Theta Kappa - Spring 2009

The Theta Kappa Bell

Pi Kappa Phi

ΠΚΦ Spring Alumni Newsletter

Baylor University Spring 2009 Issue 1

Alumnus Spotlight-Tommy Gibbs Θ Κ #27 Gentlemen, I have been asked to write a little something about myself. I am very happy to report that life is good.

After graduating in May 2007, I packed up the car and made the unbelievably long drive back to San Diego, CA. I began working in real estate shortly after graduation and I am currently working for a company called Flocke & Avoyer Commercial Real Estate. I work with developers to lease and sell shopping centers around San Diego County. I love my job. I work a lot but I also have the freedom to be involved in a lot of great things outside of work.

I volunteer with the high school youth group at my church on Monday nights (scary to think that kids look up to me) and I am also in the process of train-

ing for a half marathon (trying not to get fat). I live two blocks from the beach with my best friend from 6th grade, and my girlfriend, Emily Gilbert, lives just a few blocks away.

I do my best to stay up to date on the happenings of the Theta Kappa chapter and from everything I hear it sounds like the chapter is doing great. I know when we were first getting off the ground many of us were unsure how everything would turn out a few years down the road. It is amazing to look back and see how far we have come in just over three years.

fraternity on the Baylor Campus. I encourage you all to stay involved with the chapter in any way you can. We are a strong chapter, but we can become even stronger. Stay in touch and all of you will always have a place to crash if you end up in San Diego.

I believe the growth of the chapter will largely depend on the continued involvement of the alumni, whether it is an email encouraging the current members or a Yours in Pi Kappa Phi, check contributing to the Tommy Gibbs annual formal, our support Theta Kappa Chapter will help make us the best

Alumni Initiates Fall 2008 Kevin Mutai Θ Κ #115 Hello I am Kevin Mutai, a new alumni initiate for the Theta Kappa Chapter. I am glad to be a part of a great and exclusive brotherhood such as Pi Kapp. I started off my collegiate career as a Baylor Track and Field athlete, and was blessed enough to finish off my career with several All American certifications and National Championships. Once I was finished with my collegiate eligibility, I established some connections within Pi Kappa Phi and let us just say the rest is history. I will be graduating in May and I look forward to working with you to establishing a strong tradition with great alumni ties.

Inside this issue: Alumnus Spotlight

1

Alumni Initiates

1,2

Letter from the Archon

2

Alumni Shout Out

2

Alumni Updates

3,4

Alumni Announcements

4

Alumni Weekend Schedule

4

Alumni Chapter EC Contact Info.

4

EC Contact Info.

5

“Remember When Photo”

5

The Theta Kappa Bell

Page 2

Christopher Mack Θ Κ #116 I grew up in Austin, Texas around the eclectic (some would call it „weird‟) South Congress area. I never really considered Greek Life at University of Texas in Austin, because in my mind it was a collection of the worst stereotypes imaginable. I was the Resident Chaplain at Penland Hall for three years and I began to see Greek Life in a new light, as I saw students who developed their character and leadership. While I was applying to be a full-time Off-campus Chaplain at Baylor several members began to talk to me about Alumni Initiation in Pi Kappa Phi. Several fraternities approached me about being involved with them, but it was clear to me that the values, priorities, brotherhood and potential of Pi Kapp were the perfect combination of what I was looking for. Since joining the fraternity I have been astounded with the depth of brotherhood, development of leadership and opportunities to serve that I have found in Pi Kapp. Through both alumni and active members I have experienced lifelong brotherhood. I am excited about the opportunity to give back to Pi Kappa Phi by actively working with the Theta Kappa Chapter and seeing the development of leaders who are men of CLASS!

Letter from the Archon– Brooks Allen Θ Κ #68 Greetings to all of our esteemed alumni! It is our hope that this letter finds you well, enjoying life, and as excited about our fraternity as ever. The recent months have been filled with great accomplishments and landmark successes for our chapter!

