The Gamma Iota Star and Lamp Volume 22, Issue 1
August 5, 2009
Alumni Spotlight on House Dad Ryan McGwyer
R
yan McGwyer, ΓΙ 190, pledged Gamma Iota in the fall of 1997 as a member of the Eta class, and lived in the fraternity house for two years as an active brother. Originally from Wisconsin, Ryan chose to attend LSU because he believes it to be “the best college in the nation.”
Maria Golf Academy at Santa Maria Golf Club. Though he began the business solo, the operation has grown to include two additional employees, including NFL scout Chris Landry who has his own radio show on Fox Sports Radio.
As if Ryan did not have enough to keep After him busy, in graduating in addition to runDecember of ning a small 1999, Ryan business, he traveled the has served as country teachthe Gamma ing golf lesIota House sons. He lived in eight Dad since 2006. In the cities over the course past three years, Ryan of the next seven years, believes the chapter has ranging from the states “definitely gotten larger” of Arizona, to Minneand is made up of even sota, and Florida. After higher quality men than learning about golf from when he was an active some extremely esteemed brother. He says that the mentors over these seven two biggest messages years, Ryan returned to he tries to impart on the Baton Rouge in August actives are responsibility of 2006 to found Santa and respect.CONT., P. 4
What’s Inside... -Alumni Updates, p.2 -PUSH Report, p.3
-Inside the Chapter, p.4 -Picture Gallery, p.5 -Honors & Awards, p.6
2009 Executive Board Archon Steven Nelson #225-937-3400 Vice Archon Paul Kepper #504-812-2352 Treasurer John Stribling #512-560-5611
ΓΙ 446 snelso7@tigers.lsu.edu ΓΙ 463 pkeppe1@tigers.lsu.edu ΓΙ 473 jstrib1@tigers.lsu.edu
Secretary Chad Gourgues #504-439-2007
ΓΙ 462 cgourg1@tigers.lsu.edu
Warden Andrew Cochrane #281-793-1194
ΓΙ 457 acochr3@tigers.lsu.edu
Chaplain John Farrell #972-877-1668
ΓΙ 459 jfarre7@tigers.lsu.edu
Historian Jim Rabalais #281-728-1970
ΓΙ 448 jrabal5@tigers.lsu.edu
PUSH Chair Joel Raborn #225-978-5885
ΓΙ 468 jmr6754@yahoo.com
House Manager James Loetzerich ΓΙ 496 #504-909-6657 eloetz1@tigers.lsu.edu
Chapter Report: Gamma Iota growing and thriving It has been another great year here at the Gamma Iota chapter
of Pi Kappa Phi at LSU. In late November 2008, we initiated our target number of new members with 30 fall rushees ultimately joining the fraternity. Our 2009 formal rush will start August 20. Please contact Vice Archon Paul Kepper with any potential rushees. In late November, Snow fell on the Pi Kappa Phi house on De- we also ushered in a new executive board cember 11,2008.
member lead by Archon Steven Nelson, who you can read about on PAGE 4( a full list of the new board is listed above). Our efforts for Pi Kappa Phi’s national philanthropy, PUSH, which benefits the disabled, was another successful one. The chapter, led by PUSH Chair Jim Rabalais(PAGE 3), raised over $13,000 in 2008. ranking us 6th in the nation among chapter. For more about PUSH, check out PAGE 3.
- Jack Anderson Jr., ΓΙ 83, and his wife Janice just had a new baby! Her name is Madelyn Grace Anderson. She was born April 7, 2009. 5lbs 6oz. His family now resides in Castle Rock, CO @ 1375 Elm Fork Pl, Castle Rock, CO 80104 Phone 303-551-5104. - Robert Yokem, ΓΙ 424, was married on July 24, 2009 in Baton Rouge to Lori King. Robert graduated from LSU in May 2009. - Chris Castleman, ΓΙ 367, is to be married this November to Jana Williams. Chris graduated in December 2008 from LSU with a degree in Accounting. - Jason Vick, ΓΙ 231, was married on June 27, 2009. - Dennis Fink, ΓΙ 307, was married on July 11, 2009.
Alumni Updates a battalion of Iraqi Mechanized Infantry soldiers. With over 20 years in the military, Paul is also ready for military retirement. Paul continues his civilian career with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office and Michelle began a new career with the Department of Homeland Security. They have also recently moved to Springfield, Virginia, which is located in the Washington, DC metro area. Their new phone number at home is 703-461-8449.
- Terry Park, Jr., ΓΙ 165, moved to Chicago, Illinois in January 2007. He was married in August 2008 to Suzanne “Suzie” Park. They can be contacted at 504-909-9994. Terry works at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Lincoln Park, Chicago.
