With summer winding down, it means a new school year is right around the corner. Soon, another class of students will be back on campus and in town, ready to experience another great year at Penn State.

Of course, students aren’t the only ones who will be back in town!

What are some places around State College that you can’t wait to get back to this year? Are you planning any nights at Champs or Café 210 with your Pi Kappa Phi buddies?

Is your favorite hangout spot the same as it was when you were a student? How have things changed around town in the years since you graduated?

We want to know! Share your thoughts with us HERE and be featured in an upcoming eLetter!

When you’re in middle age, you start to realize how very much you need your friends. After decades of relentless striving — kids, house, career, spouse — we find ourselves coming up for breath at some point in these middle decades. And what remains? With any luck, our friends.  

An Atlantic Monthly article (do yourself a favor and read it at tinyurl.com/lifelongfriends), says that according to the Stanford Center on Longevity, those of us over 40 have aged out of the friendship-collecting business, which tends to peak in the tumbleweed stage of life, and move into the friendship-enjoying business, luxuriating in the relationships that survived as we put down roots. 

The problem? Those friendships are awfully hard-won. Life’s significant upheavals and changes can prove too much for many friendships to withstand. As years go by, some of the dearest people in your life have gently faded away.  

But these bonds with friends are more than an extra in your life story — they are the story. Over and over, we hear stories of how Pi Kappa Phi friends drove overnight to be in weddings, wept together at funerals, cheered at the news of new babies, toasted promotions, and gathered together in adversity. In a nutshell: the friendships we gained — and still have — with our fraternity brothers are exquisitely rare in today’s world. 

Author Jennifer Senior says, “Practically everyone who studies friendship says this in some form or another: What makes friendship so fragile is also exactly what makes it so special. You have to continually opt in. That you choose it is what gives it its value.” 

Our Alpha Mu Chapter friendships have seen us through so much, but don’t take them for granted. Take a minute to text or call your roommate, or intramural teammate, and tell them that you are thinking of them. Our friendships have fueled these decades since graduation… Let’s keep it going.  

P.S. Don’t have the most recent contact information? We do! Log in and head over to our alumni directory page.  

Did you receive your Spring 2023 edition of Alpha Musings? If not, you’re missing out!

If you didn’t receive your copy in the mail, send your current mailing address to us at alumninews@affinityconnection.com and let us know to add you to the Alpha Mu Chapter at Penn State mailing list.

To read the digital newsletter on our alumni website, CLICK HERE.

Thank you to these fine gentlemen listed below in the 2022-23 Honor Roll for their continued support of Alpha Mu Chapter! Because of them, we have been able to not only support our chapter, but support the alumni through communications, reunions, and financing.

View the Honor Roll here!

Our giving year ends 8/31/2023, and we have a ways to go to reach our goal. If you have not already given this year, please consider a gift and earn your spot on this year’s Honor Roll!

DONATE HERE

Photo and story courtesy of Dignity Memorial.

Robert Jeffrey Trotter, age 69, of Lake Mary, Florida passed away on Sunday, May 21, 2023, at Life Care Center of Altamonte Springs.

He was born on January 30,1954 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, son of Clarence Earl Trotter and Margaret Allaine (Kirchner) Trotter. He spent most of his youth years in State College, Pennsylvania and graduated from State College High in 1971. After high school graduation, he went on to college at Penn State University graduating with a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree. During his college years, he was a proud member of the Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity, where he met brothers who were loyal friends throughout his life. Through the years, Rob worked for Delta, AT&T, and lastly, for Teradata as a program manager in their global professional services division. He lived and worked in Lake Mary most of his adult life and retired from Teradata in 2014.

Rob loved bowling, golfing, Nascar, all Penn State sports (but mostly football), the Pittsburgh Steelers, 80’s music, the beach, and catching up with friends. He also liked to travel and went on annual fishing trips with his dad in northern Maine, for small-mouth bass. Rob visited Hong Kong, San Diego, St. Johns in the BVI’s, Tijuana, Mexico, the Hawaiian Islands, Fiji, Spain, Costa Rica, Niagara Falls, Bar Harbor, Maine, and many more.

