THE ALUMNI NEWSLETTER OF PI KAPPA PHI AT DREXEL UNIVERSITY
SPRING 2010
THE DUSAK
updates made to chapter house Since the last issuing of The DUSAK, the house has morphed into a living breathing giant amongst the fraternity houses on campus. With a brotherhood of nearly 60 and a house growing to upwards of 25 this spring, we are fully in the heart of Drexel Greek life. It is largely due to our alumni’s outstanding support that we have been able to come this far. For those of you who have not been able to visit the chapter house recently, it has changed immensely since we reopened the doors three years ago. We have repainted the first floor and all of the corridors. Taco Lou is on his second year as our house chef and is doing a phenomenal job. This past pledge class’s paddle was a remarkable work of craftsmanship and is now up on the wall with the many paddles that we have going back to the 1960s. And thanks to alumni support, we now have two washers and dryers available for use. In addition we will be getting our porch railing restored to its original glamour this spring. However, what stands out most is the amazing charter case made by Halsey White (AY 774). It encases the original charter from 1933 as well as the re-charter from 2008 and stands strong upon the bookcase in the library in the image of the Pi Kappa Phi gate at the College of Charleston. We want to thank all of you for your donations and invite you back to the house anytime to see the work we’ve been able to complete.
PRESIDENT’S REPORT: brotherhood thrives On November 21, 2009, the undergraduate chapter celebrated its one year anniversary of the re-chartering by hosting a Parents-Alumni day event at the house. The event was well attended by brothers, associates, parents, family members and alumni, and seeing the house again filled with life and brotherhood was a shining example of how far we have come in the past three years, when the house was cold, empty and dark. For those alumni who have had the pleasure of meeting the current members of the chapter, I’m sure that you will agree that the chapter, despite being closed for 3 years, has been able to re-establish the same personality that existed when we lived there in the past. During the past year, we were awarded the Alumni Housing Corporation of the Year and our 75th Anniversary / Re-chartering banquet was awarded the Alumni Event of the Year by the national fraternity. Although our formal capital campaign has closed, we continue to receive very generous donations from alumni such as Len DiCarlo and Jake Barkdoll. Please remember that all donations made
BY TONY NOCE
to Drexel can be directed to the fraternity and will be tax deductible. When you are contacted by Drexel to make a donation to the annual fund, please be sure to direct your donation to be used for the fraternity. Last year, Steve Markley orchestrated the completion of the restoration of the exterior of the house, including roof, gutter and downspout repairs, brick pointing and painting the exterior trim and windows. There is a remarkable difference in the house appearance. Currently, the exterior restoration is being completed with the installation of the new balustrades on the front porch in time for spring term. These were custom fabricated to match the appearance of the old balustrade and will look amazing when complete. The first and second floor walls have been painted to match the colors that were present in the 70s, and Halsey White has been continuing to make improvements in the woodwork as well as building custom furniture and a magnificent display case for the charter that was designed to resemble the Founder’s Gates at the College of Charleston. (continued on page 2)
ARCHON’S LETTER PI KAPPA PHI
ALPHA UPSILON
THE DUSAK publisher
The Dusak of Alpha Upsilon is published and printed by Pi Kappa Phi National Headquarters through the fraternity’s alumni newsletter program. Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity P.O. Box 240526 Charlotte, NC 28224 (800) 929-1904
contacts
ALUMNI CORPORATION OF ALPHA UPSILON CHAPTER OF PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY President Tony Noce (anoce@comcast.net) vice president Mike Imms (mimms@mmwr.com) Treasurer Steve Markley (smarkley@hunterrobertscg.com) secretary Mike Olson (michael.w.olson@comcast.net) board of directors Dave Parson(dparsons71@aol.com) Al Grubert (awgrubert@comcast.net) Keith Sheppard (goodsheppard2@comcast.net) Halsey White (halsey96@gmail.com) Dino Petrongolo (dino@apconstruction.com) Bob Austin (raustin@houghtonintl.com) Stan Norkiewicz (snorkiewicz@verizon.net) Mike Varzally (mvarzally@comcast.net) Mike Sulmone (msulmone@tridentdirect.com) Mike Reilly (reills5@aol.com) Alex Sheppard (jasheppard21@yahoo.com) John Plower (john.plower@cushwake.com) director emeritus Fred Schmehl campaign directors Mike Lavelline (mlavelline@aol.com) Jack Casper (jackcasper@att.net) Rich Husted (rshusted@gmail.com) regional governor Vince Thompson (docvt@aol.com) chapter advisor Richard White (rwhitephd@aol.com) house director Carlos Ramirez (csramirez@gmail.com)
Update your profile and Register at:
www.pikappau.org
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BY RYAN PERRI
