Frat honors freshmen

In an attempt to support and recognize a broad spectrum of leadership qualities in academic, community service and athletic programs, the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity honored three male freshmen last night with a prestigious award totaling $1,200 in grant money. In the banquet hall of the Sheraton Hotel at 36th and Chestnut streets, 30 anxious freshmen gathered for the fifth annual Balanced Man Scholarship Awards Banquet. "These are the guys that are going to make things happen at Penn," said Sig Ep President Richard Steinmeier, a Wharton senior. The $600 first prize was awarded to Engineering freshman Damian Swank, the $400 second prize went to Engineering and Wharton freshman Luke Garman and the $200 third prize was given to Wharton freshman Russell Farscht. The 27 remaining finalists were awarded certificates. Sig Ep mailed 1,200 applications to incoming freshman males over the summer, explained Mark Nevitt, co-chairperson of the scholarship program. All incoming freshman males were eligible. Two-hundred fifty students applied, from which 90 semifinalists were selected. Thirty finalists were chosen based on an application and two interviews conducted by several of the Sig Ep brothers. "The scholarship is a good introduction to the Greek system," Nevitt said. "This is what we do besides party." Nevitt explained that "Balanced Man" was the main philanthropic event of the fraternity this year, with money coming from fund-raising campaigns and alumni donations. The banquet's special guest speaker was Penn men's basketball coach Fran Dunphy. Dunphy gave an inspiring speech relating his role as the head basketball coach to life and the responsibility of the "balanced men" to their community. "There is a terrific feeling as a group -- this feeling as a fraternity stays for life," Dunphy said. "As I tell my team, respect the game, respect your opponent and most importantly respect one another." After Dunphy's speech, Nevitt presented the awards to the recipients. "The 30 of you out there are very special -- the 30 most 'balanced men' in the freshman class," he said. "What you do in college will shape the path you will lead in life." Terrence "Chico" Whitehead, a Balanced Man finalist, said that the competition is "not about winning or recognition." "It's about realizing that you have a special quality, being balanced," he said.