Rob had a special place in his heart for golden retrievers. He had three adorable goldens, Nikki, Nittany and Bradley. He also had mixed-breeds, Penny and Joesy, who were rescues and also near and dear to his heart. He was a generous supporter of animal rescues, Penn State and other worthy causes.

In 2014, Rob was diagnosed with a brain meningioma. After the surgery to remove the mass and subsequent radiation treatments, Rob battled infections in his skull bone for many years. After numerous surgeries and treatments, he was placed in a long-term care facility in 2018, where he died of natural causes, peacefully in his sleep.

Rob is survived by his wife of 22 years, Debra Trotter, his sister Linda Trotter, and his nieces Kelli and Devin Brosnan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Clarence and Margaret Trotter, sister Susan G Trotter, and brother, Terry W Trotter.

He will be missed by countless friends and family. May he Rest in Peace.

Rob’s ashes will be interred at Oaklawn Cemetery in Lake Mary, Florida.

Source Courtesy of the Steven R. Neff Funeral Home

Brother Richard M. Wall, of Spring Mills, passed away Saturday, December 10, 2022.  He was 84.  Born January 3, 1938, in Philadelphia, Richard was a son of the late Richard V. and Margaret J. (Michael) Wall.  A 1955 graduate of Susquehanna Township High School, Richard went on to attend Penn State University graduating in 1959.  While at Penn State, he was a member of the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, where he served in various leadership positions. On October 16, 1965, Richard married Esther Hoffman, at Washington Memorial Chapel in Valley Forge.  Esther survives at their home.

Also surviving are two daughters, Kathryn Long (Brian) of Centre Hall and Nancy Spector (Brian) of Harrisburg and two grandchildren, Andrew (Natalie, fiancée) and Ryan Long. 

Richard retired after a 28-year career in the Social Security Administration as a Claims Representative. He was a familiar face on the streets of Spring Mills and the surrounding community where you would find him walking, always waving at everyone as they passed him.  He was a life-long reader, especially history, politics, and anything new that intrigued him.  Richard served our country in the Army National Guard and was a longtime member of the Gregg Township Fire Company.  He and his wife held Penn State football season tickets in WF from 1968-2010 and that is where you will find his daughters now.  Family vacations were spent traveling to destinations such as Colonial Williamsburg, Charleston, SC, and many other historic and national park sights.

The family respectfully asks that no flowers are sent, instead consider making a donation in Richard’s memory to Penns Valley EMS, 106 Ross Hill Road, Spring Mills, PA 16875. 

The Alpha Mu chapter of Pi Kappa Phi is excited to welcome in our newest pledge class! This pledge class is referred to as Theta 7. Below are pictures and information about each of the fine gentlemen that are part of this pledge class. If you would like to be put in contact with any of these men, reach out to the active chapter and we can put you in contact.

Name: Andrew Stewart
Major: Finance
Hometown: Southampton, PA
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Louie Daniele
Major: Finance
Hometown: Warrington, PA
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Joseph Carella
Major: Business
Hometown: Westfield, NJ
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Eduardo Zamora
Major: Engineering
Hometown: São Paulo, Brazil
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Noah Penica
Major: Finance
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Nick Esposito
Major: Biology
Hometown: Doylestown, PA
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Jordan Cortens
Major: Finance
Hometown: Newport Beach, CA
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Thomas Lu
Major: Marketing
Hometown: Middletown, NJ
Year: Sophomore
Picture:

 

Name: Gabe Winter
Major: Finance
Hometown: Mamaroneck, NY
Year: Sophomore
Picture:

 

Name: Colin Ewing
Major: Undecided (Business)
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Max Wilken
Major: Undecided (Supply Chain)
Hometown: Mechanicsburg, PA
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Sean Czarnecki
Major: Finance
Hometown: Westfield, NJ
Year: Freshman
Picture:

 

Name: Jordan Ramirez
Major: Undecided (Security Risk and Analysis)
Hometown: Lansdale, PA
Year: Freshman
Picture:

“For me, my ongoing Pi Kappa Phi friendships are valuable, dependable, and everlasting and I appreciate them more and more as time goes on,” Allen Snyder ‘79 says.  

