Phi Kap NCAA Brackett

Greek community to gain another member

For the first time in 16 years, a new Greek house, Phi Kappa Theta, will become chartered and officially recognized as a University of South Dakota fraternity.

Phi Kappa Theta started the colonization process three years ago with five founding members. Despite being an upstart without a permanent chapter house, the fraternity has grown to 13 members and hopes to continue the trend.

Bryan Palmer, founding member and former president of Phi Kappa Theta, said the decision to start the fraternity stemmed from the closeness of the original members and the guidance of former St. Thomas Moore Newman Center director Rev. Joe Forcelle.

“We all were close friends who spent time at the Newman Center every week,” Palmer said. “The other four original members came from O’Gorman High School and we all felt that we were kind of missing something in terms of spirituality. After all the time we spent there, Father Forcelle brought up the idea of starting a fraternity that focuses on that spiritual element we all were looking for.”

While Phi Kappa Theta is founded on Christian – specifically Catholic – principles, freshman member John Buchkoski said the fraternity welcomes all.

“The first Phi Kappa Theta chapters were founded by Catholics who were being discriminated against, so it would go against the fraternity’s values to discriminate against others,” Buchkoski said. “However, there is definitely a focus on religion and spirituality.”

Palmer admits there was an initial period of anxiety about whether or not the fraternity would be able to make it at USD.

“During the first couple of months before we had been approved by the greek houses, I was a little unsure of how our proposal would go over,” Palmer said. “Fortunately, they approved us by a unanimous vote and we really haven’t met any sort of resistance.”

In fact, Palmer said they have been welcomed to the Greek community with open arms.

“We’ve had multiple social events with sororities and even had a couple combined formals with Pi Kappa Alpha and Lambda Chi Alpha,” Palmer said. “It’s been nice getting to know more of the members of the Greek community.”

Interfraternity Council president Josh VanLaecken said he is happy to see USD’s greek community expand.

“The addition of another fraternity means to me that potentially even more students will get the chance to take part in the great experiences greek life has to offer,” VanLaecken said.

Before the fraternity could be chartered, it first had to meet several requirements laid out by the national fraternity. These requirements included the drafting of bylaws, a minimum cumulative Grade Point Average, a minimum number of members and the existence of functioning subcommittees.

Phi Kappa Theta will have a formal banquet for their chartering ceremony on February 26 at noon. Prior to the banquet there will be an initiation ceremony for their newest members with representatives from the national fraternity present, as well as their sponsor chapter from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

assisting in the initiation.

Reach reporter Will Erstad at Will.Erstad@usd.edu.

Although President Obama declared September Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, an international following has deemed November an unofficial men’s health month by supporting Movember, an effort to bring awareness to and raise money for prostate and testicular cancers. Phi Kappa Theta fraternities nationwide teamed up with Movember to grow mustaches and raise money for the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the LIVESTRONG Foundation.

This is the first year Phi Kappa Theta has held this fundraiser.

“It’s a good cause because one in six men gets prostate cancer,” Derek Spencer said, holding a can out to passersby at the Bell Tower around 1:30 p.m. Phi Kappa Theta’s can shake began at 11 a.m. and would last until 3 p.m.

Although students did not appear to be supportive – a group touring the campus threw their change up in the air and laughed as it fell to the ground – Spencer said that businesses on campus had been more than supportive.

“Richie’s Deli donated something like $70,” Spencer said.

The members of Phi Kappa Theta borrowed another method for garnering student support from the popular 2006 movie Accepted: the costume. Michael Skulsky, a sophomore in Business and Management, wore a Gumby costume and paraded across Berks Mall and up Liacouras Walk, seeking donations. Other Phi Kappa Theta members would take turns wearing the costume.

At the end of the day, $160 in change was raised for prostate cancer research. This does not include online donations from family and friends of the Phi Kappa Theta members.

As Movember focuses on the mustache as its symbol for men’s health, its version of the pink ribbon for breast cancer, members of Phi Kappa Theta who have been growing their own will be featured in an auction sometime at the end of the month where those who makes the biggest donation wins the chance to shave a mustache.

If you missed your chance to donate to the cause and would like to, you can email Michael Wells of Phi Kappa Theta. He can be reached at michael.wells@temple.edu.

Veterans Day was celebrated nationally on Wednesday, a day meant to honor all who have served in the U.S. military. To Father Owen Mullen, chaplain at the University of San Diego, it was a continuation.

