Toucan
07-07-2008, 01:29 PM
By Jim DiVita
On Saturday, May 5, 2007 in Manhattan, KS, the 212th chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity was installed as the first chapter in Sigma Pi’s Iota series; Iota-Alpha Chapter at Kansas State University.
The Kansas State colony got its start after the Sigma Pi Expansion Department colonized a group of men on September 1, 2006. The colonization took place after the Greek community’s formal recruitment, making it the first Sigma Pi “cold start” for the 2006-2007 year. A cold start is defined as a recruitment effort initiated by the national headquarters where no previous chapter on campus, alumni or members from a previously opened chapter exist. The colony was established through Director of Expansion Jim DiVita (Zeta-Mu, Michigan State ’04) and the K-State Greek Affairs Office. Last year a formal invitation from the IFC was extended to Sigma Pi to join the Greek community. Supporting the colony immediately from the beginning were alumni Ray Garrison (Theta-Gamma, West Alabama ’97) and Ty Krueger (Theta-Rho, Grand Valley State ’06), a Kansas State graduate student. Ray and Ty (both founding fathers themselves at their alma maters) were instrumental in helping the colony charter so quickly. Also, the colony enjoyed support from Scott Jones, Brandon Cutler and the entire K-State Greek Affairs Office. In the fall the men began competing right away in events such as homecoming and intramural sports. Soon, the men would complete two ACE (Altruistic Campus Experience) Projects, designed to give back to the university both in the same year supporting K-State Proud helping to raise scholarship money for students and another working with the women’s health center promoting sexual assault awareness. At the K-State Greek Affairs Award Banquet the colony was awarded the Greek Community’s Unity Award. The colony even acquired a chapter house through help and efforts of Sigma Pi Housing Committee Chairman Mark Reed (Alpha-Phi, Georgia ’69). Culminating an entire year’s worth of work, the initiation ceremony on Saturday May 5th took place at the local Manhattan area Masonic Temple, where in addition to the 46 undergraduate members, 9 fathers and friends of the colony were initiated including the Masonic Temple’s Worshipful Master Gerald Burson.
Sigma Pi’s expansion to Kansas State marks the first successful “cold start” expansion effort on campus in nearly 20 years. Iota-Alpha Chapter becomes the 2nd chapter in the state of Kansas, the 6th Sigma Pi chapter in the Big 12 Conference and joins one of the preeminent Greek systems in all of North America entering a community of over 40 fraternities and sororities on campus. Special thanks to all faculty, parents, dates, area alumni, the Manhattan Masonic Temple and the brothers from Epsilon-Epsilon Chapter at Emporia State University: Corey Wright ‘08, Derek Sifuentez ‘07, Matt Perky ’09 and Gamma-Gamma brothers at the University of Central Missouri: Nick Sagez ‘07, Adam Lockard ‘10, and Will Urton ‘08 for helping out in the initiation ceremony.
Letters of congratulations can be sent to: C/O Sage Martin Wilson, Sigma Pi Fraternity, 214 K-State Union, Manhattan, KS 66506. If you are interested in joining the alumni advisory board, please contact Martin at: mrwilson@ksu.edu (mrwilson@ksu.edu) or at: 913.406.2458 for more information on joining.
Chartering Team:
Grand Sage: George Hakim (Gamma-Alpha, Detroit Mercy ’78)
Grand Second Counselor: Tim Walker (Epsilon-Epsilon, Emporia State ’03)
Grand Third Counselor: Ty Krueger (Theta-Rho, Grand Valley State ’06)
Grand Fourth Counselor: Brad Drewek (Epsilon-Epsilon, Emporia State ’07)
Grand First Counselor: Justin Sharples (Epsilon-Epsilon, Emporia State ’03)
Grand Herald: Mark Briscoe (Alpha-Pi, Arkansas State ’82)
Currently, Sigma Pi Fraternity has 122 chapters and 15 colonies throughout North America.
