Pi Kappa Alpha

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Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity

ΠΚΑ
Open Motto: Once A Pike... Always A Pike.
Nicknames: Pikes, Pikas, Pi K-As
Image:PiKA Crest.jpg

The Coat of Arms
Founded: March 1, 1868 (1868-03-01) (age 140) at

University of Virginia
Founders:
Executive Vice President
  • Raymond L. Orians
Membership 227,000+ Alumni
Official Colors: Garnet and Old Gold
Official Flower: Image:Lillyofthevalley.jpg
Symbols: The Oak Tree (universally symbolic of strength and endurance), Shield & Diamond, White Horse
Devises: Dagger, Key, and Saber
Publication: Shield and Diamond
Member Badge: Image:Pi kappa alpha badge.jpg
Colony Pin:
Flag: Image:PiKappaAlphaFlag.jpg
Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity Website

Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity (ΠΚΑ) is an international, secret, social, Greek-letter, college fraternity. It was founded at 47 West Range at the University of Virginia in the United States on Sunday evening, March 1, 1868.

Contents

[edit] History

Pi Kappa Alpha is an international brotherhood composed of 210 student chapters, 9 colonies, and 120 alumni associations. The Fraternity has more than 227,000 members and has maintained the largest average chapter and pledge class size of any international fraternity for most of the past 20 years.[1] Pi Kappa Alpha, through its members, has donated millions of dollars to philanthropic causes and community organizations across North America. Pi Kappa Alpha's vision is to "set the standard of integrity, intellect, and achievement for our members, host institutions, and the communities in which we live."

The Fraternity is a chapter-based fraternal association. Undergraduate chapter and alumni association delegates gather every two years in a national Convention to elect a board of directors (known as the Supreme Council), and adopt policies for the benefit of the organization. (International Officers, staff and past national presidents also have a vote at the Convention.) The Fraternity's translated name and ritual are heavily-guarded secrets - a tradition of the majority of fraternities that goes back to the days when fraternities were outlawed on many campuses and members could be discriminated against for their affiliation.

Six men are generally recognized as the Fraternity's founders - Robertson Howard, Julian Edward Wood, James Benjamin Sclater Jr., Frederick Southgate Taylor, Littleton Waller Tazewell Bradford and William C. Alexander. (Only four were present at the first meeting and Alexander's membership was subject to a vote.) The reason for their desire to start a fraternity is described in Pi Kappa Alpha's preamble:

“ For the establishment of friendship on a firmer and more lasting basis; for the promotion of brotherly love and kind feeling; for the mutual benefit and advancement of the interests of those with whom we sympathize and deem worthy of our regard; We have resolved to form a Fraternity; believing that, thus we can most successfully accomplish our object. ”

Prior to enrolling at Virginia, at least two of the Founders saw action in the American Civil War as young cadets at the Virginia Military Institute. While the chapter at Virginia (Alpha) is the Fraternity's founding chapter, the longest continuously operating chapter is Theta, founded in 1878 and located at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.

Pi Kappa Alpha has an open membership policy and does not discriminate based on race, religion, or nationality.

[edit] Memorial Headquarters and professional staff

The Fraternity's international headquarters, known as Memorial Headquarters, is located at 8347 West Range Cove in Memphis, Tennessee, USA. The building was dedicated in 1988 as a memorial to brothers who have given their lives for their country while fighting for freedom in the armed forces. The Jeffersonian architecture is a tribute to the Fraternity's founding at the University of Virginia. Prior to the construction of this building, the Fraternity's headquarters was located at what is now known as King Hall at Rhodes College in Memphis, home of Theta Chapter.

The Headquarters is owned and operated by the Pi Kappa Alpha Educational Foundation. It houses the professional staff which administers the work of the Fraternity through a variety of corporate entities. Generally, the staff is organized along the lines of fund raising, real estate and member services. A chief operating officer oversees each of those functional areas, with those officers reporting to the chief executive officer.

[edit] Member programs

Pike University is the Fraternity's comprehensive educational events, leadership development and recognition program. The first component are the events. Pike University sponsors up to 10 events per year, including Leadership Summits, the Chapter Executives Conference, The Academy, The International Convention, the Volunteer Forum and the True Pike Challenge. Each has its own focus, curriculum and venue. Approximately 2,000 members participate in at least one of these programs annually. The second component is the Scholarship Program. Pike University each year makes available funds for alumni and students to participate in Pike University events. The third component are the International Awards, presented each summer to chapters, alumni associations and individuals who demonstrate exceptional achievement. The fourth component is the Certification Program. Members who attend at least three and five events are recognized at "garnet" or "gold" levels and are afforded special opportunities - such as exclusive eligibility to apply for the True Pike Challenge, an outdoor survival skills course taught in the Utah wilderness by Josh Bernstein of the Boulder Outdoor Survival School.[1]