“It’s not just one day to me,” he says.

Mullen has strong ties to the military, with whom he served in the Army National Guard, as a chaplain at West Point and retired as a full colonel. His University Ministry office space features photos, plaques, mementos and a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC) cap.

He conducts the daily mass at Founders Chapel twice a week, offering support when presenting the prayers of the faithful to “let us remember those in the armed forces, particularly those in troubled spots in the world, for them and their families, and that they come home safely.”

Mullen, now 71, didn’t see any battle time during his military career, but it wasn’t by choice. “When I went into the seminary they put us in a different distinction and it got us out of the draft. But it always bothered me because I wanted to be like everybody else.”

When he was ordained, Mullen asked a bishop about the possibility of joining. “He said, ‘I can’t let you go right now. I need priests here.’ He let me sign up for the National Guard reserves, but in those days people were fighting for a spot. Today, they’re begging for chaplains. I thought it was my duty to our country and for all of those who had served in the past that I take their place.”

Mullen worked for several years at West Point welcoming and working with new cadets and seeing their potential as leaders. “Where else in the world do 22-year-olds have the responsibility of leading 11 or 12 people, and they’re responsible for their lives?,” Mullen asks. “It takes a pretty strong person to do it. That’s what I admire about the military, including our own NROTC graduates.”

Mullen’s commitment to young people is consistent. He is in his second stint at USD, first from 1981-89, now back on campus since 2004. He is the team chaplain for USD’s football, baseball and club lacrosse teams, works with the Phi Kappa Theta fraternity and delivers the invocation at the San Diego NROTC fall and spring commissioning ceremonies.

“I was here when the NROTC started on campus (1982) and I think it’s one of the greatest things in the world,” Mullen says. “I listen to our students and I have lunch with them pretty much every day. They’re very positive. Those I meet through my work with the different organizations think it’s great that (NROTC students) are here. I think it’s great for the university and it makes a statement.”

— Ryan T. Blystone

http://www.sandiego.edu/insideusd/?p=6790

Loretto, Pa. (Nov. 2, 2009) – It was announced this morning that Red Flash senior defensive lineman  was named one of ten finalists for the 2009 ARA Sportsmanship Award.

The ARA began presenting the award in 2005, and is given annually to the senior student-athlete who best embodies the ideals of sportsmanship and humility both on and off the field.

“We’re very excited and proud to hear that Russel Fisher has been named a finalist for this award,” said Red Flash head coach Dave Opfar.  “He’s always been a leader of this team, and we’re delighted to hear that he is gaining national recognition.”

Now in its fifth year of existence, the ARA Sportsmanship award has been part of elite company.  Previous winners of the award have include DeAngelo Williams and Brian Leonard, both college stars now making their ways in the NFL.

Fisher has been a stalwart three-year starter on the defensive line for the Red Flash, who rank third in the Northeast Conference and 33rd in Division I FCS in total defense.  Fisher is fourth on the team in tackles with 41 (a career-high) and is tied for second on the team with three sacks.  He leads the Red Flash in quarterback hurries with eight and also blocked a field goal this year that was returned for a touchdown by teammate Josh Bentley.

A Defensive end and teammate mentor, Fisher is known for his tireless work ethic and as a player who leads by example. As a Phi Kappa Theta member, team captain, Campbell Scholar Athlete Award recipient and member of the 2009 Allstate /American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team, Fisher continues his commitment to the community, philanthropy and campus while keeping a positive attitude despite team setbacks.

I realized it’s been awhile since my last post, so I decided to update you on the happenings in the world of Runkle. I’ve been rather busy over the last couple weeks with my fraternity, IQP work and club meetings, which is the main reason for my silence. On the plus side, I have tons of things to mention, so expect a lot of posts in the near future.

Today is the beginning of the official Rush period for Greek Life on campus. Basically, it’s a chance for freshmen (and unaffiliated upper-classmen) to check out the many fraternities and sororities at WPI. Tonight and tomorrow night, interested students will get the chance to participate in fraternity house tours. This is an opportunity to get an inside look at all 13 fraternities, their living areas and the brothers themselves. I urge everyone to participate in house tours and Rush events as a whole, if for nothing else than free food. Originally, I wasn’t that interested in Greek Life. It wasn’t until after I attended some Rush events that I found a group of guys I really liked. I guarantee there is a group of people that share the same ideals; joining a fraternity/sorority is really a rewarding experience.

