I appreciate the education I received as a student at Drake University from 1963 to 1967. It was a good education and it has served me well throughout my adult life. But many of my favorite memories of my four years at Drake are the memories of my membership in my fraternity… Sigma Phi Epsilon.
I pledged Sigma Phi Epsilon as a freshman at Drake in the fall of 1963 and in the four years that followed, as an active member, I developed many close friendships with my Brothers that I still have to this day. Unfortunately, some of my Sig Ep Brothers have since died. But they still live on in my heart!
I was lucky enough to have held several positions in the fraternity during my time at Drake…everything from Rush Chairman to Sigma Phi Epsilon President. Those positions taught me a lot about leadership and working with others to accomplish common goals. The valuable lessons I learned in those positions have served me very well in my life and career after my time at Drake University probably even more than my formal book learning. I went on to spend 49 years in the trade show business, eventually owning and managing my own exhibition company. For 37 of those years, my company, Jackson Expo Group, organized and produced annual home and garden shows for the public in various venues in several cities in the Midwest.
And finally, I have many great memories of the social activities at Drake. Ah, yes…drinking beer at Peggy’s (I sure hope my dollar bill is still stuck somewhere on those walls!) and chasing all those pretty ladies around the campus (and there has never been a shortage of beautiful ladies at Drake) and partying with my Sig Ep Brothers and the above mentioned beautiful ladies…ah, yes!
I am still, after all these years, very actively involved in the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at Drake. I have been a ten year member of the Sig Ep Alumni Board. My current role is overseeing the maintenance and upkeep of the physical house, which at times can be very time consuming, but I enjoy it very much! I believe getting to spend time with today’s Sig Eps goes a long way in keeping me young…well, younger anyway!
My fraternity has provided me with many lifelong memories of my time at Drake. Some really great memories and a few tears for Brothers lost. But I truly believe it has been an important key in molding me into the man I am today. And for that I will be forever grateful!
William R. “Bill” Jackson
1967 Graduate
