GET UNIFIED WITH THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS • Regional Conclaves • #myFraternity • Chapter News • • The Golden Rule • Historical Feature • Our Heritage •
S U M M E R 201 8
JOIN YOUR BROTHERS THIS SUMMER FOR THE
SHONK UNDERGRADUATE LEADERSHIP SCHOOL AUGUST 2-4
A FEW OF THE GREEK WORLD’S TOP PRESENTERS
Phi Sig Needs The Best of You Over three days, attendees will take part in specialized programming developed from tenants of the new Comprehensive Brotherhood Development Program. Centered around three specific officers:
Dr. Lori Hart
Nationally Renowned Harm Reduction Expert
President Track A track specifically designed for top-tier leadership and feedback.
Inductor Track
Dr. Gentry McCreary One of the Nation’s Leading Fraternal Researchers
This track is designed to solicit input on the proposed new 8-week Associate Member program.
Recruitment Track As always, this track will focus on new and improved recruitment concepts from PhiredUp.
Brother Dennis Gillan Leading Mental Health Advocate
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Advisor Track This track will focus on new advisor training initiatives to be rolled out in the coming year. Email Nick Zuniga to take part.
TA B L E OF CONTENTS
SU MMER 2 01 8
6 OPENING DAY Grand President Sean Shingler continues his message of pushing forward with persistence and “Swing for the Fences” with courage in his letter to the membership.
8 CONCLAVE: CHANGING IT UP Professional Development skills were the name of the game this year at our Regional Conclaves. A number of topics were covered that students will be able to translate from chapter leadership to professional leadership roles.
12 #myFraternity Look out and be ready for the #myFraternity event this Fall. Thousands of fraternity members across the NIC membership will share their fraternal story. Whether you’re an alumnus member from 1954 or a chapter president in 2018, be ready to share your story of how fraternity has changed your life. »» p.8
20 BUILDING FOR A BROTHER Learn about how the Albert D. Shonk Jr. Archive & Educational Center’s lead designer, Brother Chris Pennington, came to know Brothers Shonk and Jacobson and how we can expect and incredible experience to be built by his company Penwal Industries.
24 CHAPTER NEWS »» p.20
We take a look back at the 2017-2018 Academic Year and see what our brothers across the country accomplished on their campus and in their community.
34 WHERE ARE OUR BROTHERS? Read about our partnership with Publishing Concepts (PCI), a team of professionals who have had successful projects with other Greek organizations, the US Army’s 101st Airborne Division, and many more. They will help to bring our Brotherhood closer together and find some of the brothers who may have lost touch over the years
40 OUR HERITAGE »» p.24
A glance into our history. Brother Al Shonk, Court of Honor Recorder and current Fraternity Historian shares a bit about Phi Sig’s history from the perspective of two men long before the merger. A Kappa and an Epsilon.
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Letter From the Editor The Way Forward Nick Zuniga Executive Director/COO
THE SIGNET PARENTS The Signet is being sent to your address while your student is an undergraduate. If your son is no longer in college or is no longer living at home, please send his new contact information to the address below. SUBMISSIONS All materials for consideration of publication should be submitted to the address below or online at the website phisigmakappa.org EMAIL Communications@phisigmakappa.org SPECIAL THANKS The Signet’s publication staff thanks the various contributing writers for the articles that are found within this volume.
A friend of mine was venting the other day about the less-than-agile organization she works for. There was some reference to addressing the “elephant in the room,” but I will just leave it at that. She was hired to be a “change maker” for a leading organization that many of us respect and admire. However, it seems that every time she works up a creative (and potentially game-changing) plan, she has to sell the idea to her managers before moving forward with customers and vendors. “That is not how we do things.” “We do not structure programs that way.” she hears. “But that is what the client is asking for. That is what will shift the narrative and create long-term (possibly revenue-generating) change. Can’t we re-evaluate the way we do things?” she asks. Recently, I picked up an older book entitled Confronting Reality: Doing What Matters To Get Things Right by Larry Bossidy, former chairman of Honeywell. In it, he argues that great companies and organizations need to be “perpetually adaptable.” Too many people, he says, hold onto good ideas for too long simply because they work. “You would be surprised and shocked by the number of companies and organizations unwilling to confront the issues that separate them from greatness.” The great ones identify those issues and quickly work to fix them. Unless you have been living under a rock the past year, the Greek world
“You would be surprised and shocked by the number of companies and organizations unwilling to confront the issues that separate them from greatness.” is working hard to address the issues and weaknesses at hand around the fraternity experience. And not just because we know of them and it is the right thing to do—but because our existence is at stake.
SIGNET PUBLISHING BOARD
Chair Albert D. Shonk, Jr. (Southern Cal ‘54) Board Members Christopher J. Hoye (Ferris State ‘91) Darren S. Azarian (Southern Cal ‘94) Thomas Wright (Wisconsin/Milwaukee ‘92) Nicholas Zuniga (Lambda Chi Alpha) SIGNET STAFF Nicholas Zuniga (Lambda Chi Alpha) Kathy Cannady (Alpha Gamma Delta) Joseph Kern (Radford ‘09)
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You do not have to look far to see fraternity under attack. And rightly so, any sentient follower of daily news broadcasts will learn that the fraternity world has far too many young men, often initiated men, participating in activities that are reprehensible. Shameful. Stupid. And always against the values we protest we’re about. So in the coming weeks, months and years, we are going to tackle our issues and “elephants” head on. I am proud to have these conversations with the leadership of our boards. They are very progressive and supportive of making the right changes and being relevant for the future.
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We must combat hazing. There is no place for it in today’s experience. I know many, including myself, took part in these activities in the past. I am not a better man for it, in fact, I hate it. Every morning when I put on my socks, I see the scars on my feet. No man should have to relive memories like that every day. Especially not in the name of fraternity. We are not going to solve the vexing problem of substance infused fraternal experiences. However, we are going to educate our men incessantly on the dangers and repercussions of abuse. We are going to teach our men how to become better Brothers and support those in recovery and sobriety. Our young men need more education around mental illness and men’s health. Education is a key, and we are going to have those conversations in real time. We are going to stop referring to the fraternity as a “four-year experience,” and we are going to stop saying “I was a Phi Sig…” because this experience is more than that. With each alumnus I meet, I hear and see that the Phi Sig Experience made young men into strong men. Moreover, relationships and experiences continue, onto wedding days, vacations and other unique events where fraternal bonds grow each and every year. If we are going to remain relevant in the fraternal industry, we are going to address issues head-on. Hold our members and chapters accountable. Have real conversations and use our resources to build a strong infrastructure nationally to continue Phi Sig. It is what the Founders intended on. And it is my job to keep the spirit alive and to ensure the Golden Rule is always followed. There are no more “elephants” in our room. We are going to do what matters and do things right. We are going to move forward. Fraternally,
Nicholas R. Zuniga Executive Director
Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter to follow my travels. Use the hashtag #PSKTour18 to find my specific posts and I look forward to this journey, with you by my side. Nick Zuniga, Phi Sigma Kappa COO @PhiSigCOO
GRAND COUNCIL Grand President Sean E. B. Shingler (George Mason ‘97) Directors Christopher J. Hoye (Ferris State ‘91) Douglas A. Diekow (Florida AI) Sean McGreevey (Henderson State ‘97) Atif Elkadi (Cal Poly ‘01) Darald Stubbs (Stetson ‘88) Jonathan Taylor (RIT AI) Undergraduate Representatives Adam Lipshin (Cal Poly) Brian Valdez (Cal State/Fullerton) FOUNDATION BOARD President John Sheehan (Northern Illinois ‘82) First Vice President Jeff Liesendahl (Northern Illinois ‘87) Second Vice President Patrick T. Murphy (Northern Illinois ‘75) Treasurer Thomas Grunwald (Ferris State ‘91) Secretary Javad M. Khazaeli (Illinois ‘98) PROPERTIES BOARD President Michael Palm (Indiana ‘04) Vice President Shawn J. Shivnen (Eastern Michigan ‘00) Treasurer Brian Radke (Northern Illinois ‘05) Secretary Peter J. Anderson (Michigan ‘87) PROFESSIONAL HEADQUARTERS STAFF Chief Operating Officer Nicholas Zuniga (Lambda Chi Alpha) Senior Director of Operations Kathy Cannady (Alpha Gamma Delta) Director of Advancement Joseph Kern (Radford ‘09) Director of Chapter Services Grant Carpenter (Northern Arizona ‘13) Director of Education Leslie Pedigo (Delta Gamma) Development Officer Gregory DalSanto (Ohio State ‘14) Financial Services Specialist Marsha Spears Administrative Assistant Karen Miller Administrative Assistant Meghan Fogler CHAPTER CONSULTANTS Chapter Consultant Dezie Gude (Tennessee/Martin ‘17) Chapter Consultant Cam Clark (Cincinnati ‘17) Chapter Consultant Taylor McDougal (Stetson ‘18)
2925 E. 96th St. Indianapolis, IN 46240 (317) 573-5420 www.phisigmakappa.org Produced in the USA
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Letter From Grand President Sean Shingler Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity Grand President
Dear Brothers, Organizational change impacts fraternities in various ways. It has the potential to decrease morale and create resistance from those less informed as to the “why” of that change. It can make the very people that the change is meant to help outsiders instead of the key stakeholders they truly are. Resistance to change is natural and for many of us our first response is an emotional one. During times of change, effective communication is needed as to where change is occurring, why it is happening, and how we envision this helping Phi Sigma Kappa. That is why since the beginning of the Organizational Design Effort in 2015, the leadership has sought to communicate the changes that have come to Phi Sig at the proper time and in the proper way. As your Grand President, I can assure you that the Fraternity will continue to do just that. In fact, as I write this, we are in the midst of numerous changes. 1. The undergraduate officers attending our summer’s Shonk Undergraduate Leadership School will receive instruction that is more targeted to their roles so that they are prepared to lead our groups. It will also prove to be a critical way for us to gather feedback and seek their input on the programming as we prepare our chapters to implement a new Brotherhood Development Program in the future. 2. The Headquarters staff model is continuing to shift in ways that will better serve the Fraternity’s plans moving forward. These shifts with current staff and new staff will allow for the Fraternity to do more. 3. In conjunction with that Brotherhood Development Program, we are designing training for our volunteers. To ensure the success of our undergraduate men, we must provide their advisors and mentors with improved skills and resources. Loyal volunteers are who help to make our chapters strong and who are on the front line of helping to prepare these men for their next steps beyond college and into their careers. As you can see, the goal is simple. To move the needle forward and provide more. More for our undergraduate members. More for our professional staff. More for our loyal volunteers. Moreover, more for the Phi Sigs who have yet to join our ranks.