- Michael Park, ΓΙ 282, currently works for Broadmoor Construction in New Orleans.
- Casey McDonald, ΓΙ 313, is a partner and co-owner of “Remember Me, Monogramming & Specialties” in Lafayette, LA. He is also Director of Lacrosse Operations at Next Level Sports Academy, and is an assistant coach to the Lafayette Lions lacrosse team. Casey’s cell phone number is 337-3152503 and his address is 113 Brighton Drive, Lafayette, LA 70503. - Jon Hansen, ΓΙ 126, recently changed jobs and is now a Middleware Systems Engineer with Zions Management Services Company. - Glenn Mediamolle, Jr., ΓΙ 178, currently resides in Mandeville, La. He is
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the Engineering Manager for Fairwinds International in Covington, La. He was married in 2004 to his wife Melissa and they have one son, Blake, that will be two years old in September.
To submit updates for future newsletters, please email John Bennett at jbenn32@tigers.lsu.edu. Homecoming 2009 The chapter will again be hosting a homecoming party before LSU’s game against Louisiana Tech on November 14. All alumni are encouraged to come and visit. Festivites will begin around noon. Don’t forget to stick around for Pull for PUSH on sunday. For more information, contact Jim Rabalais.
- Kevin Tschirn, ΓΙ 291, was married on July 25, 2009. - Kyle Robinson, ΓΙ 332, was married on June 5, 2009 to Jeanne Leveque Robinson. Kyle and Jeanne live in Baton Rouge. - Ben Knapp, ΓΙ 250, has a new cell phone number: 225-205-7341. About 4 months ago, he switched jobs and now works for the Louisiana Legislative Auditors. - Paul Chenevert, ΓΙ 53, and his wife Michelle welcomed their first child in December; daughter Noëlle and mother are doing fine. Paul also was promoted to the rank of Captain in the Virginia Army National Guard after his tour in Iraq training
PiKapp alumni at the annual Pigskin Crawfish cookout, held on March 21.
PUSH America
Fundraising stronger than ever The Brothers of Gamma Iota continued the traditional fundraising events of the past with Pull for PUSH, the invention of brother Kyle Devillier, ΓΙ 404, and Strongman,
coordinated by brother and weightlifter, Andrew Talley, ΓΙ 402. The efforts of PUSH Chairmen Jim Rabalais and Joel Raborn were instrumental in the successful events. The winners were all given donated prizes, including the girls of Delta Gamma(pictured to the right) who received a crawfish boil on the front lawn, cooked by brother Alex Farge, ΓΙ 15 teams of 4 competed 405. Thanks to all who in this year’s tournament. contributed, we look forThey are pictured here in ward to seeing even more front of Hunter’s Run Gun participation. Club.
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Brothers Paul Kepper and Stephen Maffei stand with the victorious girls of Delta Gamma after the Strongman Sororities competition.
Pull for PUSH 2009
This year’s Pull for PUSH skeet shooting tournament will be held November 15, the day after LSU’s Homecoming football game. Teams are forming now so get a group together and come compete. Prize and silent auction donations are also welcome!
G i ving back to the Com m u n i t y Gamma Iota has an established volunteer relationship with the McMains Children’s Developmental Center, located in Baton Rouge. One-fourth of the total funds raised for Push America by Gamma Iota each year return to the McMains Center through Push America’s
The McMains Center was presented with a check for over $3,000 from Gamma Iota this year.
“Circle of Giving”. Also, some brothers volunteer there on a weekly basis. Through the McMains Center, Gamma Iota learned of the Hopkins family, who desperately needed a wheelchair ramp to enter their home, yet could not afford one. The Mrs. Hopkins is seen with a smile on her Hopkins’ two daughters face after these brothers finished a long day are afflicted with a rare of work on her new wheelchair ramp. chromosome disease that a sidewalk and ramp for the Hopexhibits symptoms similar kins family. The grant application to cerebral palsy; subsequently, included locating a contractor, and both daughters require walkers for submitting design sketches, cost mobility. Additionally, the grandmother of these two girls resides in estimates, and pictures of the work site. Push America paid for the the same home and must be transramp and sidewalk materials, and ported in a wheelchair. twenty fraternity brothers provided the labor over two weekends in Gamma Iota members October of 2008. Everyone left the took the initiative to apply for an project with a sense of accomplishAcessABILITY grant from Push ment, and Mrs. Hopkins waved America, Pi Kappa Phi’s national philanthropy, to secure funding for goodbye with a tear in her eye.
