History

The Founding Of Pi Kappa Phi

In 1904, Andrew Alexander Kroeg, Jr., Simon Fogarty, Jr., and Lawrence Harry Mixson were all attending the College of Charleston. Kroeg possessed a leadership talent that was exact and sure, and he was a model gentleman with a thirst for success. Kroeg's friend, Fogarty, was a standout athlete who motivated with such intent and heart that people were quickly drawn to him. Playing alongside Fogarty on three college athletic teams was Mixson who was commonly known for his attention to detail and his setting of goals. The three friends encouraged and supported each other in every endeavor, and a tight bond was formed between them as they worked to achieve the highest personal levels of scholastic and extracurricular achievement.

The three men led a small campus movement to form a group called Nu Phi, which stood for "non-fraternity." Kroeg, in his determination to see his friends given the opportunity to influence the campus like fraternity men, decided that the only recourse was to start a new, full-fledged fraternity we know today as Pi Kappa Phi. Seven loyal Nu Phi's were at that ever-important meeting, and Pi Kappa Phi's foundation began to take form. On December 10, 1905, Mixson's mother cooked the men a special supper to celebrate Founder's Day with a dinner ceremony marking the achievements of the founding fathers.

The men chose to expand and create more Pi Kappa Phi chapters. The Beta chapter was established at Presbyterian in 1907, and Theodore Kelly established Pi Kappa Phi as a national fraternity with his founding of the Gamma chapter at the University of California. Pi Kappa Phi became locally registered in South Carolina on December 23, 1907. The coat of arms, motto, and rituals were established, and the creation of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Journal strengthened communications between chapters. The Journal changed its name to The Star and Lamp, a name that still endures and maintains chapter communications today.

Pi Kappa Phi enjoyed a progressive beginning and it is that dedication which helped Pi Kappa Phi become a leading fraternity in the United States. Pi Kappa Phi has initiated over 90,000 brothers and is the fastest growing fraternity in the country. Pi Kappa Phi is the only national fraternity who has created and supports its own outreach project, PUSH.

 

The Founding Of The Eta Lambda Chapter

In November of 1991 Ron Magno had the idea of starting a chapter of Pi Kappa Phi at SUNY Brockport. He, along with some of the other founders, had been to the rush events given by the other fraternities on campus at the time. After going to these rush events he, along with the other founders, didn't find anything to their liking. Ron started bouncing around the idea of starting a PKP chapter to his friends. Many of them showed interest; So Ron called his brother, who was a member of PKP at Old Dominium University, and began the process of staring a chapter at SUNY Brockport. After speaking with his brother, Ron call PKP national offices, they sent him a packet with all the requirements & criteria needed to begin a new chapter. After this information was received Ron announced an official meeting for the night of Sunday November 24, 1991, in the basement of Morgan Hall. eight (8) men attended this meeting & our "interest group" was formed. At this meeting we discussed what it meant to be a brother of PKP & the packet of requirement/criteria Ron had received from PKP national office. Most of us were apprehensive because PKP Nat'l had told us it would take about two (2) years, everyone at the 1st meeting were already first semester Juniors and didn't plan on still being in college 2 years later. The criteria from national was similar to what the college would require us to do. Community service, good standing within the campus community, faculty adviser, & GPA requirements. We knew we had a long struggle ahead of us. But at the end of the meeting we decided to think about it over Thanksgiving break, talk to some more friends, & meet again on the night of Sunday December 1, 1991. At that 2nd meeting 31 men showed up, interest was high & everyone was optimistic that we could get chapter status ahead of schedule (in three semesters instead of four) if we all worked hard at it. After a few weeks a couple of the men dropped out, leaving 25 of us.

We approached SUNY Brockport about becoming a member of the campus greek life in December 1991. We met with them greek advisor Sharon Belrander. She had informed us in order for us that the college president at the time, John VanDerwettering, had placed a ban on any new greek organizations being allowed on campus; and that a ZBT interest group had been waiting for a year already to be allowed onto campus. We received our list of criteria/requirements from the college & were on our way.

Greg Brown, the PKP national representative met with us numerous times in December 1991 & January 1992. Giving us guidance & suggestions on how to speed up the process. He was a "re-founding" father from the university of Michigan and was familiar with the process. On February 8, 1992, on the staircase inside Lathrop Hall greg Brown initiated the founders as an official associate chapter of Pi Kappa Phi; and we were 1 step closer to getting our charter for official chapterhood. Although the national fraternity now recognized us, we could not have rush events or wear letters on campus until the college recognized us as well.

After proving ourselves to SUNY Brockport, & the greek counsel. Sharon Belrander discussed with President John VanDerwettering about lifting the greek ban from the campus to allow PKP to join the greek life at SUNY Brockport. After this meeting with the college president, after Belrander had shown him everything we had done for the college, community & how our GPA had improved, he did lift the ban for PKP only. On February 28, 1991 Pi Kappa Phi was officially recognized by the college as an associate chapter. We could officially hold rush events on campus, wear letter, have socials, & enjoy greek life on campus.

We rushed the Alpha class in fall of 1992, & the Beta class in spring of 1993. Throughout those years we held many events, community service, PUSH fundraisers, etc to achieve the Charter Ceremony in spring 1993. April 30th 1993 (or May 1 1993 depending on what your looking at)

Important Dates and Events of the Founding

First Community Service event: Volunteered 2 nights a week for a semester to Volunteers of America thrift shop on route 19 (plaza across from the bowling alley; somebody else runs it now)

First PUSH America event: Bowl-a-Hon at the Brockport bowling alley. (the 1st PUSH chair - Sean Durrigan - was a big bowler)

First intramural Championship: We won our 1st season in intramural basketball. Beat the Sammy's in the championship game.

First social: With the Phi Sigs at their house.

First greek Olympics: We were teamed with the Delts (because our membership was small) & the Theta's. As a team we won the Olympics that year.

First award received from the college: In Spring semester 1992, we received the Community Service award for outstanding community service from the Greek counsel. Not a big deal now-a-days, but considering we were only an "associate chapter" at the time it was a huge deal to us, the greek counsel, & the college. It was the 1st time (and only time) a "non-chaptered" greek organization had won any type of award from the greek counsel. Considering we had no representation on the greek board, & the number of other Fraternities on campus at the time us winning that award showed the college (especially President Van Derwetering) that PKP was not the stereotypical "animal house" fraternity.

First unsolicited community service for the college: As an associate chapter we took it upon ourselves to shovel the wheelchair ramps in the mornings, on snowy days. We had noticed throughout the campus that the ramps were not being shoveled off when the campus was plowed in the morning. So we did it as a service to the physically challenged students. Another thing the college was very impressed with.