PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY - THETA MU CHAPTER
SPRING 2007
A Pi Kapp Minute words of the archon
Race to 30K
Founding Archon Torres-Palma introduces ΘΜ, PKP’s newest chapter Theta Mu is sponsoring its 2nd annual 5K road race in Amherst on Saturday April, 28, 2007. All proceeds from the benefit are donated to Push America and the Special Olympics of Western Massachusetts. Information about the race, and to make a secure online contribution using Push America’s website, please visit pikappumass.com
The Founding Fathers of Pi Kappa Phi First, welcome back Initiated and Pre-Initiated brothers! Please visit the Brothers Page for a welcome message in our brother’s only section. For those of you coming to this website for more information about Pi Kappa Phi at UMass: welcome! Starting here is your first step in learning more about our associate chapter. This message will outline what I, as the president of the chapter, think Pi Kappa Phi is all about and will share with you where we have been and where we are going.
Eric Buscka, the Push America executive officer for Theta Mu is seeking 30,000 in raised funds for this year’s race with 25% of the money donated to our partner organization, The Special Olympics of Western Massachusetts. continued on page 4, Race
To me, Pi Kappa Phi is about providing a climate for growth and opportunity. Our brotherhood consists of an environment that will provide an individual’s pathway to success by boosting morale and values within which each man can achieve his full potential, achieve the highest level of personal and professional satisfaction, and be recognized internally and externally as a leader at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Our brotherhood consists of men devoted to self-improvement and making a difference in our community through academic excellence and community service. Our motto is, “leaders by choice” and by showing interest in our fraternity is your first step in demonstrating that you are choosing to lead. Pi Kapp makes better men by providing a network for our brothers where their interests and talents can be combined with productive.
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PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY - THETA MU CHAPTER
SPRING 2007
Push America and the Journey of Hope; Jerome Rogich rides across the country for the disabled JEROME ROGICH, a sophomore biology major at the University serves as the Outdoors Committee chairman and has planned paintball outings, hikes and cook-outs. This summer he will participate as a cyclist in the 2007 Journey of Hope team.
Jerome will bike 3,900 miles from San Francisco to Washington D.C. along with 70 other brothers of Pi Kappa Phi from chapters around the country to raise money and awareness for Push America. Jerome has raised over $5000 for Push. He says, “the outpouring of support I have received from my friends, family, and even the university administration has been unbelievable.” Rogich values his participation in the fraternity and with Push America, “through my
volunteer work I have learned a great deal about what people with disabilities can do. I have also realized that there is a need nationwide to educate people on the abilities of people with disabilities.” Contributions to Jerome’s ride across the country can be made online, using Push America’s secure online website: www.secure.pushamerica.org/jeromerogich
New member education begins with service retreat THETA MU and the Beta Class returned to Camp Hemlocks in Norwich, CT. The Easter Seals Camp is a familiar location to Theta Mu, as several brothers participated in the October GAP Weekend. In that spirit, Associate Members Brian Ambrozavitch, David Anderson, Kegan Fielding, Chrisitan Young, Matt Rosenthal, Chris Silvia, Kurt Jalbert, Adam Hemingway, Andrew Moffet, Joseph Macdermott, and Matthew McDonald learned about service first hand. They spent half of their time improving the camps infrastructure and interacting with the special-needs campers. They also spent a great deal of time together talking, learning, and growing. They learned through a series of “Witness Talks” what C.L.A.S.S. truly means. Brothers Brian Gilb, Kevin Above: Beta Pre-Initiates Libby, Ryan Smith, Robert Petrie, Varun Vuppala, Kyle Wood, and Nick Below: Beta class participates Druar all shared what it means to be a brother of Pi Kappa Phi. “This trip in a service retreat. was a bonding experience for not just the Associates, but all those in attendance” says Brother Scott Lee, the Chapter’s Warden and New Member Educator. Brother Brian Gilb, who coordinated the service retreat remarked at the effectiveness of the retreat, “they have grown to be a more cohesive group, and have a better understanding of what Pi Kappa Phi, and service mean to us.” With the beginning of their Pi Kapp Journey is only just beginning, the Service Retreat indicates that we one can only expect more great things from the men of the Beta Class of Theta Mu.
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PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY - THETA MU CHAPTER
SPRING 2007
Without Borders, Academic Honesty Board, and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. Diego was also recently nominated for the Senior Leadership Award for demonstrating outstanding leadership and service to the campus. He plans to pursue an MBA after working for Pi Kappa Phi National Headquarters as a Leadership Consultant.
Pearl Corporation, the largest drum manufacturer in the world, to join their web-site development team.
Senior Spotlights ΘΜ says so long to its graduating brothers Matthew Noah Pearlson, #001
Matthew served as the first Archon of the UMass-Associate Chapter and currently serves as the Historian. He is a graduating senior in the Department of Chemical Engineering. His research interests are in alternative fuels, and energy efficiency technologies. He has been recognized with several awards for his academic achievements including the 21st Century Leaders and William Field awards from the University, as well as nominations for the Rhodes and Goldwater scholarships. Matthew will move to Seattle in June and begin a career with Microsoft Corporation.
