Pi Kappa Phi
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Pi Kappa Phi is a national social fraternity. It was founded by Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Lawrence Harry Mixson, and Simon Fogarty, Jr. on December 10, 1904 at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. Pi Kapp has 129 active chapters and 11 associate chapters, with over 98,900 initiated brothers. It is one of only a few Greek letter organizations with its own charitable organization, Push America, which integrates tightly with Pi Kapp chapters to serve people with disabilities. Push America also holds many renowned national events including the Journey of Hope, a bicycle ride across the continental United States. [1]
National History
Pi Kappa Phi (ΠΚΦ) is a national fraternity started at the College of Charleston in Charleston, South Carolina. It began to oppose a slate in elections for the Chrestomathic Literary Society, an organization similar to the modern day student government. After losing the elections because most of their members were not loyal to the cause and voted for another candidate, the loyal "Nu Phi" slate's leaders joined together to found their own Greek letter fraternity on December 10, 1904. The three founders were Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Simon Fogarty, Jr., and Lawrence Harry Mixson; accompanying them in their endeavor were Anthony Pelzer Wagener, Thomas Francis Mosimann, Theodore ("Teddy") Barnwell Kelly, and James Fogarty. [2]
Pi Kappa Phi was incorporated in the state of South Carolina three years later on December 23, 1907.
Mission statement
We will lead.
The expression of shared values and ideals as contained in the Ritual of Initiation, Supreme Law and Fraternity policy;
The pursuit of brotherhood through scholarship, leadership, service, and personal experiences;
The achievement of personal excellence in each member and collective excellence in our Fraternity;
A lifelong brotherhood of its members. [3]
C.L.A.S.S.
In the membership education process of all Pi Kappa Phi (Pi Kapps), one of the more commonly stressed notions is that a Pi Kapp is a man of C.L.A.S.S. This stands for Character, Leadership, Academics, Sportsmanship, Service. It is these ideals that the national organization and individual chapters strive to attain throughout the recruitment and new member education processes, as well as lifelong objectives of every brother. The national organization adapted this acronym from the original version developed in 1991 by Todd Kline of the Eta Gamma chapter in Boulder, Colorado. That chapter still recognizes the original acronym which stands for Chivalry, Loyalty, Accountability, Scholarship and Sportsmanship. [4]
Interesting facts
- Pi Kappa Phi has 129 active chapters and 14 associate chapters in 37 states. [5]
- Pi Kappa Phi has 98,993 initiated brothers. [6]
- Currently, there are 6,471 undergraduate brothers in Pi Kappa Phi. [6]
- There are more than 89 alumni chapters. [6]
- The coat of arms has changed multiple times to incorporate symbols of Charleston, South Carolina. The original coat of arms had only two stars and a student's lamp above the chevron. A third star has been added, and the swords, originally pointing downward, now point upward. [6]
- The original crest was a hand holding a red rose. It is believed this was to recognize the Delta Chapter of Furman University. Fraternal organizations were illegal at the time. [6]
- The original public motto, in Latin, was Nil Separ Abit, meaning "Nothing Shall Separate Us." This was changed in 1925 to the current public motto, in Greek, OΥΔΕΝ ΔΙΑΣΠΑΣΕΙ ΗΜΑΣ, meaning "Nothing Shall Ever Tear Us Asunder." [6]
- The original Pi Kappa Phi magazine in 1909 was titled The Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Journal. The title was changed to The Star and Lamp of Pi Kappa Phi in 1911. [6]
- Pi Kappa Phi is the only national fraternity to have created and operate its own philanthropy, Push America. [6]
Noteworthy Alumni
- Malcolm Johnson, Pulitzer Prize winner, Alpha Alpha (Mercer)
- Bob Inman, Author, Omicron (Alabama)
- Leonard Anderson, Pilot, Blue Angels flight demonstration team, Alpha Phi (Illinois Inst. of Tech)
- Howard Baker, Former Senate Majority Leader and Former U.S. Ambassador to Japan, Alpha Sigma (University of Tennessee)
- Dick Bartlett, Vice Chairman Mary Kay, Member World Economic Forum, Alpha Epsilon (Florida)
- Hunter T. Brewer, Founding Minister, Madison Heights Church (Madison, MS), Alpha Eta (Samford University)
- Wally Butts, Head football coach University of Georgia, Alpha Alpha (Mercer)
- Dennis Cakebread, Owner/Director of Sales Cakebread Cellars, Gamma (UC - Berkeley)
- Carroll A. Campbell, Jr., former governor of South Carolina, Sigma (South Carolina)
- Howard Coble, US Congressman, Epsilon Iota (UNC-Greensboro)
