was also excited to find out SigEp has a vast alumni network. “There are more than 250,000 alumni,” he said, “so there’s a lot of opportunity for connection and brotherhood.”

Another aspect Nguyen found appealing was that SigEp had just returned to the University of Michigan. “One thing I remember the new chapter development directors telling me is that if I joined, I’d have the opportunity to build something.” Nguyen had founded clubs in high school, so the idea of being one of the first members of a college fraternity excited him. “Setting the foundation is important, and I want to be that person to help set the foundation for the future,” he said.

Personal Development

Max Lauterbach, Oregon ’26
Joining a fraternity wasn’t something Max Lauterbach expected he’d ever do. Still, he knew he wanted to be part of something that would make his time in college more fulfilling and help him build strong connections with other students.

“I wanted to get more involved on campus, but didn’t want to be part of any of the preexisting fraternities. I wanted to be part of something that has a purpose and isn’t about drinking,” Lauterbach explained.

I didn’t expect the brotherhood to be this real, this strong.

When SigEp returned to Oregon, he took notice because it stood out from the other fraternities on campus. One of the things Lauterbach appreciates most about SigEp is the Balanced Man Program’s focus on helping brothers develop both personally and as leaders.

“I like how it’s broken up into stages and the challenges are all geared toward making us more well-rounded and helping us with what we want to do or want to be,” he stated. He added, “I’m a big fan of the development meetings. We always have someone who’s interested in speaking.”

Lauterbach, who currently serves as vice president of recruitment, said the experience has exceeded his expectations. He believes that joining SigEp helped him get to know some brothers he only knew as passing acquaintances on a much deeper level. Lauterbach was also surprised at how quickly he developed meaningful friendships with brothers he’s known for just a short time. “I didn’t expect the brotherhood to be this real, this strong,” he concluded.

If I Weren’t A SigEp

Becoming a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon has been such a life-changing experience for many brothers that it begs the question, what would their lives be like if they hadn’t joined the Fraternity? These undergraduate brothers speculated on how their college experiences might be different if they hadn’t joined SigEp.

“Without SigEp, my college experience would be empty. SigEp has given me the ambition to excel in school, and I’ve made true friendships. SigEp changed how I look at life. College life and SigEp are one in the same to me.” — James Perrin

“I think my college life would be static if I hadn’t joined SigEp. I would not be able to experience the great sense of belonging I feel. And at the same time, I wouldn’t have access to SigEp’s massive alumni network.” — Andrew Nguyen

“It [college] would definitely be a lot lonelier. Joining SigEp brought me a family away from home. It gave me something to do and people who I knew if I reached out to, they’d be happy to study, play games or just hang out.” — Trent Hettinger

“If I wasn’t a SigEp, I would only find myself being social at the gym. It’s a place I’m at a lot, and I’ve been able to meet a lot of interesting people and make connections there. Other than that, I’d most likely spend my days in class, studying or home with my family.” — Elijah Lewis

“I would have much less involvement on campus if I hadn’t joined SigEp. The Fraternity has made me a more active part of the campus community.” — Max Lauterbach