Initial Phase of Ritual for Life Debuts Across Sigma Chi

Designed to educate new initiates on Sigma Chi’s Ritual history and inspire them to apply its lessons to their lives, the Ritual for Life (R4L) post-initiation education program made its phase one debut across Sigma Chi chapters in the United States and Canada on Oct. 1.
“We are excited to get the first phase of Ritual for Life out to our undergraduates so they can better comprehend the ritualistic events they just experienced as they entered our order,” says Jim Cogdal, BRADLEY 2003, who is senior director of membership development at International Fraternity Headquarters.
Ritual for Life uses a blended learning approach to educate new members on the Ritual, utilizing the Sigma Chi U online learning platform, weekly group discussion sessions, experiential activities and journaling.
The objectives of the program are to guide new initiates through an examination of the Ritual’s history, evolution and interpretation; to explain its statutes and demonstrate how to perform its ceremonies; and to affirm initiates’ lifelong commitment to the development of self, others and community through Sigma Chi’s values-based living.
The initial pilot test of R4L took place across selected chapters in fall 2017.
Input received from those chapters enabled completion of the first course for new initiates in fall 2018, with full deployment slated for fall 2019.
“As we build this program over the next year for full deployment in fall 2019, it will focus on how the values of the Ritual can help build our members into transformational leaders,” Cogdal adds. “The Ritual is the foundation from which we build our leadership portfolio – it’s the beginning of a values-based journey through the Sigma Chi experience.”
For more information on the Ritual for Life program, contact Director of Education and Leadership Programs Brian Wilson, DEPAUW 2002, at brian.wilson@sigmachi.org.