Pi Kappa Alpha

From Free net encyclopedia

Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity (ΠΚΑ) is an international, secret, social, greek-letter, college fraternity.

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History

Pi Kappa Alpha was founded in 47 West Range at the University of Virginia on March 1, 1868. The Fraternity is composed of men who share similar ideals of friendship, truth, honor, and loyalty.

Six students are generally recognized as the Fraternity's founders - Frederick Southgate Taylor, Robertson Howard, Julian Edward Wood, James Benjamin Sclater Jr., Littleton Waller Tazewell (Bradford) and William Alexander. Prior to enrolling at Virginia, at least two of the Founders saw action in the Civil War as young cadets at the Virginia Military Institute. While the chapter at Virginia is the Fraternity's founding chapter, the longest continuously operating chapter is located at Rhodes College in Memphis.

The Fraternity is a chapter-based fraternal association. Undergraduate chapter delegates gather every two years to elect a board of directors and adopt policies for the benefit of the organization. The Fraternity's translated name and ritual are secret - a tradition of most fraternities that goes back to the days when fraternities were outlawed on many campuses and members could be persecuted for their affiliation.

Pi Kappa Alpha experienced a period of tremendous growth in the 1980s largely thanks to its aggressive policy of expansion - adding new chapters to college campuses. By the end of that decade, the Fraternity was widely regarded as one of a handful of leading inter/national fraternities. To this day, Pi Kappa Alpha pledges and initiates more members on a per-chapter basis than any other fraternity.

Beginning in the late 1990s and continuing presently, Pi Kappa Alpha began a refocus on its values and how those values are communicated. Recent conventions have focused on the development of vision, mission and creed statements and have adopted innovative programs such as Pike University - the Fraternity's leadership and educational programming arm. New alumni programs (e.g. Pike Loyal Order and the inCircle network) have also been launched in an effort to reconnect alumni both amongst themselves and with undergraduate chapters as mentors and advisors.

The Fraternity has grown to an international brotherhood composed of more than 200,000 initiated members, 200 chapters and 100 alumni associations. 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.”

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Famous Pikes

Jon Stewart- Comedian, Host of The Daily Show
Kyle Orton- NFL Quarterback (Beta Phi Chapter - Purdue University)
Wes Fesler - College Football Hall of Fame
Karl Rove - White House advisor to President George W. Bush.
Chad O. Holliday - CEO, DuPont
R. Lamar Durrett - Former CEO, Air Canada
Elbert P. Tuttle - Federal Judge and Civil Rights Pioneer
Rick Dees - Radio personality
Jeff Taylor- Founder/CEO of Monster.Com (Zeta Sigma Chapter)
Tim McGraw - Country music star
Gino Toretta - 1992 Heisman Trophy Winnter (Gamma Omega - U. of Miami)
Jeff Fiegles - NFL Player New York Giants (University of Miami)
Chris Myers - NFL Player Denver Broncos (University of Miami)
Ted Koppel - TV personality
Horace Grant - NBA player, Chicago Bulls
Howard Schnellenberger - Head Coach, Florida Atlanic University (1983 National Champion with U. of Miami)
Bobby Bowden - Head Football Coach, Florida State University
Thad Cochran - U.S. Senator, State of Mississippi
Michael David McCoy - Head Physician World Health Organization - Viral Pathogens
Stephen R. Covey - CEO FranklinCovey Co., author of "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People"
Richard Simmons - CEO Simmons Inc
Jimmie Davis Parker - Partner, Parker Law Group
Nolan Bushnell - Founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theater
J. Strom Thurmond- Former United States Senator, South Carolina, deceased
Kevin Turner - Chief Operating Officer, Microsoft
Andrew Sorensen - President, University of South Carolina
Neal Patterson - CEO and Founder, Cerner Corporation
Thomas H. Davis - Founder, Former President and CEO, Piedmont Airlines
Adrian A. Uberto - Former Director of Latin American Affairs, World Bank
Lance Alworth - Pro Football Hall of Fame
Bill McCartney - Founder and CEO, Promise Keepers
Steve Prefontaine - Olympian runner
James Waring - State Senator Arizona
Scott Van Pelt - ESPN Sportscenter Anchor
Mike Cooley - Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter for Drive-By Truckers
William Nester - Chancellor Emeritus of the University of Nebraska at Kearney
Bob Losure - Former CNN Headline News anchor
Jon Kyl - U.S. Senator, State of Arizona