Practice English Speaking&Listening with: A Special Message from Regent John Hearn (Georgia) - 3/30/2020

Greetings brothers, I'm John Hearn and it is my honor to serve you as the 66th

Regent of our beloved Sigma Nu Fraternity. I'm recording this video from

my home in Atlanta, Georgia which is an indication of the most unusual

circumstances facing us with the coronavirus pandemic. Our two daughters are

home from college and my ninth-grade son is eager to get back to sports in school.

Our dogs are wondering why we're here all day. I suspect you can all relate in

some way. The purpose of this outreach is a few fold. First, I want to let you know

the High Council and I are keeping our entire Brotherhood in our thoughts and

our prayers for healthy outcomes for you and your families. Secondly, our

collegians across the country as you might expect are mostly being moved to

an online learning environment. In fact, 160 out of 161 chapters and colonies are

on vacated campuses. There are still rent payments and meal plan adjustments to be

made, many chapters have employees who are unfortunately out of work, and of

course mortgages taxes and insurance payments continue to be due. It's a

unique leadership experience for our chapter officers and house corporations.

Our national staff of trained Leadership Consultants is working with each chapter

and staying in close communication, providing guidance and resources around

the clock and across the nation. Third, for all brothers Sigma Nu enjoys an

incredibly strong network and we're eager to lend the helping hand where

possible. You know social distancing does not mean social isolation and I

encourage all of us to pick up the phone, call your brothers, check on them and

their families, and share those bonds of brotherhood we all know so well. For our

staff team in Lexington and across the country continues their work remotely

and a few are in and out of the 10-acre headquarters property in Lexington

making sure it is safe and our beautiful headquarters grounds are preserved

Continue to follow Sigma Nu on Facebook, Twitter, and on our website to stay in

touch with all the latest updates. Our leadership consultants are off the road

because the collegians are off campus but as noted earlier they continue their

chapter consultations and our chapters continue their work on Pursuit of

Excellence, our award-winning program of metric based continuous improvement and

chapter strength. While these events may feel unprecedented I personally find

comfort in reflecting on our 151 years of excellence. A period of time when we

survived and thrived during two world wars, multiple other wars, other pandemics,

and the Great Depression. In every instance Sigma Nu has been there on the

rock and standing firm in our principles. Of course there's much we

don't know and answers we don't have and during this season of ambiguity I

encourage you to think about the clarity and power of our mission statement: To

create ethical leaders inspired by the principles of love, honor, and truth, to

foster the personal growth of each man's mind heart and character and to

perpetuate lifelong friendships and commitment to the Fraternity. Indeed this

is a time when leadership is displayed, character is grown, and abiding

friendships provide strength and encouragement to each other.

And if this is hard to remember as a mission statement, take a moment to

recite Sigma Nu's short Creed right where you are, either to yourself or out loud

and be inspired by the principles of love, honor, and truth. Thank you, stay well,

and may God bless you your families, your loved ones, our collegians and their

families, and our great Fraternity. To believe in the life of love to walk in

the way of honor to serve in the light of truth this is the life the way and

the light of Sigma Nu this is the Creed of our fraternity.

[Music]