REFLECTING ON THE TRANSITION FROM ASHTON FOLEY TO NORTH JORDAN IN 1992
BY DAVE MAYThe spring of 1991 was a magical and exciting time for the Pi Kapp Alpha Psi Chapter brothers. Sincere chartering in 1987, the brothers lived in a section of residence hall housing, Ashton Hall. While we all felt fortunate to have one common living space, we knew that our long-term goal was a true fraternity house. Most of us who had rechartered or early pledge classes, like myself (Alpha), didn’t think that dream would be a reality during our time at IU.
However, with some good luck and lots of support from our alumni – the Alpha Sigma Phi house at 1415 North Jordan became available. Our dream to have a true house of our own was becoming a reality. As a senior and archon, I would have the opportunity to experience one final (victory lap) semester in our new digs.
The move for me was both exciting and bittersweet. I had spent the majority of my college time living in Ashton Hall, where I developed life-long friendships and a lifetime of great memories. I knew that most of those friends were also moving with me, but it was harder than I expected to leave a building behind. No more would we hear the friendly voice of our beloved Janitor Bob signaling his welcome chant of, “hey ho dere!” No more quiet and loud sides (North Jordan was all loud side, as it turned out). No more tape ball in the common lounge, which also doubled as our chapter meeting hall, pairing command central, sand volleyball pit, Little 500 training room and party central, where everyone with good speakers had their woofers blown. Leaving behind the home where iconic moments happened, the filming of the immortal gunning video, around-the-world room parties, hamsters in space and the place where I met my future wife – was indeed a bit tough.
However, the opportunity to build new memories and a new future for Pi Kappa Phi at IU was beyond exciting. We were determined to make 1415 N. Jordan a home worthy of the Pi Kapp name. I remember many summer workshop days where the majority of brothers drove into town to clean and refurbish a somewhat neglected Alpha Sig house. That summer included a lot of sweat equity painting, cleaning and rehabbing – efforts that guaranteed we never would take for granted the honor of having a fraternity house of our own. There were so many nights losing sleep over trying to keep our contractor on task to build our much-desired back deck, buying used vending machines, hiring (and I think firing) a house mom and keeping the kitchen staffed. And realizing that our new fraternity neighbors were not nearly as kind and loving as our Alpha Delta Pi sorority neighbors in Ashton.
And more than 30 years later, I realize that both homes were just a helpful conduit that helped us forge friendships, develop lifelong brotherhood and provide a safe space where we learned to be better young men. I will always be thankful for those friendships, memories, and a fraternity that gave us the homes and space to make it all happen.
AL PH A WINTER 2023
HOUSING AND ALUMNI CORPORATION UPDATES HOMECOMING AND ANNUAL ALUMNI MEETING
BY STEVE BOONEWe had a great meeting at Homecoming. Too bad that the Hoosiers couldn’t play better! Congratulations to the newly elected Board of Directors: Tony Cochren, Mark Kusatzky, Dan Lindsey, Pete Schrock, Dave Shook, Oliver Sutter (Chapter Advisor), Todd Waldman and Kyle Williams. Per our bylaws, this group will elect officers at their first meeting, which was scheduled for 1 p.m., Sunday, November 19, at the chapter house in Bloomington. Past alumni leaders were recognized for their contributions to the organization, including Brett Baltz, Steve Boone, Terry Brown, Tom Clark, Jim Crews, Dave Shook and Kyle Williams. All were present and received a small token of appreciation.
Jim Crews will remain involved as assistant treasurer for a transition period to help out the new treasurer. Steve Boone will assume the role of president of the Alpha Psi Alumni Chapter. His primary focus will be bylaw revisions, alumni communications and alumni events. Brett Baltz will remain as the editor of the Alpha Psidelines newsletter. A motion was passed to form a committee of current and past board members to evaluate the Pi Kappa Phi Properties proposal. A recommendation will be circulated in the May timeframe.
Undergraduate Scholarship winners were introduced and received their awards for last spring semester:
• Associate Member – Nikolai Selin, 3.981 GPA
• Member – William Schmelter, 4.0 GPA
• Most Improved – Cooper Hecht, 2.88 GPA
• Honorable Mention – All 4.0, Mason Bartoli, Andrew Gill, Robert Novak, Matt Winters
Chapter Advisor Oliver Sutter is looking for alumni to complete his Board of Advisors. Reach out to him directly if you are interested. God Bless Pi Kappa Phi!
WHY I CHOSE TO BE A FOUNDING FATHER FOUNDATION OF BROTHERHOOD
BY HEATH OSBURNIt has been 36 years since the rechartering of Alpha Psi at IU, and even longer since Pi Kapp National Headquarters sent blue recruitment pamphlets in the mail to IU freshmen and sophomores. Ken Kaiser guided the first dozen of us, and we recruited a few dozen more while working out of a small office in an unused portion of the Student Union. Looking back, we were a somewhat scrappy group, but we were determined to form a brotherhood and to have a house!
