Dear Brothers,

From June 14-18, two members from our chapter attended the 2023 Ruck Leadership Institute program. The Ruck Leadership Institute was established in 1999 and adopted a curriculum inspired by the internationally acclaimed book, The Leadership Challenge, written in collaboration with Brother Barry Posner, who graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1970. The program is an amazing opportunity for SigEp members to enhance their leadership skills and connect with fellow students and alumni. Over the past two decades, this program has provided a platform for undergraduate SigEps to explore and develop their personal leadership abilities. By bringing together students from different chapters across the country, the Ruck Leadership Institute facilitates a valuable exchange of ideas, experiences, and perspectives. This collaborative environment allows participants to learn from one another and leverage the collective knowledge and skills within the SigEp community.

Both our vice president of recruitment, Rudy Dua, and president, Tarak Davaluri who both attended the 2023 Ruck Leadership Institute enjoyed and found the event to be very inspiring. Our vice president states, “The Ruck Leadership Institute holds a special place in my heart. It provided me with an abundance of opportunities to not only develop personally but also to step into a stronger leadership role within my chapter. The chance to learn from distinguished alumni really opened my eyes.” Our vice president also remarks that the connections he gained from this experience were everlasting when he says, “Moreover, the institute allowed me to forge connections with my brothers from around the nation that I know will last a lifetime. These connections have not only enriched my journey but also brought a deeper sense of what our fraternity is about. The connections made were truly the most meaningful part for me in this week-long retreat.” As for our president, he shared similar sentiments when he exclaimed, “Attending the Ruck Leadership Institute turned out to be one of the more influential experiences of my life. Being surrounded by individuals who truly wanted to see you better yourself created an environment where everyone could flourish. Within a few days, the 13 people I was placed in a team truly began to become my brothers. Being able to develop meaningful relationships in this short of a time span can only truly be done if those involved are willing to buy in. Everyone at Ruck had the same goal of bettering themself and building connections with everyone there, and this is what was achieved.”

VDBL