From 2000 to 2026, John Miller ’78 served as the treasurer for the Alpha Mu alumni board, the longest-serving alumni treasurer in the chapter’s history.
“My involvement as treasurer started at the annual Homecoming chapter meeting in, I believe, 2000,” John said. “Brother Mike Myers ’78, knowing I couldn’t use the ‘I live out of state’ excuse any longer (I had just moved back to Pennsylvania from Texas), announced to the brotherhood that he thought I would make a good treasurer.
“Before I could reply, I was elected. I figured I could do it for a year or two. Twenty-five years later, I still blame Mike,” he said.
“I think I have stayed involved for one main reason: the brothers, both active and alumni. Every year, there are new officers and men in the house, and new accomplishments and challenges. And every year, I work with great brothers on the board and alumni that care about the ups and downs of keeping Alpha Mu financially alive.”
John had fraternity membership in mind as he entered Penn State as a freshman. “I grew up in State College, and understood the significant role the Greek system plays in the college experience,” John said. “I guess it was not so much whether to join a house, but rather, which one.
“My family thought I should follow my grandfather and uncle to Phi Psi, but I just didn’t feel I fit in there as well. My high school friend, Brother Bob Igo ’77, joined Pi Kapp the year before I did, and he led the way for me. Let’s just say, I was not a real serious student. But I did work very hard at having a good time!”
When John joined the chapter, there were three things for which the chapter was known on campus: “We had the best parties, we started the Dance Marathon, and we hosted the Miss Penn State Pageant, which was a Miss America tie-in contest.”
Indeed, the parties did sound pretty legendary. “In the mid-1970’s, disco was at full throttle and Pi Kapp figured having a great disco-themed light and sound system was a good strategy to attract lots of ladies,” John said. “The only downside was, we all had to learn to dance to disco, so we all just followed the example of Brother Chuck Sorg ’78. It was a winning strategy. The parties were among the best on campus.”
While the parties might have been glamorous, the living conditions in the house were decidedly less so. “I pledged and lived in the house during the winter semester of 1975,” John said. “I had a beautiful lower bunk in the pledge pad, which was then about eight or 10 bunks on the second floor. Let’s just say, I understand why that living accommodation didn’t stand the test of time.”
Even as an undergraduate, John enjoyed alumni involvement and interaction. “Homecoming was a great tradition when I lived in the house, and, although we made fun of the alumni (it is the right of all undergrads), it was really great to have generations of alumni in the house sharing how it ‘used to be.’ I feel that tradition has been somewhat lost, and not many men come back.”
John identified clear benefits he experienced as a result of his membership in Pi Kappa Phi. “At the time, you don’t really realize that you are learning life lessons by being in a fraternity, but they come out later,” he said. “Things like working together, planning, leadership, helping others, watching how others succeed or fail, and personal accountability.
“The house was forced to close for three years in 2015. The financial impact having no income from in-house brothers was, to say the least, enormous. We suddenly had to figure out a way to cover, at a minimum, all our fixed expenses or risk losing the house. There were many issues to contend with, including permissible use, risk of damage, condition of the house, and ultimately, how to re-charter. It was a difficult time, and we had no roadmap. Through various leases, loans, and alumni support, we made it, not only through, but, I would argue, to a better place now.”
Based on his volunteer experience, John had some words of advice for his fellow alumni about staying engaged with the chapter. “No matter when you graduated, be it last year, last decade, or last century,” he said, “the house is not what it was when you were there. Not that it is better, or worse, it is just that times change, college students change, and the role that a fraternity and house play change as well.
“I think many of the alumni would be surprised to learn that there are about 100 active members of the Alpha Mu Chapter, but that only about 25 choose to live in the house. This creates a very different dynamic as to what it is to be a brother and what role the housing corporation plays. And I would be remiss as a treasurer if I didn’t state that donations provide a critical building block for our success. But frankly, more alumni support is needed to deal with our aging, 100-year-old house.”
John also advocated for an old tradition. “I would like to see a revival of the annual chapter/board meeting following the game. TV logistics make it tough, but the meeting was valuable not just to elect board members, but to get input from all ages of brothers about the direction the house should take. And you never knew who might show up!”
John was naturally reflective about Pi Kappa Phi since he finished a significant time volunteering with the chapter. “Being a Pi Kapp is not necessarily about living in the house at this time. We live in a much more virtual world and I hope that the meaning of brotherhood – the comradery, the shared experiences, the feeling of belonging – is not lost in the new model of brotherhood.
“Without Pi Kappa Phi, I wouldn’t have a network of lifelong friends that regularly gets together to relive our college days, even after 50 years,” John said. “I hope to see everyone at our 100th year at Penn State celebration, being planned for August 2027.”