How a fraternity member is using Greek Life principles to make an impact on campus

Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Tadgh Spalding knows how to recruit the most balanced men to create a better campus life for all. 

Spalding is a double major in history and secondary education, as well as Sigma Phi Epsilon’s Vice President of Recruitment. Holding this position, Spalding says he is able to better his relationships both with his brothers and his campus. His position requires him to market the chapter in a way to help recruit new members. Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep) prides themselves on finding balanced men to come together to better campus life for both brothers as well as non-members. Spalding’s role plays a huge part of keeping the culture of the chapter alive.

Spalding mentioned how the position of Vice President of Recruitment comes with a lot of responsibility and takes a great amount of passion for the chapter. 

“I love the chapter. I care about the chapter so much when I talk about it, I evangelize a little bit,” Spalding said. 

While fraternity culture varies from school to school, the culture of NKU’s chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon is shaped around love for one another and the campus. 

“You can’t love someone until you love yourself; you have to have love inside the chapter to make campus better for everyone else. We don’t have to be a certain way to be a good fraternity,” Spalding said. 

The chapter prides themselves on being a diverse group of masculine-aligned people who encourage positive masculinity and men to be themselves. 

“If you are a square peg, we won’t put you in a circular hole,” Spalding said. “SigEp doesn’t make you, you make SigEp.”

This position has also helped Spalding build his connections with many other people outside of his fraternity. Since Spaulding is consistently recruiting members for his chapter, he has been able to meet new people who end up joining the fraternity as well as people who don’t join.

Balanced men cannot be created by only being active in the fraternity. Sigma Phi Epsilon requires their members to be in at least one other organization on campus. Spalding sets an example for his brothers as he is the President of the NKU Sunrise Movement, an organization about youth fighting for climate change and racial justice. He also encourages his brothers to become leaders through other organizations such as Victor Guides, Norse Violence Prevention and Men Against Violence. 

If you are a masculine-aligned person who is thinking about joining Greek Life, Spalding recommends talking to every chapter as well as asking other people on campus about the chapters. He also says it is both a gut feeling and a logical answer for everyone to find their place on campus.

“They [the chapters] are biased. Ask other people. Talk to the chapters and do your own research,” Spalding said.

For more information about Greek Life on campus, click here.