Pepperdine Athletics and SigEp Announce Strategic Partnership to Support Local Youth
Upcoming basketball tournament will raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles (BBBSLA); kickoff philanthropic programming with top-ranked university and storied student organization.
MALIBU, OCTOBER 8, 2018) – The Pepperdine University Athletics Department and Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) CA Psi, the first national fraternity to colonize and charter at Pepperdine University and longest tenured fraternity on campus, today announce a new partnership dedicated to helping children in the Greater Los Angeles area. The organizations have plans to rollout various athletics and wellness-oriented events over time, bringing to bear more members and resources of the Pepperdine and local communities to make a profound impact on local youth.
The first event will take place this Fall, in which SigEp and Pepperdine Athletics will co-host a basketball tournament to drive donations for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles. “SigEp Bounce” is an annual tournament which began at Pepperdine a few years ago, raising as much as $12,000 at one event, with little marketing beyond student word of mouth. Partnering with Pepperdine Athletics will take this event to the next level, and it will serve as the springboard for launching this new relationship and larger programming platform.
“SigEp Bounce has become an integral part of our fraternity’s philanthropic strategy,” said SigEp CA Psi Director of Philanthropy Armando Martinez. “Funds raised by this event help children realize their potential. We are committed to this cause wholeheartedly, through events like SigEp Bounce and other programs currently in development. This year we are so honored and excited to partner with Pepperdine Athletics, to build something truly special with the larger Pepperdine family and local communities that will make a lasting impact."
Promotion of the Bounce event will take place over the next few months, highlighted by an activation at Pepperdine Basketball’s “Blue & Orange Madness” rally during Pepperdine “Waves Weekend” on October 12th. Lorenzo Romar, Pepperdine Men’s Basketball Head Coach, will assist with coaching and officiating for Bounce on November 9th. A check for funds raised will be presented to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles during half-time at the Men’s Basketball game on November 10th.
“We’re excited to join forces with SigEp to raise funds for such an outstanding organization,” said Coach Romar. “We look forward to working with SigEp to promote this great cause.”
Donations will help fund the youth development initiatives of one of the country’s leading philanthropies that serves children. Kids, families and staff of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles will be on hand for Bounce on November 9th as well as the half-time presentation on November 10th.
For more information on SigEp Bounce and how to donate, please visit: https://fundly.com/sigep-bounce-fundraising-campaign.
Tickets to Blue & Orange Madness on 10/12 are still available at https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/alumni/engage/wavesweekend/, and tickets to Pepperdine Men’s Basketball vs. CSU can be purchased at https://pepperdinewaves.com/schedule.aspx?path=mbball.
Photo credit: Pepperdine Graphic
Key Dates
10/12
6:00pm – 8:00pm, Madness Village
8:00pm – 10:00pm, Blue & Orange Madness
@Firestone Fieldhouse
11/08
7:00pm – 8:00pm, SigEp Bounce Coffeehouse
@Sandbar Cafe
11/09
6:00pm – 9:00pm, SigEp Bounce Tournament
@Firestone Fieldhouse
11/10
7:00pm, Pepperdine vs. CSU Northridge
@Firestone Fieldhouse
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Big Brothers Big Sisters provides children facing adversity with strong, enduring, professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Big Brothers Big Sisters ensures that the children in its program achieve measurable outcomes, including educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, higher aspirations, greater confidence, and better relationships. This mission has been the cornerstone of the organization’s 114-year history. With 275 affiliates across the country, Big Brothers Big Sisters has served nearly 2 million children (“Littles”) in the past 10 years. Learn more at www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org.
About Pepperdine Athletics
Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men’s sports — one of just 18 schools to have accomplished this feat — and nine overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a “major” conference. The Waves have won a total of 25 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that’s given to the top non-football school, three times (most recently in 2011-12). Pepperdine's numbers include 318 All-Americans, 205 conference championships and 53 Olympians.
About Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp)
Sigma Phi Epsilon, established in 1901, is one of the nation’s largest fraternities, with over 15,000 undergraduates on 240 campuses across the United States. Its mission is building balanced men, which is achieved through a continuous member development program, a focus on the principles of Sound Mind and Sound Body and service learning efforts that allow members to develop leadership skills while giving back to the community. Pepperdine’s chapter of SigEp (CA Psi) is one of the most historic and consistently successful student organizations on campus, initiating the University’s move to affiliate all local Greek organizations with national organizations 20 years ago. Since then, in partnership with the University SigEp has helped deliver immeasurable and lasting added value for university, community, spirituality and fraternity since its national chartering in 1997. SigEp was the first national fraternity to colonize and charter at Pepperdine, and it is the longest tenured fraternity on campus with combined local and national histories dating back to 1946. Learn more at http://pepperdinesigep.com/.
Media Contacts
Karina Herold
Senior Associate Director of Athletics/SWA
Pepperdine Athletics
karina.herold@pepperdine.edu
310-506-467
Ben Harmon
Chapter President
Pepperdine SigEp
benjamin.harmon@pepperdine.edu
925-818-9122