When it was time for the national Pi Kappa Phi Student of the Year award to be given this July in Denver, there was no sus- pense. Steve Holtsclaw (Omega 1666) was invited onto the podium to stand alongside the presenter, Phil Summers, after whom the award is named. Unlike other individual or chapter awards, whereby the presenter gives justifi- cation for the winner, Summers looked to his side and explained the two had met four months earlier hundreds of miles away. In April in Washington D.C., Holtsclaw was one of four students nationwide to win an Award of Distinction from the National Interfraternity Council. He stood alongside Summers, president-emeri- tus of Vincennes University and a long-time supporter of his chapter at Alpha Psi (Indiana University), as he was recognized with an Alumni Award of Distinction. Holtsclaw’s Pi Kapp Student of the Year Award was his fifth award. “When Steve Holtsclaw graduated on May 3, he received more than just his degree from the School of Management,” a Purdue IFC alumni newsletter noted. “He is taking with him the legacy of being the most honored and awarded Omegalite SEPTEMBER 2008 PURDUE UNIVERSITY THE • PI • KAPPA • PHI • FRATERNITY Omega of Pi Kappa Phi, Inc. Housing Corporation P.O. Box 2700 West Lafayette, IN 47996-2700 Chapter Web address: http://www. purduepikapps.com Corporation Officers JAY SEEGER PRESIDENT 3817 Old Farm Road Lafayette, IN 47905 765/742-4529, work 765/474-1986, home [email protected]BRANDT HERSHMAN VICE PRESIDENT 6142 Maderia Lane Lafayette, IN 47905 574/581-2000, cell [email protected]STEVE BOHNER TREASURER 194 Twin Springs Ct. Carmel, IN 46234 317/846-3008, home 317/844-2250, work 317/844-2296, fax steve@langdonand company.com PAT KUHNLE SECRETARY 720 Chelsea Road W. Lafayette, IN 47906 765/743-1111 ext. 205, work 765/743-6087, fax 765/743-1256, cell pkuhnle@purdue exponent.org Chapter member wins Student of the Year Continued on Page 2 Alumni are encouraged to attend the Oct. 25 homecoming celebration and reconnect with fellow alumni. The Boilermakers will take the field at noon that day against Minnesota and the chapter will welcome alumni prior to the game. Alumni who wish to order tickets through the housing corporation may do so by Oct. 10. Tickets will be held at the house and will be available from 9 a.m. to the noon gametime. Tickets are $46 each. Send your checks payable to “Omega of Pi Kappa Phi” and mail them in the return envelope provided in this Omegalite mail- ing (the address is also located on the front page of this newsletter). The schedule to be followed on Oct. 25 includes: • 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. , lunch provided at the chapter house. • 11:30 a.m. , leave the house for the Purdue-Minnesota football game. • Noon, gametime. • 6 p.m. to ?, post-game reception for those brave enough to venture into the campus bar scene. Pick your poison and location. Fraternity prepares for Oct. 25 homecoming Photo courtesy Tim Rebar O m e g a ’s Steve Holtsclaw poses with Phil Summers upon receiving the Student of the Year award at Supreme Chapter in Denver in July.
Transcript
When it was time for thenational Pi Kappa PhiStudent of the Year awardto be given this July inD e n v e r, there was no sus-p e n s e .
Steve Holtsclaw(Omega 1666) was invitedonto the podium to standalongside the presenter,Phil Summers, after whomthe award is named.Unlike other individual orchapter awards, wherebythe presenter gives justifi-cation for the winner,Summers looked to his sideand explained the two hadmet four months earlierhundreds of miles away.
In April in Wa s h i n g t o nD.C., Holtsclaw was one offour students nationwide towin an Award ofDistinction from theNational InterfraternityCouncil. He stood alongsideSummers, president-emeri-tus of Vincennes Universityand a long-time supporterof his chapter at Alpha Psi
(Indiana University), as hewas recognized with anAlumni Award ofD i s t i n c t i o n .
