Students Start New Fraternity on Campus

The Daily Collegian - 3/7/07

When freshman Kevin Bolduc started a new semester at the University of Massachusetts, he did not know he would be a founding father of an internationally recognized fraternity.

Bolduc, the recruitment chair for Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike), thought that being a founding father is "such a unique and interesting" experience. "It is a great opportunity to benefit the UMass community and to enhance [his]…leadership skills."

Pike, founded in 1896 at the University of Virginia, has initiated over 215,000 members to over 200 chapters and "upholds one of the largest average chapter…size of any international fraternity," according to the Pi Kappa Alpha handbook.

Freshman Brian DiNardo, also a founding father, said that Pike wants to have a part in helping UMass. "We don't want UMass to be here for us, we want to be here for UMass," he said.

DiNardo emphasized the importance of strong recruitment for Pike. "[Recruitment] is such a huge thing," he said. "We need to have men completely committed to bettering the Amherst community and our fraternity."

Recruitment, up to this point done by Pike consultants Vince Drieling and Christian Barajas but now run by Bolduc, consists of recommendations and a two-step interview process.

Recommendations can be from anyone such as faculty, athletics coaches, bosses or RAs, said Drieling and Barajas. These recommendations help show the two consultants if the candidate is "the right man" for the fraternity.

The first interview, the most formal, revolves around introducing the fraternity to the prospective member while Drieling and Barajas determine whether or not the candidate represents Pike's values. Known as SLAG to its members, these values stand for "Scholars, Leaders, Athletes and Gentlemen" according to the Pike handbook.

After the first interview, if Drieling and Barajas are satisfied with the man's "values" they will invite him back to talk more about the fraternity and eventually give him a bid to join.

According to Barajas, Pike, although having only been on campus since the start of the spring semester, has been "successful due to everyone on campus trying to build a stronger Greek community."

Drieling also noted that their success was helped in part by the supportive "Greek community…and [Student Affairs] administration." The Student Affairs office, which Drieling said is unfairly seen to be "anti-fraternity by most UMass students," was welcoming and excited for Pike's return to campus.

Though once a recognized chapter on the UMass campus, Pike has been inactive since 2000 due to a "diminishing membership," Michael Wiseman, the director of the Office of Fraternities and Sororities, said Monday.

Although Pike does not have a house yet, the members are not too concerned for the time being. "A frat is a lot more than a house…we have a lot of goals to fulfill before we get a house," commented Sam Boyd, Pike pledge education chair.

According to Drieling, it is easier to focus on recruiting the "best men on campus" and "all aspects of [fraternity] operations" without the responsibility of a house.

Wiseman said that the new fraternity shows that "there is still an interest…in Greek life" and that Pike is "off to a good start."

Bolduc is excited about the new opportunity to help found Pi Kappa Alpha. "Everybody is cheering us on," he said. "We have the support of all the other fraternities on campus."