Thoughts & Feelings

Thoughts & Feelings

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

I hope that the service that we do will allow other people to live a better life. Additionally, I think that this is a great time to become even closer with some of my brothers. 

Why is it important for Sigma Chi(and Gamma Pi) to sponsor this activity?

It is important for Sigma Chi and the gamma Pi chapter to sponsor this activity because we need to show how we care about world problems, not just ourselves. It is also important because it gives brothers an incredible learning experience for all of the brothers that participate. 

In your personal experience what has prepared you for this trip?

I will be prepared for this trip because I have a lot of experience going to foreign countries.  Also , I participated in service events in high school and I speak Spanish. 

Andreas Georgiadis  '18

Thoughts & Feelings

Thoughts & Feelings

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

I hope to gain perspective on how people in poorer countries live. The perspective I gain , i heel, will inspire me to help others who are less fortunate than me. 

Why is it important for Sigma Chi(and Gamma Pi) to sponsor this activity?

It is important for Sigma Chi and Gamma PI to sponsor this activity because it gives young people the opportunity to serve others and humbly reminds them of how fortunate they are to be able to go to college and be a part of a great organization as well. 

In your personal experience what has prepared you for this trip?

I have volunteered many times throughout my life and have been to the Caribbean multiple times before. I feel as though many people do not understand what life is like for the natives of these islands and how poor these people can be. Furthermore, I speak Spanish, which will help in communication. I also have lead other Sigma Chi philanthropy events such as the annual pasta dinner. 

Ryan Bowen '18

Thoughts & Feelings

Thoughts & Feelings

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

All my life i have been very involved with charity in the third world. I have worked in my home country of Venezuela, in Cuba, Ecuador, Peru, Botswana, and South Africa. I have learned so much from each experience and hope to use this trip to continue my journey of cultural learning and giving to those in need. I believe that this trip will give me a different perspective on the world and help me grow as an individual.

Why is it important for Sigma Chi(and Gamma Pi) to sponsor this activity?

This activity is meant to help marginalized people in the third world country where they do not receive help from anyone. Sigma Chi;s values of Friendship Justice and learning go hand in hand with this event. I believe that the Gamma Pi chapter has the ability to do meaningful work and give back to charity more than it currently does. This is a major opportunity for the brotherhood to accomplish that mission. 

In your personal experience what has prepared you for this trip?

As i have already mentioned I have done a lot of charity work throughout latin america and Africa. I have an idea of domestic situations in those places, which allows me to connect with people easier. I am also fluent in Spanish and can help as a translator if necessary. A few years ago I did a service trip to Ecuador doing similar work and helped out group out when language was a barrier. It would be an honor to go with my brothers on this awesome opportunity. 

Stefano Daza Arango '18

Thoughts & Feelings

Thoughts & Feelings

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

I hope to be part of something that will leave a positive impact on the lives of the people we are to serve. I also wish to learn about the culture of the Dominican Republic.

Why is it important for Sigma Chi(and Gamma Pi) to sponsor this activity?

It is important as this service trip embodies the standards we strive to embody. I hope this trip will remind our brothers what others may be dealing with and make our brothers more mature. I also hope that this trip will break stereotypes associated with fraternities. 

In your personal experience what has prepared you for this trip?

What prepares me is the background that i come from. Coming from a war torn country; I understand what being hopeless and need feels like. This feeling has motivated me throughout my life to work hard to prevent that from happening to others. 

Omar Soufan '17

Thoughts & Feelings

Thoughts & Feelings

What do you hope to accomplish with your participation?

Besides the building of the actual latrines which serve the communities for 10+ years, I hope we can help the people we serve in all the ways their setting has deprived them of. I is tragic that many people of the first world are never exposed to, or experience what it would be like to live as many people in rural parts of Dominican republic and other rustic and impoverished areas do.  I owe it to inspire hope and joy to the less fortunate. 

Why is it important for Sigma Chi to sponsor this activity?

It is important for Sigma Chi to sponsor this activity as a means to fully uphold the standards we follow. This trip is such a one of a kind experience and I can only hope to live my life surrounded by people who invoke themselves in things like this. It is important for our chapter to participate as it is easy to become it is easy to get caught up with everything moving fast while at school. This trip allows us to understand our values and what really maters to us. 

What person experience has prepared you for this trip?

Last years trip was the single best thing I've ever done with my life. I hope I can take more of a leadership role while on the trip , and even expand our care and aid to the people we serve. 

-Calvin Winchell '16

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