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Baseball season has just started, and I would like to use a metaphor to make my point‌ Phi Sigma Kappa is coming into this season with a new swing. We are moving up in the batter’s box with staff changes. We are adjusting our hands slightly with Leadership School programming. Our bat will be more perpendicular to the plate with our alumni development training. Now, this new swing will not feel as natural as what we have been used to. We will need practice and allow time to adjust before it feels right, but that is what it takes to be better. We will start with a goal of hitting the ball in play. We will not always make perfect contact; there will be some ground balls, some base hits, a few foul balls, and I expect we will have a few strikeouts. No one bats 1.000 and that is all right. I do not doubt that before we know it, we will be hitting it out of the park. Feedback during these times of change is critical, and it is important to the leadership that our Fraternity grow and learn together. We are brothers who have the privilege of creating changes that will help to lead Phi Sig in a direction that will build the foundation for the next 150 years and whatever changes that may bring. Please do not hesitate to communicate with our professional staff or me, so we all remain together in understanding the changes ahead. Play ball! Damn Proud!
CARDINAL PRINCIPLES To Promote Brotherhood To Stimulate Scholarship To Develop Character
MISSION STATEMENT Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity is a lifelong brotherhood dedicated to the betterment of the individual, the university community, and our world, by giving its members opportunities to develop leadership skills, participate in service to others, achieve academic excellence, experience cultural diversity and practice personal integrity.
CORE VALUES Demand Excellence Commit to Lifelong Learning Meet Challenges with Innovation Value Brotherhood Above Self
Sean Shingler Grand President
phisigmakappa.org facebook.com/phisigmakappa/ twitter.com/phisigmakappa instagram.com/phisigmakappafraternity/
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REGIONAL CONCLAVES
CHALLENGING YOURSELF AND YOUR BROTHERS
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The Objective Phi Sigma Kappa’s Regional Conclaves are aimed to develop leadership skills, to help attendees understand that Phi Sigma Kappa is more than their chapter/colony. This allows men within the region the chance to share ideas, achievements and best practices with other Phi Sigma Kappa chapters, officers, alumni, advisors, and Professional Headquarters staff. The programming this year was designed with many topics in mind so that it would provide both operational specific tools, leadership development skills and act as a place to discuss the many topics surrounding college campuses and Fraternities today.
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Changing It Up In January, 600 Phi Sigma Kappa collegiate leaders gathered across the country for Phi Sig’s 2018 Regional Conclaves. Throughout the weekends, the men gained tools and knowledge to be successful as members of their chapter, within officer positions and learned how they could elevate Phi Sig’s brand as a leading men’s organization. This year was focused on personal development. Attendees learned and discussed skills and tools that could be applied not just within the Fraternity, but beyond the campus community and into the business world. Conclaves gave undergraduates many opportunities to learn from each other. The peer-to-peer learning continued through many of the subject based programs. The Regional Conclave educational sessions also covered subjects such as: Collaboration with Campus & Community Partners, Doing Service that Matters, Managing Conflict, Fighting Member Apathy, Managing Your Team, Working with Your IFC and FSL, Brotherhood Programming that Works, Engaging Seniors, Engaging Alumni and Budgeting with Your Team.
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Risk Management Share statistics related to PSK chapters lost in part due to risk management violations in the past decade. Hit home how important this is to the survival of their chapter. Also, share statistics about risk management related deaths in the past year for Greek life in general. Risk management is about people and creating a safe environment. It is not about policies or money or being the fun police.
Accountability A “Cross the Line” group activity helped attendees to visualize and discuss a variety of items. It allowed light to be shed on the differing opinions of members and how this impacts accountability at all levels. It also helped to show that personal opinion is secondary to Phi Sigma Kappa policy. Members were challenged to ask themselves: Where is your chapter struggling to hold members accountable? How does lack of accountability harm the chapter? Moreover, it was all tied back to the values, creed, and ritual of Phi Sigma Kappa. A process for creating accountability and coaching on how to have tough conversations was taught to the attendees, and it was a highlight program of the weekend!
Officer Communication Focused on identifying issues in communication in the attendee’s chapter and think about how they could better communicate to their audiences. This was done through a group activity based upon miscommunication with the goal of showing that everyone communicates differently and we must work to meet our audience on his or her playing field as well. Discussions also covered how to improve in-person communication, improving electronic communication and increasing its efficiency and the “9 Steps to handling difficult communication.”
“This is my first Regional Conclave.... It was a great opportunity to learn about how we could stay ahead of the issues my chapter is facing. I am confident that the information shared from the coaches and the other chapters will be useful as me and my executive board as we try to make our chapter better than ever before.” An Undergraduate Vice President
A special thanks this year to Laurel Price for her incredible work on the Conclave programming. This year’s education was aimed and centered around key areas affecting students and Greek Life. All Regional Conclave programming is funded in part by the generous support of Phi Sigma Kappa alumni and their gifts to the Phi Sigma Kappa Foundation. Learn more about how to become a contributor to further these young men’s lives by contacting Joe Kern, Director of Advancement.
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Chase Osborne Annual Denver road trip - no better way to end a summer! Very thankful for these brothers in my life and can’t imagine the last 5 years without you #myfraternity
Share your story of brotherhood.
Maybe you cycled across the country or had the most amazing road trips with your brothers. Late night pizza. Raising money for the kids. Hoops at the house. That intramural championship. Tailgates. The annual ski trips. The best man at your wedding. You have an incredible story of brotherhood to tell. On Wednesday, September 12 we need you to join with hundreds of thousands of fraternity men around the world to share your story on social media. Include #myFraternity and let’s show the world the positive impact of fraternities.
Learn more at myFraternityLife.org
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PHI SIG DAY OF GIVING
SUCCESS
On March 15, 2018 the brothers, friends and supporters of Phi Sigma Kappa came together for the first Day of Giving.
Within 28 hours, after all was said and done...
278 Total Donors 114 New Donors $41,000 Raised
Thank You! The $41,000 raised during the Phi Sig Day of Giving campaign will go toward leadership programming, scholarships, and investing resources and energy into our undergraduate programs. It’s not too late to make a contribution to the Phi Sig Foundation! Visit www.phisigmakappa.org and choose to Give.
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THE GOLDEN RULE A Uniting Principle As a child, you may have taken a toy from your classmate, who, of course, immediately started to cry. You’d then hear your teacher say something like, “James! That is not how we act. How would you like it if someone did that to you?” Does that sound familiar? The lesson being taught here is what Phi Sigma Kappa builds its very base upon. The Golden Rule. Now while this Golden Rule was not adopted as our official motto until 1985, Phi Sigma Kappa from the very beginning has placed a heavy reliance on it. The Golden Rule guides individuals to get beyond their own self-interest and think of those around them and within their communities. Very simply, the Golden Rule can act as a reminder that what harms us, may harm others, and that what helps us, may help others. We, as members of Phi Sigma Kappa, have a responsibility to provide each member with opportunities to meet and interact with others, to help him to do his share, and to give him the knowledge about the Fraternity
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and fraternity life that will help him to be not just an active brother within our chapter, but an active brother in his community. We must be willing to assist each man academically, personally, socially, and culturally. Our Fraternity is based on the Golden Rule, which means we must teach our members consideration, respect, and cooperation. By doing so, we can achieve the goal of developing each man to his fullest potential so that he may have the most positive impact on his communities and the world.
We must be willing to assist each man academically, personally, socially, and culturally. It’s much easier to live our daily lives apathetic to the world around us. But that is not what being a member of Phi Sigma Kappa is about. The challenge we accepted when we chose the Fraternity was to combat actions that would prevent us and our brothers from living a life guided by the Golden Rule. Upon initiation we decided to live a life of empathy and not one of apathy.
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The Golden Rule and the Global Human Family
“We should act toward other nations as we wish them to act toward us.” Millard Fillmore (1800-74), 13th president of the United States The Golden Rule (also known as the Ethic of Reciprocity) is arguably the most consistent, prevalent and universal ethical principle in history. It is found worldwide throughout cultures, religions, secular philosophies and indigenous traditions. Many people regard it as the most concise and general principle of ethics. Gold itself has symbolic value and a psychological appeal that spans cultures throughout history. As a metaphor, it points to what is most pure, noble, enduring and ideal in human experience. Gold was long considered the most valuable of metals throughout the world. It is therefore no surprise that the Golden Rule contains a “gold” metaphor since, as a principle, it is prized in almost all societies. The principle of the Golden Rule has been valued by human societies for thousands of years. Why does it deserve renewed attention today? And what special significance does the Golden Rule have for this generation of young people? The Golden Rule is often thought of as a rule for individuals: a person must consider how he or she would wish to be treated when deciding how to treat others. However, our changing world invites us to broaden this rule to groups of people and society as a whole. Many regions of the world, including our own country, are quickly becoming more multicultural, with people of many cultures and religions working to find ways to live together in harmony. The Golden Rule, with roots in a wide range of the world’s religions and cultures, is well-suited to be the standard to which different cultures can appeal in resolving conflicts. As the world becomes more of a single interacting global community, the need for such a common standard is becoming more urgent. The Golden Rule can be the ethical cornerstone as the human family works together to build a peaceful, just and sustainable global society. Because the Golden Rule is a point of agreement and a common denominator among so many of the world’s cultures, races, and religions, it has tremendous capacity for promoting social justice, nonviolence, unity, the teaching of compassion and ethics, multicultural and multifaith cooperation and more. Today we are living in a global village. Accordingly, we are all global citizens in addition to belonging to our particular groups, races, cultures, religions and nations. Being a global citizen brings both privileges and responsibilities. The Golden Rule may be the best guide we have for bringing all the world’s people to live together in peace.
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” THE SIGNET
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Phi Sig Remembers
Brother Alvin Rudisill Alvin S. Rudisill, Gettysburg ‘50, 1929-2018 Court of Honor Member Dr. Alvin S. Rudisill (Gettysburg ‘50) joined the Chapter Eternal on February 21, 2018, at the age of 89. Brother Rudisill served as Grand President from 1964 to 1968 after serving as a District Governor and four years as a member of the Grand Council as Vice-President, Region II and Vice-President for Scholarship. Upon retiring as Grand President, he continued on the Council for another two years as Chancellor of the Court. In 1973 he was appointed as the Grand Chapter Chaplain and served in that position for more than 25 years. He received the Fraternity’s highest award, the Medallion of Merit at the 1975 Convention. Brother Rudisill was a native of New Jersey. He graduated from Gettysburg College in 1950 and held master’s degrees from the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a Fulbright Scholar at Heidelberg University and received his Doctor of Philosophy from Drew University. He also held an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from the Hebrew Union College, Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles. An ordained Lutheran, he served as pastor of Holy Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Leonia, New Jersey, until 1962, when he moved to Southern California as the Lutheran Campus Pastor at the University of Southern California and Cal State, Los Angeles. A few years later he was appointed the University Chaplain at USC. As Chaplain he reported directly to the University president and was the advisor
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to four USC presidents during his tenure. In 1984, in addition to his position as Chaplain, he was appointed the associate vice-president for civic and community relations. He was the first to hold a position that concerned itself with the diversified neighborhood around USC and had a major impact reshaping USC’s relationship with the local neighborhood. He was an associate professor of religion and medicine. In 1996 he retired from his administrative positions and taught full time until 2011. His primary academic field was church history, but he had also developed expertise in medical ethics, dealing with questions of human experimentation and later fetal, neonatal and child bioethics. He was an active member of the Rotary Club of Los Angeles (LA5), and the Vesper Society, having served on the boards of each. He served two terms as Grand President and was very popular with the undergraduates. He had much to do with the development of the Kappa Pentaton Chapter (University of California Santa Barbara), during the time it was a colony. He was the son of Dr. Stewart H. Rudisill, (Gettysburg ‘12), our second Grand Chapter Chaplain. He was married twice and had two children, a daughter, Suzanne, and a son, Alan (USC AL) and five stepchildren. Both spouses are deceased. Janice Hsia was his devoted companion for a number of years. Phi Sigma Kappa has lost another outstanding brother, who had a significant impact on its growth and development. He will be greatly missed.