All University SING! is, as many of you know, a huge tradition at Baylor and is also the largest amateur broadway style production in the world. This year was only our second time to perform in SING! And we made a great showing with our theme: “Stayin‟ Alive” (a hospital theme).

Another noteworthy element of this chapter is our continued success in recruitment. I hope that you can join us in congratulating the 15 men of our Eta associate member class who have just

been initiated. Theta Kappa has grown to 80 men with 8 graduating seniors this semester. We are already recruiting heavily in efforts to make our next fall and spring associate member classes stronger and bigger than ever.

Our Executive Council had a great trip at the Mid-Year Leadership Conference in St. Louis, MO the weekend before school started. We all got to experience a lot of great things and share many new and fresh ideas to help better our chapter and take it to the next level. Since then we have come back with a lot of excitement and a great mind set of change and improvement.

In parting, I would like to thank all of you for your undying support for our beloved Pi Kappa Phi and for all of the work you have

put into the founding and continued growth of the Theta Kappa Chapter. I am so incredibly excited to see what the future holds for all of us still here at Baylor and for all of you as well!

In Pi Kappa Phi, Brooks Allen Archon Theta Kappa Chapter

Alumni Shout Out Chris Miller Θ Κ #32 We would like to congratulate Chris Miller on receiving the first Theta Kappa Alumni of the Year award! (Picture on pg. 4)

Baylor University

Page 3

Alumni Updates Patrick Childs Θ Κ #3 is engaged to Gennie Ewing who graduated from Auburn University. They are both living in Knoxville, TN. Preston Roush Θ Κ #5- Engaged!

Emily and I met in the Spring of 2005 at a Pi Kapp party. I quickly became fond of Emily, getting to know her through mutual friends and various fraternity and sorority events. During my Senior year at Baylor, we started attending Wednesday night services at Highland Baptist. Eventually Emily and I started dating, and separately moved to Houston upon graduating. For our first Baylor Homecoming, I surprised Emily by proposing in the same spot where I first said, "I love you." We are very excited to be get married in July at Emily's home church in Dallas!

John Watkins Θ Κ #7 is now married to the former 2006-2007 Pi Kapp Sweetheart Leeann Eberhardt.

Greg Gilmore Θ Κ #8 is happily married and getting his masters in Health Education at Baylor University Greg Allen Θ Κ #17– Engaged!

Jennifer and I got engaged on Valentines day a couple of weeks ago. We are planning to have a ceremony in the summer of 2010, and it will be in either Fort Worth or Grapevine. I appreciate everyone in the fraternity that has given me their congratulations. I will funnel information through Preston as it becomes available. Could all the Alumni email me their current mailing address so that I can have it for future invitation purposes. My email is greg.allenbaylor08@gmail.com.

Davin Bickford Θ Κ #21 is happily married and just opened up his own bakery, Bickford Bakery, in Omaha Nebraska.

Chris Granaghan Θ Κ #28 is happily married and is in Law School at the University of Texas.

Matt Yartym Θ Κ #40 is an engineer for Exxon Mobile and is living in The Woodlands, TX. Matt and his wife Mallory are also expecting their first baby, a girl, in June, 2009.

Matt Lowe Θ Κ # 51– Engaged!

Our relationship started in the Spring of Freshmen year at dinner one night in the Collins residence hall. Once our eyes met I knew we were destined to be together for the rest of our lives. Over fall break we got engaged in front of Cinderella‟s Castle in Disney World. Jessica and I will graduate in May, and then we will get married in September. We have enjoyed our time at Baylor, but look forward to what the future will bring us.

Baylor University

Page 4

Teddy Moore Θ Κ #95– Engaged!

