A dilemma that we as Sig Ep's are challenged with constantly is our ability to explain the depths of our brotherhood to those outside its ritual bounds. We live a life of selfless servitude, with a commitment to ourselves, our brothers, and our communities that continues to baffle those in the Greek systems of our campuses and those individuals that we are exposed to day-in and day-out. In order to help quantify what our brotherhood means, and the depth of our convictions, I have been asked to share a personal story of my time as a Sig Ep undergraduate at the University of Arkansas Alpha Chapter. It is one of family, of the true love for the core tenants of our fraternity and the bounds of its history, and most of all it is a story about one of the men who has inspired me and continues to inspire me with his hard work and dedication to his family to this day.
Michael Anthony Nemesi was born October 12th, 1987 at the Butterworth Hospital located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The first child of Mike and Elaine Nemesi, he arrived into this world with much fanfare and ironically enough, on the eve of a defeat of the Detroit Tigers baseball team, his favorite franchise. By all accounts of his young life, he was a happy, fun-loving kid with an emphatic passion for sports and a dream of one day becoming the first guy to ride all the rides at Cedar Point a million or so times. This vibrant youth continued to grow and develop in the Nemesi’s loving household until on January 18th, 1993 he discovered one of his true purposes in his life. On this cold winter day in Michigan, Michael was joined by his younger sister Jessica Marie Nemesi. From this day forward, Michael took his responsibilities as an older brother to heart, providing love and affection to his baby sister through a constant showing of joy and rather distinguished gap tooth smile. He would continue this tradition when I was born in April of 1994, and even beyond that into our early childhood and early teens. We viewed our big brother with awe, the first of us and the best of us to help us when we were in trouble, lonely to the world, or even just to have someone there for us. He acted as an immovable constant to the fast paced lifestyle of a family that moved time and time again for the opportunities afforded to our loving parents. Michael’s role was never in doubt, Jessie and I always knew we could count on him and he could count on us, and our family would always be there in the end. As we grew older, we each came into our own in the family. Jessie was athletic, intelligent, and personable to a fault. I was quiet, loyal, loved to read, and also loved to raise a little hell as well. Michael, however; kept on being the great man I knew him to be, knowledgeable, hard working if a bit stuck to his routines and most of all the guy with a quiet sense of humor. As Jessie and I grew older, and Michael started to move closer and closer to his choice of college we suddenly understood the momentous strength of our older brother. Diagnosed with a focused case of cerebral palsy in which he had inhibited fine motor skills at very young age, my older brother was able to live a normal, if not great life, due to our parent's dedication and his reciprocation of their love. More importantly, he was able to instill in Jessie and I the power of his strengths: a full heart to all those in need, the dedication and time to commit to those things we love, and most of all the vast fortitude of one who is challenged but who overcomes that challenge to achieve what many thought would be difficult or impossible to achieve. He took this attitude through his attendance first to East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina and finally to his Alma Mater, the University of Arkansas At Fayetteville. There, my brother was able to focus on getting a college degree in Communications, and in May 2011, he attended commencement and received his Bachelor of the Arts degree in Communications from the J. William Fulbright College at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Not only would this serve as a powerful moment for my brother, conquering his challenges to graduate with a degree and going on to work for Tyson Foods Inc., but would also serve as a powerful factor in my life decision to attend the University of Arkansas as well, bringing us full circle to my brother's connection to my time as a Sigma Phi Epsilon.
When I stepped on campus in the fall of 2012, I knew I wanted to join a Greek organization. Through my time as a recruit, I immediately was attracted to the home like nature of the Arkansas Alpha chapter's brotherhood. After accepting my bid in 2012, I immediately set to work to prove that I deserved their trust in me. From starting at the simple position of Historian, I quickly adopted and took on roles ranging from sweetheart chair all the way to head of the Phi development program.
Soon enough, I was able to run and successfully accept a position on our executive team in 2014. All throughout this process, my brother encouraged me to pursue even further our chapter's history and works nationally, as he always felt that his one regret was not being able to join a Greek organization during his time as an undergraduate. So as I continued to grow as a Greek man under the tutelage of Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly love, my brother was able to be exposed to and experience the tenants of our fraternity and its national organization.
I quickly began to realize that my love and drive for our fraternity was not only about my independent actions, but was also a conduit of my feelings of thanks to my brother and my father, two men who taught me how to live a life similar to those laid out by our founding fathers. I began to wish that my brother, a man that I learned much from, could experience what we as undergraduates are blessed to do in our everyday interactions with each other. These feelings came to a head during a stressful and jubilant time in both my brother and I’s yearly life: Razorback Football season.
We were attending a significant game against our most bitter rivals: the Louisiana State University Tigers. I had acquired tickets close to the field, and we went to what would become a great game for the Razorback Football Program. After snapping our extremely long conference losing streak, the students rushed the field in jubilation and my brother and I were able to sneak onto the field where we coincidentally met up with some of the other Sig Ep’s who attended the game. We yelled, high-fived, and cajoled all the way back to our chapter location on 360 Arkansas Avenue. While there, my brother and I ran into a group of guys who were still wild from the game, all jumping up and down, yelling to high heaven. In that moment, I looked at my brother in a new light.
He was ecstatic, his eyes were wide, and most of all he seemed truly happy to be there. I felt in that moment that Sig Ep wasn't just mine to have, it was his. I wanted to share all that it had given to me to this man who had never withheld anything to make sure I was successful. So our executive team began to research the Renaissance Man ritual, and at chapter we decided to propose to the members that we induct my brother into our fabled brotherhood. I was nervous, I was nervous about objections to my brother being around, to not being included. As I stood to propose the New Business I began to have doubts, to struggle with how to tell them how much my brother has given me and would give to them. At the conclusion, I sat with a heavy heart knowing I could never give my brother the credit he deserved.
As I looked into the crowded room, however; seeing every single one of my fraternity brothers hands in the air for my older brother, I finally understood. The measure of our brotherhood is not in our ability to be successful, but it is in the measure of our ability to enhance the lives of those around us. I understood then, that everything up until that point had been worth it for that single moment of clarity, where I knew without out a doubt what we stood for was as righteous as my brother's journey is, and in the end what I had given to the organization was insignificant to what Sig Ep had just given my family.
My brother, Michael Anthony Nemesi, is slated to be the 5th inductee into the Arkansas Alpha chapter via Renaissance Man in our 107 year history. We are both still nervous, but my chapter has rallied around a man that some in it barely know. So I write this article in the hopes that for those brothers out there seeking to find the true meaning of our brotherhood or seeking to teach those who can't comprehend what we do, can understand the meaning of why we give so much. It is to recognize men like Michael, those who are strong and courageous not because of their wealth or standing, but because they are courageous and strong when no one stands to praise them for their sacrifices.
