News
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2011 Fall Chapter News
December 01, 2011
Dear Alumni,
It has been an exciting first quarter for Cal Gamma early in this school year. The year started off great for the chapter beginning with fall rush. Through rush, the chapter now has 17 new pledges bringing total manpower to over 100 members making Cal Gamma the largest fraternity on campus. In addition, the new pledge class consists of members from across the country and the world including New York and London.
Following rush, the chapter focused its efforts on the Balanced Man Scholarship banquet spearheaded by VP of Recruitment Louie Tamayo. The banquet featured speakers including UCSB’s Director of Student Life Katya Armisted and Cal Gamma alum and former ABC News white house correspondent John Hendren.
After an intense screening process three winners were selected for the scholarship and received their awards at the banquet located at the Fess Parker Double Tree hotel in downtown Santa Barbara. Awards were also given to brothers in the house with Brothers Thomas Cisneros, Joe Kremer, and Kevin Lydon receiving Balanced Man Scholarships. A new scholarship was also given out this year at the banquet in honor of fallen Brother Stephen Meloy. With many members of the Meloy family present at the banquet, Brother Jacob Eurich accepted the scholarship.
Earlier this month, Cal Gamma once again participated in the annual Santa Barbara International Marathon. Every brother woke up bright and early to make sure we were in our proper spots for the start of the race at 6 A.M. Members were placed in various locations along the race that made its way through Goleta and Santa Barbara.
In addition to volunteering for the event, Brothers Harrison Gibson, Thomas Cisneros, Suresh Garudadri, and John Buck ran the race in a four-man team. The team finished 9th out of 75 teams with a time of 3:23:00, which equates to a 7:45 minute per mile pace. Brother Harrison Gibson also ran the full marathon with a time of 20 minutes later with a time of 3:43:00.
Congratulations to all the brothers for their achievements and happy holidays to everyone on behalf of the undergraduates of Cal Gamma.
HFF,
Max Young
VP of Communications
Cal Gamma at Conclave '11
September 07, 2011
Dear Alumni,
Even though school has not been in session, the summer months have been great months for the brothers of Cal Gamma. Our presence was felt at SigEp’s 52nd Grand Chapter Conclave in Phoenix, Arizona with over 35 registered undergrads attending the event. Our contingent was the largest ever in conclave history for undergraduates. Brothers made their way to Phoenix on a bus provided the AVC from the chapter house.
Over the past two years, Cal Gamma has worked diligently to become a strong a presence on campus and in the community. This hard work was recognized at Conclave’s Balanced Man Celebration with our chapter receiving a Buchanan Cup, a distinction given to outstanding SigEp chapters. This is only the third Buchanan Cup that Cal Gamma has received in its long history but we hope to make it reoccurring distinction in the years to come.
A Buchanan Cup was not the only award our chapter received during the weekend. On the final day, the chapter also received the Manpower award for having the most undergrads attend the event. We hope to keep this award with our chapter when Conclave is held in Dallas two years from now.
Congratulations to Brothers Harrison Gibson and Dave Smith who recently completed and placed in the 33rd annual McConnell’s Ice Cream Endurance events. These two brothers competed in the Men’s 20-24 division in the biathlon category, which consisted of a 10k run and a mile swim. The race was held at Goleta beach with 5k out and 5k back along the same path followed a jump straight into the ocean around a loop of mapped out by buoys.
Harrison won the 10k portion for their age group with a time of 43:52 while Dave placed third in the 10k portion with a time of 48:26. Dave took first place in the overall event for their age group with a time of 78:20 and Harrison finished fifth overall with a time of 86:12.Congratulations to all the brothers who made this a great summer for the chapter and a special thank you to the AVC who made Conclave a great experience for all those who attended.
HFF,
Max Young
VP of Communications
Balanced Man Scholarship
November 16, 2010
Five years ago the Balanced Man Scholarship made its debut to the University of California at Santa Barbara, reaching the remarkable undergraduates of this beautiful campus. On Sunday November 14, The Sigma Phi Epsilon California Gamma chapter hosted the fifth consecutive Balanced Man Banquet Award ceremony at Fess Parker’s Doubletree Resort in downtown Santa Barbara, dispersing $5,250 in scholarship funds.
