Pictures from last year's trip

Thoughts & Feelings

What do you hope to accomplish with your participation on this trip?
I hope to continue our positive impact that I saw evident on our trip last year. I hope our group successfully constructs as many latrines as we can, as well as provide validation for the community in Don Juan.

Why is it important for Sigma Chi and the Gamma Pi Chapter to sponsor this activity?
It’s important for us to go down to help them because it shows the people of the villages we work in that people care about them. Also, it’s important for us as Sigma Chi to diversify our knowledge of life, and ultimately come to a more whole understanding of what goes on in this world. From our standpoint, it puts our life of excess into perspective. From the standpoint of the Dominican communities we touch, it provides a very serious validation. The impact we have down there is priceless. From physically constructing the latrines, to playing baseball with the kids at night, we accomplish more than one could even imagine by going down there. They look forward to it all year, as do we.

In your personal experiences, what has prepared you for this trip (previous service events, fundraising foreign travel, brotherhood initiatives, speak Spanish)?
I’ve participated in the trip once before, and have learned a tremendous amount. I was in a role as a participant last year, and this year I feel my role is more of a leader. I’m excited to show to others what was shown to me.

- Matthew Michael, Class of '16

Thoughts & Feelings

What do you hope to accomplish with your participation on this trip?
I want to build sustainable facilities for Dominican families to appreciate and utilize in order to improve their livelihood. I have always believed that helping is a reciprocal process. While I may not receive anything from them, I know that my contributions will help inspire those families to help others in the future. I want them to know that my actions are simply stepping stones towards building a more sustainable community in the Dominican Republic.

Why is it important for Sigma Chi and the Gamma Pi Chapter to sponsor this activity?
It is important for Sigma Chi (and Gamma Pi) to sponsor this because it demonstrates to others the true values and principles we stand by. Some people may not know our commitment towards our philanthropy, and going to the Dominican Republic is a crucial event to let others know the effort and time we commit towards bettering the community. It not only demonstrates our passion as brothers of Sigma Chi, but it also demonstrates our wellbeing as men.

In your personal experiences, what has prepared you for this trip (previous service events, fundraising foreign travel, brotherhood initiatives, speak Spanish)?
I travelled to Peru during my high school years, and during my time there, I participated in community service by reorganizing and revitalizing a local elementary school. In some ways or another, I felt extremely honored to be part of the reconstruction of the school, and my passion for philanthropy is what drove me to sign up for this Dominican trip. With a few years of Spanish under my belt, I hope to be an integral and active member of this philanthropy trip.

- Chandler Woo, Class of '17

Thoughts & Feelings

What do you hope to accomplish with your participation on this trip?
I hope to gain a broader understanding of the world and expose myself to a foreign culture, while bonding with my close friends and positively affecting the lives of those we are seeking to assist. 

Why is it important for Sigma Chi and the Gamma Pi Chapter to sponsor this activity?

This is a paramount event for the Gamma Pi chapter of the Sigma Chi fraternity because it allows us to exercise our convictions as brothers and distinguish ourselves as a truly benevolent organization looking to aid those in need.

In your personal experiences, what has prepared you for this trip (previous service events, fundraising foreign travel, brotherhood initiatives, speak Spanish)?

Various forms of community service along with an active participation in the brotherhood.

- Justin Brennan, Class of '17

Thoughts and Feelings

What do you hope to accomplish with your participation on this trip?

I want to benefit as many lives as I possibly can with my work and I want to demonstrate a positive attitude to all the people in the villages we visit. I want to experience first-hand what living conditions are like. I want to take what I’ve learned and spread the word as far as I can and expand Gamma Pi’s participation as well as encourage participation from other groups and organizations. I want to experience a period of introspection and evaluate my past, present, and future life from the experiences I share and the bonds I form.

Why is it important for Sigma Chi and the Gamma Pi Chapter to sponsor this activity?

It is a very unique thing to be able to say that I’ve been down to one of the poorest sectors of the world and with a small helping hand, have changed the lives of so many. Almost no other organization can say they’ve done this. The brothers of Gamma Pi have the esteemed opportunity in going down to the DR to not only help others, but to gain new perspective on life and reevaluate themselves by the Jordan Standard. What brothers learn down in the DR has the potential to spread to the chapter as a whole and make it better.

In your personal experiences, what has prepared you for this trip (previous service events, fundraising foreign travel, brotherhood initiatives, speak Spanish)?

I’ve done my fair share of community service (i.e. Habitat for Humanity, coaching soccer, working at a Food Pantry, etc.). I’ve traveled to Europe and the Caribbean and I took 5 years of Spanish (although I’ve retained very little of it). One other thing, I’m good at interacting with kids of all ages. I’m the oldest of 3 and I have a bunch of younger cousins I see a fair amount.

