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The GW Hatchet

AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

Column: A proud and real fraternity

In light of a recent op-ed written by the highly misinformed president of the Interfraternity Council (“Join a real fraternity,” Feb. 3, p. 5), the members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Washington City Rho chapter feel the need to clear up the many misconceptions and lies that circulated in last week’s Hatchet.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon was called out as “little more than a hazing club whose sole purpose is to entertain itself by preying on incoming students.” This statement could not be further from the truth. A special bond we hope to extend to new members every semester brings our brothers together. In doing so, our pledges become some of our best friends. We have never ‘paddled’ or stepped a foot into the Potomac River, ever. The reason we rush at the same time as other GW fraternities is because we were asked years ago to do so by the University, since GW felt that we had an unfair advantage by rushing earlier than everyone else.

SAE was also referred to as a “fake fraternity” that only “claims to give you benefits.” A fake fraternity? Everyone should know that SAE has been a part of the GW campus since 1858 – longer than any other fraternity – and was recognized by GW until 1993. We are no different now than 12 years ago and still are supported 100 percent by our National Supreme Council. If anything, we demonstrate a stronger solidarity and loyalty to each other now more than ever. In terms of benefits, SAE is the largest national fraternity, with 8,200 active members and 260,000 initiates total. Washington City Rho boasts an alumni association of over 700 members. Our numbers make us one of the biggest and most powerful national networks. Also, the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Foundation, created in 1927, offers members scholarships and sponsors student loan and career development programs.

Furthermore, SAE was described as a group of rowdy, stupid, alcoholic drug addicts. Our Fall 2004 cumulative GPA was a 3.44. We have members who earn and receive academic scholarships from GW and the SAE Foundation. Every summer, we send members to the SAE Leadership School in Evanston, Ill., which teaches responsible alcohol management, risk reduction and chapter finances to act as liaisons toward the rest of the chapter. Additionally, SAE is the only group on campus whose pledges are required to attend a weekly community service activity for at least four hours. Later this semester, we will be sponsoring a large-scale community service activity for which we would like to extend a personal invitation to Jordan Peterson and the rest of the GW Greeks. Our members also partake in athletic activities, including three NCAA Division I athletes.

SAE is a very real, very proud and very legitimate fraternity. If anyone has any questions concerning this column, or anything that has to do with Sigma Alpha Epsilon, we encourage you to stop us in the street, in your classrooms, or in the dining halls. We are not trying to hide. In the future, we hope that you don’t have to hear about our fraternity from someone who does not know us, nor has ever engaged in any conversation with a single member of ours.

My name is Omri Bar-Mashiah. I do not drink, smoke or do drugs, and I’m a freshman in SAE.

-The writer is a freshman majoring in mathematics.

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