PI KAPPA PHI HONORS RANDY OWEN WITH UNIVERSITY’S LARGEST CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN

BY BRETT BUCKNER

On the cover of Alabama’s hit country album “Just Us,” released in 1987, the bandmates are lined up in director’s chairs, surrounded by items defining their personalities.

Bass guitarist Teddy Gentry has a group of teddy bears around his feet while electric guitarist Jeff Cook has a fishing pole and tackle box at his side. Lead singer Randy Owen can be seen in profile, with a yellow shirt bearing the Greek letters Pi Kappa Phi draped over the back of his chair – a tribute to his Jax State fraternity.

In addition to highlighting Pi Kappa Phi on the cover of Alabama’s 11th studio album, the 1973 English alumnus often wore his Greek letters on stage. He told GEM in 2023, “I had a great experience here and made some great friends and Pi Kappa Phi brothers.”

For Jax State’s Delta Epsilon chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, the impact of their most famous alumnus on the organization is undeniable.

“The fraternity wouldn’t be here without our charter members, which included Randy,” said Bo Mundy, former chapter president and 1990 English graduate. “So we wanted to do something to honor him.”

At the request of fellow Pi Kappa Phi alumnus and Jax State Trustee Rusty Fuller, Mundy pulled together the chapter’s graduates and formed a fundraising committee determined to raise a million dollars for the future Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts (ROC).

“One million dollars was a huge goal,” said Kim Dalesandro, planned giving officer at Jax State, who worked on the campaign. “At first, I don’t know that people really thought they would be able to do it.”

But Mundy had faith in his brothers. He and Dewayne Bowen, a 1993 management graduate, recruited a diverse group of alumni who represented the fraternity’s history from the 1970s to today. For two years, the group held Zoom meetings every Friday at 9 a.m. to report on progress. They also held “mini meetings” across the state and at Jax State football games.

“We even had a meeting at my house,” Mundy said, laughing. “That’s the kind of dedication we had from the brothers to make this happen. It was a total grassroots movement – and we kicked it off during COVID.”

Slowly, gifts started coming in.

“These were big donations - $100,000, $50,000, $25,000 and everything in between,” said Dalesandro. “Brothers from all over really stepped up with planned gifts, five-year gifts, one-time cash donations – everything they could do.”

Pi Kappa Phi met their $1 million commitment in June 2023 with 130 members contributing. But they didn’t stop there. They continue to fundraise, raising an additional $32,000 at GEM’s press time.

“This is the largest crowdfunded endeavor in Jax State’s history,” Dalesandro said. “And it may go higher. I’ve been putting the donation levels on their private Facebook group, which might spur some competition when brothers see how much others have donated. That’s what we’re betting on.” other. It was a fitting outcome for an organization with the motto, “Nothing shall ever tear us asunder.”

“The older you get, the more you look back at the great friendships and the brotherhood we had together,” Mundy said. “Then, to be back together and accomplish something that has never been done – that’s what inspired us. We got to have each other’s back again.”

If you are interested in leading a crowdfunding campaign to support a cause on campus, contact Jax State Philanthropy at 256-782-5003. "

For Mundy, the accomplishment is twofold. Fraternity members got to honor Randy Owen while also reconnecting with each