There has been a stretch of 2-3 Conclaves in the past few years that I had wanted to go to but never really knew anyone else who was going. I caught myself saying that "one of these years I would work up the courage to go," but I would put it on the back burner until it was too late.
At the turn of 2019, if you would have asked me if I was going to Conclave this year, I probably would have voiced something pretty similar to that as well. This spring I was asked to accompany our undergraduate delegates during their trip to Conclave. Before I could say yes, my flights were booked, and my registration submitted. From the moment I arrived at the Marriott Marquis in Houston, I was amazed by how great it was to be around 1,100 brothers and guests that all had a passion for our fraternity.
As a young alumnus, I found that Nationals did an exceptional job putting on classes for everything you need to know on volunteering and engaging with the young men of the undergraduate chapter. Each speaker during the lunches/dinners left me feeling like I did the day I joined SigEp. I truly left Conclave feeling like I was a necessary piece of the bigger picture of brotherhood. I was reminded that I have a "Lifetime Responsibility of Brotherhood", not only to my pledge brothers but to each young man that goes through SigEp. I highly recommend attending Conclave if you haven't.
Whether the next conclave is your first or your 30
th
, come join me in Denver, Colorado for the 2021 National Grand Chapter Conclave!
Shon Dempsey (University of Arkansas/ Henderson State University) '15
Chapter Counselor - Arkansas Alpha