CONGRATULATIONS
GRADUATES OF 2018!
DON’T MISS OUT ON THE LIFELONG BROTHERHOOD OF PHI SIGMA KAPPA STAY CONNECTED WITH PHI SIG BY • Updating your contact information on the website phisigmakappa.org • Joining an Alumni Club • Volunteering at a local chapter in your new town • Following Phi Sigma Kappa on Social Media • Support Scholarships and Educational Programming through the Phi Sigma Kappa Foundation
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CHAPTER REPORT CARD The Chapter Report Card is a chance for us to share information on our current chapters to the membership. This will be a permanent piece of The Signet, and with each issue, we’ll break down different data points. The Key below will help decipher specific data for each chapter. Information collected is based on records kept at the International Headquarters. If you have questions about this data, please contact Grant Carpenter, Director of Chapter Services, at grant@phisigmakappa.org.
KEY
Chapter Name School Name
Date Opened
Total Initiated
Current # of Undergrad
Alpha
Omega Deuteron
University of Massachusetts 1873
2033
65
Gamma
1889
1804
56
Delta
1891
2442
73
Eta
1897
1970
66
Iota
Stevens Institute of Technology 1899
1314
80
Kappa
Pennsylvania State University 1899
1762
64
Lambda
George Washington University 1899
1531
19
Nu
1901
1126
42
Omicron
Massachusetts Institute of Technology 1902
1267
60
Psi
1907
18
944
38
1075
39
Epsilon Deuteron
Worcester Polytechnic Institute 1915
1717
28
Kappa Deuteron
Georgia Institute of Technology 1923
1209
80
Omicron Deuteron 1925
1048
115
Pi Deuteron
628
41
Phi Deuteron 1926
1490
99
Chi Deuteron
1431
48
36
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1936
1149
27
Eta Triton
University of Akron 1942
1054
27
1101
168
Sigma Triton
Indiana University
Psi Triton
Hobart and William Smith College 785
19
Beta Tetarton
Kent State University 791
23
Gamma Tetarton
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 751
22
Kappa Tetarton
Southern Illinois University 1957
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60
American University
1950
Washington State University
1089
Epsilon Triton
1950
University of Kentucky
53
Purdue University
1950
Ohio State University
591
Delta Triton
1949
University of Alabama
99
University of South Carolina
1930
University of Michigan
1926
University of Virginia
1299
1568
Gamma Triton 1929
Delta Deuteron
1925
Lehigh University
80
University of Minnesota
1915
University of Maryland
1746
Beta Deuteron 1910
West Virginia University
1928
University of Illinois 1910
Cornell University
University of Southern California
Alpha Deuteron
837
32
Nu Tetarton
Epsilon Octaton
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 1959
837
33
Pi Tetarton
Long Island University C.W. Post Campus 1960
208
19
Upsilon Tetarton
Rochester Institute of Technology 1960
880
60
Western Michigan University 698
34
California State University/LA 638
43
806
14
Indiana University of Pennsylvania 690
29
California State University/Fullerton 623
57
1367
89
400
14
Virginia Polytechnic Institute 753
93
1995
408
39
33
255
16
646
93
72
49
82
Mu Hexaton
2015
Radford University 441
21
49
Rho Hexaton
2017
Northern Arizona University 384
59
395
22
Phi Upsilon
Valparaiso University 1964
48
32
Mansfield University
Delta Octaton
Appalachian State University
638
Phi Nu
1962 24
75
Shippensburg University
Gamma Octaton Young Harris College
578
Phi Theta
1959 38
64
University of Wisconsin/Milwaukee
Alpha Octaton 2012
Stetson University
1169
Epsilon Phi 1949
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Kappa Hexaton 511
173
62
Ball State University
Omega Septaton 2010
University of Dayton
1937
Epsilon Tau 1948
87
13
Northwest Missouri State University
Psi Septaton 2010
968
Epsilon Nu 1938
37
27
University of Central Arkansas
Chi Septaton
82
1596
Epsilon Mu 1935
39
19
Eastern Michigan University
Phi Septaton
157
1291
Epsilon Lambda 1934
89
16
University of Central Missouri
Upsilon Septaton 2005
1369
Epsilon Iota 1931
166
35
Northeastern State University
Tau Septaton 2003
1124
Epsilon Epsilon 1930
75
18
Truman State University
Omicron Septaton 439
1456
Gamma Epsilon 1927
Auburn University
Eta Hexaton
1981
102
Valdosta State University
Epsilon Hexaton
1976
394
8
Pittsburg State University
Xi Septaton
2008
Robert Morris University
1974
1991
1039
Beta Epsilon 1927
Georgia Southern University
Gamma Hexaton
1972
52
70
Emporia State University
Eta Septaton
2006
Northern Illinois University
1972
530
Adelphi University
Pi Pentaton
1971
1985
77
Alpha Epsilon 1910
Towson University
Clemson University
Iota Pentaton
1967
19
Hope College
Theta Pentaton
1966
476
2017
Phi Hexaton
1996
East Stroudsburg University
1965
1984
Villanova University
Beta Pentaton 1963
Fairleigh Dickinson University, Madison
George Mason University
Omega Tetarton 1962
Upsilon Hexaton
California Polytechnic State University
Chi Tetarton 1961
University of Cincinnati
645
44
Sigma Epsilon
Ferris State University
77
1968
857
36
REFLECTS INFORMATION REPORTED AS OF 5/15/2018
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WHO IS BUILDING “COOL STUFF”
FOR PHI SIG?
Building the Bonds of Brotherhood It doesn’t take long after walking through Penwal Industries headquartered in California, to realize just how special and unique this company is. For more than 20 years, Penwal has maintained the motto: “We Build Cool StuffTM” Penwal does all sorts of cool things regularly for its top customer, Disney, with projects like the Grand Californian Hotel. However, there’s also the Airbus 380 1/3 scale display they somehow fit in at London’s Heathrow Airport or the lights at LAX or the 250 exhibits they’ve built for the Smithsonian. They’ve also been honored to complete the new LAFC soccer club headquarters and the Clippers facility. So it was no surprise late last year, when then-Grand President Scott Jacobson had an idea for an archive in the name of Al Shonk, that he turned to Chris Pennington (Southern Cal AI), owner of Penwal. Chris’ relationship with Al is so special,” said Jacobson. “It didn’t take more than 10 minutes of pitching the idea, and he was in!”
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Pennington and his daughter Paige have designed the entire Shonk Archive & Educational Center to be one of the best in the Fraternal industry. Having spent time in Indianapolis touring other like-Facilities, the Penwal team designed the facility to not only serve as space for our members to learn about Phi Sig but also one where we preserve our history and honor all the men who have made the Fraternity great.
To date, more than $340,000 has been raised by alumni and alumni groups. The final leg of the campaign “Every part of our history will is aimed at undergraduate chapter sponsorships and Phi be featured in this project.” Sigma Epsilon alumni.
The respect between Pennington and Shonk strong, and their friendship began several years ago at an event in Corona del Mar. Pennington was attending the event as a guest of Brother Scott Jacobson, who also shares a close bond with Shonk. That evening, after the event, they continued their socializing at Pennington’s home on the Bay and their relationship was solidified. They saw each other again shortly after at USC when Pennington unveiled his company’s display showing the renovations that would take place on the Coliseum. Penwal had designed the display to be an experience like no other, and it was opened by then USC Athletic Director Pat Haden
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and Pennington. The relationship only grew strong as both men interacted more and more over the coming years. Pennington was associated by the Omega Deuteron Chapter at USC, both Shonk and Jacobson were present for their longtime friend. Pennington was initiated at the 66th General Convention this past summer in Orlando, again, his friends and now brothers were there with him.
“Every part of our history will be featured in this project,” says Pennington. “And we’ll have ample opportunities to swap displays in and out based on the time of year and new materials we gather from chapters.” “The Interactive Studio has to be my favorite part,” says Jacobson. “We’ll be able to develop videos and audio voiceovers on the fly to get top-notch communication out to our members in the best format needed.” Along with the Archive & Educational Center, Penwal has incorporated a multipurpose meeting room which previously was leased office space. This room has yet to be sponsored but will have large LED
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displays and will feature a variety of setups aimed at chapters hosting retreats and meetings in the space. In addition, the professional staff will have it to use for their own meetings and functions. The Grand Council has secured funds to complement additional building features for the entire office including new office furnishings, carpet, and general modifications. The Penwal team will use interactive displays around the current building to tell the story of Phi Sig. “This really is going to be a one-of-a-kind project,” says Pennington. “I’m humbled to honor Al in this way and give back to Phi Sig!”
The Bonds of Brotherhood “A year ago Scott, Chris, Dave Jacobson and I spent several days in Indianapolis discussing the project. I thought it was wonderful that he took his valuable time to spend with us and to get the project underway. I was president of the Foundation in 1992 when the Foundation bought the Headquarters Building, and have always wanted it to become a showplace of our history, and now this is going to happen thanks to Chris Pennington and Scott Jacobson. I think that we are very fortunate to have Chris and his Company design and construct the new “SAEC”. They are world famous for the many impressive projects they have designed and built all over the world. Every time I see a picture of LAX I think of Chris because of the lights that beautifully illuminate the outside of the Airport, and were designed by Penwal. I was very pleased when Chris was initiated into Phi Sigma Kappa at the Convention in Orlando. I should also mention his daughter, Paige, who is the project manager on the SAEC and is an incredible professional and a delight to work with.” - Brother Al Shonk
The LAFC Experience
The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum The LAX Light Poles
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“Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” Special Olympics Oath
Phi Sigma Kappa has enjoyed a relationship with Special Olympics International since 1995, when delegates to the 55th General Convention in Washington, DC passed a resolution declaring it the Fraternity’s national philanthropy. Special Olympics is the world’s largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to 5.7 million athletes in 172 countries. It offers more than 30 Olympic-style individual and team sports. Founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver first hosted a summer day camp in her backyard in 1962. Known as “Camp Shriver,” that program soon grew and in 1968, the first International Special Olympics games were held in Chicago. From a summer camp for people with intellectual disabilities to a global movement, Special Olympics has been changing lives and attitudes and is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. Phi Sigs are encouraged to get involved and join hundreds of thousands of volunteers around the world. Special Olympics would not exist without the time, energy, commitment and enthusiasm of its volunteers. Whatever your interests, talents, background and availability, there are volunteer opportunities. Special Olympics College Clubs function as official clubs on campus that were designed by college students for college students. Special Olympics College programs are made up of three core components: unified sports, youth leadership and opportunities for full campus engagement. Together these components can help students work for and with Special Olympics athletes to help transform their college campuses in communities of acceptance and respect. For more information on the Special Olympics College Clubs, please visit specialolympics.org.
