Happy Fraternity Friday Black Bears! This week we are going to be telling you about Robert Cuddy, president of Kappa Sigma here at UMaine. Rob is a senior Marine Biology major from Hudson, Massachusetts who is currently doing Semester by the Sea at the Darling Marine Center in Bristol, Maine. At the Darling Center, Rob is furthering his marine research while also fostering relationships with professors who he hopes to work with in graduate school at UMaine after he finishes undergrad this year. In terms of his history with Greek life, Rob aptly says that he “never saw [himself] joining Greek life in a million years”, until he was approached at the organization fair his sophomore year by a friend he hadn’t spoken to since freshman orientation. He told me that this interaction alone is what convinced him to join Kappa Sigma, where he has earned the role of President.
Rob also told me that being in a fraternity has helped to change his outlook on college and his motivations. As a freshman, he admits that while he wasn’t the most serious, being in a fraternity has helped him place boundaries for what he can and can’t take on. However, he does enjoy being very busy, and we both share the view that being busy usually means more things get done. As president, his role consists of running and keeping control of meetings, keeping in contact with the Kappa Sigma national branch, and communication with the University, as well as with Fisher House, their charitable mission.
Fisher House Foundation is a home and campaign for military veterans that focuses on the mental health and general healthcare of veterans and their families. Families can stay at the houses at no charge when they are dealing with the illness of a family member receiving treatment at a major military or VA hospital. Kappa Sigma is holding a golf tournament fundraiser for Fisher House on October 19th at the Penobscot Golf Course in Orono. The fee to participate is $30 per person and all proceeds from the event will be going to Fisher House.
My short conversation with Rob confirmed everything that was written in his nomination, he is someone who truly does carry the world on his shoulders, and someone whose huge heart and capacity for caring for others will take him very far in life. He is one of many people who are at the heart of what Fraternity Friday is all about.
Thank you Robert for everything that you have done and continue to do in your community!