After an 18-month journey from colonization, Pi Kappa Phi fraternity will become rechartered at the University of Oregon, and the 40 members of the fraternity will become fully initiated brothers on Fri., May 3.
The chartering marks the first time Pi Kappa Phi will have an official chapter at the UO since 2001. Executives from Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., flew in on Wednesday to commence the final stages of chartering.
“The moment you look forward to when you sign a bid is that day of initiation,” said President of Pi Kappa Phi Zach Curtis. “For most people, that wait period lasts about 6-8 weeks. You work for it, you get it and you get to learn the secrets, the meanings and all that. That process for us has been almost a year and a half now.”
Twenty-four members of the University of Washington chapter of Pi Kappa Phi are coming down to perform the initiation ritual. But before the UO members are initiated, they must pass a 40-question test on the history and values of Pi Kappa Phi, as well as go through oral boards with members of the national headquarters.
Also as part of the chartering process, UO members had to raise $1,000 for Pi Kappa Phi’s national foundation, Push America, and make a brochure with pictures and biographies of every founding father at the UO colony.
“It’s something that a lot of people can’t say that they worked that hard for initiation, and it just means that much more,” Curtis said.
He and Chartering Chairman Dan Smith have a vision for what they want the UO chapter to be. He believes the fraternity’s fall rush class can fulfill that vision.
“I want to see it be done right,” Smith said. “I think the guys that we have right now want to do it right. It’s good to have some fun, but you have to do what’s right and make sure you’re getting all your stuff done with the academics and community service, being a leader on campus … They want to really show the good side of (Fraternity & Sorority Life).”
According to Curtis, the next steps for the fraternity are finding a house and putting the wheels in motion for their first big philanthropy they are trying to schedule for next fall. But nothing is sweeter for him than finishing the journey and becoming a brother of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
“Being able to be a full member, a lifetime member, of Pi Kappa Phi definitely is going to be a big milestone in my life,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard and for so long on anything in my life, and I’ve gotten so much out of the experience.”