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The Fraternity’s partnership with Special Olympics has provided a wealth of service opportunities for the brothers of Phi Sigma Kappa, at both the undergraduate and alumni level. Chapters from across the country have participated in local Polar Plunges and have volunteered to assist with the more than 100,000 events that are held on an annual basis. The Support-an-Athlete program was kicked off at the 64th General Convention, held in Palm Springs, CA in 2013. Through this program, chapters raised thousands of dollars for the World Games, which were held in Los Angeles in 2015. The International Headquarters staff has participated in Plane Pull events, Polar Plunges, volunteered at local competitions and helped to organize the Rivalry Series with the Indiana state office. The Rivalry Series is based on best known college football rivalries. The flag football game is a Special Olympics Unified Sports game and is modeled so that each team represents one college rival team. The teams are comprised of students from the perspective universities and local Special Olympics athletes. These games are typically held on the day of or around the time of the larger game between the two schools. This series offers Special Olympics athletes a chance to be a part of the hype of the varsity game. The IHQ staff has played a key role in bringing this concept to the state of Indiana. Our brothers at Purdue and Indiana participate with Special Olympics athletes. They hold weekly practices, raise funds and more importantly, raise awareness for our national philanthropy. Much like college football, the games rotate locations between the two universities and offer a great game day atmosphere with cheerleaders, bands and tailgating.
This fall, the third annual event of the series will be held in Bloomington, on the campus of Indiana University. We hope to grow the event and offer more than one game. Several Special Olympic athletes would like to be included and we hope to be able to provide them with this great experience. In partnership with Lambda Chi Alpha and by including the chapters at Ball State and Valparaiso, we hope to have even more Phi Sigs participate and help to create a great experience for the athletes we strive to serve. Please watch for more details on this event and provide your support either through a donation or by attending the games in Bloomington.
If The Alpha Octaton Chapter at NJIT holds an annual 5k called “P5K” which raises funds for the Special Olympics in their area. They have been holding the event for 6 years and a few weeks ago raised $3,200.
your chapter or alumni club is interested in volunteering with Special Olympics at the local level, please click here https://www.specialolympics.org/ program_locator.aspx to find contact information for your state’s office.
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CHAPTER NEWS In Their Words... News from the Undergraduate Chapters across the country. Read the submitted news below and see what is happening with these leaders.
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
ALPHA The Alpha Chapter’s primary goal this year was to improve their overall fundraising. The main event of their fall semester was the March of Dimes Fund raiser, which is a charity for premature babies. UMass set a goal to raise $2,500 and came away with raising $2,804. In the spring semester, the president and philanthropy chair signed off on a pledge to raise $10,000 for UMass FTK. This labeled Phi Sigma Kappa Alpha Chapter as platinum sponsors for the UMass Dance Marathon. With valiant efforts by the entire brotherhood, Alpha was able to reach their goal by raising about $12,000. The chapter sponsored a miracle child, Shane, who is a victim of Down Syndrome. While some brothers got the privilege of meeting Shane, his personal story touched the hearts of the entire brotherhood.
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GAMMA This year, the Gamma Chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa has taken great pride in engaging in events that better the Ithaca community. In March, the brothers of Phi Sigma Kappa at Cornell participated in the Ithaca Polar Plunge to benefit the New York Special Olympics. Brothers traveled to nearby Cayuga Lake on a frigid winter morning and dove right into the freezing waters. The Gamma Chapter raised over $2,100 and came in 3rd place amongst all fundraising teams. During Greeks Give Back, a biannual event hosted by Cornell’s Interfraternity Council, multiple brothers volunteered their time at local organizations such as the YMCA, Ithaca Children’s Garden, and the Salvation Army. Currently, the brothers of the Gamma Chapter are participating in fundraising for Cornell’s annual Relay for Life, which takes place on April 21st. The brothers here at Cornell have committed themselves to bettering the community around them.
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ETA The Eta Chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa is proud to unveil a new philanthropy event at the University of Maryland on May 5th. The Inaugural Phi Sigma Kappa Beach Games in support of Special Olympics Maryland is an afternoon of games, food, drinks and music on Maryland’s fraternity row, right outside the Eta Chapter House. This event includes tournament brackets in Spikeball, KanJam, and cornhole. The chapter is proud to have five sorority co-sponsors and one fraternity co-sponsor, as well as three corporate co-sponsors. The chapter has received a $1,000 donation from Good Uncle food service, and two other local businesses are providing food and prizes for their participants! The brothers of the Eta Chapter have already raised over $2,000 alone for Special Olympics Maryland, and the chapter is still two weeks away from their event! The chapter expects to raise over $10,000 and have invited nearly 500 Maryland students to participate. This event will help provide the equipment, attire and health services Special Olympics athletes need to compete, and the chapter is so excited to be able to give back to kids with intellectual disabilities in their community.
LEHIGH UNIVERSITY
GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
LAMBDA The Brothers of the Lambda Chapter have been hard at work this semester with educational programs and workshops such as Students Against Sexual Assault (SASA), Title IX, and diversity training. The Lambda Chapter was awarded Bronze designations for their achievements in the Scholarship and Accountability pillars of the University and Gold designations for their accomplishments in the Community and Service pillars of the University. Additionally, the Lambda Chapter was nominated for this years George Washington University IFC Chapter of the Year award.
NU This semester the Nu Chapter held their first annual Blue Light Ball to raise awareness of sexual violence on college campuses and promote healthy relationships. In the 1980s, Jeanne Clery was the victim of a terrible sexual crime and murdered in her dorm here at Lehigh University. This tragedy caused a national uproar, resulting in the passage of the Clery Act and the creation of the blue light system which is used as a safety device in colleges around the country. Since she was very close to the brothers of Phi Sigma Kappa, she was posthumously named a “Sweetheart” to the House, and the chapter has honored her by never giving that title to anyone since. However, the chapter wanted to do more to promote safe and healthy relationships on a college campus and spark discussions in Jeanne’s memory. The chapter ended up raising over $10,000 for the Clery Center to support the development of resources, training programs, and initiatives that help colleges and universities nurture the personal growth of students and staff around the country. The chapter had great support from brothers, alumni, and faculty and the chapter are looking forward to making this a yearly flagship event for the Nu Chapter.
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UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
PSI This semester the Psi Chapter has welcomed ten new brothers. One of the chapter’s initiatives this semester was to increase involvement with their community. In April, they logged over 70 hrs in various community service activities. This includes 27 brothers volunteering at their local elementary school to support their annual spring fair. Additionally, they co-sponsored an initiative with several other fraternities to have large-scale active bystander training sessions. Which aim to equip everyday people with the skills to recognize the warning signs of powerbased violence and help prevent that violence from occurring.
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UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
ALPHA DEUTERON An annual sand volleyball tournament hosted by the chapter was held. All proceeds go toward the Special Olympics. This event as it is the first time their newly initiated brothers get to participate in an event as an active brother, it is a tradition and a large point of pride for the group and it’s membership.
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
KAPPA DEUTERON The brothers of the Kappa Deuteron chapter enjoyed a successful 20172018 academic year during the chapter expanded upon the incorporation of their cardinal principals into their daily values. The Chapter GPA for the Fall Semester was a 3.26. They had 20 brothers join the ranks of third degrees members of the chapter and alumni of the Georgia Institute of Technology and had 7 number of brothers receive a 4.0 in Fall 2017. They finished building an inclusive outdoor venue in their backyard for brotherhood hangouts and events. They have focused on better including the families of brothers in all of their functions, notably tailgates and philanthropy events. Brother Ferdinand Nicolas Laconico joins the Order of the Diamond Circle, one of the fraternity’s highest honors. They raised more than $3,500 for the Special Olympics through their annual Carving for a Cause and Pig Jig Barbeque Philanthropic events, their most recent event earning over $2,000. They raised over $500 for those with Multiple Sclerosis by teaming up and swimming with Swim for M.S.
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
DELTA DEUTERON Brotherhood Spring Break trip to Banff National Park in Alberta, CA (Pictured). The Chapter welcomed ten new brothers this year. Brother Hayden Hansen was initiated into the Order of Omega - Greek Honor Society.
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OMICRON DEUTERON The Chapter participated in various philanthropies benefiting the women’s and gender resource center and testicular cancer foundation. Some individual highlights include Brother Blair Carey won the new member educator of the year award from the Greek Life office, and Brother Justin Cenname of Omicron Deuteron won the position of Chief Justice of the student government association.
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
PI DEUTERON Pi Deuteron has had a hectic and successful semester. The semester started off with an association class of ten gentlemen, who were all initiated in April. They operated and planned a spring philanthropy event with the active brothers, to raise money for The Gahanna Special Olympics. In March, the brothers of Pi Deuteron had the excellent opportunity to present the Gahanna Special Olympics with a check of $5700. The Gahanna Special Olympics consists of 85 athletes, which will use the donation to fund uniforms and transportation to sporting events. The brothers of Pi Deuteron gave back to the city of Columbus, by participating in many community service events ranging from the local Columbus polar plunge to volunteering at local hospitals. One of the main concerns of the chapter, and are creating a structured list of ways they can implement a safer environment throughout the Ohio State University community. Finishing off the semester, the brothers said a kind farewell to its graduating seniors, and are Damn Proud for their accomplishments throughout this spring semester!
SPRINGTIME
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AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY PHI DEUTERON
The chapter at Phi Deuteron is pleased to say that the chapter has had a busy, yet successful school year. Their fall semester saw us surpassing their goals for Polar Plunge, and has made us excited to exceed that goal during the fall semester of 2018. Their brothers going third degree have left behind an excellent foundation for us to grow, and in the words of their previous president “This is not the fraternity I used to know. It has gotten better because of the quality men who are willing to set aside their differences and work toward the betterment of the chapter”. Phi Deuteron will continue working on being an example on the University of Kentucky’s campus.
EPSILON TRITON The Epsilon Triton Chapter at American University recently celebrated their 82nd Founder’s Day Celebration. The events included a fraternity softball game, an afternoon barbecue, and an evening dinner with brothers from all over. The weekend was capped off with the fraternity’s 9th annual Wing Bowl benefiting Dreams for Kids DC, a non-profit organization who assists kids with special needs. The fraternity helped to raise $3,000. As always, Brother Dick Taylor Class of ‘52 was an active member of the festivities.
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
DELTA TRITON Over the past year, the brothers of the Delta Triton chapter have been spread all over campus since their home was demolished to make way for their new chapter house. Progress was slow at first, but once the foundation was poured, the frame quickly followed. Watching their very own house be built right before their very eyes was something that the chapter all enjoyed, and each addition sparked a new conversation about the exciting year to come. While this has been an exciting time for all of us, it didn’t come without its complications. Without a house, brothers had to work harder than ever before to coordinate rush events, raise money for philanthropy, and overall get to hang out with one another. Over the past year, the chapter has challenged themselves to become better men because of what this year entailed, and the pay off next fall when the chapter is all settled, will be well worth the effort.