With an abundance of incredibly qualified finalists in attendance, President Jacob Eurich and Vice President of Recruitment Max Young found it difficult to distinguish the six select few winners. However, the Balanced Man Scholarship was commenced for the purpose of acknowledging the finest and most admirable men that walk to the halls of a university, which must be reserved for an elite faction. Those men with the lofty ideals and healthy lifestyles are the ones this ceremony embraces; gentlemen who demonstrate athleticism, a high regard for scholastics and a strong sense of self discipline.
The banquet was a success due mainly to SigEp’s former Grand Chapter President, Bill Tragos, who sunk his inspiring words of wisdom into the young minds of applicants and members alike. With audacity, the three musically inclined SigEp actives, Jonathan Burke, Chris Garcia and Mikel Pers followed Tragos’ speech with a tremendous performance of their rendition of Hallelujah and Old Crow Medicine Show’s Wagon Wheel. Finally, the awards were given to the most deserving men including three SigEp actives, one incoming SigEp and two unaffiliated undergraduate students. The $750 SigEp Sophomore Brother Award was given to Drey Liautaud, the Vice President of Risk Management for the Inter-Fraternity Council. Drey returned to UCSB after spending the summer in Chicago where he received managerial training as an intern for the sandwich franchise Jimmy Johns. The $750 Junior Brother award went to Ryan Andrade, the Vice President of Finance for the Cal Gamma chapter. Ryan is currently studying abroad in Spain with a program that allows him to pursue his interest in Business Economics; therefore his mother was present to accept the award for him. Our final $750 Senior Brother Award was presented to Kevin Stolzenbach, the Cal Gamma chapter’s Chaplain. Kevin is studying Aquatic Biology at the university and had the privilege of spending his entire summer last year in Australia tagging sharks, dissecting specimens and deploying drum lines in the world beneath. Just one day before the ceremony, he ran the SigEp sponsored Santa Barbara Half Marathon in an exceptional 1:29:48.
The concluding winners were Hermis Alvarenga, Hardeep Singh and Chingiz Bigalimov, three freshmen undergraduates with Hermis currently pledging SigEp. Hermis Alvarenga received a $750 Balanced Man Scholarship for his standing in the top 3 percent of his graduating class at La Mirada High School where he maintained a 4.1 GPA and was named a Scholar Athlete. While attending La Mirada High School, Hermis donated over 250 hours of his time as a coach and officiate for a youth basketball league.
The acceptor of the last $750 scholarship, Hardeep Singh, was named Goleta Teen of the Year and received the President’s Award for Education Excellence recognize by the President and U.S. Secretary of Education. Hardeep graduated with a 3.93 cumulative GPA from Dos Pueblos High School, which resides no more than two and a half miles from UCSB’s campus.
The winner of the Grand Prize $1,500 Balanced Man Scholarship Award was Chingiz Bigalimov. Originally from Kazakhstan, Chingiz journeyed west to Canada at the age of 9 and eventually to Costa Mesa, California, where he lead as captain of his water polo and swim team, setting an Swimming Orange Coast League Record in 2009. With his accomplishments despite a challenging road of adversity, The Sigma Phi Epsilon California Gamma Chapter recognizes Chingiz as a well deserved victor of the Grand Prize Balanced Man Scholarship Award.
Fall Rush A Huge Success!
October 04, 2010
Dear Brothers,
After getting our final numbers back Cal Gamma crushed rush this year and solidified ourselves on the top.
The last night we had the most rushies come through our doors than any other house and every student that we gave a BBQ bid came the next day.
We gave out 30 bids and signed 29 of them. The one student that did not sign was someones friend that really wasn’t interested in the Greek system (and didn’t join any house), so I would like to think we were 29/29.
We took 7 guys from ATO, 12 from SAE, and 22 from LXA (two bids were given and they chose ours).
We also signed 3 BMS finalists and 3 of their friends (total 6 guys from the rush tool).
