For a brother of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, continuous development throughout the rest of his life is guaranteed. Whether it be far or wide, SigEp applies to all walks of life. The Vice President of Recruitment Zach Harris understands this, but he found a SigEp graduate, who he met through the virtual Ruck Leadership Institute offered only by SigEp, that has experienced the development since graduating. Zach pulled some strings and managed to get that brother to come talk to the whole Chapter and provide a sense of inspiration through these unperilled times. The brother in question is Darron Trobetsky, graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Xi chapter. In his tenure there, Darron was one of the founding fathers of the Xi chapter and later served as a Regional Director for SigEp HQ. Darron is currently serving as the Product Director for the Nike Jordan Brand where he is in charge of designing the shoes for NBA star such as Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum, and more.
Having grown up as a fanatic of Michael Jordan, Darron knew he wanted to work for Nike seeing as they shared the same motivation that he adored from Jordan. To get to that step in life, he credits failure. In his own words, “I’ve failed over, and over, and over again.” The very first time and second time he applied to work at Nike, he got rejected, but he places this as the best thing that ever happened to him.
Even though he kept on not achieving his dream job, Darron persisted. From staying in contact with the hiring managers to sending thank you letters, Darron did it all. Eventually, his persistence and positive mindset lead to Nike hiring him because they saw his determination. So since 1997, Darron has been enjoying his career at the one place perfect for him. This persistence Darron states is related in every way to what he gained from SigEp. The work that went into assembling brothers to acquire the chapter charter was a grueling process that needed everyone coming together and staying motivated. The enduring work of that taught Darron to keep persisting, even when the tide crashes down on you, moreover, he learned the art of storytelling to keep everyone moving forward to achieve a common goal.
How this lesson from SigEp apply to Nike? Easy. Darron needs to share his storytelling with the rest of the designers and with the athletes, so everyone is on the same page and leaves better than when they started. He does not believe in small roles for he served as the Intramural Chairman in the Xi chapter and always looked to inspire the others to become better. This leadership that Darron idled in Michael Jordan was attained from his SigEp experiences of making the fraternity as a whole, not just the chapter, to be the best and lead the rest.
Outside of his career, SigEp has provided Darron the best gift of them all, which keeps him going everyday. This gift that also is the longest relationship of his life is the brotherhood aspect. This brotherhood that goes back 21 years is what Darron credits above everything else as his rock. It is a stability that cannot be matched and that continues to be a bright spot in whatever darkness comes.
The men of Ohio Nu want to thank Darron for providing an inspirational presentation and an inciting Q&A to the chapter, the alumni, and the chapter advisors. Everyone left the Zoom call ready to take on the world. To have a brother of that magnitude show that much care and attention is what brotherly love is all about at SigEp. A big thanks must go out to Zach Harris for organizing this event and giving the chapter the opportunity to gain some of Darron’s wisdom and vice versa. Sigma Phi Epsilon truly never fails to amaze.