Putting the rails back on the flatbed.

 

With that said, here‘s an update on my fraternity experience. As mentioned previously, I am in the process of joining Phi Kappa Theta. KAP’s recruitment process is slightly different than the other fraternities on campus in that they don’t recruit freshmen, and therefore start recruiting a little earlier in the year. As part of the new member process, the fraternity travelled to York, PA over break to help Habitat for Humanity. The goal of the trip was to grow closer as a group and for the new members to learn more about the fraternity. It certainly had its intended effect, as I came back knowing a lot more about the Brothers and Friars (new members). Believe me; you really get to know someone on a ten hour car ride.

This weekend was also Homecoming at WPI. This year’s theme was “Spooky Tech” as it fell on Halloween. Each year, every fraternity/sorority makes a float to drive around campus based on the theme. It’s a lot of fun whether you’re building or watching the people drive around. KAP’s float was the “Headless Goatsman” (you can see picture at the end of the post). We spent countless hours building it, but it was worth it, as we won the float parade for the third year in a row.

These past weeks have been an exciting time for KAP. With initiation right around the corner, our chapter will almost double in size. Even though I never pictured myself in a fraternity when I first entered college, I can’t imagine not being in one now. I have developed friendships with people I likely would have never met otherwise. Greek Life is a great part of college life and I recommend everyone attend as many Rush events as possible.

Phi Kappa Theta’s 2009 Homecoming Float

 

Special to The Star

Who: Doug Doty, 34, of Portland, Ore., formerly of Kansas City.

When and how he died: Sept. 20, in a helicopter accident in Oregon.

Love of flying: Doug Doty was fulfilling a life dream as a commercial helicopter pilot and certified flight instructor when his life ended in a helicopter crash, said his wife, Jesika Doty. A 1993 Olathe South High School graduate, he moved to Oregon with her in October 2006 so he could become a pilot.

“When we met, I asked him what he wanted to be, and he said a helicopter pilot,” Jesika Doty said.

After receiving his pilot’s training, Doug Doty was hired as an instructor by Hillsboro Aviation near Portland. He planned to learn to fly other aircraft, said his wife, who flew with him on numerous occasions.

“I loved flying with him,” she said. “He was a great pilot, and he would explain everything to me.”

She trusted her husband’s aviation skills.

“He was not a hotshot, and he would not go out on a limb,” she said. “He said it was cool and you had more freedom to do things in a helicopter than in a plane.”

Ultimately, he wanted to be an emergency medical services pilot.

“He wanted to help people,” Jesika Doty said.

Steadfast friend: After growing up in Olathe, Doug Doty went to the University of Kansas. It was at KU that he met his wife and his good friend Jason Preu. The friends had gone to high school together but did not know each other until they pledged Phi Kappa Theta.

“We had a common interest in playing games, and we were big science fiction nerds,” Preu said.

Meeting Doug Doty “was like finding someone you never knew you were missing, but when we met, we knew we were friends,” Preu said.

Throughout college and after, they lived together and their friendship grew. The two men even got married within a few months of each other.

Though they might lose touch for short periods of time, they kept a steadfast friendship.

“Throughout the years, we always reconnected,” Preu said. “We would not talk for a few months, then pick up where we left off.”

Preu described Doty as a jokester.

“He had a subtle yet pointed sense of humor,” Preu said, adding that Doty was the type of friend you could count on, no matter what.

“He was loyal to a fault,” Preu said.

In college, Preu took Doty’s car without telling him when he left a party. Doty looked for the car and found it the next day, when Preu finally told him what happened.

“He just let it roll off,” Preu said. “He just said, ‘Let me know next time.’ ”

Family first: Though busy with his aviation career, Doty put his family first, including his 13-month-old son, Liam.

“He had one day off a week, and we would always do something as a family,” Jesika Doty said. “It was very easy with him. He loved being married and having a family.”

Survivors include: His wife, son, mother and brother.

Final thoughts: “He was just a caring person and compassionate,” Jesika Doty said.

Have you never thought to ask the guy serving you beer at a bar for a letter of recommendation? Then you’ve never been to Gene’s Place.

Pitt alumnus Eugene Ney owns the Louisa Street bar, though he is more affectionately known around town — especially South Oakland — as Gene.

