The following Tragos Quest to Greece Scholars were announced at the 2018 Carlson Leadership Academies.
Learn more about the Tragos Quest to Greece.
Jerome Andres, California-Berkeley ’18
Andres has held several leadership roles on his campus. He’s been a student orientation leader and coordinator, helping design and organize a university orientation program that serves over 10,000 students. He’s also been a resident assistant, a leader in Autism Speaks and active ina campus organization for Filipino students. He’s worked as a research assistant for a nicotine study and has served his chapter in a variety of roles, including vice president of communications and vice president of recruitment. For his leadership across campus, he received an award from the university, given to the top 1 percent of leaders on his prestigious campus.
Jake Bension, Louisville ’20
Bension has served as Sigma Challenge coordinator and held several other positions of leaderships in his chapter. On campus, he is involved in fundraising and planning for a school-wide pediatric cancer charity. He is also involved in an organization for Greeks promoting responsible use of alcohol, as well as several discussion groups that address important topics for students and the community. A marketing major who attended the Ruck Leadership Institute last summer, he received a business school scholarship, and he plans to work and attend graduate school part-time after graduation.
Joshua Cadorette, Elon ’19
A finance and accounting major, Cadorette holds a 3.8 GPA. HIs interest in politics and leadership has led to several fellowships in leadership and civic engagement at his university as well as Harvard and Stanford. He’s had the opportunity to advise students and faculty on entrepreneurship and politics as part of these fellowships. Cadorette received a presidential scholarship at his school and helped found a student organization that combines leadership and a love for the outdoors. He enjoys playing the alto saxophone, works in a woodshop and is also involved in a campus religious organization.
Cristian Collado, Stevens ’19
Collado is an electrical engineering major with a 3.4 GPA. President of a campus leadership honor society, he also serves as fundraising chair of his school’s dance marathon and as a resident assistant. In his chapter, he’s served as Balanced Man Scholarship chair and Sigma coordinator, and he attended the Ruck Leadership Institute. Collado has received several campus awards for his work as a resident assistant and a civic engagement award. In addition, he’s held several technology and engineering co-ops, including at ExxonMobil and Johnson & Johnson. He also volunteers with the local homeless shelter and an organization that promotes men’s fitness.
Matthew Dutcher, Nevada-Reno ’19
Dutcher is active in his community as a servant leader and event planner. He assists at a rehabilitation center twice a week and has volunteered and fundraised for a veterans’ organization. He has also mentored elementary school students, teaching them life skills and other relevant topics. He is a Ruck Scholar and is a leader in the student spirit club, helping plan the homecoming pep rally, among other events. As president of his chapter, Dutcher’s made an impact both locally and across the whole Fraternity. He realized that his chapter needed a substance-free facility policy to improve its operations and gained buy-in from the chapter for an amendment to its local bylaws. That bylaw has served as a model for other chapters, and Dutcher was an important part of the committee that drafted substance-free legislation for the Grand Chapter’s consideration at Conclave.
John Fetchet, Toledo ’19
Fetchet is heavily involved in the Greek community and his campus. He served as vice president of finance for the Interfraternity Council. He also founded an organization that organizes fun, substance-free social events on campus out of the belief that they facilitate healthier lifestyles and could save someone’s life. A finance and sales major, Fetchet maintains a 3.26 GPA and was selected to represent the business department at a leadership academy. He’s also interned at the office of student involvement and served an orientation leader. He works to make an impact on the world through an organization that fights global hunger as well as a nonprofit that connects schools without extracurricular activities to student organizations that host recreation camps.
Lorenzo Guidi, Miami (Ohio) ’19
Guidi has distinguished himself as a fraternity man who works to do the right thing on a campus with a negative Greek culture. As chapter president, he helped his chapter find success even in this environment, and the university Greek life office encouraged him to also lead the Interfraternity Council, which he did. In both positions, he hasn’t settled for the status quo. Guidi is a political science major with a 3.5 GPA and has held an internship in financial analysis and is also interested in law and politics. He grew up playing hockey and volleyball, and has leveraged his experience to be a hockey coach for a training academy as well as getting involved in intramurals.
Ali Harb, Drexel ’19
Harb has a strong resume of academic and athletic achievements. Fluent in Arabic and French, he is also a leader on the club soccer team. He received his chapter’s Balanced Man Scholarship as a freshman and has served the chapter as vice president of the Residential Learning Community and vice president of programming. He’s also a resident assistant and a works as research assistant at a nearby hospital. Harb plans to become a pediatric neurosurgeon and recently had the opportunity to shadow a surgeon. On top of all this, he is active in a student religious organization and is on the dean’s list.