Jacob Eurich
President of Sigma Phi Epsilon
Cal Gamma Chapter
University of California, Santa Barbara
Energy Efficiency & Sustainability Manager
Green Campus Program
Associated Student Body
University of California, Santa Barbara
619 518 8190
jacob.eurich@yahoo.com
SigEp Football
May 26, 2010
On May 16th the brothers of California Gamma at UC Santa Barbara hosted their annual football tournament to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The Associated Student Body, Activate Sports Drinks, SexergyEnergy Drink, and David Namminga Graphics, and multiple other local businesses sponsored this football tournament. A total of eight fraternities participated in the men’s bracket and ten sororities participated in the female bracket. SigEp hosted a team, and some brothers coached several girls teams. During the week long event, coaches held practices and drew up plays for the girls. After the practices the coaches took their teams to fundraisers at a local pizza shop on Monday and a sandwich shop on Wednesday. SigEp hosted obstacle and agility training on Thursday for the sororities who each contributed to the JDR Foundation. Additionally, there was great participation from outside of greek life. Both the Chess club and Surf club played in Sunday’s games! In total the brothers of Cal Gamma SigEp raised four thousand dollars for the JDR Foundation and are extremely proud of how the event went. This successful philanthropy will be held again next spring where the brothers hope to raise double what they did this year.Jacob Eurich
President
Muscular Dystrophy Drive
February 24, 2010
“We’re proud to tell you that the members Cal Gamma chapter were locked up on
February, 25 2010…that’s right, the chapter’s Chaplin Kevin Stolzenbach went
behind bars to help Jerry’s Kids© and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In
order to be released on good behavior the chapter had to raise a bail of $1250.
The bail went towards sponsoring an MDA child for one year, which included
clinic visits, flu shots, mobility equipment, support groups, as well as
MDA’s summer camp.
MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to curing muscular dystrophy, ALS
and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also
provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and
education. MDA combats neuromuscular diseases through programs of worldwide
research, comprehensive medical and community services, and far-reaching
professional and public health education.
At the banquette Cal Gamma was one of two donors to receive the Executive Lock
Up Bailraiser award and also achived the MDA Grand Club award for their great
charitable act. Out of seven UCSB greek houses that originally participated, Cal
Gamma was the only house to finish the Lock Up and donate to MDA. The boys were
very proud to be a part of a young kids life and help make a difference!"
Jacob Eurich
President of Sigma Phi Epsilon
Cal Gamma Chapter
University of California, Santa Barbara
SB International Marathon
February 18, 2010
Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Cal Gamma Chapter just recently participated in the Santa Barbara Inaugural International Marathon. “This marathon offers a breathtaking, scenic course and the
opportunity for runners from all over the world to qualify for the Boston Marathon’s 2010
and 2011 race seasons,” says Santa Barbara International Marathon. From December
4Th to the 6Th the boys of Cal Gamma were not only an integral part of the marathon’s
preparation and conclusion but also had a team run. The brothers were determined to help
the community host this Marathon and were willing to set up booths, direct traffic,
pick up trash, hand out flyer’s, and promote it to the public. Jon Gibson, Ben Green,
Jim Gosnel, and Dave Smith were the brothers to participate in the actual event. Running
26.2 miles in 3 hrs and 43 Min’s, the boys finished 7Th out of 17 in the open males relay.
Setting a quick pace of 8 Min’s and 11 seconds per mile, they pushed themselves and their
bodies as far as they could. Over all for the weekend 43 brothers helped out and logged six
hours of community service each, giving Cal Gamma roughly around 250 hours of
community service! All in all, the boys had a great time supporting the Marathon and had a
part in making it an annual event. They look forward to submitting more teams next year and
coming out in an even stronger force!
Quest To Greece
September 27, 2008
My Journey to Greece
By Nick Calvo
The Bill Tragos Quest to Greece was a journey that seemed like folklore to me when I first heard of it. I happened to come across information about it freshman year when I was a pledge preparing for the CA Gamma initiation. At the time, the only thing on my mind was to finally be able to call myself a brother; never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that I could be one of the few fortunate people to be able to participate on this great adventure. As time went by my involvement in the house grew larger and a year later I somehow found myself sitting at the Marriott Hotel convention room at Carlsonʼs Leadership Academy listening to Quest to Greece alumni describe how the trip changed their lives.