- Samuel Rubin, Class of '15

Thoughts and Feelings

What do you hope to accomplish with your participation on this trip?
I want to do good deeds for other people. I want to change other's lives and see the happiness that my volunteer work brings. I've always wanted to do big things, that have a positive impact on society, and sometimes you can make that kind of impact by starting small and helping communities in need.

Why is it important for Sigma Chi and the Gamma Pi Chapter to sponsor this activity?
I think that it is good for our image as a fraternity. Additionally, and more importantly, this sort of activity coincides with Sigma Chi's ideals and keeps its members humble.

In your personal experiences, what has prepared you for this trip (previous service events, fundraising foreign travel, brotherhood initiatives, speak Spanish)?
I have gone on service trips for various churches in the past. Notably, I went on a service trip to Scranton, Pennsylvania and helped an older woman who had a son, with her porch. I was part of a small group of volunteers who helped her reconstruct and repaint her porch. While this was a small task, it meant the world to this woman who didn't have the time or resources to fix up her porch, and seeing it look nice and structurally sound brought her so much happiness.

- John Donner, Class of '16

Thoughts and Feelings

What do you hope to accomplish with your participation on this trip?
I want to gain an appreciation for the things I have and help others who are less fortunate. I also would like to develop deep relationships with a culture that I would have otherwise never developed.

Why is it important for Sigma Chi and the Gamma Pi Chapter to sponsor this activity?
To show that we aren't only concerned with the welfare of ourselves. It's important so that we can all learn how to impact other people's lives in a positive way. Helping others is important and sometimes we are limited to do so when immersed in a college campus.

In your personal experiences, what has prepared you for this trip (previous service events, fundraising foreign travel, brotherhood initiatives, speak Spanish)?
Throughout my life I have participated in a variety of service events. In high school there was a requirement of 20 community service hours per year and I spent this time volunteering at food pantries, an annual event called Christmas in the City where we gift and feed the less fortunate, and other service organizations. I want to go on this trip because though I have done a lot, I have never been able to fully immerse myself in the setting where help is needed.

- Calvin Winchell, Class of '16

Thank you so very much for funding this trip.  I cannot begin to express to you how much this money has meant to not only everyone on this trip, but to all the families/the community who took us in during our stay here.  As you may or may not know, the Dominican Republic is considered by many a third world country where many of the things we take for granted in the US, such as clean water, running water, electricity, paved roads, affordable cars, etc, are not within reach or readily accessible to much of the community here.  I can assure you that your money not only went to good use in allowing the members of this trip to experience a truly life-changing experience, but also giving people in need much needed assistance with things such as latrines, money, hope, validation, and sometimes just even a smile.  I don’t know if you knew what your money was going towards when you donated it to this trip, but I would just like to thank you once again for your generous donation and I would highly recommend donating money again in the future.  It is truly a life-changing experience for everyone involved.

Brian Doherty

It’s hard to put into words exactly what this trip did for us both individually, and as a group.  Immersing yourself into a culture that’s so different from the one we have here in the United States, you see and learn some things that you couldn’t learn here.  Technology isn’t a big thing in the neighborhood we were staying, so every night we grabbed some chairs and “stooped” in front of one of our host families’ houses and talked (or tried to talk) with the locals or played dominoes and other games with the kids.  The first couple nights were a little uncomfortable, but as our stay their lengthened we became more comfortable and realized that any awkwardness we felt, was purely our own, and that the people we were staying with, and all the people we interacted with, were open, friendly, and kind- a trait that isn’t always easy to find in the states.
I suppose the main lesson I took away from the trip to the Dominican Republic it that joy; long term, lasting joy; doesn’t come from your new computer game or having the best grade in your class or having the nicest clothes, house, cell phone, or car; joy comes from the people you surround yourself with and who care about you.  And the best way to surround yourself with people who care is to be open, friendly, and kind to everyone you meet.
Kevin Mcalpine


This has been one of the best experiences of my life.  I cannot express how glad I am that I decided to go on the trip.  My host mom, or “Donya” as mothers in the Dominican, all of the kids that I met were an amazing part of the experience.  Nothing was better than playing baseball with them every evening.  I am very thankful that I had this opportunity, and I hope to come back and see the people I made life-long friendships with.

