Quarterly Recognition – July 2025

If you know a volunteer or undergraduate who should be recognized in the Quarterly, fill out this simple form. The volunteer recognition is not limited to Chapter Advisors and Province Archons, and the undergraduate recognition is not limited to Sages.

Volunteer of the Quarter

Resilience, Recognition, and Recruitment
Bryant Plasencia’s Dedication to Eta-Iota Chapter

For Bryant Plasencia (CSUDH ’13), service to Sigma Pi didn’t end at graduation—it only deepened. Now serving as Chapter Advisor for Eta-Iota Chapter at California State University-Dominguez Hills, Bryant has been instrumental in bringing the Chapter back into good standing with the University and laying the foundation for strong future growth.

A Brotherhood That Became Family
Bryant transferred to Dominguez Hills from Humboldt State in 2013 to be closer to family after his father suffered a heart attack. Balancing full-time work and school, he found Sigma Pi by chance when a stray ball from a nearby recruitment table rolled his way. That brief moment led to a lifelong brotherhood.

The Chapter’s diverse and close-knit nature made Sigma Pi feel like home. His brothers not only supported him during a difficult time—they became part of his family, even attending family gatherings. 

Jumping In and Giving Back
“You name it, I did it,” he says while laughing. Bryant quickly immersed himself in chapter life, launching the official Chapter Instagram account, standardizing branding, and serving in multiple roles, including Co-Social Chair, Secretary, and New Member Educator. He even represented Eta-Iota Chapter as a delegate at Convocation in 2014.

After earning a degree in Political Science with a minor in Spanish, Bryant began a career at Prudential Overall Supply, where he now serves as Plant Manager. But even as his career grew, he stayed committed to Sigma Pi. When the Chapter faced leadership gaps and challenges, Bryant stepped in long before holding the official title of Chapter Advisor, finally taking on the role formally in April 2022.

Fighting for Recognition

Under Bryant’s support, Eta-Iota Chapter had endured one of its most difficult times. Due to continued conflicts with the University, the Chapter became independent from the campus, an extremely rare move, at the time. Tensions escalated when a University staff member from the President’s office disrupted a Chapter event and engaged in a heated exchange with a member.

Despite these challenges, Bryant remained a steady force. When the Chapter mentioned a new Greek Life staff member named Troy, Bryant realized he had a personal connection. “I told them, ‘I know Troy.’ They didn’t believe me at first,” he says. “But I set up the meeting and promised I would get us back on campus.”

And he did.

Bryant attended every meeting, presented the Chapter’s case, and demonstrated how committed he—and the members—were to doing things right. That effort paid off. On February 26, 2025—which we know to be the Fraternity’s Founders’ Day—Eta-Iota was officially reinstated as a recognized organization at Cal State Dominguez Hills.

Recruitment, Regrowth, and the Road Ahead

Though the Chapter had dwindled to just four members at one point, Bryant has worked closely with the group to rebuild. Now with nine members, they are approved to recruit again and are aiming to bring in 10 new members this fall.

“We’re constantly thinking outside the box,” Bryant says. “The goal is to stabilize our numbers and get back to 30 active members. We were once winning standards of excellence. I know we can get there again.”

Bryant remains deeply involved, regularly visiting the campus and mentoring members. His message is simple: the work isn’t done, but the foundation is strong.

“We’ll give 100%, and hopefully 100% is enough.” 

Undergraduate of the Quarter

Purpose Outside the Mat
John Dooley (Monmouth ’23) on Wrestling and Finding Brotherhood

Will Marsh (Pennington & Company), contributing writer

This season, John Dooley (Monmouth ’23) made Monmouth Wrestling history, becoming the first in the program to win two regional championships. More importantly, he helped build the program from a small school club to an official team. Yet, as a freshman, John wasn’t sure he’d stay at the university.

Balancing wrestling with school, an independent photography business, and his finances was difficult; John felt lost on campus. “I was the first in my family to attend college, and I was just floating through, handling everything alone; it started to take a toll,” he said. “I found myself in a dark space mentally, questioning why I was even at college. I was one piece of paperwork away from transferring.”

“Then I found Sigma Pi.”

John had no idea what to expect from a Fraternity, but Sigma Pi showed him that brothers were welcoming without expecting him to change who he was. “For the first time at Monmouth, I found a group of men I could relate to—who understood the pressure I carried day to day. The brotherhood reminded me that I didn’t have to do everything alone and to surround yourself with people who push you to be your best.”

Brothers like Santiago Orrico (Monmouth ’23) and Luke Petaccia (Ewing ’22) (a former wrestling co-captain) supported John’s wrestling career and pushed him to stay focused, giving him newfound confidence in his college life. “Joining Sigma Pi is what kept me at Monmouth; it gave direction, brotherhood, and a purpose outside the mat. That’s something I’ll never take for granted.”

Building a Legacy

John started wrestling so young he doesn’t remember the exact age, making lifelong friends in his teams while growing up. At Haddon Township High School in New Jersey, he became the school’s first state qualifier in nearly a decade, elevating his passion for the sport. “But when I arrived [at Monmouth, to stay local], there wasn’t a legit team—just the club listing with a couple guys who had never wrestled before.” John missed wrestling too much to give it up, so he showed up at the club, and they started building.

The team and its early staff and supporters began pushing the vision, and more members joined as their success caught attention. Eventually, John’s fellow Sigma Pi brother Luke Petaccia transferred from TCNJ and joined, and after they both qualified for nationals last season, the team built a wrestling room in a dorm basement. Delta-Beta Chapter Advisor Joe Palazzolo (Monmouth ’00) started advising the team and helped tremendously with fundraising. Today, Monmouth Wrestling is a full-fledged program coached by Jake Benner (a former Ocean Township state champion) and Kile Kitching (an IT employee at Monmouth).

Proud, But Not Satisfied

Thrilling as his personal wrestling achievements have been, John takes the most pride in what he has built alongside his team. “Playing a part in putting Monmouth on the wrestling map, from nothing to something—that means more to me than any individual accomplishment so far,” he said. Wrestling has introduced me to some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met—friends, coaches, mentors—and those bonds will last a lifetime. That means more to me than any medal ever could.”

John’s current goal is to reach All-American status, and he has no plans to quit wrestling before winning something big. “More than anything, I want the next generation of kids to look at what I’ve done and realize that anything is possible—no matter your current athletic ability, your  background, or how you started. If you work for it and stay locked in, you can build something great.”

In addition to wrestling, John is a finance major, photographer, and content creator. He hopes to keep building his media skills and eventually step into the world of MMA fighting. John has made peace with the fact that the future is uncertain—after all, he wasn’t sure about his future at Monmouth before Sigma Pi.

“The Fraternity didn’t just give me a college experience—it game me a second chance at building something real here at Monmouth. And for that, I’ll always be grateful. Whatever I end up doing, whether it’s in business, media, or fighting, one thing I can promise is I’ll give it 100%.”

You can follow John’s business page at @mr.southjersey on Instagram.