THE ALUMNI NEWSLETTER OF PI KAPPA PHI AT UC-MERCED SPRING 2025 EDITION
LETTER FROM THE ARCHON KAPPA MU
Dear brothers,
We are excited to share the first Kappa Mu Alumni Newsletter with you! Our goal is to share updates and upcoming events, celebrate milestones and make newsletters a longstanding tradition for our chapter. We plan to share a newsletter with updates from Kappa Mu every six months.
In the past two years, we have initiated 33 brothers. We are grateful to have introduced exceptional young leaders into our brotherhood and want to build on this momentum, leading our chapter to greater success in the coming years.
This has been a successful year for our chapter! Our 2025 Philanthropy Week raised $11,454. We crowned two new Rose Queens and made new connections on campus. For the first time in our chapter’s history, two brothers participated in the Journey of Hope, cycling across the country to raise funds and awareness for people with disabilities. We could not be more proud of them!
As a chapter, we want to stay connected with you, our alumni. To do that, we need your help! If you know brothers who would enjoy this newsletter, share it with them and encourage them to update their information on the Pi Kapp Hub. If you’re interested in getting involved in the chapter through mentoring, supporting philanthropy efforts or attending events, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Historian Anthony Chen. We love to have alumni engaged and connected with the undergraduate chapter.
Finally, we want to acknowledge the legacy you’ve created and thank you for your continued support. Your dedication to Pi Kappa Phi has helped build a strong foundation for the future of our chapter. We couldn’t do it without you!
Fraternally,
Brian Arroyo barroyo4@ucmerced.edu
STAY CONNECTED
Follow @ucmpikapp on Instagram to keep up with all things Kappa Mu! If you have any questions, ideas to share or want to support the chapter, contact Archon Brian Arroyo or Historian Anthony Chen.
2025 PHILANTHROPY WEEK
The year’s highlight was our Aloha-themed philanthropy week, during which we raised $11,474, the most money in our history! Throughout the week, we made new connections across campus, spreading awareness about the disability community and involving other organizations in the event.
Ending the week, we presented Delta Delta Delta Sorority with the first-ever “Chapter of the Rose” award for their hard work and dedication throughout philanthropy week. Additionally, we crowned two new Rose Queens. Join us in congratulating Laura Bueno Jimenez (Delta Sigma Pi) and Andrea Cisneros (Kappa Kappa Gamma). We are grateful to have these incredible ladies as such strong supporters!
2025 ALUMNI WEEKEND
We are hosting an alumni weekend on October 4-5, 2025. Please fill out this form to express interest and RSVP. Even if you’re unable to attend, still fill out the form so we know the general interest in attending other events like this.
We will share more information as we get closer to the fall semester. In the meantime, please spread the word to fellow alumni so we can make this a great event. Contact Historian Anthony Chen if you have any questions.
NEWEST KAPPA MU BROTHERS
MEMORABLE MOMENTS
BROTHER EXPERIENCES ON THE JOURNEY OF HOPE
BRYANRESULEO’SLIFECHANGINGRIDE
ACROSSTHECOUNTRY
MynameisBryanResuleo.IamaproudUCMerced andKappaMuChapteralumnus.Inthesummerof 2024,Itookononeofthemostchallengingand rewardingexperiencesofmylife:participatinginthe JourneyofHope,across-countrycyclingeventthat spansmorethan3,700milesfromSanFransico, CaliforniatoWashington,D.C.Asoneofthefirst membersfromourchaptertorideasacyclist,I committedtoraising$7,500insupportofindividuals withdisabilities,ultimatelycontributingtoa collective$600,000raised.
The challenge began long before we set off from the Bay Area. As the first from my chapter to take this journey, there were many unknowns, from the intensity of the rides and equipment needed to the logistics and demands of training with little cycling experience. Thankfully, The Ability Experience provided vital support through monthly webinars, gear guidance and even road bikes to ease the financial burden. That preparation made a huge difference, but nothing could have fully prepared me for what was ahead.
Day four was one of the most grueling days. We cycled 90 miles from Jackson, California, to South Lake Tahoe, ascending more than 11,000 feet in elevation through the Sierra Nevada Mountains. At that point, we were still acclimating to the demands of long-distance cycling and that climb tested us mentally and physically. It was just the beginning. We went on to conquer the Rocky Mountains, the rolling hills of Nebraska and Iowa, and eventually the Appalachian Mountains, each segment challenging us in new ways.
The final day in Washington, D.C. brought everything full circle. As we turned the last corner, we heard cheers, cowbells and joyful shouting from our friends and families lining the Capitol lawn.
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The sound hit me before I could see the wall of love and support welcoming us home. I saw posters with teammates’ names, hugs being shared and a wave of pride, relief and reflection washed over me. In that moment, the 63-day journey and every ounce of effort felt truly worth it.
The Journey of Hope is more than just a bike ride; it’s an experience that shapes you. It’s a story I’ll carry for the rest of my life, and one I hope every future brother of the Kappa Mu Chapter gets to live out.
It teaches you what it truly means to be a servant leader to give of yourself fully in support of others and to grow alongside those you serve.
JASONBALTAZAR:REFLECTIONSON THEJOURNEYOFHOPE
IknewitwouldbetoughwhenIsignedupforthe JourneyofHope.Lookingback,Iamgratefultohave beenabletotestmylimitsanddosomethingbigger thanmyself.
Thefirstfewdayswerebrutal.Ihadneverridden morethan40milesinonego,sojumpingstraightinto consecutive70+miledaysthroughCaliforniashocked mysystem.Itwasn’tjustaboutpedalingfrompointA topointB,wehadtobeconstantlyalert,callingout roadhazards,watchingforcarsandkeepingeach othersafe.Ontopofthat,wewerestillgettingto knoweachother,learninghowtoworkasateam whilepushingthroughthemostphysicallydemanding stretchofthetrip.Iwasexhaustedattheendof everyday,unsureifIcouldgetbackonthebikethe nextmorning.ButIkeptgoing.Afteracoupleof weeks,Igotstronger.Seventy-mileridesstartedto feelnormal,eveneasy,comparedtothosefirst fewdays.
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Oddly enough, the most challenging part of the whole experience wasn’t cycling it was fundraising. I struggled like crazy to raise the $7,500. At first, no matter how much I reached out and shared, it didn’t feel like anything was working. I started selling breakfast to guys in the chapter and even sold school merch during Cowtopia. This helped, but I still had a long way to go, so I kept sending messages, talking to people and trying every idea I could think of. Eventually, like the rides, it got easier.
One of the most unexpected challenges came near the end of the trip. We were headed to Uniontown, Pennsylvania, and that day just wrecked me. Steep, endless hills, relentless sun and the weight of weeks on the road added up. It was the kind of day that felt like it would never end.
Not every memory is a struggle. One of the most fun stops was in this tiny town, Baker, Nevada. You could walk across it in 10 minutes; almost nothing was there. I think that’s why I liked it so much. No distractions, no rush. We even went up a nearby mountain that evening and watched the sunset. It was beautiful.
Still, the moment that stands out the most was the sendoff. Riding away from everything familiar and realizing that this wasn’t just a single bike ride but the start of something much bigger felt surreal. We were starting a journey that would take us to new places every single day, both on the map and within ourselves.
