SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON
OHIO PHI HISTORY
Paul Koch and Brian Seskes began their freshman year at the University of Akron. Paul and Brian met by becoming roommates in Gallucci Hall room 344, an on-campus dormitory. During that fall’s rush program, Paul and his second roommate were asked to rush a founded fraternity on campus. While Paul’s roommate pursued this opportunity, Paul did not.
The reason for Paul’s decision was that his brother Chris was a member of a fraternity called Sigma Alpha Epsilon at Case Western Reserve University. Through his brother, Paul had learned of the rich history and friendship that Sigma Alpha Epsilon had to offer. There was only one problem, there was no ΣΑΕ chapter at the University of Akron at that time. Paul did not want to settle for another fraternity, so he decided to wait for ΣΑΕ to come to the Akron campus.
Brian Seskes was leaving Robertson Dining Hall when he was handed a flier by a man named Steve Mayerson. The flier was advertising a meeting for men interested in starting a chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at The University of Akron. Brian brought the flier back to Paul and the two decide to attend the meeting. The meeting was held in the Elm room at the university’s Gardner Student Center. Paul and Brian were the only two to attend. They spoke to Steve and learned that he was an extension manager sent from the headquarters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon in Evanston, Illinois. Steve’s purpose was to find a few good men to attempt the difficult task of building a chapter of ΣΑΕ at The University of Akron. Paul and Brian agreed that they would assume this great undertaking, having no idea of the number of lives that would be impacted by taking on this tremendous challenge.
Paul had talked to three of his friends with whom he attended Willoughby South High School: Brian Ficzeri, Mike Kingzett and Darryl Kleinhenz. He had explained the plethora of opportunities offered by ΣΑΕ and because of this, they jumped at the chance to get involved. The group spent the winter break planning their next moves.
The first decision the group made was to let their presence be known on campus. The group posted flyers all over campus, registered as an interest group and a student organization. Paul Koch and Brian Seskes contacted the office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and scheduled a meeting with the Greek advisor Michelle Watral. In the meeting, Michelle mentioned another group of individuals who were also interested in starting an organization on campus. Paul contacted the group to see if they would be interested in joining ΣΑΕ. Three of the four joined: Joeseph Stella, Dave Schiciano, and Matt Fletcher.
Tim Lee, The Province Π Archon (President), assisted in the first formal assembly of ΣΑΕ at the University of Akron. The meeting took place on April 4, 1993, at 7:00 p.m. in the Carnation room of the Gardner Student Center. Twelve members were in attendance during the meeting. During this meeting, they elected their first Eminent Archon (President) Paul Koch. Matt Fletcher became the first Treasurer and took the minutes during the first assembly. It was decided in that meeting since they were unable to wear the letters of ΣΑΕ, they would instead tie a yellow ribbon to their backpacks as a symbol of their unity and newfound friendships.
The interest group was officially recognized as a Colony of Sigma Alpha Epsilon by the Interfraternity Council (IFC).
Six of the fourteen members lived in an on-campus townhouse at 359 Grant Street which became the unofficial chapter house for the 1993-1994 academic year. This was also the semester that the colony went through their pledgeship training. Robert “Zack” Lynn from the Ohio Lambda Chapter at Kent State University took on the role of Pledge Educator for the colony.
On November 17,1993 at 7:00 p.m., the colony at that time of sixteen men, were formally pledged in a ceremony conducted by members from the Ohio Rho Chapter of ΣΑΕ, which is located at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland. It was on this date that they were officially recognized by the National Headquarters of ΣΑΕ as the University of Akron Colony of Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
The founding fathers were presented their colony active pins on January 22, 1994, and were given the right to wear the letters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. The pinning ceremony was performed by Robert “Zack” Lynn and the group was given the status of Active Colony.
The ΣΑΕ colony had recruited seven men that would make up the colony’s first pledge class. The pledge class was appropriately named Sigma and it boosted the colony membership to twenty-two. Mark Monreal and Joe Stella served as Pledge Educators to this first class.
Six of the twenty colony members moved into the first official ΣΑΕ house at 344 Thompson Court. Ironically, the address of this first house was the same as Paul Koch and Brian Seskes’ room number in Gallucci Hall. Throughout the first several weeks of the semester, extensive remodeling on the house was carried out to include finishing the basement which became the recreation room.
The first socials were also planned and executed by Social Chair, Aaron Hall in the fall of 1994. These socials were held with Alpha Gamma Delta and Alpha Delta Pi sorority, again telling the existing Greek community that ΣΑΕ is here to stay.
The brothers would call a new address home – 275 Spicer Street. Again, there was much work to be done, but the brothers were up to the challenge. ΣΑΕ had officially moved to Akron’s Fraternity Row.
