1. Where are you from?
I was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec and moved to Vancouver in 2016 to join the Faculty of Sciences at UBC.
2. What’s your position?
As the current Vice President of the UBC chapter of Sigma Chi, my responsibilities are to oversee and chair our chapter’s Executive Committee and Judicial Board, as well as to work closely with the President in carrying out chapter operations.
3. Why did you decide to go Greek?
On my first day of classes in first-year, I was completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of students on Main Mall walking between classes and was worried that at such a large university, I would quickly become just another face in the crowd. I had heard that university was the time to meet our lifelong friends, so I turned to the Greek system to find a place where I could easily meet people but also be myself. It didn’t take me long to realize that, when you look past the parties, the Greek system is a group of ambitious students looking for a sense of community, but also for personal and career development. As it turns out, this was exactly what I was looking to gain from my university experience, so the decision to go Greek was an easy one.
4. Why Sigma Chi?
Going through ‘Rush’ in first-year, I recognized that fraternities were doing their best to make a good impression, though this seemed to come naturally to the men I met at Sigma Chi. They were welcoming and genuinely interested in who I was and where I wanted to go. If I had a crazy idea on what I wanted to accomplish in my life, they didn’t shoot me down and call me a dreamer, but instead engaged with me on how to make my idea a reality. The more guys I met, the more I realized how diverse this group was, a characteristic which allowed me to have a completely new conversation with each one of them. Each of the brothers were impressive in their own way and they understood that this diversity made them stronger. Never before had I seen such a group of extraordinary gentlemen that were leaders on campus and in the community, respectful, caring, and always pushing themselves and each other to be the best version of themselves that they can be. Looking back at my decision now, I can confidently reiterate one of our Fraternity Founder’s words, “Sigma Chi was my first love; it shall be my last”.
5. What other commitments are you involved in outside of Sigma Chi?
Outside of Sigma Chi, I work at Gold Lab, an immunology research lab in the Life Sciences Centre on campus, as well as volunteer for the Healthier Masculinities program in the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC).
6. Any advice for potential new members interested in rushing?
Rushing can be an overwhelming process, but ultimately, the decision you make needs to be YOUR decision. I would definitely take some time to check out all of the houses and see what each Fraternity has to offer because rushing can be a difficult decision for many and having as much information as possible will only help you. I also want to encourage you all to follow your gut instincts when making your decision. No organization is identical and there are many great guys throughout the entire Greek system, so you really can’t go wrong with your decision as long as you’re happy with your choice. Many of the brothers in Sigma Chi rushed with friends that choose another Fraternity or not to rush at all, but that hasn’t affected their friendships now so please be open-minded and respect those around you for making the decision that they think is best for themselves!