“My piece of advice for future attendees is to simply participate. Participate in everything you can. You are going to hear this a lot, but it’s true: what you put into it, is what you get out of it. I had the luxury of going two times to learn that and most people don’t. So, to everyone who may attend in the future, this may be your only shot, don’t waste it” said Palmer Stilio, Youngstown State.

The 2023 Earl A. Webb Academy for Principles Leaders took place virtually January 13-15, where we equipped our directors of finance, directors of recruitment and standards board chairman with the necessary tools to better serve their chapters and campus communities in their new officer roles. The following week, an in-person conference was held for our presidents and directors of education and wellness in Kansas City, MO. Brothers from across the country joined together to share ideas, develop their own unique and dynamic leadership styles, and began laying the foundation for their own impact at the chapter level.

Webb Academy has seen many iterations since its initial inception as the Presidents’ Bootcamp, a name chosen in homage to the military background of our Founders, in 1985. For those who may not know, this was the first time any fraternity organized a program for its chapter officers. In the 1990’s, Presidents’ Bootcamp was renamed Presidents’ Academy and remained that way until 2011 when the fraternity voted to rename the Presidents’ Academy in honor of Earl Webb, Central Missouri, who entered Chapter Eternal in 2009.

Someone who has experience Webb Academy multiple times as both an undergraduate and alumnus is Brother Josiah D’Albini, Emporia State. He attended this year as a facilitator and saw first hand the quality of noble men that will be leading our chapters this year.

“The connection to our undergraduate brothers is what keeps me coming back,” D’Albini said. D’Albini attended his first Webb Academy in 2013 as the President of the Delta Chapter and has served as a volunteer facilitator for Webb Academy since 2018.

“There was a time when I wasn’t connected to the fraternity on a national level after I graduated, and I could tell that there was something missing. There’s no better feeling than seeing you’ve made a difference in the life of someone who’s also growing and developing in their Sig Tau journey.”

Palmer Stilio, Youngstown State, attended Webb Academy for the first time in 2022 as the Director of Recruitment for the Beta Gamma Chapter. Feeling the nerves of attending his first national program, those anxious feelings soon subsided once he was embraced by his fellow chapter officers, alumni volunteers, and the headquarters staff present.

“My first time going to Webb was sort of intimidating. I didn’t know what to expect. But my nervousness quickly faded. The ideas presented were truly thought-provoking and I was grateful for all the lessons that were passed along to us,” Stilio said.

Normally a national program is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an undergraduate member but thanks to the leadership instilled in him as the Director of Recruitment, Stilio had the rare opportunity to once again attend Webb Academy, this time as the Beta Gamma Chapter Director of Education and Wellness.

“Attending Webb the second time was a very different experience. All the anxiety I’d felt the first time around was no longer there and I was older and more mature the second time around. Also, as director of education and wellness I was able to take some of the curriculum not only back to my chapter, but some of the material also applies to my future career path since I’m currently studying for a career in Education.”

Sigma Tau Gamma will be returning to Indianapolis, IN for Webb Academy in 2024 and we can’t wait to see how the leadership development experience we offer continues to grow, develop and endeavor forward.