With a new calendar year comes a new generation of elected officers within the University of Oregon Greek community. Throughout Fraternity and Sorority Life, former presidents recently passed the gavels on to fresh faces with new ideas.
Matthew Swanger, former president of Sigma Pi, was honored to pass his position to the new president of Sigma Pi, his little and best friend, Bradley Wilson.
“It was actually a really cool feeling seeing my little take the gavel from me,” Swanger said. “Very rarely do you get to see best friends pass on leadership to each other.”
Wilson, a sophomore this year, has been a member of Sigma Pi since his freshman year.
“I wanted to make a positive impact on our house and I could not think of a better way to accomplish that than running for president,” he said. “The fact that my big brother was the current president at the time definitely influenced my decision as well.”
Efforts this year in Sigma Pi, according to Wilson, will focus on academics and improving the local chapter’s standing on a national level.
“We are currently working towards becoming a top 10 chapter nationally, along with increased efforts towards higher academic achievements,” he said. “I am looking forward to attending Sigma Pi’s mid-year leadership conference in St. Louis.”
Sigma Pi is not the only chapter looking forward to a year of change.
Megan Johnson, newly elected president of Alpha Phi, refers to her sisterhood as a “home away from home.” She is incredibly passionate and excited for the year ahead.
“I went into this position with the ‘go big or go home’ mentality,” she said.
Johnson strives to implement changes in Alpha Phi’s philanthropy events.
“We’re making a four-day-long competition between houses that ends in a soccer tournament,” she said. “It’s the first year that we’re doing it, so it’s really cool to be able to start something from scratch and see how it goes.”
Though these presidents and the rest of newly elected officials in the Fraternity and Sorority community have a lot of work in front of them, they also have a lot of people supporting them along the way.
“We all really loved our old president and I’m really excited to see everything that Megan will bring to the table in the upcoming year,” Alpha Phi sophomore Rachel Weinfield said. “I have a lot of confidence in her and believe she will be a great leader for our chapter.”
The former president of Sigma Pi shares a similar sentiment.
“Being president is a full-time job,” Swanger said. “Bradley is by far going to be one of the best presidents we have had because he knows how to connect with people and lead.”