Pi Kappa Alpha Inter/National has recently released its Annual Report for 2022. Besides commenting on the financial state of the fraternity, the report updates various departments, committees, events, and initiatives on the national level for the coming year.
Perhaps the most intriguing of the new initiatives is the creation of the Pi Kappa Alpha Historical Society (PiKA HS) whose logo includes the mission of this new endeavor, “Preserve & Protect”. Founders Day 2022 marked the date fund-raising began for the first three projects of the PiKA HS: creating digital archives, funding the salary of a professional archivist, and completing the digitization of PiKA’s Gold Star Heroes. In its first year of operation, the newly created Historical Society Board of Directors, with Bruce Wolfson, Beta Pi ’71, as one of the six directors, has raised $185,000.
The PIKE Now Chapter Challenge raised over $400,000 for the benefit of undergraduate members to attend PIKE University and other annual events. The Beta Pi team, having raised $20,366, ranked third among all PiKA chapters in total funds raised. Bruce Wolfson ’71 ranked third among all “Ambassadors” for his ability to spread the message and secure donations.
PIKE University, the premier fraternity-sponsored leadership program in America, sponsors events and regional summits at eight different locations across the United States. All PiKA undergraduates are encouraged to attend these events to learn how to successfully operate a chapter and for their own personal growth. The Annual Report notes that over $1.2 million was dispensed during 2022 toward educational facilities grants, academic scholarships, support for PIKE University, and international programming.
In the Annual Report, PiKA’s leaders emphasize that PiKA “has made a long-term commitment to setting a new standard of ambition, accountability, and inclusion for ourselves and for all fraternities”. To accomplish this, PiKA has established five “strategic initiatives”:
Drive Impact on the Individual. PiKA seeks personal and professional growth for its members. It already has the best educational system of all fraternities and seeks to make it better by digitizing the “True Pike Experience (TPE) four-year development program”.
Build a Lifelong Fraternal Experience. PiKA seeks to create “opportunities for mentoring, career networking, and relevance”. In addition, the formation of the PiKA HS will preserve PiKA’s history and showcase our founding values.
Recommit to Health and Safety. PiKA will promote educational programs to deal with serious issues involving fraternities and their members including mental health, substance abuse, hazing, and sexual assault.
Demonstrate & Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. PiKA will direct recruitment of diverse new members and create an “environment where all members have a strong sense of belonging”.
Achieve Operational Success. PiKA seeks to ensure that its members have the infrastructure, tools, and support systems in place to improve their chapters in effectiveness, productivity, and operational success.
All five initiatives have already been started by the establishment of committees and groups within PiKA itself and/or partnership with outside entities that specialize in these areas.
The President’s Council has been PiKA’s most prestigious donor group. To become a member of President’s Council, a member must pledge a minimum donation of $1000 each year. With 12 members, Beta Pi has the third largest group of all chapters. Beta Pi members are:
Joel Catania ’71 Dave Edman ’75 Mitch Goldsmith ‘72
Jeff Kaufman ’80 Harvey Mackler ’72 Adam Michaels ‘97
Rich Myers ’69 Bill Scott ’76 Kaden Stenger ‘19
Rich Sussman ’69 Bruce Wolfson ’71 Paul Zaentz ‘69
In terms of contributions to the Pi Kappa Alpha Foundation that are unrestricted for use by PiKA, 46 Beta Pi donors comprise the third largest number of donors of all chapters.
To conclude the 2022 Annual Report, Pi Kappa Alpha announced that the Foundation for Fraternity Excellence, a trade association for over 100 fraternities and sororities, awarded PiKA two of their nine annual awards. PiKA received the Best Communications Effort Award for its 2021 Annual Report and the Best New Development Idea Award for the creation of the Pi Kappa Alpha Historical Society and the Founders Day of Giving that was launched to raise funds for the Historical Society.