Allen graduated from Pi Kappa Phi Penn State in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in petroleum and natural gas engineering. He married his wife, Eileen, and the couple moved to California, where Allen would work in the energy sector at Chevron for the next six years. Allen found an interest in energy finance business, and soon received an MBA degree and moved to Dallas, Texas with his growing family. Allen is now retired and lives with his wife in Cary, North Carolina. Allen has four children and four grandchildren. One of his sons pledged Pi Kappa Phi at UNC Wilmington, and another received their graduate degree from Penn State.  

Allen recalls that the house was known for being attractive and clean with an “electric mix of men that didn’t fit into any one category (“preppy”, jocks, nerds, pot heads, etc.). Instead, the brothers were considered “top-notch, down-to-earth guys that had great parties”. Regarding the parties, Pi Kapp’s social calendar was always full, and the party room in the basement was unique with multi-colored ceiling lights that were synchronized with the sound system (designed and installed previously by brothers I can’t recall). We also had party mix disco music that attracted a lot of ladies that came out to dance (thanks to brother Chuck Sorg ‘78!).” 

During parties at the house, Allen loved hanging out by the bar so he could chat with his fellow brothers and meet many “other interesting people.” 

Allen recalls that a few of his brothers made a special impact on him while living at the house. His big brother, Steve DiOrio ‘78, his pledge brother and roommate, Walt Rakowich ‘79, and fellow PNGE major Bruce Berwager ‘79. Allen’s brothers continued to be a strong support years later.  

“A few years back, I had to furnish an empty 2-bedroom condo in another town, and coincidentally, Skip Parks ‘78 was moving out of a 2-bedroom row house at the same time. Skip offered all his furniture to me (with a generous Pi Kapp discount), and I just had to move it all from Baltimore to Greensboro, NC. Steve Ferguson ‘78 lived close to me at the time, and he agreed to provide the ‘muscle’ and to spend two days to drive up to Skip’s, load the truck, and drive back to NC. I should note that Steve also helped me renovate that same condo six years later.” 

Today, Allen enjoys golfing, traveling, and meeting with old fraternity brothers at football games. 

“I keep myself busy by traveling quite a bit with my wife, Eileen, volunteering, consulting, and playing golf more than I used to. I manage to get back to Penn State at least twice a year to see my Pi Kapp brothers for the Alumni Golf Outing in August. In addition, there’s a core group of about a dozen brothers from that era that I’ve stayed in touch with over the years, and we continue to get together for a football weekend every fall with our gracious hosts, Tom and Karen Robinson. I also vacation every year with brothers Skip Parks ‘78 and Steve Ferguson ‘78 and their wives in N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.” 

Allen is hopeful that the renovations completed to the Pi Kappa Phi house to reestablish the Penn State chapter (with help from his brothers Steve DiOrio ‘78 and Tom Robinson ‘79) will allow alumni to continue visiting 409 East Fairmount Ave. 

Every other summer in the years between Supreme Chapters since 2005, Pi Kappa Phi alumni and guests come together at the Pi Kappa Phi Alumni Reunion to celebrate the Fraternity and its brotherhood. The event is light on programming to give guests ample time to enjoy the host city and one another.

There are no meetings and no business — just brotherhood.

REGISTER NOW!

The Pi Kappa Phi Alumni Reunion will take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Thursday, July 27, 2023, to Sunday, July 30, 2023. The host hotel for the weekend will be the beautiful Notary Hotel, Philadelphia, Autograph Collection.

Questions? Please contact Denise Nelson.

 

Reunion Weekend Schedule

Thursday Evening Welcome Reception

Thursday, July 27, 2023 I 5-7 p.m.

Join Philadelphia-area alumni and those traveling in from out of town for this kickoff event at the host hotel. Chief Executive Officer Jake Henderson, Beta Theta (Arizona) will offer brief remarks about the exciting things the Fraternity is doing across the country.

Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be provided. Attire is business casual.

The cost for this event is $25 per person.