Kim and I met at Baylor, and oddly enough we met at one of my house's frequent Texas hold em' games. I'd say many of you guys should remember those games, but I think all who came to them have graduated by now. We started dating around finals in 2004 and then dated throughout the rest of both of our college days. Kim was an accounting major and a cheerleader, while, as you know, I was in the fraternity, a cheerleader for a brief stint, on the club soccer team for a year, and I majored in Entrepreneurship. We both work in Dallas, Kim works for KPMG and I work for Mosaic Sales Solutions. We got engaged last August at a local Dallas restaurant called the Melting Pot. I gave Kim a pair of Oakley sunglasses with her first name and my last name engraved into the lenses, then I got down on my knee in the middle of the restaurant and proposed to her. We are gettin' hitched this May, on the 16th, here in a local town called Parker (near Plano). The wedding is coming along great! We are very excited, and to top it all off the pastor who is performing the ceremony is a Pi Kapp from another chapter! He was my youth leader throughout school and now I have the privilege of being married by a brother. I hope you guys are well and I plan on seeing you all again in April.

Theta Kappa of Pi Kappa Phi, Inc. Alumni Chapter

Alumni Announcements

Theta Kappa has for the first time set the foundaChapter Officers tion for an Alumni Chapter. It will serve as Chris Miller the primary alumni orArchon ganization in charge of 1802 Stacy Falls Houston, TX 77008 alumni relations and is Cell: 512-297-5379 composed of alumni Christopher.Miller@bankst from our undergraduate erling.com chapter. Members of the group do not have to Preston Roush live in close proximity Vice Archon 1802 Stacy Falls Houston, TX 77008 Cell: 512-626-8839 PrestonRoush@gmail.com

of their undergraduate chapter. However, the officers should arrange regular meetings.

Alumni chapters serve as the main alumni relations tool for a local chapter, by providing social opportunities for alumni and their families. They also interact with the undergraduate

Alumni Weekend Schedule Pre-Initiation:

Alumni Chapter Meeting:

James Fitzwater Treasurer 3320 Amherst Dallas, TX 75225 Cell: 214-794-0667 j.s.fitzwater@gmail.com

Friday, April 3, 2009

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Pan-Hellenic Chapel

Location: Science Bldg. D105

Time: 6:00 pm

Time: 2:00 pm

Initiation:

Alumni Basketball Game:

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Kevin Mutai Secretary 1933 Century Dr Hewitt, TX 76712 Cell: 512-876-6996 Kevin_Mutai@baylor.edu

Columbus Avenue Church Time: 10:00 am

Location: Mars McLane Gym

Alumni Grill Out:

Alumni Dinner:

Location: South Russell Field

Location: George‟s Too

Time: 12:00 pm

Time: 7:30 pm

Time: 5:00pm

chapter by providing an advisory and mentoring role for the students. The alumni chapter should also help the undergraduate chapter with resources and contacts to make a better local chapter. As the Historian, I would like to encourage each and every alumni to actively participate in our newly founded alumni chapter.

Pi Kappa Phi

ΠΚΦ Theta Kappa Mailing Address One Bear Place #97150 Waco, TX 76706

Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity “Leaders By Choice”

Theta Kappa ΘΚ www.baylorpikapps.com

Executive Council Contact Info: Archon: Brooks Allen

214-537-0849 Brooks_Allen@baylor.edu

Vice Archon: Scott Stevenson

832-419-5693 Scott_Stevenson@baylor.edu

Treasurer: Matt Sheridan

972-839-0379 Matt_Sheridan@baylor.edu

Secretary: Will Morgan

310-710-1403 Will_Morgan@baylor.edu

Warden: James Hartgraves

817-559-3536 James_Hartgraves@baylor.edu

Historian: Preston Harris

214-384-4525 Preston_Harris@baylor.edu

Chaplain: Cody Campbell

214-542-0842 Cody_Campbell1@baylor.edu

Remember,

2 years ago Pi Kapp participated in Baylor University Sing for its first time ever with the theme “Pool Hall.” February 2007