Century Note Pi Kappa Phi, Delta Delta Chapter • Truman State University
From the Archon
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Brothers of the Delta Delta Chapter, hope everything is well with you all, and I am proud to welcome you all to this year’s Century Note. Many of us thought it would be difficult, if not impossible, to improve upon the success our chapter saw during the last school year, and yet we have done just that. We have taken an astounding 30 new members during the 2012-2013 school year, including a third of all men that joined a fraternity at Truman this current spring semester. Our total number is now just shy of 80 outstanding men and our presence on campus has never been stronger with our members holding positions in over 65 campus organizations. We are now, thanks to our incredible growth, the second largest social fraternity on Truman’s campus and we are determined to reach the top. These 30 high-quality men have shown unparalleled drive and passion for this chapter, and we all expect them to accomplish great things for Pi Kappa Phi. As many of you are aware, we continued to set the bar for national participation in PUSH Camps by sending 30 members to Rutledge, GA this year. Our teams worked extremely hard and with great determination to construct a wire fence, a half mile nature path, and most impressively, a wooden bridge spanning a creek bed. Unfortunately, we did not have the pleasure of meeting more than a handful of campers during our stay, but everyone in attendance left with a lasting sense of accomplishment and a greater faith in the strength of brotherhood. I am excited to once again see you all in Kirksville for Roseball on April 20 for another incredible weekend of brotherhood. We have several significant renovations planned for the house to be accomplished over work weekend, and I am sure that Housing Corp. is as excited to share them with you as I am so I won’t ruin the surprise. I’ll leave you all with the reassurance that the Delta Delta chapter is as relevant and respected as ever in our history on this campus, and we are working continuously to cement our reputation as leaders into the mind of every student at Truman State University. I am confident when I say that we will lead this chapter and this campus to great things for years to come. Nothing shall ever tear us asunder. Yours, in Brotherhood, Brad Gill, ∆∆755
30 Delta Delta members spent their Spring Break in Rutledge, GA building paths and structures for a camp for children with disabilities. Pictured are Justin (from Miami of Ohio), and Delta Delta brothers Andrew Hunter, Andrew Fevig, Duncan Holahan; back row: Charles Thien, Max Highsmith, Jordan Gresham
PUSH America
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USH America was started in 1977 by Thomas Sayre for the sole purpose of serving people with disabilities. While the other fraternities on campus partner with a philanthropy and raise money on their behalf, Pi Kappa Phi is the only fraternity on campus that owns and operates their own philanthropy. Here at Truman the Delta Delta Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi is proud to support PUSH nationally and locally. Delta Delta hopes to carry on the tradition that Thomas Sayre started 35 years ago by participating in our spring PUSH fundraiser, Black Light Volleyball, an indoor volleyball tournament played in the dark using fluorescently-lit volleyballs, nets and courts. Last spring this tournament raised $800 for PUSH and another organization called PKS Kids. PKS Kids supports the children and families of people affected by Pallister Killian Syndrome, a rare and poorly understood genetic disease that results in mental and physical disabilities. This organization is particularly important to our chapter because the daughter of one of our alumni, Chris Stobbe, was recently diagnosed with PKS. As the Philanthropy chairs of Pi Kappa Phi we would like to congratulate your son on his choice to join Pi Kapp and thank you and him for your dedication to helping people with disabilities. Sincerely, Greg Powell ∆∆755, and Elliot Asbed, ∆∆779
Brothers Michael Push, Clarkson Wischmeier, and Gregory Scheetz are members of Truman’s Volleyball Club who took second place in Division 1AAA.
Detla Delta brothers prepare a deck for a ramp that the they helped build for Accessibility Week.
