LEAD
Candidate Program
The backbone of our Candidate education program is Phase I of Sigma Nu's 4-year leadership program LEAD (Leadership, Ethics, Achievement, and Development). Phase I is geared towards new members of Sigma Nu and provides an orientation to Sigma Nu followed by detailed interactive workshops on the history of fraternities leadership and working in groups, project management, values, ethics, community service, and time management. These workshops are facilitated by members of the active chapter, Sigma Nu alumni from various chapters, and guest speakers. Each new member is given a LEAD manual, which outlines the activities and provides key text to explain the history and ideals of our fraternity.
Candidates learn about the fraternity's history and ideals of our organization through our first 2 chapters of our LEAD manual. The candidates then participate in games that test their knowledge of the chapter's history. By making the material into a fun and interactive game, the candidates retain the history of our chapter more easily.
Our program promotes chapter unity by having weekly Brotherhood Nights where we've gone to concerts, movies, and sporting events together. We also hold brotherhood events with other Sigma Nu chapters. We had a flag football tournament in San Diego with 4 other Sigma Nu chapters from Southern California. We not only show our chapter unity but our fraternal unity nationwide to the candidates.
Our chapter mentoring is a "big bro" program in which each Candidate chooses their big bro from the chapter. Big bros are required to meet with their little brothers weekly to discuss classes and their experiences with the fraternity. In addition, we have frequent dinners with various alumni so that the candidates meet those who have been in the chapter and learn about how the alumni's experiences shaped their lives and careers.
We encourage campus involvement by attending other groups and organization functions outside of the Greek community. The candidates and some of the actives attended the Smooth Orator philanthropy put on by the Young Democrats. Some of our active members and candidates attended a few of the Christian Club?s bible studies and other events. We encourage our members to join other organizations and not only limit themselves to Sigma Nu.
Community service is also a large part of our candidate education program. We have participated in many community service events such as beach clean ups for Surf Rider and going to soup kitchens in LA to serve lunch to the homeless.
Our candidate program promotes a positive image of the Greek Community by having our candidates attend other Greek fraternity and sorority events. Our candidates also get to meet people in the Greek community through sorority appreciation nights and through friendly practice games with fraternities. We show the candidates that there is more than the social aspect of Greek life and Sigma Nu promotes inter-fraternalism whenever possible and portrays the Greek Community at UCI as a family.
What is the LEAD Program?
LEAD is a four-phase member development program. LEAD is an acronym for Leadership, Ethics, Achievement, and Development. The purpose of LEAD is to develop ethical leaders for society, brothers who will make an impact on their chapter, campus and community. Each of the phases includes a unique curriculum. Sessions include exercises, simulations and discussions to highlight leadership issues students will face while in school and later in their lives and careers. The LEAD Program was originally developed by the Sigma Nu Educational Foundation. Sigma Nu Fraternity is able to implement the program through the generous support of the Foundation, which is in turn supported by Sigma Nu alumni.
What can the LEAD Program do for Sigma Nu members?
- Build self confidence.
- Help members attain a h2 sense of achievement.
- Develop leadership skills in members and officers.
- Improve communication skills.
- Help members reflect on leadership and ethical issues.
- Help members become better team players.
- Develop problem-solving skills.
- Build character.
- Help members get involved in extracurricular activities.
- Develop critical thinking skills.
- What is the vision for the LEAD Program?
- LEAD will become a positive force in the development of young men.
- LEAD will include sessions that are interactive, reflective, exciting and interesting. LEAD will attract outstanding faculty and staff members, excellent alumni and talented collegians in their junior and senior years to faciliate sessions.
- LEAD will be a program that brothers want to participate in. It will focus on personal improvement.
- LEAD will be a program that will greatly benefit participants. The experiences and knowledge gained will be highly regarded by prospective employers.
- LEAD will offer alumni the opportunity to give back to their chapters. It will involve alumni facilitators who are enthusiastic about teaching and interacting with collegians.
- LEAD will inspire members to strive for excellence and continued improvement.
- LEAD will be a program that is respected by other fraternity and sorority members, university administrators and the public.
- LEAD will truly make a difference in the lives of the participants.
- LEAD will create outstanding leaders, leaders who will challenge the process, inspire a shared vision, enable others to act, model the way and encourage the heart.
- LEAD will help collegians realize their potential as leaders, students, brothers and human beings.
- LEAD will teach that service to others is invaluable. It will encourage collegians to participate in service projects for the right reasons.
- LEAD will offer collegians the most outstanding leadership and team-building resources of any Greek organization.
- LEAD will focus on instilling the values for which Sigma Nu stands.
- LEAD will promote friendship for life.
Why LEAD?
- Because Sigma Nu is committed to giving brothers the skills they need to be successful, now and after graduation.
- Because Sigma Nu understands that a fraternity must help members grow as people, leaders, students and brothers.
- Because Sigma Nu does not stand for the status quo.
- Because Sigma Nu believes in h2 friendships. Brotherhood should mean friends for life.
- Because Sigma Nu believes collegians should be active in the Fraternity during their entire time in school.
- Because Sigma Nu believes that juniors and seniors have important roles to play in their chapters and valuable insights to share.
- Because continuous improvement is the hallmark of Sigma Nu's success. LEAD gives chapters the tools they need to evaluate where they are, set their direction and work toward their goals.