 

Friday Evening Welcome Reception

Friday, July 28, 2023 I 5-7 p.m.

Join us for a meet-up at the host hotel before Alpha Upsilon’s (Drexel) 90th Anniversary event or however you’re spending your night on the town.

Hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar will be provided. Attire is business casual.

The cost for the event is $25 per person.

 

Awards Reception and Banquet

Saturday, July 29, 2023 I 6-9 p.m.

Join us to recognize the 2023 recipients of Pi Kappa Phi’s most prestigious awards and celebrate their many contributions to advancing the mission of the Fraternity.

Attire is a jacket and ties for men and comparable attire for women.

The cost for the event is $100 per person.

 

For more information, please visit pikapp.org.

It is with great honor that we announce the newest fraternity alums! Join us in welcoming these graduates into the alumni brotherhood! 

Seamus Connolly – Pittsburgh, PA
John Czarnecki -Westfield, NJ 
Austin Gedrich – Philadelphia, PA
Joe Brennan – Dallas, PA 
Mirko Pandini – Greensburg, PA
Ethan Niemeyer – Downingtown, PA
Christian Trafford – Audubon, PA
Chris Hyrb – Lancaster, PA
Hudson Onkst – Mechanicsburg, PA
Andrew Kuzemchak – Rector, PA 
Jose Braulio – Morristown, NJ 
Mike Rados – Clarksburg, MD
Ryan Nelligan – Moore, SC
Jaren Coleman – Yardley, PA 
Garrett Daczkowski – Leonardtown, MD
Kyle Gurzynski – Dallas, PA
George Tomko – Bethel Park, PA 
John Agyeman – Phoenix, AZ
Andy Peeler – Bellefonte, PA

 

Brothers, we have less than 4 months left in our 2022-2023 giving year, which began on 9/1/2022. So, we are reaching out to you with a reminder to donate before the giving year ends on 8/31/2023, and earn your spot on the Honor Roll of Donors. Alumni support is the heart and soul of our fraternity, here’s why giving back is so important… 

Because being a donor is being a leader—seeing your name on the Honor Roll of Donors inspires others to join you by making their own gift. You don’t have to stop there, make a personal invitation to a fellow brother to join you on the Honor Roll. Remind him that without alumni support, we cannot carry on.

Because—if you’re like me—your fraternity experience helped to shape the person you are today and gave YOU invaluable gifts like leadership experience, interpersonal skills, lifelong friendships and more. Because of these invaluable experiences, we remain resolved that as long as Penn State exists, Pi Kappa Phi will thrive there. 

We would like to thank those brothers who have generously contributed to Pi Kappa Phi Penn State this giving year. Can you help us reach our goal before 8/31/2023?   

If you have not yet made your gift, add your name to the Honor Roll by using any of the following methods:   

• Click here to give online;   
• Call our toll-free Donation Hotline at 1-800-975-6699;  
• Mail a check to our donation processing center:

Pi Kappa Phi – Alpha Mu Chapter

Alumni Relations Processing Center

P.O. Box 7007

Albert Lea, MN 56007-8007 

Every year, alumni of all ages make the journey back to Penn State for the annual Blue-White game to get their tailgate fix, keep an eye on up-and-coming players, and of course, reconnect with their Pi Kappa Phi brothers. This year was no exception as alumni spent the weekend having fun, watching Penn State football, and reminiscing with old friends.  

Were you there this year? Did you tailgate? We want to know!  

CLICK HERE to tell us how you spent this year’s Blue-White game to be featured in an upcoming eLetter or newsletter! 

Source Courtesy of La Vie

Check out this blast from the past, all the way back to 1984! Pi Kappa Phi is featured in Penn State’s Yearbook, La Vie, for the Greek Week skit and chariot! Do you remember the event, were you there, did you participate, do you recognize these fellas in the photo? We want to know!  

CLICK HERE and we will publish them in an upcoming e-letter or newsletter. 

Spring is just around the corner, and with the warmer temperatures now on the rise, it has us thinking about getting back together with Pi Kappa Phi brothers.   