The Cornerstones is the Fraternity's recently unveiled chapter programming format. It takes the vision, creed and mission and measures chapter achievement against those values. It is also the basis for the International Awards. The Cornerstones lay out the four areas of chapter programming that are critical to effective fraternity experience: membership, operations, brotherhood, and leadership. Each area has further sub-categories that help comprise the basis of the many award applications. These include: alumni relations, athletics, campus involvement, community service, philanthropy, ritual, accountability, management, international Fraternity participation, continuing education, public relations, finances, new member education, risk awareness, and recruitment.[2]

The Fraternity offers a variety of real estate services for affiliated house corporations. These services include educational programming, capital campaign consultation and primary and secondary lending. A highlight is the International Work Day program, which has grown in participation each year. Chapters that participate in this program sponsor an annual work day at their property, and market the event to parents and alumni. Included in the Fraternity's real estate programs are annual awards for house proficiency and operations. [3]

A Liability Protection Program is also provided for the benefit of the Fraternity's members, chapters, volunteers and corporate entities. It provides support and protection for each within the scope of the Fraternity-related conduct, subject to a variety of exclusions. [4]

[edit] Volunteer structure

The Fraternity's governing board, the Supreme Council, has the authority to appoint a variety of volunteer committees to assist in implementing or monitoring programs. Examples include the International Education and Recruitment Advisors, the International Real Estate Advisors and the International Risk Awareness Advisors. Other appointments include International Historian and International Chaplain. All of the men who serve in these capacities are considered International Officers, along with former Presidents who hold the title for life by virtue of their election and service.

[edit] Prominent Pikes

[edit] Media

[edit] Business

[edit] Education

[edit] Government

  • Pete Sessions - US Representative from 32nd Congressional District, Texas
  • Thad Cochran - U.S. Senator, State of Mississippi
  • Everett M. Dirksen - Former U.S. Senator, State of Illinois
  • Jon Kyl - U.S. Senator, State of Arizona
  • Charlie Crist - Governor (and former Attorney General) of Florida
  • Karl Rove - Former White House advisor to President George W. Bush and Former Deputy Chief of Staff
  • Samuel Skinner - Secretary of Transportation and White House Chief of Staff to George H. W. Bush
  • J. Strom Thurmond- Former U.S. Senator, State of South Carolina
  • Elbert P. Tuttle - Federal Judge and Civil Rights Pioneer
  • Nicholas Lampson - Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 9th District (1997 - 2004) and 22nd District (2006 - present)
  • Edward A. Pease - Former U.S. Representative, State of Indiana
  • General Richard Seitz - General (Ret.) United States Army
  • Louis H. Wilson - General (Ret.), former commandant of USMC
  • Donald Regan - Former White House Chief of Staff to Reagan Administration
  • Pat Roberts - U.S. Senator, State of Kansas
  • John Sparkman - Former U.S. Senator, State of Alabama
  • Robert E. Cramer - U.S. House of Representatives, 5th District of Alabama
  • Richard Armey - U.S. House of Representatives, from Texas, former Republican Majority Leader

[edit] Sports

[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ PKA Fast Facts
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North-American Interfraternity Conference

Acacia • Alpha Gamma Rho • Alpha Gamma Sigma • Alpha Delta Gamma • Alpha Delta Phi • Alpha Epsilon Pi • Alpha Kappa Lambda • Alpha Sigma Phi • Alpha Tau Omega • Alpha Phi Alpha • Alpha Phi Delta • Alpha Chi Rho • Beta Sigma Psi • Beta Theta Pi • Beta Chi Theta • Delta Kappa Epsilon • Delta Sigma Phi • Delta Tau Delta • Delta Upsilon • Delta Phi • Delta Chi • Delta Psi • FarmHouse • Zeta Beta Tau • Zeta Psi • Theta Delta Chi • Theta Xi • Theta Chi • Iota Nu Delta • Iota Phi Theta • Kappa Alpha Order • Kappa Alpha Psi • Kappa Alpha Society • Kappa Delta Rho • Kappa Delta Phi • Lambda Theta Phi • Lambda Sigma Upsilon • Lambda Phi Epsilon • Lambda Chi Alpha • Omega Delta Phi • Pi Kappa Alpha • Pi Kappa Phi • Pi Lambda Phi • Sigma Alpha Epsilon • Sigma Alpha Mu • Sigma Lambda Beta • Sigma Nu • Sigma Pi • Sigma Tau Gamma • Sigma Phi Delta • Sigma Phi Epsilon • Sigma Phi Society • Sigma Chi • Tau Delta Phi • Tau Epsilon Phi • Tau Kappa Epsilon • Triangle • Phi Gamma Delta • Phi Iota Alpha • Phi Kappa Theta • Phi Kappa Sigma • Phi Kappa Tau • Phi Kappa Psi • Phi Lambda Chi • Phi Mu Delta • Phi Sigma Kappa • Phi Sigma Phi • Chi Phi • Chi Psi • Psi Upsilon