2012-13 Rush Report
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he Delta Delta chapter has established a presence on Truman’s campus and it’s because of this presence that we thrive. On behalf of the active chapter I want to thank all of the alumni. Our organization would be severely disadvantaged at maintaining our presence without alumni contributions and housing corps. I believe that this is a pivotal point in the history of our organization and I feel privileged to be a part of it. To the alumni, I can’t emphasize how much work this active chapter has put in over the last two years. It has been incredible to see our chapter grow from what Truman would consider an average fraternity to one of the leaders on campus. To clarify when I joined in spring 2011 our chapter was in the mid-forties, with respect to active members. We are now close to 80 men with the most recent pledge class. This chapter has seen its ups and downs. This is no secret, take a quick walk through the house and compare composite sizes. I consider this is a pivotal point in our history. I believe that we can maintain ourselves as leaders on campus and resist the trend to fall back into mediocrity. Why? We have a strong group of motivated leaders that have talked to alumni, attended national PUSH and leadership events, and that are active on campus. Alumni, Rose Ball is awesome and it is great to hear all of your crazy old stories. We (the actives) are a bit relieved on Sunday when we wake up and you are all gone, but we take to heart the things you tell us. We love that this organization has always been a motley assortment of guys and we plan to keep it that way. That’s what makes us unique; we do not have a stereotype. We embrace the tenants of CLASS, Character, Leadership, Achievement, Scholarship, and Service. It is these tenants that have motivated our actives to do more and what we look for in potential new members. The thing that sets us apart is PUSH America. We are the only fraternity on campus to have founded its own national philanthropy and we actively participate in it. It speaks volumes when you can say that over 30 guys spent their spring break renovating a special needs camp. Finally, we are leaders by choice. As a chapter we are involved in over 65 organizations on campus. It is this involvement that helps us maintain our image as well as network to find new members. As you may or may not already know, in terms of recruitment, spring 2013 was one of our best semesters ever. The Inter Fraternity Counsel had
a little over 80 men sign up for rush. By the end of the week there were 22 men that attended our first invite event, of those 22 we bid 20 and had 18 sign. That makes this the most successful spring semester in our 40 year history at Truman. We did have the largest pledge class on campus. Next semester I would like to have 30 men attend our first invite event and bid 20 of them. I feel that this is a realistic goal considering fall rush is much larger than spring. As always quality is far better than quantity. I look forward to letting you know how things go next semester. Sincerely, Logan Duncan ΔΔ760
Journey of Hope
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ahatma Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” This simple sentence sums up my experience as a member of Pi Kappa Phi. As cliché as that may sound, it is true. As a freshman going through recruitment, I was very excited by the prospect of joining a fraternity. Having no foreknowledge of what a fraternity should be, I made sure to visit as many as possible so I could form a more educated view. While every house I visited had its own unique qualities, one stuck out to me. I was immediately struck by the commitment to service that Pi Kappa Phi embodied. Having been extremely active in service projects during high school, I was eager to learn more about PUSH America. After attending the PUSH info night during rush, I knew Pi Kappa Phi was the place for me. Upon receiving my bid, I made sure to sign as soon as possible. I have never regretted that decision. Pi Kappa Phi calls us to be ambassadors of service to our campus, our community, and those we interact with in our daily lives. By signing our bids, we have accepted that call.
Opening ceremonies for 2013 Greek Week at Truman. In the fraternal world, service is what sets us apart from our peers. Our commitment to service is manifested in PUSH America, giving us the unique distinction of being the only fraternal organization to own and operate its own philanthropy. It is my personal belief that participation in PUSH America teaches us what being a Pi Kapp, and a man of CLASS, is all about. Through friendship visits, PUSH Camps and No Boundaries Week bike rides, I have come to learn more about who I am as a person. PUSH has given me the ability to learn more about, and advocate for, people that our society has too long ignored. Going into PUSH events I am legitimately excited. I do not view these events as chores. I view them as privileges. I am privileged that these wonderful individuals want to take time out of their lives to come hangout with me. Many times, I find these individuals end up serving me. Their goodwill and contagious outlooks on life make me a better and more humble human being. This summer I will be crewing the Journey of Hope. To say that I am overflowing with excitement would be an understatement. Words cannot express my eagerness to serve. I am excited to see the country from coast to coast. I am pumped to meet and grow closer to brothers from across the nation. I’m looking forward to rocking out to lame 90s pop music with my van mate (Don’t judge me, we all do it). But most of all, I am ready to meet the people we will be serving. To hear their stories and be a part of their lives, if only for a while, will be the memories I will remember for the rest of my life.
Brother Mike Push was elected Truman’s 2013 Greek Week King last week.