Mark your calendar now for Penn State Homecoming 2023!: October 8th – 14th 

More details will be shared as soon as they are available, but it’s not too early to start making your travel plans.   

In the meantime, summer is the perfect opportunity to plan your next fraternity reunion. So, here are some tips for planning the perfect Pi Kappa Phi weekend:   

FRIENDS: Head to the directory page to reconnect and catch up with brothers you haven’t heard from in a while!    

FOOD and DRINKS: State College is always changing. Our old favorite restaurant or bar may not still be in town, but here are some great options to have a get together!   

• Federal Taphouse 
• Cafe 210 West 
• Primanti Bros 

FUN: Fall semester means football is back in-season! Check out the fall football schedule here, and don’t forget about homecoming on October 8th – 14th either!   

Planning a get-together? CLICK HERE to let us know, so we can share it in our next e-letter!  

Did you receive your February 2023 edition of Alpha Musings? If not, you’re missing out! If you didn’t receive your copy in the mail, send your current mailing address to us at alumninews@affinityconnection.com and let us know to add you to the Alpha Mu Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi mailing list. To read the digital newsletter on our alumni website, click here.

Brother Alexander “Lew” Parry ’48 passed away in September of 2022, and his wife, Betty, and their children generously shared some photos and memories from his college life experiences during a tumultuous time for our nation and the world. 

Lew enrolled at Penn State in Fall 1942 and was invited to pledge Pi Kappa Phi as a freshman. He was unable to live in the house at that time, as the government had taken over several fraternity houses for use by various training programs. With the second World War still raging, young men of college age were actively encouraged to enlist in the military, rather than wait to be drafted, for a better chance at choosing the branch in which they would serve. So Lew, who aspired to join the Air Force, interrupted his schooling to enlist. 

Despite being initially assigned to the Army, he was persistent, continuing to take the necessary tests, and he ultimately qualified for duty in the USAF. There he was given the choice of being a pilot, a navigator, or a bombardier and chose to serve as a navigator, since it meant being assigned to the crew of larger aircraft. “He got air sick in smaller planes,” Betty explains. 

While serving in the Air Force, Lew was on a training mission to Puerto Rico. During their return trip, foul weather in Galveston and New Orleans necessitated a refueling stop at Brookley Field in Mobile, AL. Mother Nature again intervened, with more bad weather grounding the flight in Mobile. Most of the crew spent the day at the Red Cross Canteen where Betty volunteered. She and Lew talked a lot during that time and agreed to write. 

Lew flew a total of 32 missions over Japan during the War, and when it was over, he was discharged from the military and returned to Penn State and Pi Kappa Phi. On his Spring Break he traveled back to Mobile to see Betty. She explained that after that visit, they both knew they were meant to be together. Lew decided to get a Summer job in Mobile and by the end of the season, they were engaged. 

Their original plan was to be married when Lew graduated from Penn State; however, two years was a long time to wait. The government had allotted 200 trailers to Penn State for expanded veterans housing. By moving their wedding up to Thanksgiving of 1946, Lew and Betty qualified to lease on the trailers, where they lived until he graduated in 1948. The young couple made shared many happy moments at the fraternity during those years, eating dinner there every Sunday and attending many parties. Betty says, “We have many fond memories of our time at Penn State, and many of those include times at Pi Kappa Phi.” 

They would return to campus more than decade later to attend a football game in September 1962. Prior to kickoff, Lew and Betty visited the house where had made so many fond memories and enjoyed lunch before taking in Penn State’s 20-6 victory over Air Force. 

Everything came up Roses last year for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, who roared back from two disappointing seasons to win 11 games and defeat #8 Utah in the last-ever Big Ten versus PAC-12 Rose Bowl. 

We want your stories, updates, and photos from the season. Did you catch the Lions in person? Attend (or host) a watch party? Travel to Los Angeles for the Rose Bowl? Did you get to watch the team with any of your brothers? Tell us how you experienced this memorable campaign, and send us some great photos from your road trip, tailgate, or gameday party to share with the brotherhood. 

