Alpha Pi Chapter (Founded 6 October 1991) is located at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pennsylvania. The Chapter was founded by Chapter alumnus Name and is a member of the Central Pennsylvania Region.

The Alpha Pi Chapter, Spring 2017

Chapter History

Founding

The Alpha Pi Chapter of Phi Sigma Pi was founded on October 6, 1991 upon the ratification of the constitution. The first executive board consisted of President: Angela Evans, Vice President: Richard Griffiths, Treasurer: Alicia Sweitzer, Secretary: Gwyn Johnston, Historians: Valerie Holmes and Alison Carroll, Initiate Chairperson: Marc Marino and Parliamentarian: Morgan Janier. Upon its founding in October of '91 Phi Sigma Pi was still not approved as an official organization of the Pennsylvania State University. Thus, they were unable to hold any meetings on campus or participate in campus events under the name of Phi Sigma Pi. Due to their underground status many brothers refused to say the name of the fraternity aloud, even in the presence of other brothers. It was not until November 3, 1991 that President Angela Evans announced to her committee that they were officially recognized.

Early Years

In the first class in 1991 there were 134 inductees, with 3 females to every one male. 55% of the brothers were education majors, 12% were business majors, and 33% were other majors. The first event held by the Alpha Pi chapter was a hayride at Mount Nittany Trail Riders on October 27th. Sixty brothers attended. Brothers spent much of their time holding events in the hopes of getting to know one another better. Some events held by the chapter included ice breakers, informal dinners, food drives, face painting before football games, the Penn State Dance Marathon and the American Heart Association Heartwalk. In an effort to better develop the brotherhood, brothers also developed programs and policies such as an initiation program and an attendance policy within its first years of existence.

The Active Chapter

There are 12 committees within Alpha Pi: Service, Fundraising, Scholarship, Recruitment, Public Relations, Webmaster, Risk Management, Homecoming, THON (Penn State's Dance MaraTHON), Social/Intramural Sports, Alumni, and Relay for Life. The Prism is the Chapter's newsletter that is sent out to the alumni every semester.

Current Executive Board

President: Drew Higgins
Vice President: Kendra Reynolds
Secretary: Khushali Patel
Treasurer: Ty Gilkey
Parliamentarian: Jacob Ryan
Historian: Faris Bouran
Initiate Advisors: Kendra Reynolds & Ren Soto (Beta Delta)

Current Alumni Advisor

Past Chapter Presidents

Aimei Lund (2016)
Anna Chen (2015)
Nicholas Cupelli (2014-2015)
Kevin Laubscher (2013-2014)
Ankit Jain (2012-2013)
Kyle Rice (2011-2012)
Lydia Convey (2010-2011)
Katie Tice (2009-2010)
Steve Girman (2008-2009)
Jenna Marcolina (2007-2008)
Rachel Trosino (2006-2007)
Tim Mueller (2005-2006)
Thor Balunis (2004-2005)
Jayme Brittingham (2003-2004)
Mike Kolbe (2002-2003)
Tricia Snyder (2001-2002)
Jeff Mitzak (2000-2001)
Sarah Nonnemacher (1999-2000)
Matthew Seligman (1998-1999)
Sarah Elbling (1997--1998)
Jason O'Neil (1996-1997)
Jason Troxell (1995-1996)
Ann Ryan (1994-1995)
Jim Woods/Valerie Holmes (1993-1994)

Main Article: List of Past Alpha Pi Executive Members

Initiate Classes

Main Article: List of Alpha Pi Chapter Initiate Classes

Family Trees

Main Article: List of Alpha Pi Chapter Family Trees

Chapter Events & Activities

Homecoming

Alpha Pi participates in Penn State's Homecoming festivities every year. The brothers join together and spend hours building and pomping their float as well as taking part in the "Homecoming Day of Service"

Homecoming Float, 2012

Homecoming Float, 2008
Homecoming Pomping, 2008
2007 Homecoming Float. Alpha Pi Chapter partnered with Alpha Chi Sigma.

