4 minute read
Mu Phi Epsilon Wants You at Convention 2026!
By Kurt-Alexander Zeller, International President (Mu Chi, Atlanta Alumni)
Great things are always worth waiting for — and we have a great thing coming up only a year from now:
Mu Phi Epsilon’s 2026 International Convention! It will take place July 23-25, 2026 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Mark your calendars now and plan to join us for a great time of Music, Friendship and Harmony!
Seriously, this means YOU! Mu Phi Epsilon wants YOU there. Although every chapter is required by our bylaws to send a delegate to Convention, if those delegates are the only people who show up, Convention will be a mere shadow of what it should be. Imagine a family reunion at which only one person from each household attended. That wouldn’t be much of a reunion. For our triennial fraternal reunion, we want the whole Mu Phi Epsilon family tree in attendance. One reason Fort Wayne was chosen as our convention venue is that over 60% of our total membership can pile in the SUV and be there in a day’s drive or less.
At our last Convention, in 2023, a task force was commissioned to study past Conventions, poll the membership and make recommendations about ways to attract more members, particularly members who are not business delegates, to attend Convention and thus to create economies of scale.
At this writing in spring of 2025, there still are elements of Convention that aren’t finalized, but we will be implementing the report of the Convention Task Force in several ways. First, Convention will be one day shorter than it has been in the recent past, which will make it more affordable both for participants and for the Fraternity itself. Second, we will be right in down- town Fort Wayne, so attendees can get out and explore the city on foot during their free time.
We’ll be housed at The Bradley, a boutique hotel decorated by the internationally renowned design firm of Vera Bradley (headquartered in Fort Wayne) and ranked last year by Condé Nast Traveler as one of the 10 best hotels in the Midwest.
Most of the Convention, however, will happen right across the street at the brand-new Pearl Street Arts Center, where we will have concerts and the International Artist Competition in a real auditorium purpose-built for music, not a hotel ballroom. Many of our meals will be catered in the Pearl Street Arts Center, saving us the expense of convention hotel food and beverage minimums.
Another attraction of Fort Wayne is the opportunity to visit the headquarters of Sweetwater, one of the world’s largest music and audio equipment retailers. You’ll want to see for yourself how this enormous operation, from which many of you have been ordering the tools of your artistry for years, meets the musical needs of a nation.
And of course, nothing beats all the wonderful music when Mu Phis get together! Watch for the announcements from our music advisor, Marshall Pugh, about the 2026 Convention Chorus and the call for Music delegates. The more of you who come, the more opportunities there will be to revel in Friendship, reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. And we will build Mu Phi Harmony, holding informative workshops, conducting inspiring ceremonies and installing our new leaders for the 2026-2029 triennium. It won’t be the same without YOU, so start making your plan now to be there!
Make Plans Now to Join Us in Fort Wayne, Indiana July 23-25, 2026
We’ll be anchored at The Bradley, a boutique hotel in the city’s charming historic downtown area. It’s located steps away from the Pearl Street Arts Center — a purpose-built musical space where we’ll host engaging performances — and The Landing, a one-block pedestrian mall lined with restaurants.
Share Your Knowledge!
Submit Your Composition!
Become a Music Delegate!
More information and details can be found at www.muphiepsilon.org/apply.
Deadline is January 1, 2026.