H o l t s c l a w ’s Pi KappStudent of the Year Aw a r dwas his fifth award.
“When Steve Holtsclawgraduated on May 3, he
received more than just hisdegree from the School ofManagement,” a PurdueIFC alumni newsletternoted. “He is taking withhim the legacy of being themost honored and awarded
194 Twin Springs Ct.Carmel, IN 46234317/846-3008, home317/844-2250, work317/844-2296, [email protected]
PAT KUHNLE
SECRETARY
720 Chelsea RoadW. Lafayette, IN 47906765/743-1111 ext.
205, work765/743-6087, fax765/743-1256, cellp k u h n l e @ p u rd u ee x p o n e n t . o rg
Chapter member wins Student of the Ye a r
Continued on Page 2
Alumni are encouraged to attend theOct. 25 homecoming celebration andreconnect with fellow alumni.
The Boilermakers will take the field atnoon that day against Minnesota and thechapter will welcome alumni prior to thegame.
Alumni who wish to order ticketsthrough the housing corporation may doso by Oct. 10. Tickets will be held at thehouse and will be available from 9 a.m. tothe noon gametime. Tickets are $46 each.Send your checks payable to “Omega of PiKappa Phi” and mail them in the return
envelope provided in this Omegalite mail-ing (the address is also located on thefront page of this newsletter).
The schedule to be followed on Oct. 25includes:
• 10:30 to 11:15 a.m., lunch provided atthe chapter house.
• 11:30 a.m., leave the house for thePurdue-Minnesota football game.
• Noon, gametime.• 6 p.m. to ?, post-game reception for
those brave enough to venture into thecampus bar scene. Pick your poison andlocation.
Fr a t e rn i ty prepares for Oct. 25 home c o m i n g
Photo courtesy Tim RebarO m e g a ’s Steve Holtsclaw poses with PhilSummers upon receiving the Student of the Yearaward at Supreme Chapter in Denver in July.
OMEGALITE SEPTEMBER 2008 PURDUE UNIVERSITY
fraternity or sorority undergraduatein Purdue history. ”
For emphasis sake, note he wasthe most honored Greek in Purdueh i s t o r y, which dates back to the1 8 9 0 s .
As noted in the Purdue alumnipublication, he “is without a doubtthe epitome of an individual livingtrue fraternal values.”
What brought Holtsclaw toprominence was his service as the2007 IFC president. During histerm, fraternity membershipclimbed. He was able to coalesce thefour Purdue Greek entities for thefirst time ever. He worked the U.S.Department of Education to reducerisk issues for incoming freshmennationwide. He supported a Greekeffort to build a local house forHabitat for Humanity.
“He not only made the fraternityand sorority community better dur-ing his tenure, he made everyone heworked with a better leader, stu-dent, administrator and communitym e m b e r,” assistant dean of students
Kyle Pendleton wrote in a referencel e t t e r.
At the chapter level, he served ashistorian, vice archon, treasurer andarchon. Among other accomplish-ments, he led the chapter in devel-oping a strategic plan.
“I knew early on in Steve’s life asa Pi Kappa Phi that great thingswere expected of him,” Zach Isbell,his chapter pledge pop wrote in areference letter. “It was easy to seefrom his determination, work ethicand leadership in his associatemember class that he was going tobe very successful in both what col-lege could offer him and in his lifeafter graduation.”
A measure of his impact on thechapter is no more evident than inthe recognition it received at thenational convention in Denver thiss u m m e r. The chapter won 13 majorawards, including being named thebest chapter in the nation with oper-a t i o n s .
“ To be able to represent PurdueUniversity and the Omega chapterfor the Summers Award was a hugehonor and responsibility,” Holtsclawsaid. “I was incredibly proud of thesuccess we had at the chapter levelat Supreme Chapter. To come awaywith 12 other awards, be aChampion Master Chapter and aMaster Chapter in five of the sevencategories means more to me thana n y t h i n g . ”
H o l t s c l a w, who joined the chapterin the spring of 2005, credited hism o t h e r’s experience at Va n d e r b i l tfor leading him to consider becomingGreek, but he had his doubts comingout of high school.
