For many students, college is about more than the four years spent on campus. It’s about the people you meet, the friendships you build, and the connections that continue to shape your life long after graduation.

For SigEp Washington Gamma alumnus Kory Kelly ’98, those connections have become an important part of his life and his latest business venture.

Kory was recently featured in the Spring/Summer 2026 issue of Eastern Magazine, where he and three fellow EWU alumni shared the story behind their growing lifestyle apparel company, Cooked As A Goat LLC. Kory was also featured on the cover of the magazine.

The company was founded by Kory and former EWU offensive linemen Jeff Christiansen, Paul Terrell, and Michael Roos. What began as an inside joke among friends during a 2016 golf trip to Ireland eventually became a lifestyle apparel brand built around the idea of going all-in on the things you care about.

Today, Cooked As A Goat has grown from custom apparel shared among friends into a business with an online store, pop-up retail presence, and opportunities to expand into co-branded merchandise.

But the story is about more than a growing business. It’s about the relationships that made it possible.

The four founders have remained close friends since their time at Eastern, continuing to connect through golf trips, shared experiences, and their common bond as Eagles. Each brought different skills and professional experiences to the venture, from design and sales to business finance and a network built through a professional football career.

Their story is a great example of the lasting connections that can come from being part of the EWU community.

For SigEp members, those connections can begin with the brotherhood you build during your college years and continue through an alumni network that spans generations and careers. The relationships you form with your brothers can become friendships that last well beyond graduation, while alumni can provide mentorship, professional connections, and a connection to the university long after you leave campus.

Kory’s continued involvement with Eastern is one example of that lifelong connection. His enthusiasm for his alma mater earned him the EWU Alumni Association’s Eagle4Life Spirit Award in 2023, and he continues to be part of the Eastern community through his relationships and work with fellow alumni.

At SigEp, we believe the relationships you build in college should be bigger than the four years you spend at EWU. Your experience can become the foundation for lifelong friendships, professional connections, and a community you can continue to be part of long after graduation.

Kory’s story is a reminder that the people you meet at Eastern can become some of the most important connections in your life. Whether you’re building a career, starting a business, or simply staying connected to the university you call home, the relationships you build here can continue to open doors and create opportunities for years to come.

Read the full story in Eastern Magazine here.