A Place to Learn

What Moseley may not have foreseen, though, was the complexity of the modern chapter. The curriculum of the 74th Leadership School had sessions on branding and public relations, risk-management seminars, had discussions of heraldry and financial management and etiquette and the responsible use of alcohol. But, given the many challenges of a leadership position, the School needs to cover a wide array of issues and situations. While many attendees learn from the larger sessions, attended by all the delegates at the same time, it’s during the smaller chapter groups that the real work of the Fraternity takes place. It’s where the men learn that “brotherhood” isn’t just a word.

“When you mix 15 guys together,” Laux says of his small group, “they’re going to be a little shy. I wanted to break the ice and show them my vulnerabilities. It’s after they opened up that they felt comfortable with our group.”

Fredricks agrees, speaking from his experience both as an attendee and as an ambassador during the 74th. “When I first got to Leadership School as a delegate, I didn’t feel that close to anyone else,” he says. “But after we had chapter meetings, I got to know the other guys. I remember how close we became.”

So how did that change when he became an ambassador? “No where else in the world can you go on a cruise ship for three days and talk about what you love the most, which is Sigma Alpha Epsilon,” he says. “It’s not just lecturing. It’s talking. It’s ‘How can we improve?’ and ‘how can guys do this?’ The Supreme Council isn’t talking down to us. They’re talking to us as peers.”

That was exactly the feeling that Wiglesworth was looking for. “I try to get across to them that I’m just a regular guy given extraordinary circumstances,” the current ESA says. “There’s nothing special about me, and that’s part of being an ΣAE.” The learning continues no matter the situation, no matter the difference in age or experience — and no matter the amount of time that has passed. Moseley, in his 1936 letter to the delegates of the second Leadership School, knew the importance of passing along the ideals of leadership to the next generation, even writing that “… you are under obligation to share with your chapter-mates upon your return. Such notes will become a part of you, will give you a personal slant and will vitalize both your attitude and your endeavors. That is training for leadership.”

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