On the Road Again! by Jeremy Thomas

On the Road Again!

by Jeremy Thomas, ΚΚΨ ΚΚΨ ΚΚΨ ΚΚΨ ΚΚΨ National Chapter Field Representative

Editors Note: Jeremy wrote this article while on the road, from the middle of the beautiful Cache Valley between the Bear River Range and the Wellsvilles Range (part of the Rocky Mountains) in Logan, Utah.

While sitting here on my day off before my visit with the Iota Iota Chapter at Utah State University, I started thinking about my last PODIUM article as CFR. The gorgeous scenery made me think about the different parts of the country I have visited over the past two years and reminded me of the diversity of our wonderful organization.

When I took this position I could have never imagined where my travels would take me or whom I would meet. My first visit was with the Alpha Chapter at Oklahoma State University, and I will end with the Psi Chapter at the University of California-Los Angeles in April. I have traveled to almost every state, and no matter where I have been, I have found that there is always one thing that remains the same: our commitment to go the extra mile and to serve bands. This does not mean we all serve the same way. Some chapters serve by offering very wholesome social events while others do more “grunt” type work. Some of our chapters have a very religious background that plays an important part in how they serve and others have a very rich culture around them that influences how they serve.

We must keep this in mind when we look at other chapters, but we must also remember to fulfill all of our purposes, not just one of them. Service comes in many forms, and we must balance these. Not only must we serve the band by promoting its existence, but we must also honor outstanding bandmembers, stimulate campus leadership, foster close relationships, and provide pleasant and helpful social experiences. We must also work with other organizations that may serve similar purposes. By doing all of these we will only strengthen our brotherhood, and only by balancing all of these will we truly serve our bands to our full potential.

I have really enjoyed my tenure as CFR and hope that my visits have given something back to the fraternity that I truly love. I have to give the fraternity credit for much of my own prosperity in life (including uniting me with my wife, Rachel). One of my close friends and brothers, Shawn Skaggs, commented on how much I have changed and grown as a person since becoming CFR. It is something that I had not thought about, but my experiences have really given me a different outlook on the operation and culture of our great fraternity.

All of us should remember that music is a universal language and truly the greatest of the arts, and that through fraternal participation, each member will STRIVE FOR THE HIGHEST!

Kappa Kappa Psi CFR Jeremy Thomas takes a break from travelling to enjoy the scenery near Logan, Utah, on his most recent field trip.