A few months later I decided to take an even bigger step into the world of Sigma Phi Epsilon and attended the Ruck Leadership Institute. I never really thought of myself as a leader before, I just figured it would be a great way to learn some new skills to help me be a more effective member of my chapter. I was lucky enough to meet Bill Tragos on my first day in Virginia and learned more about the Quest to Greece experience.
When I got home from Virginia I began to think of the impact SigEp has had on my life and my entire college experience. Carlsonʼs gave me insight on how to be effective at running a certain position, Ruck gave me the courage and tools to run an entire chapter, but what neither of them really touched upon was WHY I was even devoting so much time and energy to the fraternity to begin with? Why did I feel so compelled to spend a few hours every Sunday for the past 2 years of my life sitting through Exec meeting arguing about who is assigned to clean the bathrooms each week instead of going to the party at the senior house overlooking the ocean and watching Sunday Night Football?Ruck and Carlsonʼs did a great job teaching me administrative techniques to running an organization, but they never answered why I was always so involved with the fraternity I loved.It was this key and fundamental question that sparked my interest in The Quest to Greece and fueled me through my journey.
When that email came around to me last November notifying me of the deadline to turn in the Tragos Quest to Greece application, I knew it was an opportunity for me to finally figure out these questions and see what being a part of Sigma Phi Epsilon is truly about.So I went and asked our President at the time, Cameron Mazdyasni, how I should go about figuring out a way of being chosen to participate in The Quest. He advised me the best way is to go straight to the top and ask Bill Tragos himself for a letter of recommendation for it. Cameronʼs immense assistance and mentorship soon paid off as I found myself standing on stage receiving the invitation for The Quest to Greece in front of 400 other SigEps at Carlsonʼs in February. Now that I had reached the step of being accepted to it, what was I to expect next? What are the other Questors going to be like? What should I do to prepare for the adventure? What were we going to do and learn while we are there?
When I met everyone involved with The Quest in the OʼHare international terminal I couldnʼt have imagined a more diverse group of people to go on it with. There were both Balanced Man Program and Traditional chapters represented. There were people from colleges all over the country with incredibly different backgrounds. As the journey went on and I got to know everyone closer I realized that through all the separateness and diversity I was in the perfect place. Everyone else there felt the same passion towards those incredible three Greek letters as I did and appreciated the significance it has played in each one of our lives. The professors and mentors on the trip couldnʼt have provided any better guidance for us as well. Each of them are so accomplished and had so many life experiences to share with us, it was captivating to get caught up in conversation with everyone of them.
While there we discussed the Socratic method of philosophy, learned about ancient Greek drama, reviewed the mysteries of Eleusis, competed at the Ancient Olympic Stadium and studied the ancient Greek culture. Through this we were able to find parallels to our fraternity experience today and see where the fraternity world was founded upon.
During the trip we would have required readings relevant to the sites we would see each day. The reading would vary from excerpts from The Odyssey to Socratesʼ Defense while standing trial to Periclesʼ famous speech after the first year of the Peloponnesian War. At the end of each day we would discuss the significance and the underlying impact these stories had on ancient Greek culture and also how they were relevant to the world today. Aside from the readings we would hold an open discussion with the core of it being held around fraternity issues and how we can improve our lives by applying Sigma Phi Epsilonʼs 3 cardinal principles: Virtue, Diligence and Brotherly Love.
The entire experience was surreal. It was a dream come true being able to physically travel through a place that has provided the world with so much knowledge and rich history. To many, the ancient Greeks Gods, Heroes and the stories about them may only be myths but since The Quest, they have come alive and offer a link to the incredibly prosperous culture of The Balanced Man Ideal. By being in the presence of the most accomplished SigEps in the nation and listening and learning to the different stories everyone told I was finally able to see why I was attracted to the brick house so much.