Inside the Chapter Archon Steven Nelson, pictured here with girlfriend and Gamma Iota 2009 Rose Queen, Molly Landrieu, a member of Delta Zeta.
Pi Kappa Phi’s newest Archon, Steven Nelson, ΓΙ 446, is a Biological Sciences major from Baton Rouge. He is a 2006 graduate from Catholic High School in Baton Rouge, LA. He hopes to enter into Dental School
in New Orleans, LA in the fall of 2010. In addition to his present Archon duties, Steven has served as 2007 Interfraternity Council Representative and 2008 ViceArchon in his three years of fraternity membership.
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McGwyer, cont. Responsibility is stressed through cleaning and maintenance of the fraternity house, and respect is required for forty young men to live together.
be a doctor, lawyer, accountant, engineer or anything else. Golf is a professional’s game, and college is the perfect time to hone your skills.”
He is always willing to take some brothers out to the driving range to help them improve their golf skills, for Ryan believes that “Everyone here is going to be some sort of professional, whether it
Gamma Iota is thankful for Ryan’s love of golf he is always willing to share with us, as well as the vital leadership role he fills at the fraternity house.
Below(Clockwise from top left): Seniors at semi-formal, Pure Country party after the Georgia football game, “Beach after ‘Bama”, Bid Day activities, and Christmas Cocktail.
Throughout the Year...
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Approximately 20 PiKapps went on the LSU coordinated ski trip this year. This year’s location was Winter Park, Colorado. It is a weeklong trip at the end of Winter Break.
Many members of the chapter volunteered at this year’s Karnival Krewe de Louisiane charity ball. Brothers assist in the parade’s operations and are then allowed to join the party and bring dates. PiKapps enjoying the Mardi Gras festivities.
Right: The 2009 Rose Court was announced at the formal in Panama City, Florida. From left to right: Maria Wink-Pi Phi, Shannon Line - Delta Zeta, (Rose Queen) Molly Landrieu - Delta Zeta, Caroline Barnes - Delta Gamma, Amanda Comeaux. These two PiKapps are dressed in theme for a Pi Phi date party.
For the Swampwater party, the front yard is transformed into a swamp, including a pond.
Awards & Honors
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Brothers of Gamma Iota ma k i n g thei r marks in the classroom
Aleman is pictured here with his girlfriend and 2008 Rose Queen, Savannah Ordoyne, a member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority.
Chris Aleman, Brother of the Year Chris Aleman, ΓΙ 387, was voted Gamma Iota’s 2009 “Brother of the Year.” The award was announced in April at formal in Panama City, FL. Winning the award surprised Chris and “caught [him] off guard”. Chris is a Psychology and Sociology dual major from Missouri City, located in the greater Houston area. He intends to graduate in December of 2009. Chris pledged in the spring of 2005 as a member of the Chi pledge class and served as Academics Chairman of Gamma Iota for two years.
Contact Us If you have any questions, comments or submissions for the newsletter, please email John Bennett at jbenn32@ tigers.lsu.edu. For information about parent and alumni events, contact Jim Rabalais at jrabal5@tigers.lsu. edu
Jim Rabalais, ΓΙ 448, was one of seven talented student leaders selected as a Pi Kapp Scholar by the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation. He is the first Pi Kapp Scholar from Gamma Iota Chapter and will receive a $1,000 grant from the Foundation. Jim is a Biological Sciences and Animal Science dual major from Lafayette, LA who hopes to enter medical school in the fall of 2010. Since pledging in the fall of 2006 as a member of the Omega class, Jim has filled roles in Gamma Iota as the 2008 Push Chairman and the 2009 Historian. Jim was also selected as a national Outstanding Associate Member in 2007 by the Pi Kappa Phi Foundation.
In addition to Jim’s accomplishments being recognized by Pi Kappa Phi nationally, the fraternity as a whole is raising the bar in the classroom. The chapter now ranks sixth among fraternities on campus with a 3.0 GPA, it’s highest rank and average in years.
House Wishlist Throughout the summer, the fraternity house has been undergoing major renovations including new carpet and paint in the upstairs hallway. With these great new additions comes the need to upgrade and improve
the house’s accessories and furnishings. With that in mind, here is a short list of items the fraternity would love to have donated: - Outdoor audio, including speakers for tailgating. -Outdoor furniture -Outdoor lighting - Indoor furnishings
- Billiards accessories (balls, sticks, cover) -Pictures and paintings for the upstairs hallway -Living room curtains For information about donations, contact Jim Rabalais. No donation is too small! Thank you for your contributions.
Flashback! Shown to the left is a Party Pic from the Delta Gamma PiKapp “White Trash” exchange in February of 2000.