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UNIVERSITY OF AKRON
ETA TRITON The Eta Triton Colony at the University of Akron is now officially a chapter after their chartering weekend which was held April 27-28! Eighteen men of all ages, across more than four states, and many different backgrounds, came together to form the new Eta Triton chapter at the University of Akron. A Founding Father of the group – Logan Mackulin, Secretary of the chapter. “Chartering this year was something I couldn’t have imagined happening. It was always a goal of ours, but it seemed beyond probable. Our entire group of men worked diligently over to the last two years and the past year, in particular, to help make this happen. It feels Damn Proud to have helped lead rechartering of Eta Triton.” Another Founding Father, Michael Smith when asked why he wanted to be a Founding Father of Phi Sig said, “I wanted to become a Founding Father because I wanted to grow and be a part of a Brotherhood that would be there for me for not just the time I’m in school, but the rest of my life.”
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PhiSigStore.com HOBART COLLEGE
PSI TRITON On Tuesday, April 10, 2018, Phi Sigma Kappa at Hobart College held their annual Putt For a Cause fund raiser. This year PSK decided to donate all proceeds to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. The event was held during lunch at Hobart and William Smith’s dining hall, Scandling Center. A mixture of golf novices and pros attended the event, all with the hopes of sinking the most consecutive puts. For every dollar this chapter raised they matched the donation. Brother Kyle Baradzi was the lucky winner of the most successive puts and selflessly elected to donate his winnings to St. Jude’s. Phi Sigma Kappa- Psi Triton Chapter at Hobart and William Smith Colleges would like to thank all that participated in making this another successful year of Putt For a Cause and look forward to continuing the tradition next year.
KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
BETA TETARTON This semester they started philanthropy season with Delta Zeta’s Lip Sync, where they fund raised over $500, which is more than they have ever done in the past. They also participated in Chi Omega’s first ever Whiffleball tournament. To add to philanthropies they had brother Tyler Dufour perform in Alpha Phi’s King of Hearts male pageant where they had an outstanding amount of brothers come to watch and support their brother. Lately they have also performed in Anchor Cheer, Delta Gamma’s newest philanthropy. Along with all the sorority philanthropies this semester they have also participated in smaller philanthropies such as Alpha Tau Omega’s cornhole tournament and they have also sent brothers to every fund raiser they could such as Phi Mu’s Milkshakes and Xiti with the Xi’s (Alpha Xi Delta). While they are on the subject of external philanthropies and relations they have also had more brother attend multiple sorority formals than they have in the past, illustrating that they have been relentlessly trying to better their relations with other sororities and fraternities. At the beginning of this semester a member of the Greek community at Kent State was involved in a life threatening accident at work and they took part in raising $25,000 to help pay with his medical bills. Not only have they been working with the Greek community at Kent State but they have also been reaching out to other local Phi Sigma Kappa Chapters, including trying to set up a social with Akron’s Chapter and helping other chapters fund raise by buying shirts they were selling. They also participated in the relay for life this semester, having brothers there the entire length of the event to help raise money for the American Cancer Society. Now to talk about their achievements internally, they put on their annual spring philanthropy, Knockin’ Pins, A bowling tournament where they have each sorority and fraternity team bowl with a Special Olympian. They raised over a $1,000 with their event, which is outstanding for us. They have also gone to great measures this semester to perfect their rituals. This semester has been a semester of outstanding growth where they have worked to better ourselves in all aspects of Phi Sigma Kappa, and they will continue to do so until they are one of the greatest chapters in the nation.
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RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
GAMMA TETARTON On Saturday, February 10th, the Gamma Tetarton Chapter at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute hosted a day-long event for various students and Greek organizations on issues pertaining to alcohol and drug abuse. This event was a two-year process for the chapter, meeting with local organizations to ensure the event fit the needs of the community. The event - hosted in part by RPI’s Health Center, the Troy NY Drug-Free Community Coalition, the Rensselaer County Department of Mental Health, and NOpiates consisted of three breakout sessions. During the first Awareness session, attendees watched a presentation from Rensselaer County officials on specific drugs and the stigma of addiction. During the second Importance session, attendees listened to the stories of various caretakers and people in long-term recovery, to understand the effect substance abuse has on loved ones. During the third Action session, attendees broke out into smaller groups to take part in a bystander intervention exercise. Lastly, the attendees were greeted by a keynote speech from lawyer Eric Dyer, a Union College graduate in long-term recovery on his experiences. About 100 students attended the event.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
KAPPA TETARTON The chapter began the semester with 15 members and was able to more than double their numbers with 33 current guys, by bringing in 6 associates in the fall, and a total of 12 associates in the spring. The men of Phi Sigma Kappa began the year with a Homecoming parade and wine trails trip with alumni. The Kappa Tetarton chapter was the 3rd highest fundraising team for the Special Olympics Polar Plunge, beating every other Greek team by raising $2,050. The chapter participated
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in intramural sports including flag football and basketball. In January, the chapter’s executive board attended a Regional Conclave and bonded with many other great brothers and learned some fantastic ways to continue improving their chapter for the future. The Kappa Tetarton brothers volunteered at the 50th Anniversary of the Special Olympics at Touch of Nature in Southern Illinois, where the Special Olympics was founded initially. Brother Matt Ardell presented a plaque to Judge Anne Burke. Finally, in April the chapter hosted its second annual Scholarship and Alumni Banquet at Giant City Lodge in Carbondale, where many brothers attended and many donated scholarships for active brother’s achievements.
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
NU TETARTON This year, the Nu Tetarton chapter and Sigma Kappa sorority hosted a successful, 2-day, blood drive where the chapter had the maximum number of donations possible in the time-frame given to the New Jersey Blood Center! Nu Tetarton also participated in the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics NJ in Seaside Heights. The chapter had six brothers raise over a hundred dollars each and had a great day at the event, even in the rain! Another significant event Nu Tetarton took part in was the Rutgers Dance Marathon which is the most significant charity event at the University. It benefits RU4KIDS which is a charity that supports children with cancer and their families. As an organization, Nu Tetarton raised more than $1,500 which sponsored three dancers and five volunteers. In addition to other small events and taking part in other organization’s fund raisers, the chapter has had a great semester so far in philanthropy and are continuing to participate in other University functions like Scarlet Day of Service as the year comes to a close.
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LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY, POST
PI TETARTON The Pi Tetarton chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa at LIU Post was recognized for their contributions to the LIU Post community as it was recognized through the Raising the Standard Award, Highest Fraternity GPA Fall 2017 Award, Standards of Excellence Service Award, Community Outreach Program of the Year Award, and President of the Year. Steven Rodriguez, Vice President of the Pi Tetarton Chapter at LIU Post, received the Amy Vojta Impact Award for Membership and Recruitment on behalf of his chapter. The Pi Tetarton chapter was recognized for growing exponentially from 12 members in the Spring of 2017 to increasing by 75% after Fall Recruitment.
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
UPSILON TETARTON The RIT chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa, this year has been one of their best yet. With 16 brothers initiated in the Fall and seven initiated in the Spring, they had a record year when it comes to recruitment. Regarding philanthropy, their Special Olympics presence has continued to be one of the best in Rochester. At their Spring Classic event, where they host a Track and Field meet for athletes, 145 athletes participated throughout the day, to great success. To add to this, the Rochester area Polar Plunge was a great event, with us having the largest team and raising a total of nearly $10,000. They hosted their inaugural “Phi Sig Cornhole Classic.” The chapter hosted a cornhole tournament on the RIT campus, with proceeds going towards the Special Olympics. It went off without a hitch, and they hope it can be bigger and better this upcoming year.
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, LOS ANGELES
OMEGA TETARTON Brother Newman and the Omega Tetarton Chapter organized their first Easter Egg Hunt. The Easter Egg Hunt composed of games, face painting, and an egg hunt. Also, the Chapter reached out to other Greek organizations on campus to collectively execute the event. Most importantly, The Omega Tetarton Chapter was able to positively impact the community and demonstrate the true value of character.
INDIANA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
THETA PENTATON Overcoming challenges together is what Brotherhood is all about. Theta Pentaton made great strides forward this school year, participating in Greek Life events. Working together and expanding their presence on campus allowed us to bring in 11 new members this year, making their celebration of their return to IUP, two years ago on April 23, much better. The chapter had many Brothers step up to lead, and with their leadership, they were able to excel and teach their newest members the essential benefits of their fantastic fraternity.
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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON
IOTA PENTATON During Fall 2017, Iota Pentaton has associated 33 members and initiated 27, their most significant class number to date for the chapter. The chapter invited officers from the Fullerton Police Department to come into one of the chapter meetings and hold a Q&A. They have been awarded “Outstanding Brotherhood” and “Most Unique Program” at CSUF’s Pursuit of Excellence ceremony. They held another successful “Bring Their Own Broom” event with the local Fullerton Fire Department and had three of the brothers hold successful year terms on their Interfraternity Council. As for the spring semester, the Iota Pentaton Chapter revamped their Phi Sig Olympics philanthropy event & raised over $1,250, the highest they have ever raised in a single event to date. Brother Brian Valdez flew out to their HQ and worked with the Grand Council as an undergrad rep.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
PI PENTATON Chapter Vice President Devin Halicki was elected as the Vice President of the student body in March. Pi Pentaton welcomed seven new initiates on April 14th. Brothers McCarty, Roby, LaGioia, Guenther, Halicki, and Barry attended the Victor E. Ball on April 11th. Guest speakers at the event included Bill Buckner and Dan Hampton. The IFC along with the help of chapter Presidents initiated a Cultural Renewal Plan, which included a fiveweek-long dry period. The NIU IFC is now in phase two of the plan which allows fraternities to have social events with alcohol, but they must have a dry event for every alcohol event. The Pi Pentaton chapter is very excited to see what this will do for the Greek community. The Pi Pentaton Tugs team defeated TKE on Monday, April 23rd in two ropes to move on to the semifinals. The Pi Pentaton tugs team defeated SAE on Thursday, April 26th in two ropes to move on to the championship against PKT. On the tugs team and non-tuggers shirts are the initials AB. On June 4th, 2017 the chapter lost a great brother, Alex Budsiz. Alex was a tugger and also held the position of risk manager in the house. The Pi Pentaton tuggers have dedicated this season to Brother Budsiz.
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ROBERT MORRIS UNIVERSITY
GAMMA HEXATON The chapter hosted a fundraising dinner on March 25th, in honor of late brother Marco Giovengo. More than $2,000 was raised for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
VIRGINIA TECH
EPSILON HEXATON At the beginning of this semester, the chapter initiated 15 new brothers of the Epsilon Beta pledge class into their chapter, making their current chapter size 79 brothers. At the conclusion of their Spring philanthropy week, their total fundraising for Area 9 Special Olympics this year reaching $34,730, and the chapter is expecting more from their annual alumni golf tournament in the summer. At the recent VT FSL awards banquet, the chapter took home the awards for Virginia Tech Fraternity Chapter of the Year, Outstanding Community Relations, as well as individual awards received by Padraic Rowan, Tommy Saunders, and Dean Stevenson. These awards were for Unwavering Curiosity, Chapter Advisor of the Year, and Alumnus of the Year, respectively. The chapter currently has 14 associated members in the Epsilon Gamma pledge class, and they will be initiated soon.
