2026 Scholars & Mentors

Guided by alumni mentors and university faculty, these Tragos Quest to Greece scholars will depart for Greece this June to study the influence that Greek philosophy, governance and the arts has had and continues to have in everyday life. Selected from a competitive pool of applicants, these brothers will explore Greek culture and reflect upon the origins of SigEp’s values and the Balanced Man ideal.

The scholars were revealed at the Carlson Leadership Academies and in surprise presentations at their chapter meetings and events made by past Tragos Quest scholars, mentors and special guests.

SCHOLARS

MENTORS


	Aaron Cromer, Oklahoma State ’16	Aaron works in-house for Hewlett Packard Enterprise as part of the mergers and acquisitions legal team, where he advises on complex commercial transactions and strategic business initiatives across the technology sector. His work in building internal AI tools has been lauded as best practice and is helping company-wide initiatives to integrate AI into operational impact. Before serving as resident scholar with Texas Delta during law school, Aaron worked in oil and gas accounting consulting in Oklahoma City, where he was named one of the state's top 30 Under 30 in energy in 2019. Aaron jokes he started volunteering before he graduated, having served as an undergraduate facilitator for EDGE and later returning as a facilitator at the Carlson Leadership Academies eight times. He is extremely passionate about SigEp historical research, having read every single SigEp Journal and helped add hundreds of names to the Prominent Alumni list. Aaron sits on the Oklahoma Alpha AVC as vice president, having previously served as balanced man steward and chapter counselor. A 2014 Tragos Quest scholar, he is a current member of the NUTS! McAuliffe Society and Board of Governors, and serves as the Tragos Quest to Greece steering committee chair.
	Kevin Otero, New Mexico ’87	Kevin has spent nearly four decades creating growth opportunities across more than 60 countries. He has held senior leadership roles across the global consumer packaged goods industry, including serving as CEO of Royal Paper, vice president at Procter & Gamble, COO of Salon Professional and partner at Simpactful. Kevin currently serves on the advisory board of Kinetic Consulting, a global strategy and management consulting firm headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. He is also a member of the Board of Business Executives at Gridiron Capital, a mid-market private equity firm that partners with founders and management teams to grow and scale companies. Kevin holds a BA from the University of New Mexico and an executive MBA from Harvard Business School. He is actively involved in community and leadership development initiatives, and serves on the advisory council for Rebuild Upstate in South Carolina, supporting efforts to improve homes for families in need. He is also a SigEp volunteer, serving on the Global Growth Committee and working with Headquarters leadership to expand the Fraternity’s impact on college campuses. In addition, Kevin has facilitated at the Ruck Leadership Academy and worked on staff as a regional director in 1997-1998.
	Dale Werts, Baker ’84	Dale has an impressive list of Fraternity achievements and honors. He is a longtime member of the Board of Governors and the NUTS! McAuliffe Society (previously serving as brigadier general); a recipient of the Exemplary Service Award and Distinguished Alumnus Award, and was inducted into the Order of the Golden Heart. He currently serves as a district governor. He also volunteers as a member of the Scouting American National Executive Board, the Philmont Ranch Committee (having backpacked 13 treks at Philmont over the past 10 years) and the board of directors of the Missouri District, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and serves as vice chair of the Baker University Board of Trustees. Professionally, Dale is an accomplished business and technology partner at the Lathrop GPM LLP law firm.
	Jeff Back, Cincinnati '18	Jeff is an Associate Director at BTS, where he works in the Strategy Alignment & Business Acumen practice helping organizations translate strategy into behavior change and business results. As an undergraduate, Jeff was a 2017 Tragos Quest to Greece Scholar and served as a Student Director on SigEp’s National Board of Directors. He later worked for the Fraternity as a Regional Director & Volunteer Specialist and continues to give back as a facilitator for Carlson Leadership Academies, Life After College, Conclave, Springboard, and the National Transition Retreat. Jeff is excited to return to Tragos nearly a decade after his own experience, which played a transformational role in his leadership and personal journey as a man and SigEp, including meeting a fellow scholar who would later become the best man at his wedding. He is passionate about helping undergraduates build self-awareness and lead with intention, especially as they prepare for life after graduation. Outside of work and SigEp, Jeff enjoys cooking, traveling with his wife, Nicole, and staying active through cycling and CrossFit.
	Dr. Jeff Hunt	Dr. Hunt is a teaching professor at Baylor University. His research interests include ancient medicine, especially Galen of Pergamum, Hellenistic society and culture, and Philo of Alexandria. He regularly teaches a range of courses on Latin and Greek language and literature.
	Braden Botkin, Wichita State ’23	Braden holds a degree in engineering technology management and plans to work in project management at an engineering company, with the vision of one day owning his own engineering firm. While an undergraduate member of Kansas Eta, Braden served as president, vice president of programming and vice president of recruitment. Upon graduation in May of 2023, Braden served as a new chapter development director and had the opportunity to work with our Illinois Alpha and Maryland Beta chapters. He currently serves on the Headquarters staff as director of expansion.