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Taking the Nation by Storm
Continuing its goal of expanding to 125 active chapters
by 2010, Phi Kappa Psi is continuing its trek around
the country with six colonies either already up
and running, soon to be established, or recently
installed.
At the installation of California Iota at the University
of California-Davis completed |
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during Founders Day weekend, the members were both excited
and ready for the culmination of their colony adventure.
"We have certainly had challenges as a colony, attempting
to grow together in the same direction. Knowing that our
efforts have given us the opportunity to become a chapter
in Phi Psi has made it all worthwhile. The guys are extremely
excited and ready to undertake our next goal of becoming
one of the top chapters on our campus as well as one of
the top Phi Psi chapters in the country," said Jeff
Leach, colony president. "Our alumni support has
been vital to our success and helped to guide the colony
and keep us on track throughout the process. It was great
to meet all of the National officers and Fraternity staff
and be able to finally call them brothers."
"Being a part of this group has truly enhanced
my college experience and enabled me to become a part
of something that stands for great things. Seeing the
recent transition of officers within the colony made me
realize how far we have come since our first days together
as a group. Achieving our goal of chartering has finally
come and we are all excited for that and all that comes
next for years to come," added Steve Swanson, former
colony president.
The ten colony members of Iowa Beta at Iowa State University
hit the ground running this past semester when they were
officially inducted into the colony. They recently announced
$1,500 in scholarships available to non-affiliated male
undergraduates. The Excellence Bound Scholarship, a program
developed by the Endowment Fund, resulted in fifty applicants
and five winners were awarded scholarships. The colony
is now preparing for formal spring recruitment and is
excited to grow and become one of the top fraternities
in one of the nation's strongest Greek communities.
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Out on the West Coast, California
Mu at the University of California-Riverside has
already created a unique identity for itself on
campus, which is a direct result of its involvement
in this past semester's formal recruitment, as well
as a number of service initiatives. The colony impressed
the larger, established fraternities with its strong
showing and its ultimate success with recruitment
efforts. Under the guidance of Colony Advisor, Steve
Levkoff, Johns Hopkins '03, the colony has
grown to almost 20 members and is well on its way
to achieving its goal of receiving a charter. |
Not resting on its laurels, the expansion team at Phi
Psi also has three colonies for which formal recruitment
will begin in the coming months. The expansion project
for Illinois Iota at Northern Illinois University is well
ahead of schedule thanks to the efforts of transfer student
Dustin Olson, Illinois State '01. He has spearheaded
the effort to get the colony up and running and to date
the colony boasts twenty members and is on pace to acquire
many more before the school year is done. They have begun
meeting regularly and are in the process of setting up
several service initiatives and other events for the coming
months. Within the next couple of weeks, the University's
Interfraternity Council will officially recognize Illinois
Iota as its newest member organization. The group is off
to a great start and will be looking to solicit alumni
support in the way of an Advisory Board. It is hoped this
board will provide the local support they need to grow.
The expansion process for Maryland Gamma at University
of Maryland, College Park, is on schedule to commence
this spring semester and Phi Psi staff will be on campus
for a month in March and April to kick things off. Working
with local alumni, they will create a presence on campus,
recruit founding fathers and train the undergraduates
and alumni. Currently there are ten undergraduates that
have expressed interest in becoming founding fathers of
the group.
In the Fall of 2006, Phi Psi will return to the Bowling
Green State University campus with the re-colonization
of our Ohio Zeta chapter. This is a project several years
in the making and is being led by the Ohio Zeta alumni,
who have played an integral role in the last couple years
in gaining support for this effort. They meet regularly
with one another and with Phi Psi staff to ensure that
all entities are organized and ready to go once the fall
semester begins.
In addition to these colonies, work is already underway
at a number of other colleges and universities to expand
to their campuses as well. Look for information on these
future colonies on the national website or in future issues
of the Phi Psi Focus or The Shield. If you
are interested in helping lend support to our colonies
as they work towards their eventual chartering, please
contact the Fraternity
Headquarters. |
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