Growing up in Indiana, Mike McLain faced the loss of his father at age nine. Aspiring to become an aerospace engineer, he considered Purdue, Georgia Tech, and the University of Colorado. Ultimately, Colorado made an offer he couldn’t refuse—and looking back, he was grateful not to have attended Purdue, which was too close to home. Determined and self-funded, he arrived in Boulder before school started to begin a job and participate in fraternity rush.
With both parents having been part of the Greek system at Indiana University, his mother offered simple but lasting advice: “Find the right group—and make friends for life.”
He visited many strong chapters on campus, but what stood out about SigEp at Colorado was its diversity. The chapter included brothers from all over the country, studying a wide range of subjects. As someone who didn’t know a single person on campus, he quickly found community with 23 other new members—from California to New York, via Minnesota, Texas, Illinois, Kansas, Colorado, Idaho, and even Hawaii. His dorm roommate joined SigEp later that spring, and three of them ended up pursuing aerospace engineering together. The bond they formed remains strong to this day.
“Friends” hardly describes what it meant to instantly gain a family of nearly 100 brothers. Many were planning for medical, law, or business school; others pursued engineering, education, or service. One brother—Roger Burdick, just a year ahead—would go on to serve twice as Chief Justice of the Idaho Supreme Court. His fellow aerospace classmates went on to earn PhDs, while he built a career in the business world. Others became doctors, attorneys, and leaders in their fields. It was a diverse and driven group, united by shared values and mutual support.
In 2001, he organized a large reunion that brought together over 75 brothers. More recently, in 2025, a smaller group of 10 gathered again. Reflecting on 60 years of brotherhood, he now realizes that his mother was only partially right—it wasn’t just “friends for life,” it was truly “brothers for life.” That bond has remained, and as they approach their 80s, those memories and relationships have grown even more meaningful.
He welcomes the chance to speak with any young man considering SigEp at Colorado. A long career in the telecommunications industry taught him to always keep the phone on.
His final thought: While fraternities may have changed over the years, the ideals of SigEp—brotherhood, service, and personal growth—remain just as relevant. “To me, SigEp was a brotherhood of gentlemen committed to each other and to making the world a better place. I believe those ideals still live on today.”