This was a semester of firsts: the first social in the new house, the first ΣΑΕ philanthropy event “The Spring Thaw Road Rally,” and the first Paddy Murphy party. Each of these events were extremely successful and we will always remember the casket opening up in the darkness and the first Paddy – Mike Kingzett rising from the dead.
It was also in the Spring of ’96 that the chapter had picked and received from nations their chapter letter designation. From now on, the Akron chapter would be known as Ohio Φ.
After completing the lengthy application process for being granted a charter, the date was set for March 8, 1997. The chapter reserved the Grand Ballroom at Quaker Square and held a formal event attended by over four hundred people to receive the charter. The Eminent Supreme Archon and Eminent Supreme Recorder presided over the ceremony and the brothers from Case Western Reserve University performed the ritual.
Brothers Paul Koch, Rick Nemer, Amol Soin, John Gambaccini, Aaron Haller and Karl Warther were instrumental in obtaining a land contract for the 275 Spicer Street property. This was the first step toward truly calling the house “home” and allowed for the chapter to begin renovations on the property.
Brothers Andrew Baran, Sam Pake, Erik Zippay, Branden Morris, Jay Van Meter and Michael Thorton began renovations on the fraternity house. Renovations included: a remodel of the existing first floor kitchen and bathroom, new windows throughout the house, a 3rd floor bedroom was repainted and had new carpet installed. The brothers also removed an existing wall to create an open floor concept with the chapter/living room which would allow for better social gatherings.
The University of Akron had just finished their new stadium located adjacent to the ΣΑΕ house and were in the process of building a large dormitory next to the stadium. On September 13, 2009, Akron had their first football game in the new stadium and ΣΑΕ had their first tailgate at the house for the game. The event was a tremendous success and for the brothers present that day and will always be a special memory.
Brothers Sam Pake, Brandon Morris, Steven LePosa, Michael “Lee” Beavers, Jay Van Meter and Andrew Baran began renovations of the three bedrooms located on the second floor along with the 2nd floor landing. Renovations included: repairing drywall, repainting walls and wood trim, new tile, new carpet, and refinishing the wooden floors. It was also during this time period that the chapter/living room was repainted and the floors were refinished.
With the completion of the 2010 remodel, the house was starting to look much nicer, but the transformation was not yet complete. Next was the 2nd floor bathroom and kitchen. Brothers Michale “Lee” Beavers, Rick Nemer, Andrew Baran and Jay Van Meter demolished the second-floor bathroom all the way down to the studs before refinishing it and the 2nd floor kitchen was refurbished into another bedroom in an effort to better utilize space within the house. This brought the total bedroom count to 7 bedrooms sleeping a maximum of 11 brothers.
A face lift was done to the front porch of the ΣΑΕ house due to structural concerns and curb appeal.
Over 100 brothers attended the 20th anniversary of the Ohio Phi Chapter. The celebration reflected on two decades of history and honored our founders and alumni. In attendance were notable alumni Paul Koch, Mike Kingzett, and Dave Schiciano.
Ohio Phi was 1st overall in IFC rankings and 2nd overall in FSL rankings with a 3.72 chapter average GPA.
Ohio Phi was 1st overall in IFC rankings and 2nd overall in FSL rankings with a 3.51 chapter average GPA.
Ohio Phi was 3rd overall in IFC rankings with a 3.05 chapter average GPA.
Ohio Phi was 1st overall in all of FSL rankings with a 3.30 chapter average GPA.
Ohio Phi was 1st overall in FSL rankings with a 3.30 chapter average GPA.
Ohio Phi was 2nd overall in IFC rankings with a 3.14 chapter average GPA.
Brothers Jacob Grams, Brandon Ross, and Grant Ospelt installed brand new lions on the pathway leading to the main entrance of the ΣΑΕ house.
Brother Todd Chance, the acting Ohio Phi Housing Corporation President wanted to continue to push forward with rising to our full potential as an organization. He set out to do this by revamping the Ohio Phi Housing Corporation as a starting point. Todd recruited brothers Brent Rasmussen and Andrew Baran to help alongside existing members Paul Koch, Brian Feisthamel, Aaron Haller and Karl Warther. Together, the brothers formulated a plan to aggressively pay off the remaining loan on the 275 Spicer Street property and start looking at obtaining the property next to the ΣΑΕ house (269 Spicer Street). This would provide the fraternity the required space to demolish both houses and build a new one in their place.
The Ohio Phi ΣΑΕ web site was launched by brothers Andrew Baran and Todd Chance. The website includes helpful recruitment information for those seeking more information about joining, information for parents and Ohio Phi historical information with additional future plans such as including a member’s portal.