Ryan Grossnicklaus
Sigma Phi Epsilon president, grossnicklrm@lopers.unk.edu
Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at the University of Nebraska at Kearney has received a top national award for being an outstanding chapter.
The Buchanan Cup, which has been awarded to the UNK chapter five times, was recently presented to fraternity members at the Sigma Phi Epsilon national fraternity conclave, which took place at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix.
UNK Sigma Phi Epsilon members Jeff Babl of O’Neill, Matthew Wecker of O’Neill, Pete White ofLincoln and Derek Wolken of Tecumseh accepted at the award on behalf of the fraternity.
The UNK chapter currently has more than 75 members, a 3.32 overall chapter GPA, seven certified volunteers, an active Alumni Board Corporation, and sponsors philanthropies for YouthAIDS, the Nebraska Kidney Association and the Muscular Dystrophy Association. In addition, UNK Sigma Phi Epsilon members give numerous hours in community service and have a 100 percent campus involvement rate.
To receive the award, chapters must have more than 40 active members, an overall chapter GPA of 3.0 or higher, five or more certified volunteers, and an active alumni board, serve at least one philanthropy, and have 50 percent or more of the chapter membership involved in at least one other organization.
The Buchanan Cup is given to 47 of the more than 240 chapters in the United States. Sigma Phi Epsilon is the largest American fraternity.
Members of the UNK Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity are listed below alphabetically by hometown.
Aurora – Ryan Grossnicklaus, president
Campbell – Kevin Hall, vice president of finance
Carleton – Riley Volkmer
Elba – Jed Dush
Elkhorn – Ryan Morrissey
Fairbury – Brent Buchmeier; John Mach, vice president of recruitment
Fremont – Michael Hahn, Pierce Longacre, Spencer Longacre
Grand Island – Jacob Betson, Nate Coleman, Quinn Mendyk, Kyle Peters
Hastings – Brock Drudik, assistant vice president of recruitment; Kasey Hermann; Andrew Hollister; John Lindblad
Holdrege – Sergio Lara, vice president of membership development
Kearney – Brock Blankenship; Caleb Chvatal; Josh Englund; Garrett Goldsberry; Stephen Harris; Lane Hoskins; Jordan Moncrief, vice president of scholarship; Brock Paul; Cory Shield; Darius Smith; Trevor Woodward, vice president of programming;
Lincoln – Chris Fieselman; Brandon Hanika; Philip White
McCook – Joe Mannschreck
Morrill – Kasey Dietz Jordan Gonzales
Naponee – Derek Fouts
North Platte – Evan Allberry, Jordan Arensdorf, Austin Doyle, Ben Gove, Kole Harrach, Brendan Lynes, Thomas Shafer
Omaha – Alex Lamb, Stephen Pravecek
O’Neill – Jeff Babl, Brady Torpin, Matt Wecker
Paxton – Zach Schultz
Pleasanton – Kevin Ripp
Seward – Kenny Stratton
Tecumseh – Derek Wolken
Valley – Luke Conrad
Waterloo – Ryan Johanek, Kyle Rotert
Wood River– Kris Koelze, Chris Maloney, Curt Maloney
OUT-OF-STATE
IOWA
Council Bluffs – Brian Fountain
MISSOURI
Independence – Josh Smith
Lee’s Summit – Nate Schumacher
Members of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Alumni Board include: Dave Casteel, board-at-large; Marcus Donner, treasurer; Jay Dostal, president; Steve Ell, vice president; Justin Horn, communications; Tim Kaiser, balanced man steward; Dustin Kowalewski, board-at- large; Charles McGraw, chapter adviser; Matt Rau, board-at-large; Tyson Schilling, board-at-large; and Alex Straatmann, chapter counselor.