Homecoming Related Awards:

2001: 1st place in White Division (Phi Sigma Pi and Creamery)
2004: 2nd place "Goonies" theme
2008: 4th place "Operation" theme (Phi Sigma Pi and Alpha Chi Sigma)
2012: "Pokemon" theme (Phi Sigma Pi and Triangle) 1st place in Madhatter, 2nd place in Float, 2nd place in BOPS Carnival and 6th place in banner

THON

Every year, Phi Sigma Pi participates in the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, affectionately referred to as THON by the students at Penn State. THON is best described as a year-long fundraising effort that benefits children and their families in their fight against pediatric cancer. Phi Sigma Pi is engaged in a friendly competition with more than 375 other student organizations to see who can raise the most money for THON. Our combined efforts culminate each year in February with an amazing two-day, no sitting, and no sleeping dance marathon.

THON, 2008

2017 Dancers Aimei Lund and Mark Smeraldo are supported by members Patrick Duda, Rickie Huang, and Kendra Reynolds

Phi Sigma Pi began participating in THON in Feb. 1992. They raised $2,000. In 2015, Alpha Pi chapter raised $22,848.91 toward the THON grand total of $13,026,653.23.

THON Related Awards:

Awarded the C.H. McClure Single Service Award for our efforts at THON in 1997
Awarded the Outstanding Fundraiser Award for fundraising for THON in 2000.

This photo was taken at THON in 2008. These Brothers were dancers or committee members for THON. From Left to Right: Emily Friedlander, Krysten Scheidler, Marissa Gernett, Sarah Booth, Emily Spivak, Amy Dobner.

Main Article: List of Alpha Pi Chapter THON Dancers

Brother Bowl

Prior to 2017 Alpha Pi holds an annual philanthropy called Brother Bowl. Brother Bowl is an ICR, Alumni, and Fundraising event bringing chapters to Penn State for a day of friendly competition and fun on campus. A benefit concert is held in the evening and has benefited a few different philanthropies in recent years, including Teach for America and the Make a Wish Foundation. The event is coordinated each year by the chapter's Corresponding Secretary.

Brother Bowl was created with the help of Patrick MacFarlene (aka PatMac) in 2001 during his term as Corresponding Secretary. The event developed originally from Alpha Pi's Win, Lose, or Draw Tournament that was also a philanthropy and alumni event. When the Win, Lose, or Draw Tournament became an interchapter event the name was changed to Brother Bowl. The first Brother Bowl event involved a "double dare" event and a scavenger hunt followed by a graffiti pary. Excatly 100 brothers attended making it the 3rd largest interchapter event in its first year of existence. The event raised between $500 and $1000.

2017- With the removal of Regions, and the subsequent removal of the ICR Position, Brother Bowl has since been organized by the chapter's Vice President. The event is now an intra-chapter event, that includes an Alumni team if Alumni was present, and each event is run by a member of the committee of Chairs.

Notable Alumni

None

Chapter Honors and Awards

National Awards

1997 C.H. McClure Single Service Award
1999 Chapter to Travel Furthest to Grand Chapter Conference Award
2000 Outstanding Website Award
2000 Outstanding Fundraiser Award
2004 Top in Region Award
2014 Top in Region Award

University Awards

2001 - Homecoming: 1st Place White Division with Alpha Chi Sigma for "The Creamery"
2004 - Homecoming: 2nd Place with Alpha Phi Omega for "Goonies Pirate Ship"
2008 - Homecoming: 4th Place with Alpha Chi Sigma for "Operation"
2012 - Homecoming: 1st Place with Triangle in Madhatter Competition, 2nd Place in BOPS Carnival, 2nd Place in Float Competition, 6th Place in Banner Competition

Other Awards

year AwardName
None to date

Further Resources

In the News

Alpha Pi Chapter
Founded October 6, 1991 • Pennsylvania State University
Presidents	Jim Woods/Valerie Holmes • Ann Ryan • Jason Troxell • Jason O'Neil • Sarah Elbling • Matthew Seligman • Sarah Nonnemacher • Jeff Mitzak • Tricia Snyder • Mike Kolbe • Jayme Brittingham • Thor Balunis • Tim Mueller • Rachel Trosino • Jenna Marcolina • Steve Girman • Katie Tice • Lydia Convey • Kyle Rice • Ankit Jain • Kevin Laubscher
History	List of Alpha Pi Chapter Initiate Classes • List of Alpha Pi Family Lines
Chapter Service Keys	unknown
National Council Members	none
Torchias	none

