Pi Kappa Phi Western Carolina University SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST:
Re-colonization
Chapter Updates
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I S S U E
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Letter from the Archon
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Words from the Historian
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Upcoming 2 Events
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We’re Back! CULLOWHEE, N.C.—After an eight-year absence on campus, Pi Kappa Phi has officially returned to Western Carolina University. Over the course of four weeks, fraternity staff recruited leaders on campus and re-introduced Pi Kappa Phi to the students and faculty at WCU.
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Distinguished student leaders from the WCU community were drawn to the opportunity to leave their legacy as re-founding fathers of the Gamma Epsilon chapter. Members of the new group include residence advisers, Dance Marathon executive team members, president of the College Republicans, director of Cat Camp orientation, NCAA athletes and the SGA president. As leaders on campus, these men were excited to found a fraternity that empowered members to grow as men and leave their community better than they found it. Leadership consultants Brad Anders, Theta Phi (Louisiana Tech), and Adam Roose, Theta Upsilon (Northern Arizona), led the efforts with support from Pi Kappa Phi’s Director of Expansion Tyler Johansson, Chi (Stetson). Throughout the spring and summer, staff members traveled from Charlotte to work with Pi Kappa Phi alumni and build relationships with Western Carolina faculty and student leaders.
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Once the expansion staff arrived in the fall, they began recruiting men by tabling on the university center lawn, calling referrals from new friends in the sorority community, hosting weekly sand volleyball tournaments and recruiting friends of the chapter’s new members. ―The guys at Western Carolina are some of the friendliest and most outgoing guys I have ever meet‖ said consultant Adam Roose. ―Many of the men were already friends and joined because of their desire to leave a lasting legacy on Western’s campus. They are thrilled about the opportunity to build their own chapter of Pi Kappa Phi and start working with other organizations to promote fraternity and sorority life to the rest of campus.‖ Over the next 12 to 18 months, the chapter will continue to recruit members, produce written programs and solidify their commitment to Push America in order to establish themselves as a leading chapter among the other fraternities on campus. Once the chapter has displayed its ability to sustain itself, the national fraternity will look to grant them a charter. - Article taken from www.pikapp.org.
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Letter from the Archon Dear Pi Kappa Phi, Gamma Epsilon Alumni, Hi, my name is Wes Summerlin, and I currently serve the Gamma Epsilon chapter of Pi Kappa Phi as Archon. I am a Junior at Western Carolina University, and am from Kannapolis, NC. I am a Communication Sciences and Disorders major with a minor in Chemistry and aspire to one day become a Speech Pathologist and work with elementary and middle school children.
“Pi Kappa Phi will redefine fraternity as a lifelong brotherhood of leaders.”
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I am writing you today to give an update on our status of recolonizing, and to talk about the group of men that are well on their way to officially joining this brotherhood. We have, with the aid of the leadership consultants from National HQ (Tyler Johansson, Adam Roose, and Brad Anders) successfully pre-Initiated 26 men, been installed as a colony at WCU, chosen a temporary Executive Board along with temporary committee chairs, and established a budget. We have our official elections in November
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which will establish our Executive Board for the rest of the Chartering process. We are knocking things off our to-do list with each passing week, with our first social coming up on the 24th with the lovely ladies of Alpha Gamma Delta. We will be carving pumpkins for Halloween, which will sit outside of their house in the Village, since we don’t cur-
rently have a house yet. Excitement continues to build as more and more men, both Associate members and nonaffiliated, begin to see that what we have been talking about building for the past year is finally coming together. We are the talk of the Greek community here at WCU, and literally all eyes are on us. There have been many members of other organizations that talk highly of us and have been there for any support, and there have been members of other organizations talk down to us on many different occasions. This is one of the pitfalls of being the ―new guys‖. However,
being classy men, we take this all in stride. We accept the praise and brush off the negativity. Things haven’t been as smooth as they possibly could have been, but that is what makes this process so enjoyable. We are able to really learn about each other. We can learn about the work ethic and dedication of the brothers by seeing how each will respond to the situations that will arise. There have been many instances when something needs to be done by the end of the day, and there is always a man there to handle it. We are blessed to have a very passionate group of men that are all very excited to be officially chartered again one day. I want to tell you about one of the major partnerships we are still in the process of establishing on campus also. There is a program here at WCU called the University Participant Program. What this program does is give men and women, around the ages of a college student with intellectual disabilities, a chance to experience what it feels like to be a college student. Continued on next page...
