by Tori Metzger
Capital University’s co-ed fraternity, Sigma Alpha Beta, celebrated the first step of its philanthropy with a kick-off event called Paint for Passion.
Students were invited to join members of the fraternity in designing tie-dye t-shirts custom made to fit their passions. Markers and tie-dye supplies were provided free of charge for students to present their passions on t-shirts to share with the community. Food, fun and music added to the excitement.
“This is a completely new event that we kind of invented,” said Sarah Bogen and Kevin Smith, co-leaders of the Passion Project. “
Bogen and Smith explained the main goals of the Passion Project: to encourage people on campus to find what they are passionate about, to be excited about those passions and to share those passions with others. Tell other people what you have done and why you are excited about it. Sigma Alpha Beta calls this the cycle of passion – find, use and share.
“Sometimes service has a negative connotation because they feel like they have to do it,” said Bogen. “Most successful projects are led by passionate people who really believe in them and who get other people really excited too. It gets a lot accomplished.”
Sigma Alpha Beta chose this as its philanthropy to show others how passionate they are about service and to show how one person can inspire so many others. As an organization they are excited about a variety of different things.
“I don’t think I’ve seen my brothers and sisters ever get so excited about something,” said Bogen. “It’s about individuals. Individual passions are important even if they don’t fit the mold. Maybe we could help them fit in somewhere.”
The next step of the philanthropy will be the “Find Your Passion” event. This one will focus on helping students find what they are truly passionate about. Specific ideas have not yet been decided, but keep your eyes open for information in the upcoming months. Bogen and Smith said the final project could be a huge, service excursion open for many students to help with.
Look for Sigma Alpha Beta’s Facebook page where they share information about the project and helpful tips for finding your passion, as well as their blog dedicated to showcasing community members and their passions.
tmetzger@capital.edu