“I wouldn’t have even joined afraternity if not for my mom’s con-tinued involvement in Kappa KappaGamma because, initially, all I sawwere the stereotypes of alcohol andhazing,” Holtsclaw said. “I was for-tunate to have a great pledge pop,Zach Isbell (Omega 1634), w h oshowed me how to get involved inthe chapter and on campus.”
Leadership – one the basic tenetsof Pi Kappa Phi in its second centu-ry – is something that Holtsclaw
e x u d e s .“He is a most deserving young
man who is destined to continuebeing a leader among leaders,” To n yHawkins, Purdue dean of students,wrote in a reference letter. “He hasan outstanding academic record, is amaster at managing his time andsetting priorities, and his actions, aswell as his words, continues todemonstrate his devotion and pridein his Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity. ”
Holtsclaw is now a financial ana-lyst for Eli Lilly, Co., inI n d i a n a p o l i s .
It is the first time since 1989(Jake Olesen), that a chaptermember won the national Student ofthe Year Award. And it has beensince 1994 (Doug Te a n y) that achapter member has won thePurdue Greek Man of the Ye a ra w a r d .
Continued from Page 1
HOLTSCLAW HONORS• Pi Kappa Phi Student of the YearRecognizes the overall most outstand-
ing student member of Pi Kappa Phi outof 6,000+ undergraduates nationwide.
• Purdue Greek Man of the YearRecognizes outstanding achievement
among Purdue fraternity men.
• Wayne Colvin AwardThe highest leadership recognition
given to an undergraduate fraternity orsorority member by Mid American GreekCouncil Association from 160+ campus-es nationwide.
• NIC Award of DistinctionOne of four students nationwide receiv-
ing recognition “as those men committedto brightening the future of fraternity andensuring that fraternities are living by theespoused missions and values” byNational Interfraternity Council.
• Charles McGauhey LeadershipAward
One of seven Purdue students honoredfor “leadership abilities and appreciationfor basic American values.”
Holtsclaw poses with Pi KappaPhi CEO Mark Timmes, center,and Phil Summers afterHoltsclaw and Summers receivedNIC awards.
Holtsclaw poses with his dad,left, and pledge pop Zach Isbell,right, after receiving the NICAward of Distinction inWashington, D.C., in April.
OMEGALITE SEPTEMBER 2008 PURDUE UNIVERSITY
The Omega chapter won 13 majorawards at Supreme Chapter inDenver in July. That supplementstwo Purdue individual awards in wonin April (chapter-level awards for2007-08 are given in the fall).PURDUE INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
• Phillip M. Summers Student ofthe Year, Steve Holtsclaw
• Red Rose Club Award, PushAmerica for exceeding fundraisinggoal
• Bronze Star Award, PushAmerica for $10,000+ fundraising
• Centennial Society, PushAmerica for raising $100 per memberfor Push
• Legacy Recruitment Award, forinitiating at least one legacy
• Alumni Newsletter of the Yearfor Omegalite
There are seven objectives thatthe national organization evaluateseach chapter. There are three levelsof success. The third level, which ismost prestigious, is recognized as aMaster Chapter Award level.
Furthermore, one chapter is recog-nized as the top within that category.There are seven awards given out –one of each of the seven objectives
Then the chapters that collectivelyachieve the best in those areas is con-sidered for a Champion MasterChapter Award. There were 28 of 161
chapters that achieved this level.The seven objectives of chapter
excellence categories are:1. Recruitment Success2. Superior Member Education3. Academic Achievement4. South Chapter Operations5. Living the Ritual6. Commitment to Service (Push
• Sound Chapter Operations• Living the Ritual• Effective Alumni RelationsThis means that the chapter
achieved level three recognition infive of the seven objectives.
• Outstanding ChapterOperations Award, meaning it wasthe top chapter in the nation in thiscategory.