On Saturday, May 5, 2007 in Manhattan, KS, the 212th chapter of Sigma Pi Fraternity was installed as the first chapter in Sigma Pi’s Iota series; Iota-Alpha Chapter at Kansas State University.
The Kansas State colony got its start after the Sigma Pi Expansion Department colonized a group of men on September 1, 2006. The colonization took place after the Greek community’s formal recruitment, making it the first Sigma Pi “cold start” for the 2006-2007 year. A cold start is defined as a recruitment effort initiated by the national headquarters where no previous chapter on campus, alumni or members from a previously opened chapter exist. The colony was established through Director of Expansion Jim DiVita (Zeta-Mu, Michigan State ’04) and the K-State Greek Affairs Office. Last year a formal invitation from the IFC was extended to Sigma Pi to join the Greek community. Supporting the colony immediately from the beginning were alumni Ray Garrison (Theta-Gamma, West Alabama ’97) and Ty Krueger (Theta-Rho, Grand Valley State ’06), a Kansas State graduate student. Ray and Ty (both founding fathers themselves at their alma maters) were instrumental in helping the colony charter so quickly. Also, the colony enjoyed support from Scott Jones, Brandon Cutler and the entire K-State Greek Affairs Office. In the fall the men began competing right away in events such as homecoming and intramural sports. Soon, the men would complete two ACE (Altruistic Campus Experience) Projects, designed to give back to the university both in the same year supporting K-State Proud helping to raise scholarship money for students and another working with the women’s health center promoting sexual assault awareness. At the K-State Greek Affairs Award Banquet the colony was awarded the Greek Community’s Unity Award. The colony even acquired a chapter house through help and efforts of Sigma Pi Housing Committee Chairman Mark Reed (Alpha-Phi, Georgia ’69). Culminating an entire year’s worth of work, the initiation ceremony on Saturday May 5th took place at the local Manhattan area Masonic Temple, where in addition to the 46 undergraduate members, 9 fathers and friends of the colony were initiated including the Masonic Temple’s Worshipful Master Gerald Burson.
Sigma Pi’s expansion to Kansas State marks the first successful “cold start” expansion effort on campus in nearly 20 years. Iota-Alpha Chapter becomes the 2nd chapter in the state of Kansas, the 6th Sigma Pi chapter in the Big 12 Conference and joins one of the preeminent Greek systems in all of North America entering a community of over 40 fraternities and sororities on campus. Special thanks to all faculty, parents, dates, area alumni, the Manhattan Masonic Temple and the brothers from Epsilon-Epsilon Chapter at Emporia State University: Corey Wright ‘08, Derek Sifuentez ‘07, Matt Perky ’09 and Gamma-Gamma brothers at the University of Central Missouri: Nick Sagez ‘07, Adam Lockard ‘10, and Will Urton ‘08 for helping out in the initiation ceremony.
Letters of congratulations can be sent to: C/O Sage Martin Wilson, Sigma Pi Fraternity, 214 K-State Union, Manhattan, KS 66506. If you are interested in joining the alumni advisory board, please contact Martin at: mrwilson@ksu.edu (mrwilson@ksu.edu) or at: 913.406.2458 for more information on joining.
Chartering Team:
Grand Sage: George Hakim (Gamma-Alpha, Detroit Mercy ’78)
Grand Second Counselor: Tim Walker (Epsilon-Epsilon, Emporia State ’03)
Grand Third Counselor: Ty Krueger (Theta-Rho, Grand Valley State ’06)
Grand Fourth Counselor: Brad Drewek (Epsilon-Epsilon, Emporia State ’07)
Grand First Counselor: Justin Sharples (Epsilon-Epsilon, Emporia State ’03)
Grand Herald: Mark Briscoe (Alpha-Pi, Arkansas State ’82)
Currently, Sigma Pi Fraternity has 122 chapters and 15 colonies throughout North America.