CA Gamma Academics On The Rise
December 09, 2007
by Marshall Olin, ‘09
The academic endeavors of the Cal Gamma Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon have recently taken a major step in the right direction. Despite boasting highest fraternity GPA on campus six out of the last nine quarters, the men of Sigma Phi Epsilon were happy to welcome Chris Albert to live at the Hofmann House in order to aid them in their academic endeavors as the new Resident Scholar. Originally from Norwalk, CT, Chris attended the University of Connecticut and graduated with a degree in Political Science in 2001. His academic honors include Magna Cum Laude and being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Fraternally, Chris pledged the CT Alpha Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon in Spring 1998 and as an active member of CT Alpha served as Guard, Chaplain, and Risk Manager. After graduating he served SigEp further as his chapter’s counselor from 2004-2007. Chris’ experience however is not limited to academia; Chris enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserves in 1999 and graduated from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina. Chris was activated in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom on January 19, 2003. In Iraq he led a team of marines and returned with the rank of Sergeant and ended active enlistment in August 2004.
Currently, Chris is a PhD candidate in the Department of Political Science here at UCSB. On top of this time commitment, Chris still finds the time to be a resource and advisor to all of the Brothers of the Gal Gamma chapter in three distinct ways that benefit all regardless of major or interest. First, Chris has made the Hofmann House library his domain, filling it with study resources, as well as holding office hours weekly or by appointment for counseling purposes to promote and foster academic success. During finals week, he has even set up a snack/stress-relief table to offer studying SigEps with whatever they need to make finals go by more smoothly. Secondly, Chris has brought a level of academic enrichment to the house by using his standing at the university to have professors in diverse fields to come and give small talks to the chapter and the potential new members focused on the steps it takes to succeed in their respective fields. Lawyers, Accountants, Doctors and many other professionals have spoken at private sessions for Cal Gamma SigEps regarding their respective fields and backgrounds. Finally, Chris has a program in which he stresses Post-Graduate success by identifying internship opportunities as well as identifying and supplying resources that will aid in scoring high on graduate entrance exams including the LSAT, MCAT, GRE, GMAT, and PRAXIS. Chris has created working relationships with tutoring companies such as Princeton Review and Kaplan to give SigEps huge discounts on classes for these graduate entrance exams. On top of all that, he also holds individual workshops upon request for resumes, job applications, and interviews. The academics of the Cal Gamma Chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon have been impressive for the last decade, and with the increased attention and recourses that Chris Albert brings to the table they should continue to be on the rise.
60's Reunion A Huge Success
September 08, 2007
In the 1960’s, the Sig Ep chapter house was a large, red, dilapidated, wooden house complete with dogs, goats, and plenty of uninvited mice. The reunion trip back to “The Barn”, as it aptly called, on May 19th was a special event for the seventy brothers who came back to relive those special memories and rekindle old friendships from their undergraduate days. The brothers shared a special relationship with their house and were proud to wear T-shirts with a picture of their beloved chapter house emblazoned on the front.
The reunion actually began on May 18th with a cocktail party at the Beachside Cafe in Goleta. This was followed by a brother’s only BBQ at the chapter house. The BBQ was held in the courtyard of the house which is now surrounded by the chapter room, game room, and dining room all connected by an enclosed brick hallway to the two story living quarters which was the previous location of the barn. The brothers spent part of the afternoon at house going over the scrapbooks and trophies from the 60’s that were set out for display. Much of the memorabilia survived the house fire in 1971 but this prompted Jeff Henley to have the pictures digitized so the photos will be around to stay. Ron Rubenstein mentioned that a shovel expedition to the front yard went looking for a time capsule that was placed in the front yard. Unfortunately they came up empty. Rumor has it that it may have been moved in the 80’s but any info on it’s whereabouts would be appreciated. Saturday night the brothers were joined by their Sig Ep Sweethearts with an incredible dinner and evening at Jeff Henley’s beautiful home. Sunday morning the reunion concluded with breakfast at the Santa Barbara pier.
Although the house and hairlines had changed, it was clear to all those present the bonds made and the old stories had not only sweetened with age, but that Cal Gamma had produced brothers in the true sense of the word. The reunion was organized by Sig Ep alumni Tom Recknagel, Dave Forman, Marsh Nelson, Jeff Henley, and Ron Rubenstein. The committee set up all of the events and coordinated the BBQ with the current VP of Communications Marshall Olin. One thing is certain about this reunion: the brother’s from the 60’s have certainly set the standard for reunions and showed how the Cal Gamma experience is truly something special.