Christopher Caton, #015
Chris is the business manager of a law practice in Northampton. He is also the cofounder of a program to provide free legal services to indigent victims of domestic violence, where his main role is the training of undergraduate students to work as interns for attorneys participating in the program. TJ Kelly, #016
TJ is the fraternity’s Publicity Chair and designed the ΘΜ website, and Diego TorresPalma, #002 served on the Recruitment Diego currently Committee. Outside the serves as the fraternity, TJ works as a Campus Archon, and Tour Guide and Student previously held the positions of Admissions Representative and a Vice Archon and web-technician for the Center for Secretary. Diego Student Business. He was a has served as a Teaching Assistant member of the UMass Drumline for Applied Calculus and has been for four seasons and has been a a member of such organizations as Co-Manager at Sweets & More UMass Golf, the American Society Snack Bar in Orchard Hill. TJ is investigating opportunities with of Civil Engineers, Engineers
James Sanderson, #033
James works as a Resident Assistant in Washington Tower. He is the founder of the Kinesiology Club here at school. Off campus, James is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine. I will be attending a doctoral program in Physical Therapy starting in the Fall 2007 semester at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Ryan Leblanc, #037
Ryan currently serves on the Push America Committee. Outside the fraternity, he is a member of SHARE (”Students Helping Area Reach-Out Efforts”) where he formerly served as treasurer, the American Society of Civil Engineers, Commonwealth College, XE (Chi Epsilon), a Civil Engineering Honor Society, and is an undergraduate research assistant in the Environmental Engineering Department. Ryan also works as a senior bartender for UMass Catering. Along with his major, Ryan has a minor in Engineering Management. Ryan will begin a career as a Civil Engineer after graduation
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PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY - THETA MU CHAPTER
Checking in with brothers abroad Matthew Sloan, #004, a junior in the Department of Biology, is studying abroad with the International Scholars Program. Matthew has been abroad since December 2006: I spent this past winter studying in Senegal, a French-speaking country on the coast of West Africa. I studied the impact of “microcredit” on improving the quality of life in villages around Senegal. Microcredit in pricipal helps individuals in underdeveloped countries with small loans from individuals in the developed world. After traveling and looking at these microcredit businesses, I flew to Southeastern India to study sustainability and Eastern Medicine practices. Here I will spend the rest of the spring semester learning about the impacts of globalization on South India, touring historical sites, and learning to integrate sustainable practices into my life. I will be spending this summer in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam volunteering as a doctor’s aide in a children’s orphanage. I hope to integrate all I have learned in my travels when I return to the ‘States in mid-August.
SPRING 2007
Alumni Updates Joe Piedrafite, #020
Mike Czabaj, # 011
After graduating, Mike accepted a position as a systems analyst at MassMutual in Joe graduated Springfield, MA. He started in Cum Laude in early August with a 6 week 2006 earning dual degrees in training course in mainframe computer programming. To his Communication amazement, Mike excelled in the and English after interning at the course even though he had never 2006 Cannes Film Festival in taken any programming classes France. After kicking around like a before. Once the six weeks were lost tumbleweed in the desert up and his training complete, he post-graduation, Joe accepted a was thrown to the wolves. Again position in the Marketing Mike stepped into an unfamiliar department at the Museum of place and exceeded the Science in Boston. He works in expectations of most. the courses department; creating Still feeling a bit out of place, and developing the course catalog Mike joined the company’s and programs for the Museum, intramural basketball league. Over catering to both the student and the winter months he met many adult population. new people, made some friends During the summer and fall, and got some exercise. Sadly, the Joe is a drill/music instructor for team got knocked out of the the Oakmont-Overlook Marching playoffs in the first round. Mike is Spartans, a high school marching currently learning as much as he band in North Central can about the company and Massachusetts. Last fall, the programming while dealing with Marching Spartans were crowned the day-to-day hassle of working USSBA Division IIIA State on a production support team Champions and received a Gold where system problems are no rare Medal at the MICCA State Finals, occurrence. securing 5 stars in all captions; a perfect score. Joe is also a member of the UMass Club and is on the UMass Alumni steering committee. He is a proud Pi Kappa Phi legacy; his father is a brother from Xi Chapter, at Roanoke College.
To read more about Matt’s experiences in Senegal and India visit www.livingroutes.org and click under the Weblog section. Matt’s accounts and photos can be found under “Senegal Winter ‘07” and “Aurovi'e Spring ‘07”.
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PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY - THETA MU CHAPTER
SPRING 2007
5K RACE FOR $30K (CONT.)
Calendar Friday, March 30 – April 1 New Member Retreat: Camp Hemlock – Hebron, CT Saturday, March 31 “Beat the Ironman” Competition – Fitchburg State College Sunday, April 1 Formal Chapter – Brother’s Only Monday, April 9 300 The IMAX Experience – Reading, MA Thursday, April 12 Smith College Date Auction for Push America Saturday, April 14 Alumni Initiation Sunday, April 15 Open Chapter – Executive Council Elections Friday, April 20 – April 21 5 College Relay for Life Sunday, April 22 Push America/5k fundraising in Amherst area Wednesday, April 25 UMass Alumni Association Etiquette Dinner
CLOSING BENEDICTION
Saturday, April 28 Morning: 5K Road Race
As we look to the future, may our bonds of friendship remain strong in the years to come; and may we remain steadfast in our choice to enrich our lives through our relationships.
Afternoon: UMass v. Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse game Evening: Theta Mu and PKP Alumni dinner Sunday, April 29 Formal Chapter – Brother’s Only Beta Class/Pre-Initiate Hike up Mt. Toby
This group of men is fortunate enough to possess an indelible spirit and tremendous heart. For all of us, may the love of our friends fortify our futures together. In the words expressed by Helen Keller:
Friday, May 4 Beta Class Initiation Saturday, May 5 Brotherhood Paintball
“the best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.”
Saturday, May 26 UMass Commencement
Bless Our Fraternity.
- Chaplin Libby
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