Ritual Awareness

Some say that my teaching is nonsense. Others call it lofty but impractical. But to those who have looked inside themselves, this nonsense makes perfect sense. And to those who put it into practice, this loftiness has roots that go deep. I have just three things to teach: Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love. These three are your greatest treasures. Virtuous in actions and in your thoughts, you return to the source of your being. Diligence in all things puts you at peace with your accomplishments. Love toward those about you enables you to reconcile all beings in the world.

Keynote ......

The road to the future is filled with pitfalls. All fraternities are measured by the inappropriate actions of the few. Fraternities are very visible on college and university campuses. The concepts of right and wrong can be lost in misinterpreting our responsibilities to one another. Brotherhood is more than a word - it is a complex set of responsibilities. While many of us have learned that "I am my Brother's keeper and he is mine," it must be kept within the context of common sense. We cannot respect the rights of others until we can respect ourselves. Each of us knows "right' from "wrong," including what behavior is appropriate and acceptable. Sigma Phi Epsilon is built upon those ideals that you already know and practice. As a father to a son, our Fraternity passes those ideals to you, our undergraduates, for nurture and safekeeping. Each year as seniors graduate, they pass on those ideals to those entering our Fraternity. That trust can be a heavy yoke if care is not exercised in selecting future generations of Brothers. For a time we are, in fact, "Keepers of the Faith," and, in truth, many will retain those ideals for the rest of their lives. Sigma Phi Epsilon will be many things to each of us at different times in our lives. It will be excitement, fellowship, pleasure, and responsibility. Responsibility to our ideals is expressed in our three cardinal principles, namely, Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love. These ideals are easily practiced when your brothers share an equal burden. Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love are not words, but a standard we can use throughout our lives.

You will find that your Brothers become an extended family. A family that can be depended upon to provide support in times of need. Real Fraternity exists when Brothers join together to achieve common goals by sharing knowledge, skills, abilities, and resources. This "pooling and sharing" allows each of us to become more than we might be individually. The change from boy to man means leaving immaturity. Maturity requires that we recognize that we are not totally independent. We are free to act, but only within the boundaries society places upon us. This is ever changing and we must continually adapt. If you only learn one thing from fraternal affiliation, it should be that we are more capable collectively than individually. And .... only when all of us work together can we succeed.

Your undergraduate days in Sigma Phi Epsilon provide the opportunity to learn about life while providing you with an opportunity to learn about the duties and responsibilities of manhood. Our three cardinal principles (V, D, BL) are the keys to future success. Your whole life is based upon your ability to understand and communicate with people.