Cal Gamma Wins Buchanan Cup
August 22, 2007
Sig Ep On My Mind
By John Gil
8-16-07
The first week of August marked the 50th biannual Sigma Phi Epsilon conclave, held in Atlanta, Georgia. Marking the conclave’s 100th year anniversary, attending brothers were given the opportunity to observe the Ritual meeting as it was held both in 1907 and now, in 2007. Although the differences were minimal, such display of Sigma Phi Epsilon’s history facilitated the understanding of the importance of the foundation upon which the fraternity was built. Making the conclave more personal, delegates were also given the opportunity to vote on legislation that would affect each chapter on the local level, including the election of the National Board of Directors.
Enforcing the “Sound mind in a Sound body†ideal, members also had the privilege of attending lectures aimed at enriching one’s life. Speakers touched upon issues ranging from resume to relationship building. Notable alumni were also present and many were given the opportunity to address the younger brothers, one such speaker was Brother Charlie Engle, an athlete who is best known for his run across the Sahara Desert. During his challenging trek, Brother Engle averaged about 50 miles per day.
Despite the fact that Conclave is more focused on building skills of the attending undergraduates, the presence of many successful alumni was not overlooked. In fact during one of the brother luncheons, the alumni donated upwards of fifteen million dollars to support The Sigma Phi Epsilon Educational Foundation.
Locally, the CA Gamma chapter at the University of California, Santa Barbara shined and surpassed most of the other attending delegations both in numbers and accolades. CA Gamma had a delegation of 12 undergraduates and alumni attend Conclave. In addition, during the awards ceremony, the UCSB Sig Eps were awarded the Buchanan Cup, the most prestigious award a Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter can receive. Being only the second BUC Cup ever awarded to CA Gamma (last awarded in 1991), this was a very emotional event for all attending Gauchos.
Conclave 2007 proved to be both an enriching and productive event. Attending brothers formed connections and friendships that will prove valuable later in their lives. In the words Brother Daryl Lambert of CA Gamma, conclave “was something that every Sig Ep needs to experience in order to fully grasp what it means to be a brother of this fraternity.â€
Cal Gamma dominates UCSB 2007 Greek Awards
June 04, 2007
Cal Gamma demonstrated that Sigma Phi Epsilon is the dominant house at UCSB by winning the following awards at the 2007 Greek Awards.
- Best Athletic Program
- Best New Member Program
- Best Campus Involvement
- Best Community Service in Isla Vista
- Best Community Service
- Chuck Doring Greek Man of the Year, which went to Kyle Hillstead for his leadership in IFC as well as within the house.
Congratulations to the chapter on their achievements and we look forward to having more alumni involvement and events in the upcoming year.
Cal Gamma Provides Greater Academic Opportunities For It's Brothers
June 04, 2007
Sigma Phi Epsilon has the highest Grade Point Average of all fraternities at UCSB. Yet, we can still do better. As a result, the Alumni Board is pleased to announce that Chris Albert has been retained to serve as a Resident Scholar for our chapter. Brother Albert graduated from our University of Connecticut chapter, and will be pursuing his PhD in Political Science at UCSB. As a Resident Scholar, brother Albert will live in the chapter house, and provide academic guidance and career counseling. It is the position of the Alumni Board that our role includes providing the strongest academic environment possible so that all of our undergraduate brothers have the greatest opportunity to succeed. The hiring of a Resident Scholar is but one step in furtherance of that goal. The Alumni Board will also be making improvements to the chapter house this summer to assist with academics, including the installation of study carrels in the library, and the installation of a Wi-Fi system to provide full internet access in the house. The focus on academics is a hallmark of our chapter which will continue to endure.
Join the Cal Gamma Alumni Association!
