Ninety percent of college takes place outside of the classroom. It’s in this part of the college experience — the unplanned, unstructured hours — that students discover their passions and plan their futures. For our brothers, much of this time is spent with their chapters — it’s where they build close bonds of friendship and learn how to communicate and work with others, to lead, and to speak in front of a crowd. Our brothers accomplish all of this through the Balanced Man Program (BMP).
The Balanced Man Program is the centerpiece of the SigEp chapter experience and provides the experience that today’s student needs to be successful during and after college. The Balanced Man Program is a non-pledging, non-hazing, four-year, personal, academic, leadership and professional skills development experience. Here is how the Balanced Man Program accomplishes those ideals:
Sigma Challenge: IN Zeta’s Sigma Challenge is our new member education program. It is a 6-week period that begins directly after you turn in your bid to join our brotherhood. During the Sigma Challenge, new members should learn about Indiana Zeta’s history as well as how the fraternity got its start nationally. New members will also learn what the Balanced Man Program is and how to utilize it to their advantage, how IN Zeta functions, and how to behave with Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love.
Phi Challenge: IN Zeta’s Phi Challenge is where brothers get more involved with the chapter. In this challenge, brothers are able to join committees and run for chair positions (maybe even executive board positions) so that they can begin to positively impact the chapter. Brothers are also highly encouraged to take up leadership positions within clubs and organizations on campus if they are not already heavily involved. The Phi Challenge is a great time to take up leadership roles, both inside and outside of the chapter, and learn more about who you are as a leader and hopefully as a young man.
Epsilon Challenge: IN Zeta’s Epsilon Challenge is very self-driven. You get to make your own goals within the BMP to strive toward future success; your goal could even be to learn something new! When a brother enters the Epsilon Challenge, there is an unwritten expectation that he will use his voice and leadership talents to become a strong presence within the chapter. Men in the Epsilon Challenge are supposed to make up a majority of the leaders within the chapter: they hear the voice of every brother and then make decisions that they believe will improve their chapter. Most, if not all, members of the executive board will be in the Epsilon Challenge.
Brother Mentor Challenge: IN Zeta’s Brother Mentor Challenge is meant to drive older brothers to post-college success. Brothers indulge in meetings and activities that attempt to teach them about life after college and how to succeed as a professional and as a man. Brothers in this challenge are also expected to mentor the new members upon their initiation. They help guide brothers through their Sigma Challenge while also being there to advise the leaders of the chapter.
The program is founded on five philosophical tenets:
- Equal rights and responsibilities - Full membership upon joining
- Continuous development - Growing throughout life
- Accountability - Committing to SigEp’s high standards
- Living the Ritual - Incorporating SigEp’s values into everyday life
- Mentoring - Maximizing growth through guidance and support
... and takes the form of four self-paced challenges that span throughout the college career ...
... focusing on five areas of development:
