Headquarters From the editor

Sigma Lambda Beta International Strength. Determination.

Fraternity Incorporated
Perseverance.
Executive Office
900 West Penn St All qualities sought after by Lambda
North Liberty, IA 52317-9524
Beta men.
1-888-486-BETA
As you embark on a new academic
Staff year, how strong you start will
define how strong you finish. How
Editor in Chief determined you are to do well
Carlos Frevert academically will determine your
success. And how you persevere
Technical/Design Editor through those long nights of
Irving Roman studying for exams and finishing
up papers will be worth it once that last final is done and over with in
Managing Editor December.
Maximo Anguiano
El Iluminador has also persevered throughout the years. We’re finally
getting back to our roots. After a four year absence, we are proud
Content Editor
Ricardo Cortez to bring you this printed edition of El Iluminador. We are excited to
once again document your stories of strength, determination, and
Authors perseverance in a format which will outlast the ages. We hope you
B. Celestino Carreon enjoy this issue and we encourage your feedback.

Amin Fernandez We wish you the best of luck throughout this new academic year.
Bryan Rojas

Christopher Temblador

Jason Smolka
Carlos Frevert
Editor-in-Chief

Online
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www.sigmalambdabeta.com www.eliluminador.com

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Facebook ON THE COVER: Brother Cesar “Alma” Reyes of Tau Alpha

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All photos are used under a Creative Commons agreement and attributed accordingly. Photos not attributed are either clip art or photos taken by the editors.
 TABLE OF
CONTENTS

Zen & The Art of Strolling pg 6

FEATURES
Letter From the President
CREATIVE
15 The Price of Education
4
Interview with Fernando Tirado 17 Manifestation
5
Thoroughbred Training
6
The ABCs of earning A’s and B’s
10
Healthy Living in the Residence
12 Halls
Ballin’ On A Budget - Fresh ‘Til
14 Death, Even When Dead Broke
Zen & The Art of Strolling
16 pg 18
nt
6 Principles of Effective Recruitme
18
pg 6
fall 2010 • el iluminador • 3
 FROM THE
PRESIDENT
Step Up Your Game
by Sam Centellas
As our Brothers are getting
ready to head back to school, I
wanted to give some advice from
a Brother who works for a uni-
versity and sees students make
the same mistakes semester
after semester. I teach this to
my students in class, but many
don’t listen until it is too late...
So Brothers, here is some free
advice from me on how to be
successful in college.
Be Prepared - Yeah I know we
aren’t Boy Scouts, but man they
had that one down... You need
to PLAN the semester out and
start on the right foot. Have your
books for the first day of class,
write notes on your syllabus and
be organized and prepared with
a new folder and sit up front.
Set Your Schedule - I tell my students, set your
schedule or your schedule will set you. Make a
weekly schedule of when classes are, when you
work, when chapter meetings are, and most im-
portantly when study time is.... THEN put things
in your schedule like xBox, your girl, cleaning
your rims, and stroll practice.
Define Your Priorities - What do YOU want to ac-
complish this semester? Then review your sched-
ule... your schedule should point to your priori-
ties. Then, at midterms review your actual weekly
schedule and ask yourself, does this schedule
look like a person with the priorities I set? Then
adjust your schedule accordingly.
4 • el iluminador • fall 2010
Visualize the Success - Without
sounding like my college soc-
cer coach you have to visualize
success. Then I want you to
take it up a notch by working
backwards from that success.
So, you want an A? That means
you need an A on the final, that
means you need to actually
study for the final, that means
you should do homework
throughout the semester... fol-
low those steps and you actu-
ally WILL achieve the success
you wanted.
Tell Someone - Peer pressure
is a powerful force, use it to
help you WIN. This is where the
Brotherhood hits the pavement
and gets to work. Tell one of the
Brothers in your chapter what
your priorities are this semes-
ter. Whether it is landing an internship, raising
grades, doing your grad school applications...
whatever it is find a partner to help keep you on
task.
As we all know, we are in college for one thing,
an education. That education will not only better
our life, but better the lives of our family, our com-
munity and our world. So please, find success
this fall on campus and know that our Brothers
are there for you and are pulling for you to suc-
ceed. Just remember, PLAN and THEN YOU
WILL WIN!
Take care Brothers! Peace.
 Interview with
Fernando Tirado
by Amin Fernandez
Amin: First and Foremost, could you
please introduce yourself? Fernando:
My name is Fernando P. Tirado and
I was born and raised in Washington
Heights, NYC of parents of Puerto
Rican descent. I am one of the Found-
ing Brothers for the Pi Chapter at
Stony Brook. My line name is “Dedos”,
and I was the anchor for my line that
crossed on April 4th, 1992
Amin: What did you major in during
undergrad? And what kind of extra-
curricular activities were you involved
in? Fernando: I first attended SUNY
Farmingdale from 1988 to 1991,
where I obtained my Associate’s de-
gree in Biomedical Engineering Tech-
nology. I then attended SUNY Stony
Brook from 1991 to 1994, where I ob-
tained my BA in Political Science with
concentrations in Mass Media, West-
ern Hemisphere History, and Urban
Politics. As an undergrad, I served as
the President of SLB, Public Relations
Chair for the Latin American Student
Organization, Founder and Editor for
the University’s first Latino student-
based newspaper, interned for the
Latin American Cultural Center, served
as a resident assistant, co-founded
the annual Latin Block Party at Stony
Brook, and started my own part-time
marketing company, FT Graphics.
Amin: Since graduating from college,
what has your career been like, any
highlights? Fernando: Initially, my
career did not take off after graduating
college. I worked several jobs before
I landed my first job with the NYC De-
partment of Health as a Health Inspec-
tor. It was my company that helped me
stay afloat to support my wife and son
initially. Since then, however, I have 15
years of public service and currently
serve as the District Manager for a
community board in the Bronx. I put
my business on hold after 10 years
so that I can focus more on my career
and family, but I value tremendously
the experience and am considering
starting it up in the near future.
I have always put family,
community engagement, and business
development as my priorities, although
lately local politics and its impact on
community planning have become
increasingly important to me.
Amin: Could you please speak on
your political aspirations? Why state
senate? Fernando: I recently at-
tempted to get on the ballot for State
Senator of the 33rd District, but as
of August 1st, my candidacy for that
office has ended. While I am disap-
pointed from being knocked from the
ballot, I am grateful for the experience
and come away better equipped for
the next time. The NYS legislature and
the Senate specifically, is one of the
most dysfunctional legislatures in the
country. I attempted to run for that po-
sition because I wanted to stand up for
my community against a government
that has forgotten that it is “…of the
people, by the people, for the people.”
Amin: During your time as a brother
what has Sigma Lambda Beta done
for you and Vice Versa? Fernando:
While still an undergrad, I began writ-
ing and designing the “El Iluminador”
newsletter and received the Brother of
the Year Award in 1993 for starting this
for the brotherhood. After graduating,
I worked with several brothers across
the nation and we were able to trans-
form the newsletter into a national
magazine, of which I served as Editor-
in-Chief. I also joined the NY Alumni
Association where I serve in various
capacities. As part of the AA, we have
held several career workshops and
network events over the years for
brothers in the NYC area.
Amin: How did your involvement with
SLB change once you had a family
and graduated? Fernando: I am still
involved, although in a limited capac-
ity, but try to give back whenever I
can. I now have three children, one
who is a couple of years from going to
college, but it hasn’t stopped me from
doing my part when I can.
Amin: As a brother who helped make
SLB coast to coast, did you ever imag-
ine you’d be joining an organization
as diverse and grand as it is today?
Fernando: I am proud to be part of
an organization that has grown “Coast
to Coast”, and deep down I knew that
it would eventually happened. I saw
that when I first met Brothers Bal-
tazar Mendoza and Jose Rodriguez
when they first exposed our line to the
values of the fraternity back in 1991.
The fraternity has had its share of suc-
cesses and growing pains as with all
organizations. I think I was most proud
when I went to convention in Detroit in
2008 and saw how well organized and
dedicated (and how large!) our broth-
erhood has grown.
Amin: Have any anecdotes on how
SLB has changed in your opinion over
the years. Fernando: No anecdotes
so to speak, but just a reminder that
we are in this brotherhood for reasons
that are bigger than the individuals
that comprise it, that it does not end
just because you graduate.
Amin: Any advice to the brothers
across the nation, both new and
veterans? Fernando: That we are
supposed to be diligent role models
and a light for future generations of
brothers and those around us in our
community.
fall 2010 • el iluminador • 5
 re d Tr a i n i n g
Thoroughb mind.
d y e q uates to w
Welln e ss o f th e b o
By Maximo Anguiano
Tired of looking in the mirror and
seeing the same old weak, out of
shape body? That’s okay, you don’t
have to admit it. Can’t make it to
the gym? Yeah, we know (“excuses
are tools of the incompetent...”). Or
have you tried every workout and
still can’t get the results you want?
Well enough crying already and do
something about it. Thoroughbred
training is here to help you achieve
your dream body. Discipline is the
key to success, in all aspects of your
life. You can do anything that your
mind allows you to and this training
regimen is here to help you. This
workout regimen is intended to make
you trim fat from your body, become
stronger (physically and mentally),
and have more self-discipline in your
every day life.
6 • el iluminador • www.eliluminador.com
ellness of the
photos by Valentina Valdes - www.valentinavaldes.com/
In today’s day and age, workout pro-
grams are everywhere. Just about
everyone who is into fitness has
heard about P90X. Americans spend
tons of money gym memberships
too. But the P90X program isn’t for
everyone, nor does everyone have
access to fancy workout equipment.
Nonetheless, programs like this ac-
tually work because they incorporate
three basic training rules.
THREE TIPS FOR SUCCESS
You really only need three major tips
for success. There is no big secret
to getting the body you want. Treat
your body right and your body, in
turn, will treat you right. Follow these
3 steps and you’ll be okay.
Consistency
You have to work out CONSIS-
TENTLY. This means you can’t take
any days off, you can’t put limita-
tions on your workouts, and you
can’t make excuses for not working
out. If you want something, go get it.
That’s just the way it is. You want the
body? Well work for it! And the only
way you can actually achieve it, is to
exercise consistently. Taking a day
off is out of the question. Develop
a routine, work out at a certain time
of the day (everyday), and keep at
it. Have a partner to work out with,
that way you all can hold each other
accountable to the commitment.
Realistically, you should be working
out about 5 times per week.
Diet
This is the biggest mistake people
make. Let’s put it this way... you
can’t work out for two hours, then go
home and eat a super-sized cheese-
burger ‘value meal.’ Uh eh! It doesn’t
work that way. What you put into
your body is your fuel; it also shapes
your body. Fatty, high cholesterol,
and sodium-filled foods will not only
decrease your chances of getting
the body you want... they’ll also kill
you! Additionally, you have to watch
the amount of alcohol you consume.
Drinking lots of alcohol equates to
lots of calories. Too many calories in
a day isn’t always good. So be care-
ful what you put into your body.
Intensity
Here’s the other thing people don’t
do. Ever hear someone complain, “I
work out every day and can’t shed
any weight”? That’s because you
lollygag around in the gym, watch-
ing TV, texting, and reading Glamour
magazine. It doesn’t work that way
either. You have to sweat, work out
hard... and with some intensity. Not
only that, but you have to have some
variety in your workout. INTENSE
workouts do not mean going through
the motions on the stair-stepper or
slowly jogging around a track. You
have to switch it up, with workouts
that are difficult and intense. Change
it up.. one day ride a bike, the next
run, the day after that swim laps in a
pool, etc.
Where am I going with this? You got
it.. developing a high intensity work
out regimen that you can do in the
privacy of your own home. If you
follow these three tips, you’ll improve
your appearance, have higher ener-
gy levels, feel better about yourself,
and be healthier. Hard work always
pays off.
Remember that.
Before you dive into the Thorough-
bred workout itself, here are a few
reminders
• Make sure to stay hydrated. You
should drink at least 8 glasses of
water a day anyway.
• Don’t be afraid to try something
new... branch out and broaden
your horizons. You’re not going
to “look weird.” Have some confi-
dence in yourself. You can’t make
the club in the tub.
• No one is going to make you do
anything. You have to be com-
mitted to yourself and do this
on your own. You don’t need to
spend your paycheck on a per-
sonal trainer. Your drive must
come from within. If you don’t
push yourself, no one else will.
No excuses, just results.
• Stay focused. You’re not going
have the body you want after one
day, so keep at it.
• Remember, you can work out at
home but feel free to go to a gym
if you have access. Also, feel
free to workout outside, utilize a
bicycle or pool. Variety never hurt
anything.
Now to the fun part.. the workouts.
This workout regimen is based off
a series of workouts, mostly taking
the form of a High Intensity Interval
Training (H.I.I.T.) system. H.I.I.T. are
high intensity cardio workouts that
are intended to burn fat.

WORKOUTS

Okay, here’s the deal. You’re going to do at least Make sure to

two of the workouts in each of the categories for
at least 30 seconds. You’ll do three sets and you’ll
stay hydrated.
then have a 30 second break in between sets. Easy You should
enough, right? 30 seconds is the beginners level.
As you progress, you’ll slowly work your way up to drink at least
1 minute.. then 2 minutes. If you can do three sets
of these workouts for 2 minutes straight, you’re
8 glasses of
ready for P90X. If you don’t have a stop watch water a day
to time yourself, round the time or work out until
exhaustion. anyway.
The entire workout shouldn’t take you longer than
30 minutes. Start with some regular cardio exercis-
es for about 10 minutes. This means, you can run,
run steps, swim, or ride a bike. But go for at least
10 minutes and push yourself at a moderate to high
level. Remember this has to be intense. Advanced
thoroughbreds can go for 20 minutes or higher.

fall 2010 • el iluminador • 7

Exercise
ExerciseGroup
GroupA
A
Punch outs- Punch outs are a great way to shred your
upper body (mainly your shoulders). You want to work on
your form, which takes a standard boxing position. Keep
your guard up, extend one of your fists and punch, aiming a
particular point. When you detract your extended arm, your
opposite arm should replace it and punch the same point.
You’ll do this repeatedly and rapidly.

Jumping jacks

Running in Place- Run in place by chopping your feet

and get your knees as high as they can go. Chop your legs
fast. Remember, if you’re just beginning- you only go for 30
seconds- so make it good.
Exercise
ExerciseGroup
GroupBB
Squat thrusts- Squat thrusts are essentially standing in
an upright position and then squatting down, as if you were
sitting on a chair. Your knees should be bent at a 90 degree
angle and your body shouldn’t pass below your knees. Do
this, up and down at a high level, for 30 seconds and your
lower body will be good. For advanced thoroughbreds, try
jumping up when you come up from a squat

Taebo Knees With taebo knees, you want to get a wide

base (with your feet). Start with your arms raised in the air
and then bring them down- as if you’re pulling down. At the
same time, raise one knee up in the air (your arms and knee
will come towards and surpass each other, like a pulley sys-
tem). Do this rapidly, back and forth with each knee.

Burpees

ExerciseGroup
Exercise GroupCC
Wall squats

Towel jumps For towel jumps, wrap a towel up and place

it on the ground. Jump back and forth over it. Seems easy,
right? Try not to step all over the towel

Mountain climbers

ExerciseGroup
Exercise GroupD
D
Pushups For advanced, try elevating off the ground for a
jump push up If you follow this regimen, you’ll be on your way. You
don’t need steroids, expensive workout programs,
Ab-core and personal trainers to achieve your dreams. You
can do this on your own. But you have to stay disci-
Crunches • Foot throws • Plank • Scissor kick • Bicycle
plined. Always remember the three tips for success
Cool down and you’ll be fine. Be well.

Jump rope or towel jumps

8 • el iluminador • www.eliluminador.com
 NO
W
$75
0

Apply for SLBEF Opportunity for Wisdom Scholarship!

Every semester, the SLB Education Foundation
proudly awards a scholarship to a brother
(undergraduate or graduate student) for his
educational needs. It is our belief that by financially
supporting the financial needs of our talented
brothers, we are investing in the potential of future
leaders.
In order to be eligible to receive the scholarship
you must be enrolled full-time in an institution of
higher learning, and you must be a Sigma Lambda
Beta member in good standing. The recipient of
this scholarship will be selected based on their
recent achievements in scholarship, leadership
and community service.
In order to apply you will need to download and
follow the instructions on the Opportunity for
Wisdom Scholarship Application, which can be
found at the SLB Education Foundation website
www.slbfoundation.com
You can also read about brothers who have
previously won Foundation scholarships on our
Services of Foundation page.
The deadline for submitting applications is
November 1, 2010.
If you have any questions about the
scholarship program, please send them to:
scholarships@slbfoundation.com.
This scholarship program is made possible by
generous donations made to the Sigma Lambda
Beta Education Foundation.

www.slbfoundation.com
fall 2010 • el ilumnador • 9
A
C
B
The first part of test prep is the text
book, without it many times you are
lost in an ocean of information and
no map to guide you. The question
is then, are you using your map
correctly? You may have the map
upside down and not even know it.
Learn To Read – Skim through
your reading assignment first to get
the big picture, then read in detail
to understand the content. Lastly,
review the text so that you can
summarize.
Summarize – That little white ½
page at the end of your chapter is
the perfect place to write out the
key points and ideas. That way,
10 • el iluminador • www.eliluminador.com
The A,B,C’s of
earning A’s and B’s
By B. Celestino Carreon
later on when you have to study
you have a great study review
guide with all the key points.
Lecture Prep – If you didn’t pre-
pare for the lecture, every point is
new and important that your teach-
er talks about. Thus, by coming to
class already prepared you can
simply write down the key points
that your teacher expands upon.
So you have read through the text
book, took active notes in class,
asked questions to expand upon
complex information – but now
you have to study for the test. The
problem is no matter how much
you study you just can’t seem to
learn the information. What you
photo by DAEllis of flickr.com
might not realize is that the prob-
lem isn’t the information but how or
where you are studying it.
Location, Location, Location
– as any Realtor might say, loca-
tion is key. Where you study may
have a dramatic affect of how you
learn. When you step onto the
basketball court, baseball diamond
or volleyball court you are ready
to play, your mind is focused on
one thing –the game. In that mind
set, it is hard to get distracted from
your task because your focus is
enhanced based on your location.
Why study in your room where you
eat, sleep, relax, Facebook, etc.?
Your room is an eclectic collection
of unorganized things and ideas,
 not the type of place that is going
to foster an education-first mentali-
ty. Try the library, a place dedicated
to learning is a great location to
get you into that can-do-can-learn
attitude.
Organization - Make sure your life
is organized so that you stay on
top of all your assignments. A plan-
ner should be more than just a list
“What you might not
realize is the prob-
lem isn’t the infor-
mation but how or
where you are study-
ing it.”
of deadlines, make sure to create
list, prioritize tasks, and give your-
self leeway time so that you’re not
stuck cramming the night before.
Take a Break – When you are in yourself to do it. Inspiration without
high school you would have a 5-10 action is knowingly limiting your
minute break in-between classes, own potential. So get out there
did you ever realize how that little and be an active student in the
break you used to get your books class and out. When your teacher
and walk around a little really tells you that ‘For every one hour
helped you to get back on track for in class you should be spending
your next class? The same goes three out of the class preparing,’
for you today, a little 5-10 minute make sure your planner reflects
break after 45 minutes of studying that kind of dedication. As an ath-
will help you to get back on track. lete will train for competitions, you
The average maximum we can must train for your future career
stay focused is around 45 minutes,
after that we get easily distracted
and every test is a hurdle – are you
prepared?
and are less likely to retain infor-
mation.
Prime Time – No we aren’t talking
about cable either. Knowing when
you function best is key to becoming
a successful student. Do you know
when your optimal study time is?
Now you are ready to take on any
test, you know the proper steps to
take but it is up to you to motivate

Creative Studying
When you were young everything was done creatively in a fun engaging way; why does that have to change
now that we are adults? Sure, the ideas are a little more complex but that doesn’t change the fact that by making
learning fun you are more apt to retain the information.

Acronyms – FOIL for math - First

Outer Inner Last – helps you to
remember the order to solve a math
problem.

Rhythm and Rhyme – “Thirty

days hath September, April, June,
and November”, or “In 1492 Colum-
bus sailed the ocean blue.”

Acrostics – HOMES to help you

remember the great lakes.

Alphabet Method - B= Black

Friday H = Herbert Hover (remember
26 key points about the great de-
pression or any topic)

Teach – teach complex ideas and

equations to a study group, friend,
com
or roommate. Nothing helps you to small print of flickr.
learn something better then trying to ph oto by the
teach it to someone else.
fall 2010 • el iluminador • 11
 h y L i v i n g i n t h
Heal t By B. Celestino C
You moved into your residence
hall, ready to start your school year
bright eyed and bushy tailed – 2
months later your room looks like
a quarantine zone and you can’t
seem to shake that cold. Well, here
are some helpful tips to keeping
healthy while living on campus.
Do your laundry – while
grabbing that hoodie stashed
underneath your bed seems like
a time saving, good idea, it could
end up costing you in the long run.
Dirty clothes can pick up and hold
bacteria especially if you sneeze
into your sleeves. Taking the time
to keep up with your laundry can
prevent you from getting sick all
over again.
Use Hand Sanitizer/Wipes
– Use the wipes to keep your room
12 • el iluminador • www.eliluminador.com
arreon
clean to prevent spreading germs
from your computer desk to the
door handle. Hand sanitizer can
help you from catching someone
else’s cold every time you open a
door or use the desk in the class-
room. This holds especially true
when the sickly student before you
fell asleep and drooled all over that
desk that you are using in class.
Additionally, make sure to always
wash your hands.
Take out your trash – It is
filled with bacteria and even if it is
tucked away in a corner your tiny
room is too small to really ever have
it out of the way. More so than just
bacteria your trash can can attract
bugs and rodents. Take the walk
down to the dumpster as often as
you can to prevent trash buildup, with
you and your roommate it is easy to
fill up your tiny trash can daily.
Don’t Share Drinks – This
should go without saying but un-
fortunately it still happens. Saliva
spreads bacteria so easily, be
smart and don’t be lazy, washing
two cups instead of one is worth
the hassle.
Flip Flops - You are using a
communal shower, who knows
what is being tracked into where
you walk around to rinse off. Wear
flip flops to prevent athletes foot,
warts, or a host of other hassles.
Clean, Clean, Clean - Your
mini-fridge, microwave, bed
sheets, desk, and everything else
in your tiny room. Make sure not
to forget to get the inside of the
microwave and mini-fridge since
this is where all your food goes.
Bed and dust mites can spread
germs if you don’t regularly wash
you bed sheets and quilt -not
 e s i d e n c e H a l l
he R
including what it can do to your
allergies- so be sure to clear them
off weekly for a good wash. Also,
consider purchasing a bed cover if
you are using a used mattress, this
will zip all the way around your bed
to prevent the previous users from
having an affect on your health.
Flu Shots – they are available
everywhere from the campus
nurse to your local drugstore, take
advantage of them. One thing to
note, is that you need to get this
shot before you become ill, oth-
erwise it will not work if you are
already sick.
Be Healthy – Be active and eat
right. An active healthy lifestyle can
help build up your immune system,
so try to substitute those pizza rolls
for fruit and vegetables and TV
time for an hour in the gym. This
also includes getting plenty of rest,
by depriving your body of adequate
rest you run the risk of lowering
your immune system’s ability to
fight illnesses.
Air out your room – If you
have the room closed off using an
AC or plug in heater to regulate
your room temperature you are
hoarding all those airborne patho-
gens in your room. Open up the
window to get some real fresh air
scent instead of that Febreeze
bottle your mom bought you.
Vitamin D-3 – While you al-
ways hear vitamin D is good for
you, many are turning to Vitamin
D-3 to help prevent and fight off
illness. Flu, as well as many other
illnesses, are associated with low
levels of Vitamin D (and D-3). Vi-
tamin D-3 comes from sunlight but
you can get similar small doses of it
from vitamins. So get out in the sun
or make sure that you take a vita-
min to supplement your lack of D-3.
Sure these tips help you to prevent
from becoming sick but what if it
is already too late for preventative
means? If you are already sick still
do everything discussed before,
except the flu shots, because you
can always run the risk of prolong-
ing your illness due to an unhealthy
diet, dirty room, and contact with
other bacteria and viruses. If you
do fall ill and it just doesn’t seem to
go away or you are running a high
fever, make sure to visit your doc-
tor. Other than that, enjoy your low
sodium chicken noodle soup and
wrap yourself with a warm blanket
and enjoy a good book, might I
recommend your class textbook for
your next exam.
photo by borman818 of flickr.com
fall 2010 • el iluminador • 13
Ballin On A Budget
Fresh ‘Til Death, Even When Dead Broke
by Bryan Rojas
I remember High School being the time
of “dress to impress”. Everyone had
to have the newest, best brand name
articles of clothing in order to be in. Well,
at least everybody that was somebody.
Getting caught at a “recycled fashion”
store was a big no no. For the longest
while, I too had this mentality. How-
ever, having to move out the house at
16 made asking for new clothes a little
more difficult. Soon, buying clothes
became a luxury you only did once in
a while. Next thing I knew, college hit
and tuition became a necessity, while
clothes a greater luxury. I found myself
needing to change a few things. I still
have a shoe fetish that says, 24 pairs
of shoes is still not enough. We all have
our guilty pleasure, be it shoes, hats or
Beta gear. However, I don’t know about
you, but this dreadful economy makes
it difficult to set aside a few bucks for
anything that isn’t an absolute necessity.
Sadly, that leaves my wardrobe budget
in a non-existent state, and when I must
pick up something new, finding deals
on clothes shoes and anything else
becomes a must. I mean, just because
you’re broke, doesn’t mean you can’t
look good. After all, we “Fresh ‘til death,
even when we dead broke.” So here
are some tips that may help you save
money and keep you looking fresh:
1. Ignore Trends. They change almost
by the hour, so it will be costly to stay
on top of the constant change. After all,
a pair of Jordans come out more than
once a year and by the time you get
enough money to buy the “new” pair,
they will only be new until the next $170
pair comes out. So instead focus on de-
fining your own individual style. In other
words, just do you.
2. Get Some Inspiration. Once you
figure out what your style is, look for ar-
rangements online or at the stores with-
out having to worry about price. Just put
it all together and either take pictures
14 • el iluminador • www.eliluminador.com
or make a mental note of what it is you
liked. Once you know what you want, let
the money saving begin.
3. Take your inspiration to qual-
ity off-price stores. Once you
get your inspiration from the
higher-priced stores, you can
now take that style and
find similar pieces from
off-price or lower-priced
stores such as T.J. Maxx,
Marshall’s, H&M, Target or
any recycled fashion store
and put together a similar
look! If you buy clothes
that fit you properly,
meaning not too tight, and
not hanging off of you,
you will look good and no
one will care where you bought
your clothes. You could get that $300
look for only $50 if you shop at the right
places.
4. Of course one of the best ways
you can save money on clothing is by
choosing colors and fabrics you can
wear year round. Guys are lucky in that
we typically wear cotton shirts both in
summer and winter and pants or shorts
are always a good look. The transition
from spring/summer to fall/winter is as
easy as throwing on a hoodie or sports
coat. The trick is to choose colors that
are neutral, like blue or white for a dress
shirt and beige or black for pants. If you
are more of the dressy type, a black vest
can go with many different colored shirts
all you need is a nice pair of jeans and
you have multiple outfits. On the other
hand, if you want to keep it casual, a
white, purple or black t-shirt, jeans and
all white or black shoes can be all you
need. Keep your hoodies and sports
coats neutral, too, and you are set. As
long as you can wear it year round, and
finding the right shade of purple is not
an issue, you have nothing to worry
about.
photo by Brandon Christopher Warren of flickr.com
5. New is Not Always Better. If you
want the brand name but not the
brand price, looking into “Recycled
Fashion” stores is always fun. You
may not find exactly “that one” but
you can find “this one”, which is
the same brand for a fraction of
the price while still looking fresh.
Everything from pants, shirts,
shoes or accessories can be
found at these stores. Even
the fancy, overpriced blaz-
ers can be found at these
stores for way less.
6. It’s about the Look.
Having the right acces-
sories can make or break
you. A nice watch or the
correct pair of glasses can
make a huge difference.
These days so many com-
panies are producing really
cool watches that look much
more expensive than they
really are. No longer do you
need to buy a fake Rolex (that won’t
last either) when there are better
quality choices out there. So price
doesn’t matter, as long as it looks
good, wear it.
7. Seasons always return. The end
of season sales is the best time to
pick up some great stuff. This is
when I like to swoop in for a shop-
ping spree. Some retailers discount
as much as 80% off. So you can buy
your winter clothes at the beginning
of summer and your summer clothes
at the beginning of winter.
8. From Head to Toe. Make sure to
look fresh from head to toe because
something as simple as ironing or
shoe polishing can make the differ-
ence of a lifetime. Some beat up old
dress shoes can become almost new
with shoe polish and a little TLC. If
being a Beta has taught you any-
thing, it’s “attention to detail.” Take
advantage of that and make it work.
9. Some things you cannot buy.
Make sure to look clean cut or well
kept in the areas that you cannot
easily change such as hair, hands
and teeth. Personal hygiene and
physical appearance can be the big-
gest difference when looking good.
If you look good even a garbage bag
can make a fit.
10. Walk the Walk. It’s all about the
attitude. If you walk with swagger
and confidence this will radiate in
your physical appearance. After all
“Elegance is a question of personal-
ity, more than one’s clothing.” -Jean-
Paul Gaultier.
Looking good should not cost you an
arm and a leg. All it takes is a little
creativity and the swagger to make
it work. There are no rules set on
stone and when it comes to style,
you are the master of what’s in, what
works and what doesn’t.

