Pete Gingrich

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Pete Gingrich
PeteGingrich.jpg
Name Pete Gingrich
Chapter Alpha Rho
Virginia Tech
Date Inducted November 30, 1999
Roll Number ΑΡ 483
Alumni Chapter/Assoc
Honorary Member
Major Industrial & Systems Engineering
Birthdate December 1, 1980
Spouse
Nicknames
Awards 2001 AP Most Exemplary Fellowship, 2002 AP Spirit Award, 2004 AP Outstanding Alumni Award, Chapter Service Key

Pete Gingrich (born 1 December 1980) is an Alumnus and Chapter Service Key Recipient of Alpha Rho Chapter (ΑΡ 483) at Virginia Tech. He is currently the Chair of the Alpha Rho Alumni Advisory Board and a member of the Alpha Rho Chapter Endowment Fund Board of Trustees, the National Development Committee, the Sanctions Appeal Board, and the Phi Sigma Pi Foundation.

Early Fraternity Life and Career

Pi Initiate Class; Pete - bottom row, 2nd from left

Pete enrolled at Virginia Tech in Fall 1998 after graduating from Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware. As a sophomore, he was looking for a student organization to become heavily involved in when he received a letter inviting him to Phi Sigma Pi's Open Rush. Intrigued by the blend of scholarship, leadership and fellowship, as well as the co-ed aspects of the organization, he rushed Phi Sigma Pi in Fall 1999. Pete received a bid, and after a successful Initiation period serving as Initiate Class Service Chair, he was Inducted into the Chapter with the Pi Initiate Class on November 30, 1999.

Collegiate Years at Alpha Rho Chapter (1999-2002)

During his time as an undergraduate Brother, Pete was very active within the Chapter, attending virtually every event the Chapter held. He was a regular participant in the Chapter's service events including cleanup days at the Virginia Tech Duckpond and a weekly mentorship program at a local elementary school. In Fall 2001, he won an intra-Chapter competition, logging the most service hours of any Alpha Rho Brother for the semester.

Pete served in several leadership positions as an undergraduate. In his second semester as a Brother, he served as Initiation Chair for the Sigma Initiate Class. The following semester, he served as Fellowship Chair, and among other events, planned the Chapter's first end of year Toga party, a tradition that continues today. The next year he served as Initiate Advisor for the Upsilon and Phi Initiate Classes. In addition to his elected leadership roles, he helped on several ad-hoc committees to organize special events the Chapter held, including its annual 5K and the now defunct Fashion Show.

Alpha Rho at 2000 AH Tripod 21; Pete - back row, right end

Pete was instrumental in expanding the Chapter's presence within Virginia Tech intramural sports, serving as captain of many of the teams. During his time as an undergrad, the Chapter increased its number of intramural sports teams from two to eight and climbed into the Top 10 of the Hokie Grail standings, a set of rankings by the Virginia Tech Intramural Sports Department where organizations earn points based on participation and performance in intramural sports.

Pete also enjoyed road trips to other chapters. During his time as an undergraduate, his fraternity related trips included destinations of Tau, Alpha Beta, Alpha Eta, Alpha Mu, Alpha Xi, Alpha Omicron, Beta Delta, Beta Rho, St. Louis, and Pittsburgh.

Pete was recognized with a variety of superlatives and awards during his time as an undergraduate. In his first semester as a Brother, he was recognized as Most Laid Back and Best Big/Little with his Big Brother, Jae Welchel. In Spring 2001 he was recognized at Alpha Rho's annual Semiformal banquet as Most Exemplary Fellowship. In Fall 2001 he was selected as Tripod King, an annual title awarded in conjunction with the the week of events leading up to the Chapter's Founder's Weekend. In Fall 2002 he was awarded the Chapter's Spirit Award at the Alpha Rho/Beta Delta Founder's Weekend. Other superlatives Pete received during his time in college included Most Likely to be Wearing Letters and Most Likely to Talk Trash.

Alumni Years to Present

After graduating from Virginia Tech in December 2002, Pete moved back to Delaware for 6 months and worked as a substitute junior high and high school teacher while he finished his job search and interview process. In June 2003, he moved to Washington, DC and began working for Accenture as a business consultant. In December 2006, he moved to Arlington, Virginia where he currently resides and continues to work for Accenture.

