KATHY MILLAR
Living Assistant
Fraternities at Pepperdine are well-known for their social activities with sororities as well as their participation with spirited campus events such as Homecoming. It is often overlooked, however, that they provide highly competitive scholarship awards and leadership programs for their members.
Jamaal Crowley, a Pepperdine junior and member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, has been selected to study abroad in the challenging Sigma Phi Epsilon Tragos Quest program this summer from June 23 to July 2. Crowley will travel with 16 other members of Sigma Phi Epsilon from around the nation to visit ancient sites in Greece and to learn about the origins of fraternities. The competition was fierce for this program, as more than 400 fraternity members applied nationally for the coveted 17 spots.
“Mainly, [I wanted to go because] it’s all paid for,” Crowley said. “I don’t know a lot of the guys in other chapters, and it’s a great way to learn about them. It’s a great learning experience in general. Another reason I wanted to go is simply because it’s a big honor.”
Crowley explained that the purpose of the trip is to dig into the roots of fraternity history.
“They want to teach us about the beginning of Greek history and how fraternities first started, things like that,” he said.
The participants in the program will learn about Socrates in Ahora, compete in the original Olympic stadium and learn about the Mysteries of Eulisis. The program is an exhausting experience for its participants, who will be pushed emotionally, mentally and physically.
Fraternity members who applied for the Tragos program filled out extensive applications, submitted essays and provided two letters of recommendation, according to Crowley. The selection process was based on school involvement, academics and fraternity involvement. The program emphasizes Greek philosophy and the Sig Ep “Balanced Man” ideal.
Crowley fits this ideal through his significant involvement in leadership and extracurricular activities. After three years at Pepperdine, Crowley has been the Balanced Man Scholarship Chair, Sigma Coordinator and is serving his second year as vice president of recruitment. His time is occupied with co-directing Songfest for his group with Sig Ep, Tri Delta and Alpha Phi. Crowley has also worked at the Pepperdine Volunteer Center for two years, and he is a disc jockey on the side.
In addition to Sigma Phi Epsilon, all of the fraternities on campus offer its members scholarships and leadership program opportunities. Pepperdine’s Beta fraternity has recently thrived academically, as it offers ample incentives to do so.
“A big one is the Beta Leadership-Scholarships, which is individual and is based on a number of leadership-esque qualifications,” said David Kob, the Risk Management Chair of Beta Fraternity on campus.
Such qualifications include attending conventions and completing work for the national chapter.
Locally, Beta’s advisors distribute the Rob Hutchman scholarship, which offers $500 to members of Beta who earn a GPA of 3.5 or above. Eight of Beta’s 20 members at Pepperdine were given the Rob Hutchman scholarship last semester, Kob said.
Jon Hamlin, the president of the newest fraternity on campus, Alpha Tau Omega, said his chapter also has awards for the highest GPA in the colony, as well as for the greatest positive change in GPA.
Additionally, the national Sigma Chi Fraternity offers a 6-day leadership immersion program called “Horizons,” offered through its official website.
Meanwhile, Psi Upsilon awards scholarships “based on the individuals’ fulfillment of our fraternity pillars, leadership, brotherhood, service, and excellence,” Jeremy Snow, the President of Psi Upsilon, said.
Members of national fraternities can apply for honors such as these through their local chapters or through their fraternities’ national Web sites.
03-16-2006