The Price of Education

by Bryan Rojas
What is this hypocrisy
That we follow blindly called democracy
Nothing more than bullshit, lead by a bureaucracy
We believe in many while in autocracy
We continue to Barrak the vote,
Thinking our needs they note
While the only thing they promote
It hunger, death and war for a quote
We wanna run half way around the world
And point a finger at all
Ignoring our reality, creating a wall
We scream for their help, they ignore the call
For dollar signs they no longer recall
More spend in prisons, say fuck education
Drop out rates rise, see the relation
Turning the youth into bums, on a donation
Have they fail to realize we are their salvation
How can they expect to have our dedication
When their dedication, is only to corporation
The land of opportunity, goals and dreams
The land where nothing is ever what it seems
Our politician ignore our screams
Different names of the same regimes
For the rich continue to get richer, the poor stay poor
All of a sudden money can buy you a cure
Guarantee that if Magic was poor he’d be death for sure
While we stay quite, and the punishment endure
Youth continues to bleed out, based on a color
While we continue to kneel down, based on a dollar
All we can hope to become rappers, dealers or ballers
For the price of education is no longer in dollars
Because now we paying, with blood sweat n tears
4 year college! more like 6 years
Diplomas attached to a collectors pen
We getting played again and again
Enough is enough just tell me when
F’ da wait I’ll just count to ten