• Champion Master Chapteroverall meaning it was one of 28chapters achieving at this level.
Omega wins 13 national awards at Supreme Chapter
Photo courtesy Tim RibarChapter members Kevin Vargo, David Stinnette and Jim Vasil receivethe top chapter operations award at Supreme Chapter.
AlmanacDIED:809Joseph J. WojdulaFeb. 4, 2007
250Laurence L. LylesAug. 18, 2007
BIRTHS:Liam Patrick Ohaver, son of Kristenand Kevin Ohaver (Omega 1438)April 7, 2008
Hazel Grace Smith, son of Lora andChuck Smith (Omega 1241)May 1, 2008
Charles James Maczka, son ofMeredith and Matt Maczka(Omega 1543)July 26, 2008
Porter Eustis Stephens, son ofJennifer and Sheldon Stephens(Omega 1464).June 10, 2008
MARRIAGE:Adrienne Ernst and Dan Reed(Omega 1527), May 31, 2008,Jasper, IN
Lora, Hazel and Chuck Smith
OMEGALITE SEPTEMBER 2008 PURDUE UNIVERSITY
An Omega alumnus was among11 honored by Purdue’s College ofTechnology in April.
John McDonald (Omega 740),a 1968 graduate in organizationalleadership and supervision, wasnamed a distinguished alumnusfrom the college.
“The selection was a surprise, tobe sure,” McDonald said recently.“After not a lot of focus in my earlycollege days I really had to doubleup in the work world. I guess mypleasure is in getting an outsideaffirmation that it isn’t how youstart, but more how you finish.”
McDonald, along with 10 others,were honored “for their professionaland personal success across thespectrum of technology fields,”according to a Purdue pressrelease.
“Each of these 11 men andwomen have made significant con-tributions to a wide variety of fields
and industries,”Dennis Depew,dean of technolo-gy, said.
After hisundergraduateyears, McDonaldstarted a 35-yearbanking careerwith LafayetteNational Bank.Through a seriesof bank mergersand acquisitions, he retired in 2003from Banc One Capital Markets,Inc., in Chicago. At Banc One, hewas managing director of the largecorporate real estate group..
Prior to his move to Chicago, thefather of two daughters and grand-father of one, served as secretary-treasurer of the Omega of Pi KappaPhi Housing Corporation from 1968to 1991.
“I think the (chapter’s) biggest
influence (on me) was that the fra-ternity gave me a lot of support intimes when I needed it and thatlesson helped me to work with staffwho might not have gotten it ‘right’the first time but turned out great.”
In retirement, he’s traveled andvolunteered extensively. He recent-ly traveled to Russia and China.He’s been involved in church eventsat Holy Name Cathedral inChicago, which also assists a parishin Waveland, Miss., for its post-hur-ricane Katrina efforts. He also is onthe board of Friends of DowntownChicago.
He recognizes being named anoutstanding alumnus is a surpriseto his fraternity brothers, too.
“I never thought I would qualifyfor anything close (to this), as manyof my brothers would also testify.”
John McDonald named Outstanding Alumnus
A pair of chapter members willbecome the 11th and 12th Omegariders in the Journey of Hope.
Archon Kevin Vargo (Omega1674) and vice archon DavidStinnette (Omega 1689) will par-ticipate in the 4,000-mile trek fromthe west to the east coast duringthe summer of 2009.
Brian Carlson (Omega 1282) wasthe first chapter member to ride inthe Journey of Hope. The cross-country ride became a PushAmerica staple in 1983. Carlsonmade the trip in 1991.
Journey of Hope team membersraise money and awareness forPush. During the bike ride, theymake visits to facilities that helppeople with handicaps. The inspira-tion for riders to participate cancome in various ways.
“I chose to do this because I wasinspired by a fellow chapter mem-ber, Young Yang,” said Vargo, a
senior in chemical engineering fromCarmel. “I saw how much his tripin 2007 changed him as a personand positively influenced thosewith disabilities.”
