A Pivitol Application for Growth
This previous Spring, Sigma Phi Epsilon HQ announced its 2023 Ruck Leadership Institute application opening. Hundreds of Brothers around the nation and several members of Kansas Eta applied for this experience by answering prompts about leadership moments, strengths and weaknesses, and legacies they want to leave.
In late March, Brothers Bo Miller (1501), the current Chapter President, and Luke McCormack (1529), the current VP of Recruitment, were selected from the Kansas Eta chapter to attend the Ruck Leadership Institute. Both brothers were to head to Richmond, VA in June to work on enhancing their own leadership skills and to bring back changes, improvements, and opportunities for growth back to their chapter.
A Trip of Coincidence
The flight departingWichita ICT was to depart at 06:00 am, so Bo and Luke were wide awake and running on little to no sleep to be at the airport before 04:00 am. The flight departing ICT left late because of weather and was stuck on the tarmac in Atlanta because of other weather delays. Because of the skewed timing, Bo and Luke missed their connecting flight to Richmond, thus stuck in the Atlanta airport. They were soon scheduled to depart to NYC LaGuardia and then to Richmond. Because of weather in New York, the replacement flight was circling Richmond and then landed to fuel. The young men saw this as an opportunity to arrive on time and were able to leave the flight and arrive on time in Richmond.
The Development Begins
The arrival at the University of Richmond started with the attendees learning which teams they were on; Bo was on the Orange team and Luke was on the Black team. The Ruck Leadership Insititute began with the Opening Dinner where sitting with you color teams exposed SigEps to brothers around the nation.
Different activities brought the Ruck Scholars to learning and developing different leadership skills, reflected in The Leadership Challenge, pushing themselves in Sound Mind and Sound Body activities, reflecting on the growth of Sigma Phi Epsilon since 1901 while starting at its roots, and many, many more event.
The Brothers also got to meet with Brother Braden Botkin (1437), Previous Chapter President and Current New Chapter Developer for Illinois Alpha, which was a great reunitement for the men of Kansas Eta.
A Slight Trouble
On the last full day, the mid-afternoon kicked off with an Ultimate Frisbee Tournament between the different color teams. The opening two games saw teams competing against each other to determine the team’s seating in the bracket. During the second seating game, Luke was running for a Frisbee, and not paying attention, eventually ran into an old Soccer Goal. Luke returned back to the game, but quickly felt a biting pain in his leg. Luke had a severe cut on his shin that required medical attention. Being alerted of this, Bo immediately ran to be by Luke’s side. HQ staff members, like Braden, were at the scene to help comfort Luke while addressing the wound. Luke was soon rushed to the Hospital, and after Surgery and several dozen stitches, would be released the following morning from the Hospital.
All Journey’s Must Come to a End
After leaving the Hospital and being driven to the Richmond Airport, Bo and Luke arrived at their flight on time, and able to meet with members from their teams and give a last goodbye. Although Luke was restricted to alternating between crutches and a wheel chair during their connecting flight to Atlanta, and followed by Wichita, both Luke and Bo look back at this experience in high hopes and as a extremely beneficial experience. Both learned valuable skills and changes they want to institute in their lives and their chapter from their Ruck experience. Both a pursuit for change and life experiences will have its highs and lows, but looking back positively on past experiences will help create more positive future moments.