- Phillip Crane, Congressman, U.S. House of Representatives (Ill.), Alpha Iota (Auburn)
- Adrian Cronauer, voice behind Good Morning Vietnam, Eta Epsilon (Maryland)
- Roger Crouch, astronaut, Gamma Beta (Old Dominion)
- Dale Kinkade, linguist and specialist in Salishan languages, University of Washington
- Jim Edmonds, All-Star Outfielder, St. Louis Cardinals, Zeta Rho (California State-Fullterton)
- James Edwards, former governor of South Carolina, Alpha (College of Charleston)
- Rich Eisen, journalist, NFL Network, Alpha Kappa (Michigan)
- Kevin Smilak, co-founder of Scour, Eta Sigma (UCLA)
- Joe Forehand, former CEO of Accenture, Alpha Iota (Auburn)
- Trevor Pennick, Pop music singer, Zeta Rho (Cal. State Fullerton)
- Henry H. Fowler, former Secretary of the Treasury, Xi (Roanoke College)
- David Goodnow, CNN Headline News Anchor, Alpha Psi (Indiana)
- Lindsey Graham, U.S. Senator from South Carolina, Sigma (University of South Carolina)
- George M. Grant., US Congressman from Alabama, Omicron (Alabama)
- Robert Graziano, President/CEO of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Delta Rho (USC, Los Angeles)
- Ernest Hollings, former U.S. Senator & governor of South Carolina, Alpha (College of Charleston)
- Olin D. Johnston, Former Governor of South Carolina, Zeta (Wofford College)
- Tommy Lasorda, former manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, member-at-large
- Ed Lu, astronaut, Psi (Cornell)
- Valsin A. Marmillion, President- Marmillion & Company/ Top Campaign Strategist, Beta Omicron (Northwestern State)
- Chris Moneymaker, Professional Poker Player, Alpha Sigma (University of Tennessee)
- David D. Morgan, Insurance industry leader/ Pi Kappa Phi Hall of Fame, Beta Omicron (Northwestern State)
- Ollie Wilson Nabors, U.S. Senator from Alabama, Omicron (Alabama)
- Gaylord Nelson, former U.S. Senator & Governor of Wisconsin, Gamma Nu (La Grange)
- Randy Owen, Lead singer of Alabama, Delta Epsilon (Jacksonville State University)
- Ben Overton, Former Chief Justice Florida Supreme Court, Alpha Epsilon (Florida)
- Bill Hill, CEO of York, Beta (Presbyterian College)
- Pat Rummerfield, world's first fully recovered quadriplegic, land speed world record holder, Theta Iota (Washington State University)
- James E. Rzepkowski, former Maryland Delegate, Eta Epsilon (University of Maryland College Park)
- Joe Sewell, Baseball Hall of Fame, Omicron (Alabama)
- Wayne Stenehjem, Attorney General of North Dakota, Zeta Gamma (University of North Dakota)
- Alan Sundberg, Former Justice Florida Supreme Court, Alpha Epsilon (Florida)
- George Bell Timmerman, Jr., Former Governor of South Carolina, Sigma (South Carolina)
- Charles Townes, Nobel Prize winner, Delta (Furman University)
- George Wallace Jr., former State Treasurer of Alabama, Omicron(Alabama)
- Thomas Wolfe, author, Kappa (UNC)
- Admiral Ronald J. Zlatoper, US Navy, former Commander of the Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC), Alpha Tau (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute)
- David M. Ratcliffe, CEO of Southern Company, one of America's largest producers of electricity, Beta Tau (Valdosta State University)
- John Darrell Wainio, CEO of Pangea Capital Investments Omicron (University of Alabama)
- Gen. John J. Yeosock, Ret. 4-Star General, U.S. Army, Alpha Mu (Penn St.)
- Dan Chang, Singer/Song Writer/Musician, Lady Danville, Eta Sigma (UCLA)
Chapters
Legal Issues
Like some other national social fraternities, Pi Kappa Phi has had its share of legal trouble with alcohol-related deaths and hazing. The national organization requires all members to participate in the AlcoholEDU program, in which many universities now require incoming freshmen to participate. Pi Kappa Phi takes strict stances against hazing [7] and alcohol abuse. [8]
Chico State Death
Pi Kappa Phi associate member (or pledge) Adrian Heideman died from alcohol poisoning after a fraternity event in October 2000. Heideman passed out in the Chico State fraternity house after consuming large amounts of alcohol and asphyxiated when left unattended. The parent organization settled out of court with the Heideman family for an undisclosed sum.[9] The national fraternity suspended the chapter's charter. Chico State's Greek system has been known for having problems with alcohol abuse and hazing. In June 2005, alcohol and hazing were banned by the university president. [10]
References
- ^ Pi Kappa Phi National Website - About Us
- ^ Pi Kappa Phi National Website - History
- ^ Pi Kappa Phi National Website - Mission Statement
- ^ Pi Kappa Phi National Website - CLASS Animation
- ^ Pi Kappa Phi National Website - Chapters
- ^ a b c d e f g h Pi Kappa Phi National Website - About Us
- ^ Pi Kappa Phi National Website - Stance on Hazing
- ^ Pi Kappa Phi National Website - Stance on Alcohol
- ^ Frat drinking death suit settled, newsreview.com
- ^ Chico State Bans Alcohol and Hazing, SF Gate