ETA HEXATON The brothers of the Eta Hexaton chapter at the University of Dayton have been busy this semester helping out their community. Brothers have volunteered every Tuesday night at St. Vincent de Paul rehabilitation center serving hot meals to those at the facility. Eta Hexaton looks forward to continuing volunteering next semester, and they have already begun their search for another service opportunity as well. The chapter has also adopted a stretch of the I-75 highway and has started working on keeping it clean and helping the environment. Eta Hexaton’s philanthropy chair, Nick Raffety, and Vice President, Connor Games, worked hard on creating a new philanthropy event; Phi Sig Spikeball Tournament. Proceeds from this tournament are benefiting the Special Olympics. They are currently planning a food drive with Chi Omega sorority during the week of April 2327. All food donations are being sent to the Dayton Food Bank. They are excited to continue their mission of helping build their brotherhood and serving their community.
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CHAPTER NEWS
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UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
WHAT ARE YOU UP TO?
PHI SIG WANTS TO RECONNECT YOU WITH YOUR BROTHERS! Phi Sig has partnered with Publishing Concepts (PCI) for the assembly/verification of data that will lead to the printing of a new edition of the Phi Sigma Kappa Member Directory. PCI will soon begin contacting members in the attempt to verify contact information. If you received an email, postcard, phone call or other communication from PCI, please know that they are an authorized vendor and are operating on behalf of the Fraternity. The data that PCI verifies with you will be returned to Phi Sig and imported into our membership records database. It is crucial that you complete the verification, which will allow Phi Sig to keep you updated with the digital edition of The Signet, email communication and more. The new directory will be published in the Summer of 2019.
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STETSON UNIVERSITY
KAPPA HEXATON Brothers of Kappa Hexaton came out in droves to help support their Special Olympics philanthropy during spring break.
NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY
RHO HEXATON The brothers of Rho Hexaton threw a philanthropy concert where proceeds go to Special Olympics as well as two local foundations in Flagstaff Arizona, “go baby go” and the Shadows Foundation. President Anthony J. Matt received the Greek Leader of the Year from IFC. The chapter also received University recognition for community service.
FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY, MADISON
UPSILON HEXATON This past academic school year has been great! The chapter had two successful philanthropic events and multiple fund raisers. In the fall they had their Softball Marathon and raised over $1,180 for Camp Happy Times. Camp Happy Times is a summer camp for children who have cancer. In the spring the chapter had their End the R-Word luncheon for the Special Olympics of New Jersey. The chapter raised $1,213, and with that donation, they will be able to send a participant to the Special Olympics.
TOWSON UNIVERSITY
PHI HEXATON This semester started off with a great philanthropy event. The chapter paired up with AOPI to participate in the annual polar bear plunge to raise money for Special Olympics. The chapter teamed up and created a GoFundMe page for the event and ended up raising over $4,000 for the Special Olympics! Then they took a bus down to Sandy Point Beach and jumped in the cold Chesapeake Bay. Their chapter also held an event called “save or shave” a bro. Proceeds from this event went to the Special Olympics. The way it worked was they set up a table with their composite out for people to choose a brother to donate money to. The brother who received the most amount of donations had to shave his head at the end of the day. They raised over $800 from all of the contributions. One event the chapter held was for environmental sustainability. The chapter went to a nearby park just outside of Towson and planted seeds for different flowers and trees to grow. Another community service event the chapter held was a community cleanup at Kenilworth Park. Their brothers brought empty trash bags and walked around the park picking up trash.
ETA SEPTATON This year the chapter brought back the Triple T Society Award, which is given to a brother that is deemed the brother who best encompasses the three Cardinal Principles. This year’s Triple T Award Winner was brother Adam Lipshin, who served this past year as the chapter’s Sentinel. This award is not only presented at a chapter meeting, but brother Lipshin’s name will be added to a brand new plaque being posted in their Chapter House. In addition to bringing this award back, the chapter had a very successful year of recruitment with the solid Beta Beta and Beta Gamma classes adding 30 members to the Eta Septaton chapter.
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
XI SEPTATON This semester the Xi Septaton chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa has been working tirelessly to continue to be one of the most active organizations on George Mason’s campus. In partnership with Alpha Omicron Pi and Simpa Phi Epsilon, the chapter raised over $4,000 during George Mason’s Greek Week. That was over 1/3 of the money that all eight teams raised. Their chapter also completed their first ever philanthropy week. The chapter planned a week-long of events such as restaurant fund raisers, a gift card raffle, “Pie a Phi Sig,” and more where the chapter raised an approximate $2,000. Recently the chapter had an alumnus suffer a spinal injury that has left him paralyzed from the neck down. The chapter organized an event at a driving range and sold tickets for admission where active brothers and alumni could come and enjoy a day on the range of food, friends, and a great cause. All proceeds from this event went directly to funding a new wheelchair for their beloved brother. The Xi Septaton chapter focuses on giving back, and the chapter will continue their efforts next semester.
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CHAPTER NEWS
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CALIFORNIA POLY
VILLANOVA UNIVERSITY
OMICRON SEPTATON In the Villanova chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa, their most significant philanthropy event every year is “Zilly Jam.” Zilly Jam is named after William “Zilly” Zimmermann, a brother of Phi Sigma Kappa who passed away in 2013. Billy is remembered fondly for his infectious positive attitude and the empathy that he consistently showed towards others. After his passing, the chapter established the William Zimmermann scholarship in his honor, which is awarded to one deserving brother every year. Zilly Jam is a live music event consisting of performances from multiple student groups on campus and other volunteers. This past year the chapter had four acapella groups volunteer, a couple of smaller individual acts, and a grand finale performed by Phi Sig’s own “Dirty Dogs,” a band that several brothers formed last year. Additionally, two brothers MC the event every year and provide the comic relief. To raise money for the scholarship, tickets are sold at the door for $10. Additionally, the chapter sells raffle tickets and raffle off some cool prizes like Villanova basketball gear and gift cards to local restaurants. The event was very successful this year, raising $3000 for the scholarship. Zilly Jam is a great event and is something that their fraternity looks forward to every year. It is a great cause to rally behind and is one of the best embodiments of the brotherhood that their chapter values so much.
CHAPTER NEWS
HOPE COLLEGE
TAU SEPTATON This semester the chapter initiated 15 new men! Not only did they double the size of the chapter, but these new men will benefit the fraternity greatly. As a chapter, they raised over $4,000 for their college’s Dance Marathon. Their money went to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. They also hosted their annual alumni golf outing at the Ravines, an Arnold Palmer course, and had a great time with the alumni.
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CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
UPSILON SEPTATON Clemson University had a great year of Brotherhood with the induction of two new classes, and plenty of servitude to the Clemson community. In the fall of 2017, the Upsilon Septaton Chapter of Phi Sig initiated Psi Class with 31 new members, the largest class in its chapter history. In the spring of 2018, Phi Sig also welcomed Omega Class with seven new members. Some highlights of the year included a Special Olympics fund raiser called The Tiger Paw Plunge, and Relay For Life. The Polar Plunge was a winter event in which the members of Phi Sigma Kappa and the sorority Delta Zeta raised over 16,000 dollars for the local Special Olympics program. Relay For Life was a spring event that raised money for the American Cancer Society. This event was hosted alongside Clemson sorority Delta Delta Delta. Overall, it was an incredible year, and the chapter is damn proud of the memories the chapter made, and the people the chapter were able to help!
ADELPHI UNIVERSITY
PHI SEPTATON The Phi Septaton Chapter at Adelphi University had a successful year in several categories. Regarding recruitment, the chapter initiated seven new members in the Fall semester and another ten members in the Spring semester, which matched their biggest pledge class in history. During the Fall Semester, they cohosted their annual Strike Out Cancer Softball Game with Alpha Epsilon Phi, where they raised over $1,000 for Breast Cancer research. This past semester, 10 of their brothers attended the end of the year Greek Gala awards dinner, where individuals and chapters are recognized for their hard work throughout the year. They are very proud to say that two of their brothers accepted individual awards that night. Brother Paul Affrunti was nominated and awarded Outstanding Chapter Officer for all the hard work and dedication he puts into their brotherhood. Brother Matthew Bustruc, their next President, was given Emerging Leader Award for all the hard work he puts into the chapter and for his constant involvement
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inside the Greek Community. Lastly, for the first time in their chapter’s history, they were recognized as a Five Star Organization through their school, which is a Chapter of Excellence.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY
CHI SEPTATON Chi Septaton had a strong semester. The brothers participated in Walk a Mile in Her Shoes and raised over $1,000 for Special Olympics. They also won Greek Week for the fourth year in a row.
VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY
PSI SEPTATON The Psi Septaton chapter at Valdosta State University competed in the Gamma Mu chapter of Kappa Delta’s Shamrock Flag Football Tournament. The Tournament aided in the prevention of child abuse locally and Nationally. The Psi Septaton chapter made it to the quarterfinals ahead of 30 other teams. The chapter went on to defeat multiple fraternities but ended up losing to a none fraternity in the quarterfinals.
LEAD BEYOND
PHI SIG
Join us this summer at the Shonk Leadership School in Atlanta. Members who wish to, will be able to join the Order of Omega through an Honorary Induction Ceremony.
PURPOSE To RECOGNIZE those fraternity men and women who have attained a high standard of leadership in interfraternity activities, to ENCOURAGE them to continue along this line, and to INSPIRE others to strive for similar conspicuous attainment; To UNITE outstanding fraternity men and women to create an organization which will help to mold the sentiment of the institution on questions of local and intercollegiate fraternity aairs; To BRING TOGETHER members of the faculty, alumni, and student members of the institution’s fraternities and sororities on a basis of mutual interest, understanding and helpfulness; To help CREATE an atmosphere where ideas and issues can be discussed openly across Greek lines and to help work out solutions. THE SIGNET
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YOUNG HARRIS COLLEGE
NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
OMEGA SEPTATON The 2017-2018 academic calendar year has been an exceptional year for growth and development. Omega Septaton began with a new fall pledge class of fifteen proud young men who show great promise. They have been involved in numerous philanthropic and community service ventures that not only allowed them to grow as men but better the Auburn community. By being heavily involved, they now have the opportunity to send three members to a national Special Olympics volleyball tournament in Seattle this summer. On top of this involvement, they have members that participate in the Auburn Student Government system allowing them also to make an impact on Auburn’s campus. However, Auburn’s most significant achievement of the year, and debatably the most significant accomplishment in their chapter’s history, was moving into their new house on Auburn’s “Old Row.” From their off-campus house which slept nine to a new one which sleeps twenty-four, this monumental step will only continue to allow growth for Omega Septaton in both size and reputability on campus.
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ALPHA OCTATON As the year comes to a close, the Brothers of the Alpha Octaton chapter at New Jersey Institute of Technology are prepping for exams and reflecting on a strong year. Their Fall and Spring brought the addition of Lambda and Mu class into the brotherhood, eight hardworking and dedicated men looking to further better the chapter. As of now, the Brothers are just days away from their P5K, an annual race for the Special Olympics. Over the past six years, the brothers here have turned what was once a collection of friends and family into a 100+ runner race. Last year the chapter broke their donation goal, raising over $2,500. With a long year of prep coming to an end everybody is eager to join in with the community and help a great cause.