Like a song we keep on getting played, radio station

The only goal they continue to set, incarceration

fall 2010 • el iluminador • 15

 Zen & The Art
of Strolling
by Jason Smolka
Every time we embark on a new
phase of our life the demands on our
time begin to change and what we
did yesterday is no longer what we
need to do, can do or have time to
do today. College students experi-
ence this every semester and to an
even greater degree at the start of
the school year. The best thing that
we can do to combat the chang-
ing demands on our time is to work
ourselves into a rhythm. Those of
us who are strollers out there know
what it’s like to catch a rhythm. To
go from absolutely still to suddenly
breaking out into a precision format
at the first sounds of Rick James or
Swag Surfin’. Hitting every step,
matching your brother, stride for
stride, and flowing with the beat.
No brother though, regardless of
how much rhythm he has, masters
a stroll right away. It takes practice,
practice and more practice to hit the
16 • el iluminador • www.eliluminador.com
floor with confidence in front of a
crowd of people. And once you’re
out there you can’t just quit if you
miss a beat or lose a step you’ve got
to jump right back in the mix, moving
on and forgetting that the mistake
ever happened. Our daily life does
not differ much from this – just like
there’s a rhythm to a song that gets
us moving and keeps us focused,
there is also a rhythm to our lives.
In both strolling and our daily lives
it is all too easy to miss a step, lose
the beat and become unfocused; but
just like when you’re out there stroll-
ing, regardless of missteps or mis-
takes you’ve got to keep on moving.
Whenever I use to learn a new stroll
my line brother and I would pick a
song that we felt worked with the
rhythm of the moves. We didn’t
deviate from that song until we got
the steps down to perfection. Using
the same beat over and over again
photo by Irving Roman
it was easier to match the moves
to the rhythm and get in the flow.
Needless to say the stroll always
looked the best when we had a
chance to do it to the song we had
been practicing it on all week but by
that point we were able to perform
it to any song with a similar beat.
Using a schedule on a regular basis
and making sure it is up to date ev-
ery week is a great tool to help you
catch the flow of your life. By visual-
izing your week and keeping regular
track of it you’ll begin to catch the
patterns and ride through the week
like you stroll on a beat.
Whether you’re just learning a stroll
or you’ve been doing it for years
eventually you’re going miss a step
or make a mistake. While a master
stroller recovers quickly, any mis-
take has the possibility of throwing
off the whole line. For this reason,
it’s critical to be able to jump back
into a stroll regardless of the point
you leave off on. If you can’t catch
the beat again or remember what
comes next, it’s usually a good idea
to jump out of the line and jump
back in at the end once the steps
start over. If you’ve been keeping a
schedule, you may be able to jump
right back into the mix, acting like
the misstep never took place. Or
maybe you have another technique
to get yourself going again. Person-
ally, I combine my schedule with the
Urgent-Important To-Do List matrix
discussed in the 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People. The combo of
these two ensures that 80% of the
time I’m able to jump right back in
like I never missed a beat.
However there’s still that 20% of the
time that I get so lost that I’ve got to
jump out of the line and start over
from step one in the sequence. In
my life, there are a few things that I
can always count on to get me back
on track and moving again. One is
a call to my wife, my parents or my
line brothers. These are the people
who know me best and can easily
tell when there’s something a little
off in my life. We don’t always need
to talk about exactly what’s going
on that is throwing me for a loop but
just having a conversation with them
is usually enough to get me going
again. If that doesn’t seem to work
I make sure to get myself back into
a work-out schedule. Having that
set time where I go to the gym and
work on improving myself physically,
enables me to also clear myself
mentally and get back in the stroll.
While these things work for me, they
may not work for you. I encourage
you to find a few activities that can
focus you and get you back into the
rhythm of your life.

Manifestation
Leaving my mind and my body from Pledging Lambda Beta
by
Christopher
Temblador

Even if we accomplished much more

its common principle than harm
All day and all night
I have embarked on the journey to They would try to unfold the negative
make more of myself at the pinnacle Our blood, sweat and tears trans-
formed itself Even if we gave more than any other
For over the years, months or days org
that have began and ended To that precious oil bestowed upon us
They will act as if we are nothing
The love of my brotherhood has And we progressed across the pits to more
made me more than the letters that discover our true potential
represent it Now to live as an honorable Lambda
In the realm of Lambda Beta men Beta man is to befriend humility
Remembering the days when I only
used to dream Wisdom was the tool And to live as a better man takes
nobility
Before I could every be implemented Embracing our culture was the fuel
Since living the creed is one of a kind
Surfing the web and engaging my- To build a better man was one half
self in the presence So we must uplift ourselves through
To serve our community was the right the toil and the strife
My eyes glazed with that royal path
purple intention From our rebirth till the light don’t
Through thick and thin shine
Understanding only in my heart but With the passion of a guerilla soldier
not fully knowing what I learned in My body might be in the dirt
the dark With much bolder plans But my soul will always be resur-
Till the day came and my summons Will I ever go through it again? rected
was accepted
Some one will always ask Because Mi corazon is forever re-
Befriending another man who sought severado enternamente
the same light But even if I gave them my sense
And it came to be that he was my kin They would not comprehend
amongst the twilight
Even if we worked twice as hard
Earning our stripes
They could not comprehend
Earning the right
fall 2010 • el iluminador • 17
6 Principles of
Effective
Recruitment
by B. Celestino Carreon

