New fraternity house first in 40 years

By
Rachel Apodaca
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TUG OF WAR: Members of a sorority compete in a game of tug of war during the annual Greek Week where fraternities and sororities compete in various events. The philanthropic “Blood Wars” blood drive received 1,200 participants and 1,015 donated units of blood, which easily surpassed last year’s total amount of 900 units. Jessica Hodder // First Impression Staff

For the first time in 40 years a new fraternity house has been built for a University of Miami chapter.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon, which was founded in 2004, previously had a suite in the Panhellenic Building where it would hold meetings and events. Now, its very own house is located on Liguria Avenue, between San Amaro Drive and Red Road.

Of the 30 total fraternities and sororities on campus, only seven frats have their own houses off campus. Pi Kappa Alpha is in the process of filing paperwork to have its house torn down and rebuilt.

Over the years Sigma Alpha Epsilon’s own fundraising made its members able to fund the project.

“The entire project is an enormous undertaking. The house has been a work in progress for about seven years, and we’re ecstatic that it will be completed,” Chapter President Ramon Galiana said. “I’ve undoubtedly noticed that this will be a whole new era for our chapter moving forward. We’ve ensured that we have taken all the necessary steps to set the right traditions and precedents in such a beautiful residence.”

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Higher Beings: Zeta Tau Alpha’s Michelle Della Guardia, the newly crowned Greek Goddess, crowns Sigma Chi’s Brandon Gross as the Greek God during the Greek God and Goddess Pageant at the School of Communication as part of Greek Week. DOMINIQUE RIOFRIO // FIRST IMPRESSION STAFF

SAE has been named the best chapter on campus for four years in a row and also won a number of awards like Outstanding Alumni Programming, Outstanding Community Service and Outstanding Campus Involvement this past year at the Association of Greek Letter Organizations Awards Reception.

“Every spring, we host our ‘Paddy Murphy Week’ which is a philanthropy week that entails a competition between the participating sororities to help us raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network, our national philanthropy,” Galiana said. “This coming semester we will be hosting the second annual Camp SAE: Supporting Awareness and Education event for autistic children.”

More importantly, Galiana and others believes that the new house will aid during the recruitment process come fall.

“The house provides many new unique opportunites for the brothers of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. This house will have a tremendous positive impact on an already exemplary group of men,” former member and now advisor Daniel Poterek said. “It will serve as a great recruiting tool, provide endless brotherhood building opprtunites and will help strengethen our alumni network. I am confident that the transition into the new house will help make this upcoming year SAE’s best.”