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GAMMA OCTATON The chapter had the pleasure of taking on two new brothers while eight brothers have become alumni. Further, their eight new alumni are the last of their founding fathers, so it is exciting to see what changes are to come for the chapter.
APPALACHIAN STATE UNIVERSITY
DELTA OCTATON This spring semester of 2018, the Delta Octaton chapter was able to raise $1,200 for their Local Special Olympics and have volunteered a total of 300 hours for the Special Olympics as well. The chapter also won Most Improved Chapter last fall.
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI
EPSILON OCTATON The brothers of Epsilon Octaton at the University of Cincinnati raised over $7,500 this semester across campus and at their area Polar Plunge to help support the Special Olympics of Greater Cincinnati. Additional in total they were able to complete over 1,500 total hours of community service.
TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY
GAMMA EPSILON Earlier this school year, the Phi Sigs at Truman State held their inaugural Frat Dudes in Unordinary Shoes Unity Walk. This event was conceptualized and spearheaded by their Public Relations chair, Brother David Blanck. The purpose of this event is to unify the campus community, especially Greek Life, in a walk around campus in which participants are encouraged to wear high heeled shoes to raise awareness for the sexual assault epidemic on college campuses, and for the unreasonable societal expectations placed on college-aged women. The event was kicked off on the university quad with two exceptional speakers: the Director of Truman’s Multicultural Affairs Center, Carol Bennett, and the University President, Dr. Sue Thomas. Multiple fraternities and sororities, led by their chapter, then embarked on a mile-long walk through campus, ending with a barbecue at their chapter house. This event raised over $350 for Victim Support Services of Kirksville and engaged essential campus figures along with a prominent Greek Life presence in the fight against sexual assault and the marginalization of women.
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS
EASTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY
EPSILON LAMBDA This year, the Brothers of the Epsilon Lambda Chapter took an innovative approach to their community service projects. They created a partnership with the Special Olympics chapter on the campus of Eastern Michigan University. Through this partnership, the Brothers participated in unified athletics with the local athletes. These weekly activities included soccer, basketball, and other sporting events. The Brothers also coordinated a 50/50 raffle in which they raised over $1,000 that will be donated to the national Special Olympics organization. Through these events, the Brothers learned the importance of what the Special Olympics stands for and the importance of their work. They also learned the value of engaging within their local community’s philanthropic efforts. In the end, this is a great partnership and will continue to grow stronger as the chapter develops.
NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY
EPSILON EPSILON Every year the Epsilon Epsilon chapter works diligently to raise funds for Special Olympics. In the spring, the chapter partners up with Polar Plunge to raise funds for Special Olympics by working with surrounding groups and individuals to meet and compete for fundraising goals and “take the plunge” into cold water! The Polar Plunge event is always fun, and it is a great way to meet different organizations and individuals in the community that share the same passion that the chapter has for Special Olympics. This spring semester, the Epsilon Epsilon chapter is doing something they have never done in the past spring semesters. Epsilon Epsilon has partnered up with Space Walk of Muskogee, a local business that provides a variety of carnival supplies, to host “Freeze a Phi Sig.” This event, scheduled for Feb. 19th and 20th from 10 AM to 3 PM, will have members from their chapter out in front of NSU’s University Center raising funds by having students, faculty, local alumni, etc. come out and donate money for a chance to dunk their members in a dunk tank! It will be cold, it will be wet, it will be fun; but most importantly, it will ensure that hundreds of kids across Oklahoma have a great time at the 2018 Special Olympics!
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EPSILON MU The Epsilon Mu chapter is proud to say that this year we’ve kicked up their recruitment efforts. In doing so, the chapter managed to double their chapter size. It takes a whole chapter effort to improve constantly, and with drive and determination, the chapter showed that even a small chapter could do some amazing work!
NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE
EPSILON NU This year at Epsilon Nu the chapter initiated 18 new members this fall. The chapter has also completed 1,200 community service/philanthropy hours as a chapter.
BALL STATE
EPSILON TAU The Epsilon Tau chapter recently welcomed seven new men into the brotherhood. The entire associate class successfully completed association start to finish. Back in February, the chapter hosted their annual Polar Plunge at their student center. The event was once again a great success as over 8,000 dollars were raised for the Special Olympics of Indiana. On April 27th, several brothers went to help charter the Akron colony. This is the second time their brothers have participated in another chapter’s initiation. Last Spring, the chapter went out to help initiate Cincinnati.
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OUR HERITAGE... BERT (Kappa)
&
SHANNON
The “big merger” between Phi Sigma Kappa and Phi Sigma Epsilon took place in August of 1985. When the two first started talking about the possible merger, it was found that there were many similarities in the histories of the two fraternities. Bert Brown (Kappa) and Shannon Flowers (Epsilon) became national presidents of their respective fraternities in 1946, one year following the end of World War II. 1946 was a crucial year for fraternities, as the country and higher education were starting to get back to normal following the war. The GI Bill was bringing large numbers of veterans to our campuses. During the war, most fraternities were just barely able to hold on to a few chapters. Phi Sigma Kappa had fourteen chapters at the end of the war, and Phi Sigma Epsilon had none. Within a year both fraternities were able to reestablish all of the chapters that they had prior to the war. Phi Sigma Kappa didn’t hold a post-war Convention until 1948. When the wartime president resigned in 1946, Herbert (Bert) L. Brown, (Swarthmore ‘16) was elected by the Council having served on the Council since 1940. Shannon Flowers (Arkansas State Teacher’s College ‘36) was elected president of Phi Sigma Epsilon at the conclave held in 1946. He had served on the Council since his graduation. Both brothers emphasized expansion during their terms of office, and both restructured their fraternities for the post-war period. Bert was reelected president at the convention held in 1948. Shannon was also reelected at the conclave held in 1948. Both served until 1950. When they went out of office as president, the majority time of their service to their fraternities was still ahead.
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By Albert D. Shonk, Jr. Past Grand President and Historian Bert continued on the Council as Chancellor of the Court of Honor for the next four years. In 1955 he was elected president of the National Interfraternity Conference and served a one-year term. In 1955 he was the third brother to receive Phi Sigma Kappa’s highest award, the Medallion of Merit. In 1956 he became the executive director and editor of the Signet. He also served as secretary-treasurer of the Foundation, which he helped to organize in 1947. His service as the executive director went for 12 years and editor of the Signet for 18 years. In 1969 he was the first Phi Sigma Kappa member to be given the title of “Mr. Phi Sig.” Bert died on July 4, 1988, at the age of 95. At the time, he was a member of the Court of Honor, a Foundation trustee and secretarytreasurer emeritus, and Signet editor emeritus. Bert’s wife, Agatha, who died a few years before Bert, was at his side at many conventions and Phi Sig events. Shannon served for the next 20 years as a vicepresident of Phi Sigma Epsilon. For many years he and his wife didn’t miss a conclave, or a convention He and Jeanne enjoyed telling the story about attending the 1937 conclave during their honeymoon. Shannon was very supportive of the merger between Kappa and Epsilon. At the merger convention, he was elected recorder of the Court of Honor and served for the next 10 years in that office. He received the Medallion of Merit in 1990. Shannon joined the Chapter Eternal on November 23, 2004. Kappa and Epsilon were very wise to have elected Bert and Shannon at their respective meetings in 1946. Both served their fraternities long and with outstanding devotion, at a time when skilled leadership was badly needed.
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MANSFIELD UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MILWAUKEE
EPSILON PHI The competing distractions of Milwaukee’s unique atmosphere can quickly cause one to forget the universe of opportunity outside of their city. Fortunately, their engineering majors at the Epsilon Phi chapter remind us that their world extends beyond the brew city limits. A senior member, Brother Sam Gollon, set his sights high last year when he decided to climb one of the world’s seven summits—Mt Kilimanjaro. At an immense 19,341 feet, Mt Kilimanjaro stands the tallest mountain in Africa yet with extensive training and discipline, Brother Gollon pushed through and reached Uhuru peak. He demonstrates the incredible growth the chapter achieve by setting goals and having the determination to follow them through. Across the globe, in Guatemala, another one of their members, Brother Aaron Wright, had more philanthropic goals in mind. Working with UW Milwaukee’s Engineers Without Borders chapter, Brother Wright contributed to the planning, design, and construction of a gravity-fed water distribution system at the village of Ocop’xoo in Guatemala—his work directly helping to bring water to over 1,000 families in the area!
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PHI NU Dylan Baumbach, Devin MacGeorge, and Angelo Wrobleski from the Phi Nu Chapter volunteered as coaches for the Tioga County Special Olympics basketball team for their 2018 Central Spring Sectional. They brought two 3v3 teams for the competition. One of the teams was placed in the first division with the other team being placed in the second division and placing second in that division. With the first place finish the team will be progressing on to the State competition at Penn State June 1st. Both the athletes and the coaches loved their time at the Sectional tournament and are enthusiastically looking forward to the State competition.
FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
SIGMA EPSILON Sigma Epsilon has made strides to achieve a significant presence on campus. Among those, the Zeta Tau Alpha chapter hosted an annual Best Man on Campus to test the Fraternity Men; Corey Nichols, Brett LaMere, and Alex Higgs all made an effort to compete in this yearly event. Brother Alex Higgs was crowned Best Man on Campus and Brother Corey Nichols being runnerup. The Brothers are heavily involved with the Fraternity I.M. Leagues at Ferris State. Sports Chair, Brother Trevor Hartley, and the Brothers were the champions, out of six teams, of the Volleyball I.M. League. Homecoming is a prideful time for all alumni to come back to their proud Alma Mater. The past two years, they have had high pride and the opportunity to show Phi Sigma Kappa’s presence on campus. Brother Wayne Bersano and Brother Corey Nichols, two heavily involved brothers, both were in the running for Homecoming Royalty. With hard work, dedication, and perseverance, both Wayne and Corey won Homecoming Royalty, two years in a row. Brother Lane Stotler was elected 2017-2018 IFC President. The Sigma Epsilon Chapter partook in the Chippewa Lake Polar Plunge. All proceeds were donated to Special Olympics.
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HISTORICAL FEATURE William Penn Brooks in Japan Adam Carter, MD, Hobart College 1990
Our founders were men and brothers of scholarship and character. Their diverse interests and talents took them far afield from the Massachusetts Agricultural College (MAC). Perhaps none more so than William Penn Brooks, who spent more than a decade, 1877-1888, in Japan teaching at the Sapporo Agricultural College (SAC) in Sapporo on the northern island of Hokkaido. Brooks’ time in Japan was remarkable in many aspects. To understand how remarkable his time was one must first consider the era in which Brooks was in Japan, namely the Meiji.