Brothers, A year and a half has passed since Alpha Upsilon has ALPHA UPSILON OFFICERS reclaimed our charter. The unwavering determination of ARCHON our brotherhood and generous alumni to achieve that first RYAN PERRI major goal has granted the chapter the foundation necessary VICE ARCHON to become the best fraternity possible. The hard work and DOMENIC ARNONE perseverance has paid off, our chapter was recognized as TREASURER Brotherhood of the Year, and also received other distinguished honors that now populate the walls and mantels of our library. DAVID POLINOW SECRETARY The chapter experienced a regime change in the fall, the new MATTHEW PARMET executives, including myself, have continued to stress the importance of operating a self-sufficient chapter. An excellent WARDERN DAVID OH fall rush was coordinated and executed by our tremendous Vice Archon Adam Daniels. His efforts and management of HISTORIAN ERIK GROCH recruiting activities provided the chapter with fourteen newly initiated brothers. Our newly elected Vice Archon Domenic CHAPLAIN Arnone followed suit and recruited 11 new associates, everyone VINCENT FARACE oozing with class and the fortitude to become a brother of PUSH AMERICA CHAIR Alpha Upsilon. The Alpha Upsilon chapter now has an ALFRED UZOKWE excellent group of brothers and associates amounting to 68 men—who are committed to the overall growth and development of the chapter and themselves. The brotherhood has continued the tradition of outstanding academics by achieving the highest G.P.A. on campus for the 2009 winter term. Our commitment to athletics has provided the chapter with an IFC Hockey Championship, as well as numerous other athletic honors. The chapter has conducted numerous events to benefit our national philanthropy, Push America, and has also put in countless hours of promotion for Pi Kappa Phi on campus. The house is thriving and continuing on with the inspiration we instill in each other. Alpha Upsilon’s future is brighter than ever as we begin our ascension to the top of Drexel Greek life, the opportunity is there for the taking and the brotherhood is more than ready to take the challenge. The admirable progress after almost three years of rejoining Drexel Greek life is due to all of the alumni and their countless efforts to continue the tradition, the brotherhood for adhering to the code of being a Pi Kappa Phi, and all the parents, past, present, and future, who encourage their sons to embark on a collegiate journey that spans a lifetime. PRESIDENT’S REPORT (continued from COVER)
I am also pleased to report that we have made great progress in partnership with the fraternity and sorority alumni organizations on campus to strengthen the exposure and mission of the Drexel Inter Fraternity Alumni Association (DIFAA), on which I currently serve as president. The past year has been a challenging and historic one for the world. The issues that we all deal with on a daily basis in light of the state of the economy weigh heavily on each one of us. As alumni of Pi Kappa Phi, we have access to a great network of more than 100,000 initiated brothers, nationally and more than 1,100 living alumni from our chapter, who share a common bond. If you unfortunately find yourself in a position where you are seeking employment, please take advantage of some of the networking opportunities that have been created on Linked In, at the national and local levels as well as the Drexel Alumni Networking Groups. A simple Group Search of Pi Kappa Phi will result in many networking opportunities. Please keep up to date on chapter and alumni events by checking www.pikappau.org. The Towanda Open, our annual golf outing, will be held on June 4, 2010, at Turtle Creek, so please check your e-mail and the website for announcements. Finally, we have valid e-mail addresses for about 35 percent of our alumni and would love to increase that number. If you have not been receiving e-mails from me, please send your e-mail address to anoce@comcast.net. Fraternally Yours, Tony Noce (AU 817)
alumnus spotlight: STEVE MARKLEY
pikappapalooza!
Being the first person in his family to go to college, Steve Markley made it his personal goal to make an example of himself. It all started in Steve’s ninth grade year at Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. It was here where Steve started to take various drafting classes. Throughout his high school career Steve took many other technical classes and courses which helped him decide what field he wanted to go in after high school. With a little influence from his teacher and one of his good friends, Paul Howard, Steve knew he wanted to go into the field of engineering. After applying to several schools including Temple, Villanova, and Drexel University; Steve was quickly accepted to Drexel and Temple. Ultimately, what drew him to Drexel over any other school was Drexel’s renowned Co-Op program. After entering Drexel, it wasn’t before long until Steve found his way into Greek life. A few rush events later, Pi Kappa Phi immediately caught his attention. He later pledged and joined the fraternity in the fall of 1975 along with 11 other friends. It wasn’t until January of 1979 that Steve moved into the house after a year and a half of commuting. He lived in the house until his graduation in 1980. Over the years with the fraternity, Steve held several executive council positions, serving terms as archon, treasurer, secretary, and house manager. In his pre-junior and junior years, he also served as the house cook for nearly 30 men. This was a very impressive task to juggle along with his other responsibilities to the fraternity and university. Steve was also very involved with Pi Kappa Phi’s big charity event, “The Pi Kapp Show,” during his time at Drexel. Although he didn’t participate in the show directly, Steve was an integral part for most of the behind the scenes work. During his time at Drexel, Steve participated in many Co-Ops including internships at Hamilton-Murphy Garrison Architects, Metz Engineering, and Day & Zimmermann’s. Upon graduating with his bachelor’s of science in civil engineering, Steve was given an opportunity to work for Day & Zimmermann’s where he stayed for six years. He also received his license to practice engineering in the state of
Last year in May, we celebrated the anniversary of the installation of Alpha Upsilon with a concert event called Pikappapalooza. It was the second annual event where we invited musical groups from Drexel and beyond. Food and t-shirts were sold to raise money for three charities: the PSPCA, USO, and Dragonfly Forest. This year’s Pikappapalooza was on May 15. Charities that were there included The National MS Society, PSPCA, The American Liver Foundation, and PanCan. Five local bands performed.