This fraternity has given me opportunities that others can only dream of. Because of this fraternity I have become a more confident individual. I am no longer afraid to voice my opinion. Thanks to Pi Kappa Phi, I have a moral ground upon which I can proudly stand. But more importantly, I have been given a lifelong commitment to service. As Pi Kapps we are called to serve all, not just people with disabilities. It is this commitment to service which truly espouses the meaning of the letters we proudly wear upon our chest. Pi Kappa Phi. Taylor Thompson, ΔΔ 766
To learn more about or donate to Taylor Thompson’s cause, go to: http://ipush.convio.net/site/TR?px=1048012&fr_id=1260&pg=personal
Brother Max Highsmith is a member of Truman’s Water Polo Club.
DD Alumni Update • Nate Roettger, ΔΔ312, recently weclcomed a new addition to their family, Nicholas Scott Roettger was born February 23, 2013, 8 lbs. 9 oz. • Mike Heeley, ΔΔ438, was promoted to store manager of Red Racks Thrift Store in Creve Coeur, Mo. Pending nuptials to Emilie Sullivan on May 4, 2013. • Shane Mulrooney, ΔΔ678, started a job in October 2012 as a corporate tax attorney at Kirkland & Ellis, LLP in Chicago. • Andrew Greiner, ΔΔ662, still lives with his life partner, Brian Beck, while attending Fordham University Law School in New York, New York. They are thinking of buying a house together. • Justin Irish, ΔΔ745, recently married to Jocelyn Henry and currently reside in Erie, PA. • Scott Richmond, ΔΔ448, serves as the Chapter Advisor for the Theta Lambda Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi at Missouri State University. • The son of John Andrews, ΔΔ93, also named John Andrews, is now the Assistant Director of Communications at the national headquarters of Pi Kappa Phi in Charlotte, NC. • Kyle Gifford, ΔΔ617, ais the head of software/IT at interlinkONE, a marketing technology company in Wilmington, MA. • Joe Clemmer, ΔΔ475, was promoted to the rank of Major (USAF) in February 2012 and returned from his deployment to Afghanistan in May 2012. On March 4, 2013, Joe and his wife, Anne Rundle Clemmer, welcomed the birth of their daughter, Grace Anne Clemmer. Next month, his family will move to San Antonio, Texas where he will be stationed at Randolph AFB as Space and Missile Base as a Career Field Manager and Anne will be the Chief Psychologist at the Federal Correctional Institution at Bastrop, TX. • Devin Scott, ΔΔ 696, currently is a Teach for America teacher in Memphis, TN. Next year, he will be a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland. Scott is seeking a degree in Political Communication. • Mark Schell, ΔΔ92, is a Systems Engineer Aviation Specialist with CSSI, Inc., in Washington DC. • Chris Hudson, ΔΔ548, got engaged to Jennifer Layman, May 2012, had a son, Joshua Daniel Hudson, 13 July 2013, ETSed from the Army and relocated from Fort Riley, KS to Odessa, MO in Feb 2013, and began working as a Marketing Analyst at Intouch Solutions in the Kansas City area with Brother Matt Goyer, ΔΔ424. • Doug Mittelberg’s, ΔΔ293, son, Ian, will graduate from the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs and daughter, Meghan, will graduate from the School of Nursing at the University of Louisville in May. They are twins. My brother, Dan Mittelberg ΔΔ222, has twin boys, Ryan and Josh, who will graduate from Highland High School in May as well.
Brothers Adam Hathhorn, Taylor Thompson, Max Highsmith, Charles Thien, Daniel Stewart, and Adam Antor participate in Trivia Night hosted by SAB.
Upcoming Events • 41st Roseball: April 20, 2013 • Work Weekend: TBD
Graduating Seniors Fall 2012 • Brandon Carter • Gregory Cejas • Patrick Davies
• Daniel Gunn • Todd Lesinski • Chris Zempel
Graduating Seniors Spring 2013 • Kevin Foss • Joe Grothe
• Duncan Reynolds • Josh Webster
Contact Us: • Historian: Adam Antor, ara8667@truman.edu • Facebook: Pi Kappa Phi , Truman State (Active), Ernie Piffel (Alumni) • Twitter: @TrumanPiKapps