Alpha Rho Chapter Involvement

Ageless Wonders Flag Football Team; Pete - back row, left end

Pete has remained active with Alpha Rho after graduation, participating in the Chapter's Alumni Buddy program with Initiates and has kept in touch with Brothers through regular trips to Blacksburg for football games and Chapter events. In addition, Pete was captain of an Alpha Rho Alumni team at the last six Alpha Eta Hope Bowl flag football tournaments. The Ageless Wonders (pictured at left), won the tournament three consecutive years from 2003-2005; Encore, finished 2nd in 2006; Let's Just Win, won the 2007 tournament; and the Alpha Rho Alumni Team placed 2nd at the 2008 tournament. At Alpha Rho's 2004 Alumni Weekend, he was honored for his participation as an Alumnus with the Loren P. Johnson Outstanding Alumni Award. In March 2005, Pete was elected to a three year term on the Alpha Rho Alumni Advisory Board (AAB). In March 2006, he was recognized as Most Familiar Face at Alpha Rho's Alumni Banquet and stepped into the role of Chair of the AAB, a role he continued for the 2007-2008 academic year. Following the April 16th tragedy at Virginia Tech, Pete worked with a group of Alpha Rho Alumni to setup the Alpha Rho Chapter Endowment Fund and now serves on the Board of Trustees for the fund.

After a one year break from Alpha Rho's AAB, in April 2009 Pete became the first Alpha Rho Brother ever elected to a second term when he was elected to the 2009-2011 term. In addition to rejoining the AAB, he returned to his previous role as Chair of the Board. On April 4, 2009 at the Chapter's annual Alumni Banquet, Pete was awarded a Chapter Service Key, becoming just the eighth Alpha Rho Brother to receive the honor.

National Involvement

Pete has also taken steps to remain active with Phi Sigma Pi on the national level. He is a member of the National Alumni Association and served on the National Membership Development Committee from 2004 through 2007, at which point all National Standing Committees were combined and he began serving on the National Development Committee (NDC). A large part of Pete's contribution on the NDC is serving as an admin for the Wiki.

At the 2007 National Convention/Grand Chapter in New Orleans, Pete ran for national office for the first time. The special election for Vice President of Alumni Development was won by Kadira Coley.

In 2008, Pete joined the Phi Sigma Pi Foundation. Also that year he joined Matthew "FreshBoy" Nicoletta, as one of the two elected National Alumni Association (NAA) delegates for the historic first-ever Grand Chapter in which the NAA was granted the right to have delegates. At that Grand Chapter Conference, he was also elected to the Sanctions Appeal Board for the 2008-2010 term.

National Involvement

Pete (center) with Jae and Andrea

Bigs and Littles

Pete's Big Brother is Jae Welchel, who is now an Alumnus.

Pete has 2 Little Brothers:

Academic Degrees

Further Resources

  • Pete can be reached by email at pete-DOT-gingrich-AT-gmail-DOT-com

Other Interesting Facts

  • Pete never missed a required chapter, chair, chair/exec, or committee meeting as an undergraduate at Alpha Rho
  • Pete's current roommate is Alpha Beta Chapter alum and Alpha Rho honorary brother Arnie Seipel
  • Pete was valedictorian of the Class of 1998 at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware
  • Pete declined an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in order to enroll at Virginia Tech
  • Pete is a diehard Virginia Tech football fan. In addition to maintaining season tickets for home games, he has attended away games at Temple, West Virginia, UVA, Maryland, Miami, LSU, and Nebraska; neutral site games in Charlotte and Atlanta; two ACC Championship games, and the Orange Bowl (twice), Sugar Bowl, Gator Bowl, and Chick-fil-A Bowl.
  • Pete has taken four initiate buddies in Alpha Rho's Alumni Buddy program: Lindsey Field, Molly Fagan, Julie Poole and Katie Kane.
  • Pete has been a groomsman or best man in five Alpha Rho Brothers' weddings-- Rex Card, David Spracher, Matt Radzom, Billy Cosby, and Jeff Owen.
  • As a member of Alpha Rho's Pi initiate class (Inducted Fall 1999), Pete is the youngest Alpha Rho Brother to receive a Chapter Service Key


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