Back when to I was just starting out at UCF, I never thought that going Greek would ever cross my mind. The stereotypes you hear every single day go into my head, and I wouldn't even dare to try and go Greek because of them. However, that all changed when I found Pi Kappa Phi.
So OK Chris, we get it. You're a Pi Kapp, and you're proud of it, but how does your fraternity any different than any other? Well, my fellow readers, I am happy to give you the honest answer to this.
First, we have to go to the question a lot of people are asking. What made me decide to join Pi Kapp? Was it the brothers? Was it their values? What do they do that made you change your mind? To be honest, nothing. Except when I found out about their national philanthropy, The Ability Experience.
So what is the Ability Experience, exactly? If you haven't figured it out by now, it's Pi Kappa Phi's national philanthropy, and by the way, Pi Kapp is the only national fraternity that owns and operates its own philanthropy. The mission of the Ability Experience is "We use shared experiences to support people with disabilities and develop the men of Pi Kappa Phi into servant leaders." Knowing that this was the fraternity philanthropy, this immediately grabbed my attention, and all of a sudden, I had to know more. As it turns out, there was a lot more.
There was also Journey of Hope, a national cycling event that raises more than $500,000 dollars every single year. Teams start in different parts of the nation, from San Francisco, Seattle, and Los Angeles, with everyone finishing in Washington, D.C., and to put this in perspective, these brave cyclists are averaging 75 miles per day. Why do they do it? It's they all because they want to help better serve our communities around us and inspire hope.
At the local college level, like UCF, the fundraising continues. War of the Roses is considered one of the greatest weeks of the year from Pi Kapps. Not only do we raise money for the Ability Experience, but it's the week we crown our annual Rose Queen, a sorority woman who best represents our fraternity, and the Ability Experience, in the best way possible.
This year, my chapter has three candidates running from three amazing chapters, and all three candidates have shown that even the slightest bit of change and dedication can help positively impact the lives of many.
I know it's going to be a tough choice for us to choose just one Rose Queen, but it's something that must be done. However, I can definitely say that, win or lose, thanks to the ongoing dedication, we have proven to others that there is still hope to help those who need it.
*I wrote this in dedication of my fraternity's philanthropy week, War of the Roses. Always proud to say I am a Pi Kappa Phi.*