pi kapp is back Steve Markley, pictured here, held several positions on executive council as an undergraduate member of Alpha Upsilon.
Pennsylvania. Steve then worked for other various jobs leading up to his current position at Hunter Roberts Construction Group in Philadelphia. He is now the director of estimating and has been there for more than two years. Despite being a family man and having a successful career thus far, Steve still makes time to give back to his local chapter. He has been very involved in house restoration projects and can be seen helping out during our monthly Pi Kapp work days. He previously held the position of treasurer of the Alumni Association and was recently named the chapter advisor for Alpha Upsilon. On top of all of this, Steve still finds the time to give aspiring Pi Kapps in the field of engineering the chance to work for him at his current company, Hunter Roberts Construction Group. Steve’s commitment thus far is without a doubt one of aspiring attributes. Despite being a husband, a father and a businessman, Steve still makes the time to continue being a lifelong brother of Pi Kappa Phi. The amount of work he has done for the Alpha Upsilon chapter thus far cannot be more appreciated. Steve continues to show brothers every day just how much he cares about his chapter. His efforts and work ethic have reflected upon everyone who has ever had the pleasure of meeting him, and they will continue to be passed on well into the future of this great thing we call brotherhood.
After just two years back on campus, Pi Kapp has regained its place as an elite force in interfraternity athletics. This year’s hockey season began the season under the radar, that is, until the start of playoffs. From game one, Pi Kapp was the power within the league, giving up only two goals in its first four games. The team went into playoffs knowing there was a chance for glory. The team won the semifinal game against TKE in a shootout that ended 2 to 1. With that win, Pi Kapp reached the championship game against Pike. After a tough game, a single goal separated the two teams and Pi Kappa Phi was declared the IFC Champions by a final score of 3 to 2.
alumni updates Derek Shaw Derek and his wife, Tiffany, moved back to Southern California this year from Minnesota with their two children (Mason & Elisabeth). He also took a new role as the director of U.S. sales for Crabtree & Evelyn based in the Boston/Conneticut area September, 2009. Mike Romano Michael has joined Preston & Shea, a certified public accounting firm in Paoli, Pa., as an equity partner. Michael will focus on growing a niche market in Philadelphia business community that offers products and services to pharmaceutical and biotech industries. mromano@prestonandshea.com
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Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity P.O. Box 240526 Charlotte, NC 28224
THE DUSAK ALPHA UPSILON
ALPHA UPSILON GOLF OUTING
FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2010 TURTLE CREEK GOLF CLUB, LIMERICK, PA 1:00 p.m. Shotgun Start, Scramble Format $110 per person includes dinner, green fees, cart, prizes and beverages. Visit www.pikappau.com for more information. RSVP to Dan Gormley at dan_gormley@yahoo.com or (610) 908-2066
SUPREME CHAPTER 2010
AUGUST 5 - 9, 2010 DISNEY WORLD, ORLANDO, FL Supreme Chapter will be held at Disney World this summer and is the perfect summer vacation setting for family and fraternity. Visit orlando.pikapp.org to register or for more information.
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PI KAPPA PHI
SAVE THE DATE!
REMEMBER when Reliving the Pi Kapp Show
On the website underneath the Alumni and History tabs are a few recordings and playbills from original Pi Kapp Shows. The show was first performed in 1932 and enjoyed over 30 productions throughout the 1930s to 60s. Minus a five-year hiatus in the 40s due to WWII, the production was put on every year. Brothers would partake in all aspects of the production, which started as a minstrel show and grew into a full-fledged play with singing and dancing. Playbills were full of good wishes from fraternities, sororities, and local businesses that are no longer present at Drexel. These include Sigma Pi Fraternity, Lexington Barber Shop, and many others. Brother Jack Stoner helped revive the Pi Kapp show in the late 1940s and 50s and is responsible for most of the playbills that are still in our possession today. The shows became pretty complex toward the end including multiple acts and songs that brothers, along with the help of some lovely ladies, would act out and sing. The topics were quite interesting as well with titles such as “Poise & Ivy,” “Mast Confusion,” and “Atom & Eve.” Without a doubt these shows were a hit on campus and were probably the source of many memories for the Brothers of Alpha Upsilon.