Stinnette, meanwhile, has beenheavily involved in service at thechapter level with Push projects.His efforts include being part ofProjectAccessability, a program inwhich local chapters assist someonein their neighborhood. The Omegachapter has built two wheelchairramps for people who have previ-ously been homebound.
“I want to do this to bond withmy brothers and serve people with
all types of disabilities,” saidStinette, a senior in managementfrom Indianapolis.
Both riders must raise $7,500 toparticipate on the team and theyare just starting their fund raising.Alumni may help those efforts.
Alumni may make donationsthrough the Push America Webpage (www.pushamerica.org) byclicking “donate” and scrollingdown to “Browse the team memberrosters” and clicking Journey ofHope. Then a page of all 2009 rid-ers will appear. You can find Vargoand Stinnette’s donation opportuni-ties there.
Who knew that the plight of anOmega legacy would touch so manypeople?
Drew Perschon, whose father,Rob (Omega 1463), was one of thefeatured cases in national mediacoverage on Sept. 5 as part of a livefund-raising program called “StandUp To Cancer Show.” The show wasbroadcast simultaneously on ABC,NBC and CBS.
The younger Peschon was diag-nosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, arare aggressive cancer, after his par-ents noticed a black eye that would-n’t go away in October 2007.
The cancer, which is now believedin remission, started in his abdomenand was the size of a softball and asecond, golf-ball sized tumor was inhis brain. It was the second tumorthat was visible as a black eye.
“It is absolutely, completely inde-scribable when you find your childhas cancer,” Drew’s mother, Kate,was quoted in a report produced bya Chicago TV station and broadcastnationally. “You think – and thissounds cliché – but you really thinkit happens to other people.”
The cancer is one that attacksthe nervous system and whose vic-tims are typically young children.
Drew, an active 2-1/2 year old,has endured fiverounds ofchemotherapy,ongoing radiationtreatments,surgery and athree stem celltransplant in thelast year. He isbeing treatedwith continuedradiation to beatthe 50 percentsurvival rate.
His case has been featured inmultiple media reports and his fam-ily has been the beneficiary offundraisers, including one held onAug. 1 in Schererville, Ind., thathad more than 500 attend.
A brief mention in the last
Omegalite brought together twoOmega initiates who didn’t knowone another.
Scott Jewson (Omega 1318)was attracted to Drew’s casebecause a couple he knew lost theirchild’s battle with the same cancerin 2004. As a result of that loss,Jewson and his wife, Kristin, found-ed a foundation to raise money forcancer research(allieandfriends.org).
The Jewsons, who coordinate anannual celebrity fund-raising golftournament in the Chicago area,reached out to the Perschons.
“My dad and I were able toattend the Allie and Friends golfouting,” Rob said. “It was a greattime and really nice to network withother parents who are currentlygoing through/have gone throughwhat we are doing.”
According to Scott Jewson thisyear’s golf outing raised $175,000,which will be used for research andeducation about the disease.
“This foundation funds variousresearch projects around the coun-try, including projects beingresearch at Children’s Hospital inChicago where Drew is receivingtreatment,” Scott said. “It is ourhope that with this research, we canhelp facilitate new and better treat-ments to combat neuroblastoma forDrew and all the other kids thathave been stricken by this horribledisease.”
You can follow Drew’s progress ona Web site set up for friends andfamily. Though mid-September, thesite had nearly 50,000 visits(www.caringbridge.org/visit/drew-perschon).
The Perschon’s story was not theonly Omega-related national mediastory on Sept. 5.
As part of its promotion of thatevening’s program on cancer, under-graduate Grady Murphy (Omega1708) was flown to New York andwas interviewed on the set of NBC’sToday Show.
Murphy was asked about his con-
tributions to a new book, “LoveSick,” which explains the pains oflosing a parent to cancer. His moth-er died of cancer when he was 9.
It wasn’t Murphy’s original intentto contribute his writings for a book,rather it was his way of expressinghis feelings about growing up with-out a mother.