Sean Hickey

Thank you so much for helping fund the sigma chi service trip to the Dominican Republic.  It was truly a life-changing experience.  I will never forget the joy I got to bring to the children of the village we stayed in.  Whether giving piggy-back rides or playing baseball, seeing the children’s smiling faces was a high point of our trip.  But this trip was about much more than that, on this trip we constructed latrines for the people of the poorer areas of the village.  This project was a truly humbling experience, and I the memories of this trip will last a lifetime.  Thanks again for making this possible.

Kevin Haddad

I thought I saw it all on the last service trip to the Dominican Republic… I was wrong.  I came here this time with a preconceived expectation of what it would be like, but my experience defied my expectation.  We were able to change people’s lives with interactions, presence, tangible amenities, and mere “holes.”  Coming back from a grueling day of work to see all the children in our village run up to us with smiles and excitement, yelling our names and grabbing our hands was symbolic of the trip as a whole.  The fact that we went out of our way to see people that rarely, if ever, get visitors shows that people do care about them, and that people do know they exist.  Unfortunately, it’s my last year in school and thus, a participant on this trip, but I have a good feeling this will not be the last time I see these people, see those smiles, and go out of my way here to show these people that they are cared for.

Jonathan Fricke

This is my second trip to the DR and just as last time, I was extremely glad.  It is hard to describe the “good” we are doing down here as an organization.  Just the fact that we are here is enough to put smiles on children’s faces and give everyone hope.  It is important that the need of these people is acknowledged and accommodated to the best of our abilities.  I see hope in our continued presence in the area and know we are making a difference.  Alicia, a Peace Corps worker who worked in Don Juan, sees the potential of our fraternity through not only our efforts, but also those of Brother Anderson.  She was able to make this trip run smoothly with translation and organizing our work.  With each trip the number of lives the trip has impacted (Brothers and the people of Don Juan) continue to grow in addition to the donation contributions of the brothers that went on the trip.  Most importantly, the donations of the alumni make this trip possible and we sincerely thank you,

Vincent Alleluia

This trip to the Dominican Republic was definitely an interesting one.  My expectations were very extreme in that I thought the worst was in store.  I wasn’t prepared for what was to come.  I was extremely shocked at how nice and normal the people seemed to me.  Granted, the physical appearance and materialistic goods weren’t there, but these people led simple lives and focused on things that actually mattered: being together, caring about one another, and trying to live the best lives they could.  A friend I made on this trip summed up my thoughts entirely.  He told me after many days at work together that “every nation is the same, God made all of us.”  This really stood out to me, as it is completely true.  I could write a book about my experiences and thoughts about this trip, and this is just a small bit.  This was probably the most meaningful and self-fulfilling trip I’ve ever been on.  I’m very thankful I was able to come on this trip and experience the Dominican Republic.

Matt Michael

Thank you for providing me with this opportunity to expand my character and reach out to others in need.  Some people attain a good sentiment of selflessness by donating money or objects to charity.  While this is indeed a great act of benevolence, in no way does it compare to the actual act of helping others and physically seeing the happiness we brought to these people.  Nothing compares to the amount of gratitude and hope that was elicited by those we have touched.  In a place devoid of many things we take for granted such as clean running water, internet, and even having an actual address I was exposed to pure happiness, joy, respect, friendship, and well being.  This experience has allowed me to reflect on the materialistic world we live in and recognize that life is not about what you have, but who you have, as I was exposed to the kindest and most loving people I met in the village.  Everyone works together to help each other and provide accommodations, which is lacking often in the United States.

Andrew Stark

One of the most memorable experiences of this trip was seeing a neighbor to a family receiving an outhouse let a brother use some of their unpurified water to clean the paint off his hands.  It was clearly an imposition for their based on the small un-floored, half-rusted shack they lived in, and they didn’t seem to mind helping at all.  Similar to this, several Dominicans from the community would stop by and help us with the project, without being paid anything.  They were eager to help build these outhouses on other people’s land. It was evident that the latrines were among the most valuable things they had, along with their sense of community. Thanks to all for the support that made this project possible.

Craig Rogoff

This trip has been very special to me.  When I first landed in the Dominican Republic, I first imagined a “sheltered vacation” while helping those in need.  However, I found so much more in my 10 days here.  At the first meeting with my host family I felt completely naked and vulnerable.  Armed with zero knowledge of Spanish, I feebly attempted to communicate my name and my need for a mosquito net.  Now, I feel a sort of pride and comfort as if my donia, Kiki, Oliver, and Emilie have become an extension of my family.  Working too became a relished activity as strenuous physical labor and the pouring sweat became sacred.  It soon became apparent that with every nail and every shovel of dirt we are transforming someone’s life.  What amazed me the most is that our everlasting impact is not the fact a poor person can use the bathroom, but rather that there are people that do care.

Siqi Song