In the moments he can escape from the bar (they’re rare; He also lives upstairs), Ney is a professor at Carlow’s School of Management. His knack for interacting with young people is put to good use each moment.

Ney got his bachelor’s degree and two Master’s degrees (one in counseling, one in English) from Slippery Rock University before arriving at Pitt in 1993 to pursue his doctorate in administration and policy studies. Owning a bar wasn’t his original plan, but when a Phi Kappa Theta fraternity brother suggested he frequent a place called Denny’s (no, not the chain restaurant) to “meet older chicks,” Ney’s fate was set.

He quickly made the transition from bar regular to tenant. After spending three years living in his fraternity house, Ney was ready for a change of scenery. “Some of the best experiences of my life were up in that house on the hill, though I don’t think I’d want to live there now,” he said.

The space above Denny’s was available for rent, so he moved in. Before long, Ney was managing the bar. After four years, Denny was ready to sell, so Ney jumped at the chance to buy. Gene’s Place was born.

The bar’s walls are coated in history. An old, framed letter from the Liquor Control Board states the establishment can’t discriminate against patrons on the basis of race.

The local cop hangout — which was originally called Klinky’s — started as a market. When the owners realized they were making more money selling beer than food, they turned it into a bar. During the prohibition, Ney believes it was probably a speakeasy.

Even within the years since Ney’s arrival at Pitt, he’s noticed a dramatic change in the Oakland bar scene. As the University has become increasingly focused on academics, there’s a decreased interest in weekday partying.

“It used to be that the bars were crowded every day of the week, but that’s just not the case anymore,” Ney said.

Despite the student population’s recently bad rep for creating chaos, Ney insists that Pitt is home to good people. He questions how many of the destructive rioters during the Super Bowl celebration and G-20 Summit protests were actually Pitt students. Ney himself even managed to catch some wind of the G-20 commotion — literally.

“A bunch of kids were grouped outside of Antoons, so I opened the door to look out and see what was going on. The police started releasing pepper spray [in the form of OC gas], and I got a face full of it,” he said.

That wasn’t his first experience with pepper spray, though. Ney recounted a Thursday night spent at the late Zelda’s Green House Bar back during his Pitt days.

“It was really packed one night, and I was sitting at the bar next to this really attractive girl, and she asked me for a light. Here I am, completely naïve, and I pick up what I think is a lighter and start pressing it on. It’s not working, so I keep pressing it, and all of a sudden, the girl passes out!”

Turns out, the lighter was a can of pepper spray. The bar had to be evacuated, and the girl was rushed to the hospital. Needless to say, Ney didn’t get her number.

“I hope she’s not dead! She seemed like a really nice girl,” Ney said, laughing.

Ney’s willingness to narrate his strengths and weaknesses are part of what sets the vibe of Gene’s Place. He strives to create an “unpretentious atmosphere, where people can just be laid back. It’s always attracted a really nice, diverse crowd.”

While he originally never thought about entering the hospitality industry, Ney enjoys the business and would like to expand and open another bar someday.

“It’s rewarding to walk through the bar and see full tables and great people,” he said. “There needs to be more bar options to keep people here in Oakland. It astounds me how many people go to the South Side and pay double what they would here just because there are more places for them to go in a night.”

Aside from the cheaper beer, another draw to Oakland is the familial atmosphere. A chat with Ney will produce more than drink recommendations — he’ll often impart his wisdom about life.

“Look at your education as going up stairs. Think of it as a progression,” he said. “When an opportunity knocks on your door, don’t be afraid to answer it. It might not work out the way you’d like, but at least give it a try.”

“Always go to your graduation,” Ney recommends to his students. “Walking across that stage and getting that piece of paper is a great feeling.

“I was lucky,” he laughed, “I had a very large cheering section when I graduated.”

No surprise there. Ney has a kind face and encouraging personality to which people respond. Ney admits he seems to help people without even realizing it.

“There was a girl coming in here a few years ago that was contemplating dropping out of school. I have no idea what I said to her, but a few months later, she sent me some candy and a card saying I had helped her decide to stay,” he said.

Ney’s upbringing is rooted in Pitt pride. Four of his five family members have degrees from the University, and it’s clear that he cares about the place.

“I love it here at Pitt so much [that] I never left. Give back to your school, stay involved,” he said. “A degree from Pitt is something to be proud of — the lessons I learned here will guide me through the rest of my life.”