April 21, 2007
Join Your Cal Gamma Alumni and Volunteer Corporation Today
Membership in the AVC is simple, and available to all Cal Gamma Alumni. Just send the info below along with $1.00 to:
Cal Gamma Alumni Membership
P.O. Box 4636
Westlake Village, CA 91359
Name _____________________________________________
Address ___________________________________________
__________________________________________________
E-mail ____________________________________________
Phone ____________________________________________
Year Graduated _______________
Your initial membership subscription will last through December 31, 2009
Cal Gamma awarded Chapter House of the Year
April 03, 2007
The Hofmann House, the chapter home of Sigma Phi Epsilon Cal Gamma, has been recognized as the Chapter Home of the Year in the Western Region for both 2006 and 2007 by the National
Fraternity—and the chapter is not stopping there. Since receiving its second consecutive housing award, the chapter home has been improved even further with the addition of an outdoor
shower to complement its often used volleyball pit, as well as the addition of a game room complete with foosball, pool, and air hockey tables. But the improvements do not stop there. This year Aron Ashland ’95, a local alumnus of Cal Gamma and the General Manager of Sharkeez, a popular restaurant and bar on State Street, has kept his ties to the chapter strong not only by offering many brothers employment opportunities, but also by donating over $2,000 in furniture and lighting to the house, keeping The Hofmann House a step ahead of the competition in defending its title as Chapter Home of the Year for the third straight time. In return for his generosity, the brothers of the house have rallied around the restaurant and have helped promote Sharkeez in Isla Vista, and especially within the Greek community. Using their influence on campus and around Isla Vista, SigEps have made Sharkeez a favorite downtown destination for many UCSB students. And with the help of past and present brothers, The Hofmann House has never looked better.
Hofmann Dedication & Balanced Man Scholarship
November 07, 2006
The California Gamma chapter at the University of California, Santa Barbara, has had a quite a long-lived history with many trials and tribulations; however, one figure that has always prevailed is John Hofmann. In 1979, at the age of 27, John Hofmann took on the enormous responsibility of single-handedly rebuilding our amazing chapter. For four decades, he led us through many great and memorable times including the prestigious honor of achieving the Buchanan Cup. To honor all of the hard work and dedication that John had put into the Cal Gamma house, the chapter felt it fitting to officially dedicate its chapter house as the Hofmann House. On November 4, 2006, Cal Gamma held a ceremony not only dedicating the house to John but honoring his memory and great contributions as a brother and alumni board president. Friends and family of Hofmann, as well as brothers from many decades joined us for this special service. Many of the brothers throughout the decades under the direction of John Hoffman spoke about past experiences they shared with him. Although many different experiences were shared, all the stories had one common theme; John Hofmann had influenced each of our lives, one way or another. He was able to bring out the best in all of us and inspired us to be selfless and contribute to our community and fraternity. Following the dedication, we held a Renaissance Brother Initiation for (Greg Cocklan), a close friend to John Hofmann and Cal Gamma. Although John’s contributions have been important and beneficial to many fine gentlemen, it has not been John’s greatest gift to society. John believed in building truly well rounded men and established Cal Gamma’s Educational Fund for BMS Scholars in which we reward elite scholars, athletes, and leaders that convey the ideals of a balanced man. To further honor Hofmann we held our annual Balanced Man Scholarship Banquet on November 5, 2006. Unlike past ceremonies, this year Cal Gamma stretched its Balanced Man Scholarship to not only includes young men that exude leadership qualities, but also young women with the same foundation in the ideals of a Sound Mind and Sound Body. Classics professor Apostolos Athanassakis and Past Grand Chapter President Bill Tragos spoke at the banquet and reflected upon the ideals of Sigma Phi Epsilon, emphasizing the importance of having a balanced lifestyle to the ancient Greeks and to our fraternity today. This not only applies to John Hofmann’s legacy, but to all the brothers of Cal Gamma. We have had the highest grade point average for the past (four) years, recruited members of the UCSB lacrosse, wrestling, crew, triathlon, rugby, and baseball teams. Besides athletics, we have members on the Student Government, in the Technology Management Program, on Greek Standards Board and the Interfraternity Council. Although John Hofmann has left us, his legacy will always be carried on, and his spirit will continue to live within the walls of the Hofmann house and influence our lives. His dedication and repeated contributions to the house and community has inspired all of us at Cal Gamma to do as John Hofmann did.