photo by Irving Roman

How do you look at recruiting? Can
you have a high quantity of qual-
ity men? Do you use the search for
quality as an excuse for a lack of
quantity? Are those tried and true re-
cruitment strategies becoming a little
more tired than tried and a little less
true every year you use it? Albert
Einstein once defined insanity as
doing the same thing over and over
again and expecting different results,
factor in the ever changing demo-
graphics on your campus and you
begin to see the problem. Further-
more, somewhere along the lines of
becoming a brother we forget that
those new to college and Greek life
don’t have the understanding of the
Greek system, it’s benefits or the
concept of brotherhood that we do.
Dale Carnegie is the founder of the
self help movement, any personal
or professional development book
stems off of the ideas that Carn-
egie founded in his book, “How to
Win Friends and Influence People.”
Through a little bit of know how and
adjustments to fit you the modern
collegiate Greek you can become
better prepared and armed to work
with potential interest and with
clients in your future professional
career.
Principle 1: Become Genuinely
Interested in Other People
“Most commonly used word in con-
versations is the personal pronoun
‘I’.” (Carnegie, 1937) We think that
a flashy poster board or step show
will get someone interested in Sigma
Lambda Beta, yet we fail to realize
that spectacle is cheap in everything
but cost. They will never know how
we live out the principles, if we never
first become interested in them – it’s
the basic law of reciprocity.
Principle 2: Smile
Fraternal brotherhood is built first
and foremost out of friendship, it is
the foundation on which all other
bonds are created. That random
freshman, scared out of their mind
walking around the recruitment fair
is not going to walk up to you and
start actively engaging themselves
in a conversation if you are staring
them down with your cholo shades
on. If you want to be approached,
be approachable – or better yet take
five steps away from your table and
introduce yourself to them.
Principle 3: Remember That a
Person’s Name is, to that person,
the most important sound in any
language
As a collegiate Latino-based frater-
nity we will come across many indi-
viduals from various backgrounds,
most of which will never attempt to
learn a bit of Spanish. Point being, is
his name Hector or Héctór because
there is a difference and hearing the
sweet sound of your name being
pronounced correctly will leave a
lasting impression. Accent aside,
simply remembering their name will
make someone feel like they are
important to you and the organiza-
tion. Repeat their name before you
let go of their hand, repeat it in the
conversation and write it down after
they have left.
Principle 4: Be a Good Listener.
Encourage others to talk about
themselves
The best way to remain confident is
to control the conversation, the best
way to control the conversation is
to monopolize the listening and the
best way to monopolize the listen-
ing is to ask open ended questions.
If you bombard some guy with SLB
facts and send him on his way, he
won’t even remember who you are.
If you get him talking about him-
self, showing interest in him as an
individual he will be more likely to
remember you and have a positive
experience interacting with SLB. The
key is to learn the individual first, the
organization will naturally come into
the conversation at a later point.
Principle 5: Talk in Terms of the
Other Person’s Interest.
Find your commonality, an interest
you both share and can discuss. If
they share an interest that a fellow
brother has, introduce them, but
never give a naked introduction.
Naked introductions are when you
would just pass on the conversation
to someone else without giving a
topic for them to transition into. Start
off by introducing them and then
referring to the commonality they
share, it could by a hobby, major,
hometown or anything else that will
allow the individual to talk within
terms of their own interests.
Principle 6: Make the Other
Person Feel Important – And Do it
Sincerely.
Carnegie shares that, “We all want
approval of those with whom you
come in contact. We all want recog-
nition of our true worth. And we all
want a feeling that you are important
in the world.” Why is this important
to the individual? It is because they
don’t know or understand the broth-
erhood yet, as it is not a tangible
thing that can be described accu-
rately it is something one experi-
ences after time and commitment
to the fraternity. Through a sincere
interest in an individual you can em-
power them to become a leader and
thus inspire them to want to become
a Sigma Lambda Beta man. Don’t
try to sell them on features because
they are yours, not theirs. Instead
have them look at benefits, what can
SLB do to aid their reason for going
to college – which traditionally are to
graduate, become successful, make
friends and to get a job?
Works Cited
Carnaige, Dale. (1936) 'How To Win
Friends And Influence People' Simon
& Schuster Inc. Publishing
fall 2010 • el iluminador • 19
Sigma Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc.
Executive Office
900 West Penn St
North Liberty, IA 52317-9524
1-888-486-BETA

Re tre at 2 0 1 1

June 23-25, 2011

Loyola University
Lakeshore Campus

Mark Your Calendar!

photo by Mike Warot of flickr.com

eliluminador.com