by Eminent Supreme Archon M. Todd Buchanan

On behalf of the entire Supreme Council and all of our members, I’d like to wish you a Happy 153rd Anniversary. We celebrated our Founders Day on March 9, and our organization is just as strong as ever. I’m proud to be the national president of the best social fraternity in this country. I’m sure this has been a challenging year for you, both personally and professionally. It seems that all we hear is negative news about the economy, the job market and the performance of our retirement plans. But I have some good news for you. Despite the hardships our country has been facing, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is doing incredibly well. We are meeting our challenges, our members are embracing my call to Be the One and our numbers are as strong today as they have been in the past.

For example, in February, we installed our 300th chapter at the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse, a major milestone. We have 10,000 undergraduates at 218 chapters across the country. We have nearly 190,000 living alumni. And I had the privilege of pinning a new member with badge 287,300. Those numbers mean college men are still very much interested in what our fraternal experience offers, and the need for fraternities is just as great today as it was back in 1856. I’ve asked our members to Be the One, and every day I hear more stories about how they’re achieving that mission.

We share a common experience and must continue to share it. At the same time, the Supreme Council is committed to keep delivering meaningful experiences to our members. While we’re weathering the financial storm, we’re committed to continuing our annual traditions like Leadership School, the Phoenix Institute and the Fraternity Convention as well as our excellent volunteer-driven events such as the SAE World Series and the National Amateur Golf Tournament. These events enrich our experience and allow us to impact our fellow brothers.

At the end of the day, I know all of us have the same goal in mind: to leave the organization better than we found it. As the ESA, I’d like to thank you for not only being a loyal, committed brother but for Being the One. Your support allows us to thrive in good times and bad, and our good work ensures Sigma Alpha Epsilon will be around for future anniversaries. When I attend our events like Leadership School, I can see the gratefulness in the eyes of our young men to the members who made their experience possible, simply by choosing to Be the One.

Always remember that a brother’s support or advice is only a phone call or e-mail or text message away. It’s in periods like this that we truly learn the meaning of brotherhood and the benefits of having lifelong friends. Personally, I can’t imagine my life without the guys I know from Mississippi Sigma and the other brothers I’ve met along the way. I’m confident that, despite what this world throws at us, we can meet our challenges and continue celebrating our legacy.

In the Bonds,
M. Todd Buchanan (Southern Mississippi ’90)
Eminent Supreme Archon