“It was originally for us and all ofa sudden we had these really pro-
Alumnus, undergrad appear on national broadcasts
Photo courtesy Scott JewsonOmega alumnus Rob Perschonappears in a neuroblastoma golffundraiser near Chicago.
found writings that could affect alot of other people,” Murphy saidduring Today Show interview. “It’sreally a neglected population. Noone in the medical profession, noone in research ever pays any atten-tion to what the families themselvesare going through and especiallywhen someone’s parent is takenaway from them because of a dis-ease.”
Murphy was accompanied on theset by another teenager who lost aparent and by a social worker. Bothwere among the 22 people who con-tributed to the 100-page book,which is published by HaraldHermann. It is composed of essays,journals and art.
The idea for the book came fromKids Connected, a non-profit organi-zation to support teens who haveparents with cancer or have diedfrom cancer. The group runs a campto provide counseling and supportfor those teens.
The book was started at a youthgroup training session six years agowhen the teens were asked to put
their thoughts onto paper.“It was amazing to see how many
people that cancer has actuallyaffected,” Murphy said after his TVappearance. “And the fact that thisinterview happened showed thatthere is a need for a book like this.To let them know they are not aloneand there are networks out there tosupport them.”
His trip to New York affectedhim in other ways as well.
“It was quite an experience,”Murphy said. “It was interestingmeeting famous people. It was areally cool once-in-a-lifetime experi-ence.”
He’s also received feedback abouthis TV appearance from others.
“Friends and family have said itwas a very touching interview andthe message was conveyed clearlyand received very well,” he said.
More than two thirds of the chap-ter’s Push America record-settingfundraising once again includedalumni donations and riders.
Three alumni – Mark Higgins(Omega 1031), Jerry Budd(Omega 1509) and Adam Poor(Omega 1624) – joined 35 chapterriders and crew in raising morethan $8,500 for Push. Higgins joinedhis undergraduate nephew Donovan(Omega 1692) for the third consecu-tive year as a rider.
The Pi Kapp 100 is a 100-kilome-ter bike ride from Zionsville to WestLafayette. It is patterned after thenational Journey of Hope in thatriders and crew commit to solicitingsponsorships. The Boys an GirlsClub of Zionsville hosts riders andcrew on a Friday night in April andthey return to campus on theSaturday of Mom’s Weekend.
Other than alumni riders who hadto raise $250 to participate, otherswho supported Push through dona-tions included Rick Bonar,Manish Gandhi, Brian Heiwig,Jim Taller, Kevin Johnson, PhilLeslie, Pat Kuhnle, CraigBohbrink, Joe Williams, DonPorth and James Briggs. Thatgroup gave $2,004 toward the chap-ter’s giving record.
Leslie (Omega 1506) – a 2002Journey of Hope alumnus – was thefeatured speaker Pi Kapp 100-Mom’s Day. He spoke to a crowd ofabout 140 family members andguests about his Push America expe-riences.
The $8,000+ fund raising was partof record $12,166 the chapter raisedfor the national Pi Kappa Phi phil-a n t h r o p y. Other chapter fund-raisingactivities include the Pi Kapp-Alpha
Phi golf outing in the fall (six sorori-ties and 23 fraternities participated)and the War of the Roses in thespring (nine sororities participatedwith 60+ participants and 80 chap-ter members as coaches). War of theRoses is a Greekwide, weeklong phil-anthropy and empathy week.Participants participate in an obsta-cle course and talent show mimick-ing various disabilities.
For the sixth academic year in arow, the chapter raised at least$5,000 for Push America. In each ofthose years, it was the top fraternityphilanthropy fund raiser at Purdue.
In three of the last four years,Omega raised $10,000 or more.
On a campuswide level, the chap-ter participated in 15 Greek philan-thropies. It also contributed 248 vol-unteer hours in addition campusphilanthropies – an average of 2.5hours per member – for the springsemester.
Continued from other side
Undergraduate Grady Murphy is interviewed on the set of NBC’sToday Show in New York on Sept. 5. (Screenshot by permission of NBC)