Meiji Period When he arrived in the winter of 1877 Brooks entered a country undergoing a rapid transition from a tradition bound, isolationist regime to a modern country with modern educational and agricultural systems. In an early letter home, he describes soldiers returning home after quelling the last rebellion of soldiers loyal to the Shogun. For a period of 250 years, Japan isolated itself from the rest of the world. Foreigners who entered the kingdom, if caught, faced the death penalty. This period of isolation was tested with the arrival of US Admiral Matthew Perry in 1853 and 1854. The admiral was sent by President Millard Fillmore to open up trade. Japan was finally opened to the western world, especially the United States in 1868 with the ascension to the throne of the Emperor Mutsuhito, known as Emperor Meiji, or enlightened one. Early in his reign Emperor Meiji rested control of the country back from the Shogun, or feudal lord. With control of the country restored to the Emperor, Meiji was free to open Japan to the modernizing influences of the west. Brooks said of this time, “Members of the Meiji government right after the restoration were relatively young. Though they made not a few failures, they were passionate and modest in learning from other developed countries in order to strengthen and enrich their country.” It is interesting to note when he arrived in 1877 Brooks, born November 19, 1851, was 26 and the Emperor, born November 3, 1852, just one year younger.
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Settlement of Hokkaido
Sapporo Agricultural College
Brooks at Sapporo Agricultural College
The northern island of Hokkaido was the last of the Japanese islands to be settled by the Japanese. The early settlers to Hokkaido fared poorly. The harsh weather, the lack of ancestral affiliation to the island, and their interactions with the indigenous peoples, the Ainu, made the prospects for success small. However, the settlement coincided with the early reign of the Emperor. This was fortunate. Without the period of enlightenment ushered in by Meiji’s reign, western scholars such as William Penn Brooks would not have been recruited to leave their marks upon the island and Japan. General Kiyotaka Kuroda, as governor, was appointed to the island and head of the Kaitakushi, Hokkaido Development Agency. Touring Hokkaido, Governor Kuroda saw the island’s potential for agriculture, mining, and development.
SAC opened in Sapporo on August 14, 1876 with a class of 18 students. The first president was Dr. William Smith Clark. Dr. Clark was the third president of MAC. With him were two other MAC graduates, William Wheeler and David Pennhallow. The third MAC alumnus to join them was William Penn Brooks. He arrived on February 24, 1877. There were 11 American professors who taught at SAC from 1876 until 1893 and all but three were affiliated with MAC. The last American to leave was Arthur Amber Brigham. Brigham, who replaced William Penn Brooks in 1888, was also a Phi Sig and the first brother to hold the office of vice president of the newly formed Grand Council.
Brooks was valedictorian of the MAC class of 1875. He was recruited to SAC by his mentor, President Clark. He left for Japan from Massachusetts in early January of 1877. His journey from Massachusetts was long and arduous, lasting well over a month. He arrived in Sapporo on February 24, 1877 at 11 am, and notes in a letter that he was sick of traveling. He delights in his first attempts to use chopsticks, staying in Japanese inns and sleeping as they do on quilts covered by quilts, of eating Japanese dishes, attending the theater, and making himself understood by speaking Japanese. Most of all he enjoyed the students he taught. He writes home and often mentions the pleasure he derives from teaching.
The governor saw that Hokkaido was similar in many aspects to the western frontier in the United States, and in 1870 sailed for America. He noted “development was only successful under trained leadership,” the “schoolhouse always followed the explorer and the settler.” In America, he sought out the best and the brightest agricultural minds and successfully recruited Horace Capron, US Commissioner of Agriculture. Capron too saw the potential of the island and the similarity of its climate to that of New England. He introduced American farming methods, crops, laid out Sapporo according to a grid pattern, and advocated, as Governor Kuroda did for the founding of a training school, initially in Tokyo. The training school would be transferred to Sapporo to become SAC. It was Horace Capron who recruited Dr. William Smith Clark to SAC.
The campus and buildings were modeled in large part on those of MAC with Brooks assisting in the design of several buildings. The days were long consisting of four hours of study, four hours of manual labor, and four hours of homework. The early students were sons from former Samurai families. Founder Brooks, in reminiscing on the manual labor requirements, happily notes a prayer meeting ending in silent prayer. The silent prayer went on for longer than expected. This was on account of the leader having fallen asleep after having “had class work with Professor Brooks that afternoon.”
During his time at SAC Brooks was a teacher, a lecturer, an explorer, and farm superintendent. He later became a husband, a father, and SAC president. He introduced many American crops including beans and yellow onions, locally known as, “Sapporo yellows.” According to Brooks family lore he had beans every Friday. In several letters home he says how his cook has gotten better in preparing beans and that he eats beans Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
A photograph of the Sapporo. Bridge over Toyohira River. A place visited by Brooks on his travels in Japan. Circa 1880
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Prior to his leaving Massachusetts Brooks became engaged to Eva Hall, sister of Josiah Hall (Massachusetts 1878). They were married in Massachusetts when he was home on a leave of absence in 1882. Brooks returned to SAC immediately after the ceremony. Eva followed, traveling alone, from Massachusetts and arriving in Japan in January of 1883. Their daughter Rachael, “Rae,” was born later that year in Sapporo as was her brother Sumner (Massachusetts 1910), several years later. (Rae was married to George A. Drew (Massachusetts 1890), by Founder Henry Hague who was an Episcopal Bishop.) Though he faced, at times, terrible homesickness, and personal tragedy of losing his house and possessions to a fire just prior to his daughter’s birth, William Penn Brooks had a deep affection for Japan and his students at SAC. At a gathering held in his honor just prior to his departure, Founder Brooks stated, “From the standpoint of more personal relations or support in Japan, I had everything to be grateful for. It was everything that I could wish. But it was I think of the material with which I worked, the student material particularly in Japan, that I feel most happily blessed . . .” His students felt the same affection towards him. He writes home to his sister Rebecca, “I am giving the Freshman class instruction in English this term besides my regular duties as Professor of Agriculture; and have recently had them all write me letters, and I was greatly amused as well as pleased and flattered at what some of them wrote . . . and flattered to learn that they thought so highly of me and my humble efforts to instruct them.” The Clock Tower, Sapporo Agricultural College. This clock tower is said to be a symbol of Sapporo. It was built during the early period of Sapporo’s development as a drill hall of Sapporo Agricultural College. The clock which was installed was purchased in 1881 from Boston.
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H I S T O R I C A L F E AT U R E
William Penn Brooks’ Legacy Prior to his departure William Penn Brooks was honored by the Emperor Meiji with the Order of the Rising Sun, Fourth Class. The Order of the Rising Sun is the third highest honor bestowed by the Japanese government and recognizes persons who have made, among other things, advancements in their field. In 1920, Hokkaido University awarded him an honorary doctorate in agriculture. In more than ancient academic or national honors, William Penn Brooks’ legacy in Japan endures to this day. He is remembered not only for the modernizing educational principles he imparted, but for his gastronomic legacy as well! There is in Sapporo a chain of restaurants, “Brooks Curry” serving curries made with the “Sapporo yellow.” Its logo prominently features his likeness. The Cardinal Principles, of Brotherhood, Scholarship, and Character were held dear by our founders. Founder Brooks embodied them in the knowledge and skills he imparted to his students and the knowledge and insights he brought back with him to the United States and MAC. These are echoed in his farewell address to the students of SAC, delivered after he had left, “to look up and not down, out and not in, to look forward and not back, and to lend a hand.”
Acknowledgments I am deeply indebted and express my sincerest thanks and appreciation to Cynthia Drew Redman, William Penn Brooks’ great-granddaughter, and Professor Keiichi Akaishi, noted authority on Brooks’ life and influence on Japan for their invaluable assistance with this article.
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Pictured above: A photograph of William Brooks from his time in Japan. The bottom photo is the First Class of students from Sapporo Agricultural College
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CHAPTER ETERNAL
The Signet publishes Chapter Eternal to recognize and honor the passing of members. The Grand Chapter relies on our members for the deceased notices and obituaries. Please help to honor these brothers. American University Paul S Cohen ‘72 James F Tompkins ‘51 Arizona State University Eugene C Hutloff ‘57 Ball State University Max L Moser ‘65 California State University/Fullerton John V Tunney ‘70 Central Michigan University Richard A Enberg ‘57 Clarion University John F Anna ‘81 Joseph J Beck ‘80 Richard M Stoltz ‘66 Cornell University Robert A Heuerman ‘50 Edward B Magee Jr ‘50 John C Mannix ‘53 Frank J. Palumbo ‘44 Edgar R. Taylor Jr. ‘51 Eastern Michigan University Brian Coleman ‘93 Florida Southern College Gerry D Getman ‘69
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Indiana University Manuel Barreiro ‘66 Richard H Haunton ‘55 Indiana University of Pennsylvania Bruce W Chaleff ‘73 Larry Allen Judge ‘64 Mansfield University Thomas Cook ‘19 Northern Illinois University Jeffrey A Butler ‘83 David J Niemi ‘84 James W Rasins ‘72 Ohio State University Robert W Hall ‘62 Purdue University David J Carter ‘66 Donald E. Davison PE ‘55 Richard M Thornton ‘52 San Jose State University David L Towle ‘58 Southern Illinois University Roger G Bush ‘58 Paul H Schneider ‘63
The Signet publishes Chapter Eternal to recognize and honor the passing of members. The Grand Chapter relies on our members for the deceased notices and obituaries. Please help to honor these brothers. REPORTED AS OF 5/1/2018
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Gettysburg College Dr. Alvin S Rudisill ‘50
THE SIGNET
Stevens Institute of Technology James J Cullen Jr ‘48
University of Massachusetts William P Conlin ‘55
Valparaiso University James D Pieper ‘67
Swarthmore College Robert W Hamilton ‘52 P B Trescott ‘47
University of Minnesota Merle G Deforest ‘23 Henry I Fossen ‘19 Reiner F Lingelbach ‘24 John A Swart ‘23
Washington State University Robert B Siegfried ‘34
University of Pennsylvania Hugh R. Blodget ‘56
West Virginia University Richard C. Kelly ‘64 Western Illinois University John L Heidenreich ‘67
Towson University Wayne A. Ward ‘93 Tufts University Donald R. Main USAF (Ret.) ‘59 University of Arizona Hank H Helley Jr. ‘71 University of California/Berkeley Ronald V Guptill ‘54 University of Connecticut John M Berndtson ‘53 Donald J. O’Brien ‘51 Rocco P Pannella ‘63 University of Illinois Donald G Anderson ‘62 John R. Jilek ‘69 University of Kentucky John M Baker ‘56 University of Maryland Sitheris V Chebithes ‘66 Richard R Jones ‘61 James D Reese ‘67
CONTACT US
University of Southern California Gerald J Kastner ‘57 Paul R Kemp Jr ‘50 David A Maddux Robert E Ornberg ‘51
Waynesburg College Earl R Wright ‘69
University of Tennessee/Knoxville Rudy T. Elam ‘54 University of Tennessee/Martin William M Anderson ‘65 Richard W Asbridge ‘92 Marvin B Schultz Jr. ‘78 University of Washington Richard F Gordon ‘51 University of Wisconsin Gerald C Opgenorth ‘63 Kenneth L. Opgenorth ‘54 University of Wisconsin/Eau Claire Ben I Sowaske ‘60
Please send notices by email or mail to: Joe Kern at joe@phisigmakappa.org Phi Sigma Kappa Headquarters Attn: Joe Kern 2925 E. 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
THE SIGNET
SUMMER 2018
47
2925 East 96th Street Indianapolis, IN 46240 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
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