It was the spring of 2006.

There was a flyer for a Phi Beta Sigma interest meeting posted on the

campus of Arkansas Baptist College. I had wanted to be a Sigma for many years because of

things I had see my cousin do as a Sigma. Me and my cousin Tristan decided we were going to

go and see about joining. When we walked in the room was full of potential members…many we

knew, many that we didn’t. We took a seat on the front row by another man that would end up

being our other LB. It was interesting because we were sitting on the row in the exact order that

we would line up. We completed our process on May 1, 2006. Our process was very different

from the one the members of Rho Phi have gone through since then. There was no meetings with

the advisor, there were no nights of just studying with the frats, and there were no special

traditions that we went through. The next semester came and went and there was no Greek life

on the campus even though we were members. It was the same thing the very next semester.

Close to the end of the spring 2007 semester we had a meeting with our advisor at the time and

several other members of the Mu Beta Sigma graduate chapter. That’s the first time we met

Brodrick. We exchanged numbers and from that point on he began to put us to work. The fall

2007 semester came around and we decided it was time for us to have another intake process.

But we had many obstacles we had to go through before that could happen. We had fees from the

previous conclave, regionals, and chapter tax and insurance. We decided the fastest way to raise

some money was to try and throw a party. We had no money as a chapter so me, Tristan, George,

and Brod got together and paid the money to rent the gym, pay the dj, and pay for security. The

party didn’t go as well as we wanted and we were in the same exact boat we were in before but

this time we had less money because we had put it in on the party. I really believe Brod had a lot

of faith in us because once again he came out of his pocket to help us pay our fees and he also

got them to take some away so we wouldn’t have to pay as much but we still had to come out of
our pocket over $1000 to get the chapter back active. The chapter was once again active and we

got to run our first intake process, a year and a half after we had become Sigmas. The line was

going and we decided we were going to have a party/probate to let everyone know the rho phi

chapter was back active. Once again we had to get together and pay money out of our pocket to

throw this party. This time the party was a success and we were able to make a small profit.

Spring 2008 came around and we decided that it was time for us to be serious and try to make a

name for ourself in the state. I began to roadtrip to other chapters across the state to show them

support because that’s how you gain support for your events. We decided we were going to run

another intake that semester. We had 2 members ready for imitation into the crescent club when I

received a phone call to get one more and this frat would pay for that person to pledge. These are

just some of the sacrifices we made to try to build the chapter up like we felt it needed to be.

That line crossed but because of some things that were going on with abc greek life we were

unable to throw them a party. We were preparing for regionals in Oklahoma City that semester

and we had a car wash about a week before we were supposed to leave. At that car wash we

made enough money to register another person and pay for the other members that were going

admission to the parties and other events they had going that weekend. We had almost every

member of the chapter out there for the wash and we even had some help from other brothers

who had nothing to do with the chapter but wanted to do what they could to help. That next

semester we were very quiet on the campus of the college but we were continuing our

community service work at Robinson Elementary that we had started the semester before. There

was no intake for various reasons and we didn’t have any events. The next semester was mine

and Tristan’s final semester as undergrads. We wanted to go out with a bang and make sure we

left our mark on this chapter. We had a line of 7 that semester but due to various circumstances
only 5 became members. I was very excited about the direction the chapter was heading in as I

became a college graduate. Since we left there has been many problems in this chapter about

stuff that doesn’t make sense. We have members that don’t want to work but want to reap the

benefits of the others that work, we have others that say the old heads don’t help but they never

come to us when they need help, we have others that have animosity towards certain members

because of the things that happened during their intake process. None of that stuff should be

happening. No one in this chapter should have to do more work than anybody else, this is a

family and it should be treated as one. All of this bickering and arguing that goes on about little

stuff is stupid. I understand that every family has its arguments and there’s nothing that can be

done about that but this chapter is divided and I haven’t figured out why. I was getting phone

calls and texts while I was living in Memphis about shit that was going on in the chapter. I made

attempts to meet with people because they didn’t want to meet with Brod for whatever reason but

everytime I tried no one would want to show up so I said forget it. I came back home and

decided I was going to try to help Brod as much as possible to get the chapter back on track.

That’s when I witnessed firsthand what he was walking about. There couldn’t be one meeting

without someone arguing or getting mad at someone else over stuff that I wasn’t understanding.

There were people showing up for barbeques late, drunk, and leaving early before it was cleaned

up. This is your chapter now, you shouldn’t have to wait on Brod to plan community service or

fundraisers for you. You shouldn’t wait until the last minute to ask me or whoever for help. You

should be ready to work whenever you’re called upon because that’s what you took an Oath of

Loyalty to do. We didn’t teach you all that history for you to forget it or not use it. Everything

that we taught you from the crescent chant to the 12 inch rules to the creed to the oath is stuff

that every Sigma should use in his everyday life. I know some of y’all are probably thinking he’s
not even financial or active right now why does he think he can tell us something. You don’t

have to listen to me if you don’t want to but just know that if you don’t there won’t be a chapter

on this campus anymore because it’s just going to die. Brodrick, George, Tristan and myself

worked way too hard and sacrificed way too much for this chapter to go down the drain. Spring

2010, I’m expecting a lot from y’all. Y’all are good dudes and you’ve already shown that you’re

ready and willing to put in the work that is needed. I’ve told y’all that your process isn’t what

makes you a good Sigma but it’s the work you do after your process that earns you respect.

Older frats, y’all have been through the struggle. You didn’t have to struggle as bad as we did to

get it back going but it’s still been hard. SOME of y’all know what it takes to be good Sigmas so

that’s when you need to step in and show them. Actions will always speak louder than words and

if you’re telling them how to be sigma’s but not showing them then it’s not doing any good.

Older frats, whatever beef you have against Brod and myself you need to let it go because it’s

not doing you or the chapter any good. The members of this chapter have the potential to make

this one of the strongest chapters in the state. It’s up to you if you wanna be the chapter who just

runs intake and don’t do anything else or if you want to be the chapter that’s known across the

state as being hard workers. Brod, I’d personally like to say thank you for helping me become

the Sigma man that I am today. You showed me how to conduct business how it’s supposed to

be done and at the same time showed me how to support other chapters by roadtripping and

kicking it. Allen I’d like to say thank you to you as well. When Brod first started working with

us you were there through everything to help show me the ropes as well. We roadtripped

together and had fun but at the same time we had a lot of deep conversations while on the road

about Sigma and life in general. I said all of this to say bruhs, y’all learned what it means to be a

Sigma now it’s time for you to show how to be a Sigma.