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The mental disabilities that these kids have range anywhere from Down’s Syndrome and Cerebral Palsy, to both highly functioning and low functioning Autism. There are currently 8 participants, with 4 of those participants being men, and the other 4 being women. These participants always have a worker, whether paid or volunteer, with them during the day and partly into the nights. What we have done as an organization is partner with the UP program to provide much needed male volunteers, as well as organize socials with the participants. There is not, according to the program director, Kelley Kelly, enough male influence in the lives of the male participants, so we aim to change that, as well as change Mrs. Kelly’s views are of Fraternities, but that is a topic for another day. We will also be helping a lot with fundraising and awareness of the program both at WCU as well as throughout the state. Western is the only campus to have this program, and we Pi Kapps have been blessed with the opportunity to work side by side with students with disabilities on a day to day basis through this program. Overall, I couldn’t have handpicked a better group of men for recolonizing this chapter. We have some of the hardest workers I have ever met in my life, and their dedication to Western, as well as this Fraternity, shows in everything
they do. We have Resident Assistants (like myself), Intramural Referees, Orientation counselors, EMT’s, involvement with the Student Government Association, and the list goes on. Any aspect of involvement on this campus and in this community, the men of Pi Kappa Phi have made their mark on and have a strong presence in. This is the reason for this group of guys to be better than any group of men I have ever met in my life. I cannot wait to stand beside my brothers at the Chartering ceremony, knowing that I, along with many others, have built a legacy that will last for a very, very long time at Western Carolina University. I hope to see and meet many of you at Homecoming weekend. We will have our tailgate set up 3 hours before the game begins, so look for the Pi Kapp flag flying high if you would like to stop by and visit. If you would ever like to get into contact with myself, any of the members themselves, or send an email to the chapter as a whole, I will list my contact information as well as the chapter’s email address. Thank you and have a good week.
“Leaders By Choice”
Yours in Pi Kappa Phi,
Wes Summerlin wrsummerlin1@catamount.wcu.edu wsummerlin18@gmail.com 704-425 -0134 Chapter email address: wcupikapp@gmail.com
Words from the Historian To the Alumni of the Gamma Epsilon Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all for the legacy that has been left here at Western up until this point. Granted PI
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not all of our history is the best it is something to look back on and grow from. As Wes said in the previous article, there could not be a better hand picked group of men to pick the flag back up and revitalize the Pi Kapp name here on Western Carolina University’s campus, and in the greater CulPHI
lowhee and Sylva area. This is much too small of a place for such a great group to not make a huge impact. I look forward to meeting all of you that I can. Thank you for your time, Nick Mashburn- Historian Njmashburn1@catamount.wcu.edu
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Upcoming Events October 22nd– Homecoming football game vs. The Citadel November 5th– Home football game vs. Wofford– Hall of Fame Day November 19th– Home football game vs. Coastal Carolina Tailgating will done at all of these games and the more the merrier!
Push America– Two events are currently in planning for the fall semester.
WANTED!!! To any Alumni who may have any ritualistic or historically valuable pieces of Gamma Epsilon history and would be willing to part ways with it we would greatly appreciate any and all items. There was a hunt for the original charter at one point and it was not found, if anyone has any information on its whereabouts that would be greatly appreciated as well. On a side note, there was talks about a Pi Kapp cannon. If there is ANY way that could be brought back to the chapter that would be absolutely amazing. Thank you all for all of the great support!