Collegiate Chapters
Alpha • Beta • Gamma • Delta • Epsilon • Zeta • Eta • Theta • Iota • Kappa • Lambda • Mu • Nu • Xi • Omicron • Pi • Rho • Sigma • Tau • Upsilon • Phi • Omega • Alpha Alpha • Alpha Beta • Alpha Gamma • Alpha Delta • Alpha Epsilon • Alpha Zeta • Alpha Eta • Alpha Theta • Alpha Iota • Alpha Kappa • Alpha Lambda • Alpha Mu • Alpha Nu • Alpha Xi • Alpha Omicron • Alpha Pi • Alpha Rho • Alpha Sigma • Alpha Tau • Alpha Upsilon • Alpha Phi • Alpha Chi • Alpha Psi • Alpha Omega • Beta Alpha • Beta Beta • Beta Gamma • Beta Delta • Beta Epsilon • Beta Zeta • Beta Eta • Beta Theta • Beta Iota • Beta Kappa • Beta Lambda • Beta Mu • Beta Nu • Beta Xi • Beta Omicron • Beta Pi • Beta Rho • Beta Sigma • Beta Tau • Beta Upsilon • Beta Phi • Beta Chi • Beta Psi • Beta Omega • Gamma Alpha • Gamma Beta • Gamma Gamma • Gamma Delta • Gamma Epsilon • Gamma Zeta • Gamma Eta • Gamma Theta • Gamma Iota • Gamma Kappa • Gamma Lambda • Gamma Mu • Gamma Nu • Gamma Xi • Gamma Omicron • Gamma Pi • Gamma Rho • Gamma Sigma • Gamma Tau • Gamma Upsilon • Gamma Phi • Gamma Chi • Gamma Psi • Gamma Omega • Delta Alpha • Delta Beta • Delta Gamma • Delta Delta • Delta Epsilon • Delta Zeta • Delta Eta • Delta Theta • Delta Iota • Delta Kappa • Delta Lambda • Delta Mu • Delta Nu • Delta Xi • Delta Omicron • Delta Pi • Delta Rho • Delta Sigma • Delta Tau • Delta Upsilon • Delta Phi • Delta Chi • Delta Psi • Delta Omega • Epsilon Alpha • Epsilon Beta • Epsilon Gamma • Epsilon Delta • Epsilon Epsilon • Epsilon Zeta • Epsilon Eta • Epsilon Theta • Epsilon Iota • Epsilon Kappa • Epsilon Lambda • Epsilon Mu • Epsilon Nu • Epsilon Xi • Epsilon Omicron • Epsilon Pi • Epsilon Rho • Epsilon Sigma • Epsilon Tau • Epsilon Upsilon • Epsilon Phi • Epsilon Chi • Epsilon Psi • Epsilon Omega • Zeta Alpha • Zeta Beta • Zeta Gamma • Zeta Delta • Zeta Epsilon • Zeta Zeta • Zeta Eta • Zeta Theta • Zeta Iota • Zeta Kappa • Zeta Lambda • Zeta Mu • Zeta Nu • Zeta Xi • Zeta Omicron • Zeta Pi • Zeta Rho • Zeta Sigma • Zeta Tau • Zeta Upsilon • Zeta Phi • Zeta Chi • Zeta Psi • Zeta Omega • Eta Alpha • Eta Beta • Eta Gamma • Eta Delta • Eta Epsilon • Eta Zeta • Eta Theta • Eta Iota • Eta Kappa • Eta Mu • Eta Lambda • Eta Mu • Eta Nu • Eta Xi • Eta Omicron • Eta Pi • Eta Rho • Eta Sigma

Alpha Pi Chapter

Contents