With a ton of returning playmakers on both sides of the ball and an exciting young QB ready to take the helm, will this be year Penn State gets back to Indy and beyond? What are your expectations and record predictions for 2023? 

Send your thoughts, photos, and stories to: alumninews@affinityconnection.com or submit them here!

Pundit Scott Galloway reporting on the dearth of friendships in men. (LinkedIn) 

In the United States, friendship is on the decline. In fact, in the decades since 1990, the percentage of Americans who say that they have less than three close friends has doubled, going from 16% to 32%. Those reporting no friends at all? That number has risen sharply from 3% to 12%. Thought leader Scott Galloway reports that 1 in 7 men have no close friends at all outside of their family. 

This is a problem. Beyond the obvious benefits of friendship — connection, shared memories, someone having your back — there are incredible health benefits attached to having strong friendships.  

Robert Waldinger, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard, runs the world’s longest study on happiness. He explores the question: “What keeps us healthy and happy as we go through life?”  

Waldinger is the fourth director of the longest-running study of adult life. Since 1938, the Harvard Study of Adult Development has been following a group of 724 men through work, home, family and health. Over 80-plus years of the study, some experienced meteoric success, some epic failure. But who was happiest? 

“The biggest lesson we learned is that it isn’t wealth, fame or hard work that matters. Good relationships keep us healthier and happier. Period,” he said. He added that the healthiest 80-year-olds turned out to be the ones who were most connected in their 50s. Those with good relationships had healthier bodies and clearer minds than their counterparts. 

People who do not have vital connections as they walk through life’s joys and challenges show marked differences from people with strong friends. In Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam posits that participating in even one social organization and forming friendships could cut your odds of dying in the next year in half. A recent report showed that loneliness registers an impact on your well-being similar to that of smoking 15 cigarettes a day and rivals alcohol and smoking as a cause of early death. 

Recently, a survey went out to alumni of a fraternity that doesn’t have an undergraduate chapter. The survey invited alumni to weigh in about the future of the chapter and the value of reopening the house on their college campus. The questions boiled down to “Why?” What is the value of their chapter — or any Greek organization — in today’s culture? One alumnus answered with just one weighted word: camaraderie. 

There are hundreds — thousands — of other words to back up that shortest answer. Fraternity groups like this one, and like Pi Kappa Phi, are ideal leadership training grounds, hot spots of philanthropy and mentorship. But Pi Kappa Phi’s most basic element is also its most valuable: the camaraderie gained during pivotal years forms ironclad friendships that last decades. And while they are making life richer and better, these friendships are actually making us healthier, happier and live longer.  

Here’s a challenge for us in 2023. Let’s buck these statistics. I’ll wager someone came to your mind as you were reading this. Reconnect with them — do it this week. Make plans to see a game, or plan a weekend. If travel is not in the cards right now, just keep in touch. Share an old story, or dig up a picture from the good old days. Your friendship — and your health— will thank you. 

Hello Brothers,

The Alpha Mu chapter is happy to announce the final push of our THON 2023 fundraising window! On February 17th, we dance in the BJC to make sure no one has to hear the words “Your child has cancer”. After the Brotherhood’s THON fundraising successes last year, there’s an incredible excitement about this year. With a goal of beating last year’s totals at the forefront of our minds, we’re eager to finish strong.

We invite you to be a part of our continued sense of pride and purpose for philanthropy by directly supporting our chapter donor drive, which is linked below. As a part of our efforts to continually show Pi Kapp pride, we challenge you to “donate your C#” (i.e. 1783 as $17.83).

As brothers, I’m sure that you have great memories of THON and how it brought brothers from your years together for a common cause. Generous Alumni like yourselves allow our efforts to be so strong. Please contact me (jhw5300@psu.edu) and Mike Cerenzia (mlc6148@psu.edu) for more information.

We encourage everyone to use our donation link to support the Alpha Mu chapter’s THON fundraising! Please continue to share this information with your friends and colleagues to spread word about our final fundraising push!

Donor Drive link: https://donate.thon.org/?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=2969

ODH,

Jackson Wehrle, THON Chair, Alumni Relations

Mike Cerenzia, Philanthropy Chairman