CLOSE QUARTERS
The Centennial Celebration of the Alpha Xi Chapter KA House at CaliforniaBerkeley was held on Saturday, August 16, 2023 at the Berkeley City Club, in Berkeley California. More than 100 Alumni and Active Members were in attendance to celebrate and learn of major renovation plans for the future of the house. Assistant Executive Director for Advancement and Editor of The Kappa Alpha Journal, Jesse Lyons (Delta Alpha–Western Carolina ’98) spoke at the event and was part of the rechartering team in 2005–2007 with former staff member and now KAOEF Trustee Erik T. Showalter, CFRE (Gamma Alpha–Louisiana Tech ’02).
Chapter House Stor ies
Early members gather at 2425 Piedmont, photo found in 1923 scrapbook acquired on eBay.
Berkeley’s KA Home at 2425 Piedmont Alpha Xi Building Association marks 101 years and House Centennial Alpha Xi Chapter at the University of California at Berkeley was KA’s first chapter, “in the west,” to speak. The City of Berkeley, California, and eventually the University there, was named after Bishop George Berkeley (1685–1753), an Anglo-Irish philosopher, who died 100 years before the founding of the school. He was also a poet and when the University’s founders were at a special place on campus now known as “Founders’ rock,” a trustee spoke the famous Berkeley quote, “Westward the course of empire takes its way …” The response was in agreement to name the city, and as such the institution, Berkeley
Such was also the destiny of KA, and the plan of Samuel Zenas Ammen, who as the Knight Commander Recent successes of Alpha Xi include receiving the George in the 1890s C. Marshall Award for Chapter Excellence in 2023. personally agreed to and found in a more than 100-yearapproved the old pamphlet entitled, “Kappa establishment of this chapter. Alpha at California, 1895–1922.” Therefore, Neal Province and all of that part of the US is Very interesting tid-bits of affectionately known as the information are found in “Western Empire” of the Order. this volume, no doubt both a communication and a History of the founding of the fundraising tool. Alpha Xi Building Corporation and the establishment of a KA Alpha Xi was founded in 1895, House at 2425 Piedmont, is
Then Number I, Liam Fitz, speaking at the KA House Centennial banquet. 62
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