While we completed National Headquarters requirements for rechartering, we also built our presence on campus with a reputation that included anti-hazing, a focus on GPA and serenading. When we secured space in half the old Ashton Foley Hall, we had a place to call “our house.” Then, we expanded to the full building while still keeping our eye on having a “real” house up on Jordan Ave (now Eagleson Ave/ David Baker Ave).
During this time, our brotherhood grew through more people and through deeper relationships. We competed in IU Sing and received guidance from Dr. Phil Summers. We were luckier than we realized at the time to have Dr. Summers with us so often. He was president of Vincennes University and also served in prominent roles with Pi Kappa Phi. Plus, he was a smart and deeply caring person.
There were countless shenanigans at the Pi Kapp house. Some memories are very fresh, like the rowdy fun of the “loud side” and our serenading. Other memories are not as clear.
Our determination paid off. We secured a wonderful building among other Greek organizations. Most importantly, we fostered a foundation of brotherhood that connected us then and holds us together now.
PI KAPP COLLEGE DELEGATION EXECUTIVE BOARD AND CHAPTER NEWS
BY SECRETARY WILL SCHMELTERAs we wrap up our first semester of the 2023-24 school year, there’s much to reflect upon. This semester has been notably strong for the brothers of Pi Kappa Phi at Indiana University, marked by both achievement and enjoyment. The aspects that stood out to me the most were our continual growth in both philanthropy and academics. Placing academics as our primary focus has always been a goal, recognizing that education is the core purpose of our college experience. Throughout this semester, we have emphasized the significance of prioritizing school above all else, and it’s rewarding to observe the ongoing rise in our average house GPA. While perfection remains elusive, witnessing progress is always gratifying. Moving forward, we hope to sustain this positive momentum into the next semester, staying dedicated to our academic pursuits.
CALLING BROTHERS TOGETHER FUTURE CHICAGO INVASION
BY BRETT BALTZBrent Bollinger, Tony Cochren and I plan to invade Chicagoland this spring and attempt to get a group together for dinner or a game or something. Just looking to hang out and regroup for a fun afternoon and/or evening, nothing major. If you are interested in accompanying us from Indy, possibly by train, or joining us in Chicago (whether you live there or not), stay tuned or reach out to me!
Check our calendar and mark yours for these other upcoming events:
First Thursday Dinners, monthly at the Chapter House
Little 500, April 19-20, 2024
Supreme Chapter 2024
Want to add an opportunity to the iupikapps.org/events calendar?
Contact Pete Schrock pfschrock@gmail.com.
FUNDRAISING
Alpha Psi alumni gave roughly $31,000 from 26 donors in 2023. Thank you for your help in making those contributions happen. This is more than twice the number of contributors from last year and a $10,000 increase.
Another aspect of pride is our unwavering commitment to philanthropy, an area of significant importance which we have dedicated considerable effort and intend to continue growing. This semester showcased our dedication, starting off strong with a successful 3 V 3 Basketball Tournament. This event not only served as a fundraiser for The Ability Experience but also functioned as a rush event, drawing an enthusiastic turnout. We carried over this success through various other philanthropy events. One particularly favorite event of mine was distributing candy to local kids in Bloomington during the week of Halloween. Seeing the direct impact an individual can make and the joy expressed by the children upon receiving candy only heightens the fulfillment of our philanthropic pursuits for me.
In closing, the first semester of the 2023-24 school year stands as a testament to Pi Kappa Phi’s commitment to academic achievement and philanthropy, and we eagerly anticipate building upon these successes in the upcoming semester.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND FIRST MEETING OF THE NEW BOARD
BY KYLE WILLIAMSThe Alpha Psi Housing Corp Board had an organizational meeting on December 17. New President Kyle Williams was joined by new Vice President David Shook and a group of new board members, including Todd Waldman, who takes over from Jim Crews as treasurer, and Oliver Sutter, who is the new chapter advisor. The year 2024 will be a transition year as the board launches new organizations to manage alumni relations and advise the undergraduate chapter. Look for more news soon.
Anyone wishing to know more or get involved should contact Kyle at kyle_p_williams@sbcglobal.net.
From left to right: Treasurer Ethan Mundt, Chaplain Luke Souza, Warden Joe Carangalo, Archon Max Avrilon, Standards Board Chairman Wil Logan, Risk Manager Tripp Ix, Vice Archon John Bakley and Chapter Advisor Oliver SutterATTN: ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT
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