Owl Talk - A Sigma Pi Podcast

In this season finale episode of Owl Talk, we hear from graduating seniors across Sigma Pi Fraternity as they reflect on leadership, brotherhood, career goals, and the impact Sigma Pi had on their undergraduate experience.

Featured guests include:

• Will Reynolds (Auburn '22)
• Luke Harrison (Radford, VA '22)
• Brendan Leuthauser (Missouri S&T '22)
• Ben Roncero (Monmouth '23)

From aerospace engineering and drone technology to recruitment leadership and career development, each guest shares how Sigma Pi helped shape their direction and prepare them for life after graduation. The episode closes with a season recap highlighting many of the impactful conversations and guests featured throughout the year.

 

In this episode of Owl Talk, we welcome Dr. Ted Anderson (Santa Clara ’01), a physical therapist, stand-up comedian, and executive producer of Mokumoku.

Ted shares his path from biochemistry to physical therapy, and how one decision shifted his career. He explains why the field remains rewarding and how taking risks early creates new opportunities.

He also reflects on his experience in stand-up comedy, the discipline behind it, and the role failure plays in improving over time.

The episode highlights Moku Moku, a Hawaii-based comedy series, including how it was built, produced, and distributed on platforms like Tubi and Amazon Prime Video. Ted also discusses how the Maui wildfires impacted production and how the community responded.

Throughout the conversation, he connects these experiences back to Sigma Pi and the role it plays in building connections and shaping purpose.

In this episode of Owl Talk, we welcome back Dr. Matt Johnson (Saginaw Valley State ’00), professor of educational leadership at Central Michigan University, for a deep dive into the latest trends shaping higher education. Building on his previous appearance, this conversation focuses on what has changed in the past year and what it means for today’s undergraduate experience.

Dr. Johnson breaks down national enrollment data, including modest post-COVID growth driven by community colleges and the continued shift away from traditional four-year pathways. He explores the rise of dual enrollment, credential stacking, and the growing number of men choosing alternative routes like trades or delayed college entry. The discussion also examines the widening gender gap in higher education and what it signals for fraternity recruitment and retention.

The episode also tackles the rapid integration of AI on college campuses, from how students are using it to how it is already influencing academic choices and career paths. Finally, Dr. Johnson offers direct, actionable insight for chapters, challenging them to evaluate whether they are truly improving member outcomes in areas like academic success, financial support, and mental health.

In this episode of Owl Talk, we sit down with two Delta-Beta Chapter alumni from Monmouth University, Bart Tripoli (Monmouth ’02) and Jeremy Lenart (Monmouth ’19), to talk about the power of fraternity connections in the professional world. Bart reflects on his path from Monmouth to Fox News Media, while Jeremy shares the frustration of navigating the job market after graduation and how one Sigma Pi connection helped open a door.

The conversation centers on the relationship they have built across two generations of brothers, from Bart helping Jeremy land a role at Fox News Media to now mentoring him as he grows in the industry. Along the way, they discuss work ethic, trust, mentorship, and why the bonds formed in college often become some of the most valuable career connections a young alumnus can have.

In this special fifth Tuesday episode of Owl Talk, we sit down with Matt Quimby (Bridgewater State '00) of Eta-Eta Chapter to talk about the lasting connection between wrestling and fraternity life. A longtime Sigma Pi volunteer and award-winning leader in the wrestling community, Matt reflects on how both experiences shaped his character, leadership style, and commitment to service.

From his days as a college wrestler and chapter leader to his continued work as an official, volunteer, and alumni mentor, Matt shares how wrestling and Sigma Pi both teach grit, accountability, resilience, and brotherhood. He also discusses the growth of women’s wrestling, the future of the sport, and why getting involved, giving back, and building lifelong relationships remain central to finding your purpose.

In this episode of Owl Talk, we sit down with Bart Henderson (Montclair State ’09), founding brother of Iota-Iota Chapter, serial entrepreneur, attorney, investor, and mentor to the next generation of builders. Bart shares how choosing freedom over money shaped his career, why earning your first dollar matters more than logos and websites, and what it really takes to withstand the punches of entrepreneurship.

We also dive into sales as a life skill, the power of community, lessons from founding a chapter, and how surrounding yourself with strong men raises your standard. Bart offers practical advice for undergraduates looking to start a business today, reflects on growth through family and mentorship, and challenges listeners to take ownership of their time before chasing anything else.

 

n this episode of Owl Talk, we welcome back Senior Director of Fundraising, Jacob Camilleri, to talk about the state of philanthropy across the Fraternity and the impact of alumni support. Jacob shares highlights from the past year, including nearly $275,000 raised for scholarships, leadership programs, and chapter educational funds, along with the successful results of the recent Founders’ Month of Giving campaign.

The conversation also introduces the Fraternity's first-ever Bracket Challenge, a March Madness–style fundraising competition where chapters will go head-to-head to raise support for their Chapter Educational Funds. Jacob breaks down how the competition works, how alumni and undergraduates can participate, and why these funds are such a powerful tool for supporting scholarships, leadership development, and educational opportunities for members across the country.

Check it out at sigmapi.org/bracket-challenge!

In this episode of Owl Talk, we sit down with two emerging entrepreneurs from Delta-Beta Chapter at Monmouth University, Blake Marushak (Monmouth ’23) and Brandon Blythe (Monmouth ’23). They share how their early ventures, from mobile detailing to AI-focused projects, shaped their approach to business and resilience. Blake and Brandon also break down the entrepreneurship competitions and accelerator-style programs they’ve completed, including Hawk Tank and the NSF I-Corps experience, and how customer discovery helped refine their startup thinking. Along the way, they connect the dots between fraternity leadership and entrepreneurship, from confidence and communication to accountability and balance. The conversation closes with their take on our Fraternity's slogan, Find Your Purpose, and how brotherhood helped shape the way they lead, learn, and build.

 

 

In this episode of Owl Talk, we sit down with Dr. Dawn Wiese, COO of FRMT and leading researcher on the fraternity experience. With data from the Foundation for Fraternal Excellence, Dr. Wiese shares how research is challenging outdated narratives and proving what many brothers already know: fraternity men are more likely to graduate, lead, intervene in moments of crisis, and thrive after college. She also explains how this research is influencing campus policies, reversing deferred recruitment, and strengthening the case for fraternity life – at a time when it’s needed more than ever.

In this episode of Owl Talk, we sit down with Mike Long (Oakland ’03), Chairman of the Sigma Pi Educational Foundation. Mike shares his journey from Zeta-Pi Chapter to Chapter Advisor, Province Archon, and now Foundation Chairman, reflecting on the impact Sigma Pi had on his life and why he continues to give back. You’ll hear how the Foundation supports undergraduate scholarships, chapter educational funds, and sustainable leadership development across the Fraternity. Mike also explains recent changes that make it easier for every chapter to access these benefits, and how alumni can help strengthen the future of Sigma Pi by supporting education, mentorship, and purpose-driven giving.

Learn more about the Foundations of Sigma Pi at sigmapi.org/foundations