Page 1 - The Illinois Sig - Spring 2010

The IllInoIs sIg

Sigma Chi Fraternity | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Spring 2010
Alumni Relations Office | P.O. Box 80828, Atlanta, Georgia 30366 | www.illinoissigs.org

Presidents Report
In This Issue:
by Eric W. Rahn ‘75
From the Presdient.....1
Alumni News.............2 s I have previously reported, we are faced with We required significant improvements in the financial
50 year Reuion...........3 Athree challenges: first and foremost, to continue operations, in the rush and pledge program and in the
to nurture and challenge the undergraduate chapter to commitment to scholarship!
Chapter News.............4 succeed; second, to improve the communications with The house opened, over 40 pledges were
Charity News..............5 our alumni and provide more opportunities for them recruited in a highly organized rush program, and the
Golf for Hope.............6 to be involved and get back on campus; and third, to finances were greatly improved. The commitment
Directors plan for the future. Despite some setbacks in 2008- to scholarship, both for the pledges and actives, was
and Officers........7 2009 school year, we continue to make progress on all emphasized. We now have the fall grades, and for the
Leave a Legacy..........7 three of these challenges, but have first time in recent memory, the
much work ahead of us. pledge class GPA was over a B
The 2008-2009 school At Kappa Kappa, we have average at 3.03! The overall house
year for the chapter was less a rich and wonderful GPA was 3.14 ranking Kappa
than stellar. With a significant tradition of success – both Kappa 12th out of 48 fraternities
‘‘
financial operating loss for the on campus. At a meeting with the
”
year, a shrinking number of at the undergraduate level 32 pledges still in the program in
undergraduate brothers living in and with our alumni. early December, we came away
the house, and a declining grade convinced that the quality of the
point average (GPA), there was young men is high and this will
much room for improvement. I suspect a number help the leadership and occupancy in the coming
of alums probably heard a number of rumors. As years. A successful rush program is the lifeblood of
a result, the Kappa Kappa Corporation Board put a the fraternity.
significant challenge to the undergrads and outlined The undergraduate officers have dedicated
conditions that had to be met in order for the chapter themselves to making Kappa Kappa chapter the best it
house to open this past fall. The requirements were can be. They accepted the challenges put to them, and
outlined in a letter to all undergrads and their parents. clearly have momentum in their favor. Our challenge

see PRESIDENT, on page 2

The Class of 1959 Celebrates 50 Years

Left to Right, ‘59 classmates Mike Walters, Gene Carr, Don Tjarksen and Dick Fletemeyer 54 years after appearing in the Daily Illini for winning the freshmen pajama races.
Upperclassman Tom Luker ‘57 set up qualifying heats for the freshman pledges of Kappa Kappa to determine the Sigma Chi pajama race team. Teams from each street on campus
would race off, then the winners of each street raced until there was a final winner. Sigma Chi won it all in ‘55!
More on page 5