The motto of the national chapter of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity is “Leaders by Choice.” This fall, 22 students joined the fraternity’s newest colony chapter at Drake, seeking a brotherhood based on character, leadership, academics, sportsmanship and service.
“Pi Kapp is looking to bring something different and leave a legacy at Drake University,” Ian Weller said. Weller is the archon, or president figure, of the fraternity.
“The Drake Greek community is at a crossroads,” he said. “Pi Kapp wants to lead a change in the direction Drake University wants to see. We maintain an emphasis on leadership and on fraternal bonds.”
The fraternity’s establishment and recruitment strategy on Drake’s campus was relatively quiet, focused mostly on seeking out interested individuals directly.
“We had a quiet but personal approach to recruiting, with a ‘quality recruits quality’ motto,” Weller said. “We had a lot of help from friends that are already involved in the Greek system and knew of men that weren’t in a house yet that had the characteristics we were looking for.”
Members have said that the fraternity is extremely focused on education.
“The men in Pi Kappa Phi are extremely driven and goal-oriented,” senior Zach Bales- Henry said. “I got involved with the fraternity because it is extremely focused on leadership and goal accomplishment and places great emphasis on academics.”
Bales-Henry is a recent addition to the fraternity. He will be initiated with the other members of the Drake chapter founding father class in fall 2010.
“Being a part of the first class is really exciting,” Bales-Henry said. “I feel as if I will be leaving a legacy at Drake through my involvement.”
Sophomore Seejo Valacheril was among the first students to take interest in the fraternity when the national leaders came to Drake to start the recruitment process. He has been elected vice archon of the organization.
“During the recruitment process, we spent a lot of time in the Olmsted Center talking to potential members and getting to know them, as well as planning informational sessions and one-on-one meetings for them to learn more about the fraternity and for us to learn more about them,” he said.
Valacheril said the organization’s recruitment goal is to reach 30 members by the end of the semester. Pi Kappa Phi currently has 22 pledges, recruiting its largest numbers from Drake’s sophomore class.
The members are involved in a number of other student organizations, including Student Senate, the Residence Hall Association, Drake track and field team, campus fellowship and ROTC.
“The diverse group of men we’ve assembled really shows that we welcome anyone that shows an interest in leadership, academics, service and brotherhood,” Valacheril said. “We’ve brought together people from all walks of life to form a strong brotherhood.”
As the newest addition to the Drake Greek community, the fraternity will participate in spring rush and social activities, including a number of exchanges and a formal event. The men will also begin work on raising money for their philanthropy, Push America.
Valacheril said that Pi Kappa Phi is the only NIC (North-American Interfraternity Conference) fraternity that has founded its own non-profit philanthropic organization.
Since its founding in 1977, Push America has raised over $8 million for people with disabilities across the United States. They sponsor activities like Build America and the Journey of Hope, a cross-country bike trip to fundraise and build brotherhood.
“The dedication to the philanthropy Push America that Pi Kappa Phi as a whole has shown was one of the main things that persuaded me to join the fraternity,” Bales-Henry said. “I really believe in the cause and it’s cool to see how my involvement in something that is meant to bring me enjoyment while at college will impact the lives of so many other people.”
Check your history books. The headline would more accurately read: Pi Kappa Phi comes BACK to Drake.
Weak reporting.
Not a single reference to the infamous beer cans thrown at fire marshal incident?
I was there in the mif 80″s I had so much fun hanging with the guys. I left the following year and heard they were shut down because of illegal drug use by some stupid members. Could you please tell you readers the truth.
I was a Pi Kapp at Drake in the early 90’s. We partied like madmen, who didn’t though. We were shut down in ‘93 or 94′, I don’t recal which because my memory of my 5 years in college is still cloudy. Bottom line, if you wanted to party Pi Kapp was the house to head to any night of the week, and that is what college and fraternities should be about….I don’t know about the new iteration but if they get an actual house and put Pi Kapp letters on the front there are hundreds of 80-90’s alums waiting to converge during the next Relays weekend.