Ben Hirdler, Northern Iowa ’19
Hirdler has served his chapter as chaplain and president. He’s also served as a writing intern at Conclave and is a Ruck Scholar. He is active in volunteering with his high school and mentors middle school students. In addition, he enjoys the arts, and as an English and philosophy major, he has a 3.66 GPA. He plans to pursue graduate school. On campus, he is involved in student government, serving as a senator on several committees. He’s been a student ambassador, interns for a literary review magazine and started an ice cream appreciation student group.
Connor Hoffmann, Montana State ’19
Hoffman is a brother who has used his talent in a variety of ways to help others. Among other accomplishments, he started a student organization that provides transitional housing to homeless students. This project won a pitch competition and a grant, and his vision is beginning to be realized. Connor also traveled to Kenya with Engineers Without Borders, designing and installing a well and latrine. Hoffman is also a member of the honors college and the selection committee for his school’s presidential scholarship. As RLC chairman for his chapter, he organized a lecture series with speakers that included an author and U.S. ambassador, and as chapter president, he served on the committee of undergraduates that led the charge to pass SigEp’s substance-free facilities legislation at Conclave.
Austin Jacobsen, Nebraska-Kearney ’20
Jacobsen has a passion for service learning and helping others. He volunteers with his church and a sports program for children with disabilities. He’s also part of a mentorship program and serves as a campus tour guide. As vice president of programming for his chapter, he has defied the norm on his campus by truly focusing on academics and service learning, helping the chapter make a real impact in the community. Academically, he is on the dean’s list with a 3.56 GPA as an exercise science and sports communication double major. Jacobsen’s passion for service and sports shows in his efforts to increase awareness about concussions. When dealing with concussions from sports himself, he was greatly helped by physical therapists, and he plans to become a physical therapist himself after graduation.
Connor Kreider, Maine ’19
Kreider has served his chapter as vice president of finance and Phi Challenge coordinator. A Ruck Scholar with a 3.5 GPA as a computer engineering major, Connor was selected for several statewide scholars programs. He is a leader and mentor in a student organization that partners with the local Big Brothers Big Sisters and has held several database and utility-related internships while in college. He also volunteers for a high school organization that promotes appreciation for the classics as well as his high school’s music boosters association.
Jason Littman, Ohio State ’19
Littman is a brother interested in marketing and entrepreneurship. He has served as chapter president and class representative for the business school council and is a member of a scholars program focused on community service. A Ruck Scholar, Jason won a business pitch competition and has volunteered at a food pantry and several community festivals. A marketing major with a 3.44 GPA, he has already put this knowledge into action by starting his own barbeque catering company. He’s also held several marketing internships in the finance and restaurant industries, as well as a political internship.
Matheus Moreira Sanches Peraci, Bowling Green State ’19
Peraci is a pre-med student with an interest in international politics. He’s served his chapter as vice president of communications and vice president of member development, and was named freshman of the year and Greek man of the year. He started a campus chapter of Global Brigades, an organization supporting healthcare in developing countries. Peraci has also been involved in the Red Cross, Latino Student Union and a cross-cultural organization. He is a Ruck Scholar with a 3.8 GPA and works at the university’s international programs center. After graduation, he plans to attend medical school and hopes to work with health care in crisis areas.
Justin Ottino, Indiana State ’19
Ottino has led improvement both in his chapter and on campus. He was appointed interim chapter president and then elected to a full term. After manpower decreased and recruitment was stagnant, he increased the chapter size by 65 percent and led the chapter as it earned the highest on campus. He also served as vice president of programming and focused on building a partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters and instituting member safety initiatives for the chapter. As vice president of the student government, Justin helps manage a committee of nine student directors and has tackled the challenge of improving game days, parking and diversity. A member of the honors college and a mentor for younger students in the program, he is a criminology major with plans to attend graduate school and join the military.
Matthew Siegel, West Chester ’19
Siegel has a passion for giving back to the community. Throughout the year, he volunteers in the community in several ways, including working at the local food bank, helping his college town decorate for Christmas, planting trees and participating in an autism walk. Holding a number of positions in his chapter the past several years, he is currently vice president of recruitment. A marketing major, Siegel is a member of the American Marketing Association and participates in the Fraternity Anti-Violence Project. He is also working as an inside sales associate at a real estate firm and plans to build a career in real estate after graduation.
Pearson Van Horn, Georgia Tech ’19
Van Horn is a junior who has served his chapter in several areas, including as chaplain. Involved in a peer mentoring program, he helps students with learning disabilities navigate campus and complete a certificate program. He is also an orientation leader and teaching assistant in the college of computing, as well as a leader in a religious organization. Pearson maintains a 3.95 GPA as a mechanical engineering major and has engaged in research opportunities on campus. He is also a Ruck Scholar.