President's Greeting
September 03, 2006
Welcome to the new California Gamma website designed to enhance the Alumni’s relationship with the undergraduate chapter. As part of an overall effort to improve alumni relations, this site will hopefully be informative with respect to the accomplishments and activities of the chapter, while allowing alumni to reconnect and to become involved in our chapter. Below are just a few highlights which outline the features of this website:
- A calendar of chapter events
- Updates on chapter achievements
- A place to retrieve and to leave contact information for other alumni
- An opportunity to provide comments on how to improve the chapter and/or the
- Alumni Relations Program
- Provide a photo album for each graduating year
In addition to the website, the chapter has initiated an “Alumni Hotline”, where alumni can contact the fraternity and hear a recorded message regarding chapter events, and to leave a message to ensure that they will receive a return call from an undergraduate member who will be responsive to alumni issues and concerns. The Hotline number is the number that many of us remember from our undergraduate days (805) 968-9235.
Finally, the publication “The SPEaker” will be resurrected and will be published on an annual basis to further strengthen communications between the alumni and the undergraduate chapter.
We understand that this new program is ambitious, but with the help of all Cal Gamma alumni, we can establish a strong alumni relations program which will be the envy of chapters nationwide. The Alumni Board has agreed to pay for the website and the SPEaker for the first year, but donations are necessary to cover the annual cost of these items for future years. Thus, any donations to help maintain this program would be greatly appreciated. Any such donations can be sent to California Gamma Alumni Board PO Box 4636 Westlake Village , CA 91359. You can be assured that such donations will be used solely for the Alumni Relations Program.
Thank you once again for your support of the finest chapter in the land, California Gamma.
Fraternally,
Scott H. Carr ’86
Alumni Board President
John Hofmann Passes
September 03, 2006
Our friend, brother and longtime Alumni Board President , & Order of the Golden Heart recipient John F. Hofmann, California-Santa Barbara, ’70, passed away on Friday, June 16, 2006, from complications related to a cancerous brain tumor. Brother Hofmann was 58 years old. He practiced law for over 30 years in Santa Barbara and continued practicing law when his family moved to Ohio in 2000.
Brother Hofmann never wavered in his volunteerism for the California Gamma Chapter. He helped manage the chapter house during the trying times of the 1970s when student-led activism and the Vietnam War drained manpower and quickly forced the chapter to close. Brother Hofmann preserved the facility until the chapter’s return to campus in 1978. He spearheaded a renovation to the facility which began in 2000 and added a state-of-the-art kitchen and library. The chapter dedicated its new library in John’s name in the Fall of 2001. At the 2003 Grand Chapter Conclave in San Antonio, Texas, he received the Fraternity’s highest award, the Order of the Golden Heart.
“John Hofmann was the red thread that held the Cal Gamma Chapter together over these past 30 years. He personified what it meant to give from the heart. He loved the chapter and always enjoyed working with Brothers through their trials, tribulations, and triumphs. He mentored chapter presidents, and showed all the Brothers what it meant to be of service to others. The chapter house specifically stands as a testament to John’s solid foundation of responsibility. And, John loved a good argument, making the rest of us clearer about our own beliefs because of his. We’ll miss his energy, his zest, and his friendship deeply,” said former National Director Dr. Barry Z Posner, California-Santa Barbara ’70.
“John touched the lives of so many people, in ways that he never could have imagined. Every California Gamma brother from the past 35 years is indebted to John for enriching their lives and allowing them to develop lifelong skills and friendships in a fraternal environment. I know I would not be where I am today without John’s guidance, leadership and friendship.” said current Alumni Board President Scott H. Carr, California-Santa Barbara ’86.
Brother Hofmann is survived by his wife of 20 years, Nancy; sons, Willie and Adam; a brother, Peter, and his partner, Amy Diffenderfer; a sister, Cynthia Hofmann ; a niece, Madeline Hunt; a brother-in law, Lawrence Hunt; and cousins, Susan Makos and Ann Smith.
Memorials may be made to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), 8041 Hosbrook Road, Suite 422, Cincinnati, 45236.
