Four brothers from IL Gamma recently traveled to Denver, Colorado for the 57th Grand Chapter Conclave. In attendance were President Elijah Lind, VP of Programming Drew Cliffel, VP of Member Development Luke Mulcrone, and VP of Communications Cullen Marshall. The chapter’s advisor Steve Distin from Monmouth’s Chemistry department also attended and drove the brothers to and from Conclave.

Lind acted as the chapter’s official delegate, with Cliffel acting as the alternate. Much of their time at Conclave was spent in legislative sessions regarding amendments to SigEp’s national bylaws. Topics discussed in these sessions included GPA requirements, dry housing, and educational programming regarding indigenous lands and people. While Lind and Cliffel took part in these voting procedures, Mulcrone and Marshall attended educational sessions discussing topics like recruitment, mental health, and SigEp’s Balanced Man Program. 

The brothers also attended several formal events with chapters from across the nation, including a Balanced Man Celebration, a Brotherhood Luncheon, and an Alumni Awards Dinner. At these events, chapters and alumni were recognized for their accomplishments. The brothers of IL Gamma were honored with the “Pay It Forward Grant,” with $2,500 of funding provided by the IL Alpha Chapter at the University of Illinois. The chapter was ecstatic to learn about the award and looks forward to putting it to good use. 

Overall, the brothers had an excellent time learning more about SigEp as a national brotherhood and participating in its programs. Two quotes offered by Brother Zar Toolan during a session on resilience really stuck with the brothers. The first was an African proverb that states, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” The second was a quote from Kyle Johnson, stating, “Without setbacks, there’d be no comebacks.” The brothers are excited to bring these lessons and more back to their chapter as the fall semester starts up in a couple weeks.