Pi Kappa Phi becomes official IFC fraternity

Pi Kappa Phi is off to a quick start. Yesterday the fraternity officially became a member of the Interfraternity Council, and had a bid signing ceremony for its new members, said Joel Borellis, Pi Kap's director for expansion. Although he has been at the University for just a short time, Borellis said he has already recruited a "good nucleus" of students interested in starting a chapter here. Borellis and a colleague from the fraternity's national office, David Adams, have been interviewing students who expressed interest in the fraternity and will continue to do so. The fraternity is looking for students who are "visible" on campus, people who are "self motivated." "These are the people we want and these are the people who know other people we want," Borellis said. Pi Kap's members will need to be motivated because Borellis has a host of plans and activities for the fledgling chapter beginning next week. In order to spread word about the fraternity, Borellis said Pi Kap will try to coordinate events with other fraternities and sororities on campus. These events will not only serve to inform other students about Pi Kap but will give founding members a chance to know each other as well, Adams said. Borellis hopes Pi Kap can add something new and original to the Greek scene at the University. "We want to benefit the fraternity and sorority system by adding some fun during our colonizing process," Borellis said. As an example, Borellis spoke about how he and the other Pi Kap brothers at his alma mater, the University of South Carolina, would serenade the sororities on campus. Borellis hopes events like this will help Pi Kap to establish a name for itself at the University. Most of all, Borellis and Adams said, the founding members are excited about starting their own traditions. "It is a fun time to start your own fraternity?if you do something once one week and then do it the next week and the week after, you've created a tradition," Borellis said. But Pi Kap has much more in mind than just fun and games. The fraternity will also be looking for a facility to "adopt" for its PUSH program, Borellis said. Through PUSH, the fraternity's national philanthropy project, Pi Kap works to help the handicapped. And as if planning activities for the new chapter is not enough work, Borellis and Adams are also busy working with local alumni. The alumni advisory board is "80 percent complete" and the Pi Kap housing group will be incorporated soon, Borellis said. But, at this point, he said it is too early to speculate where a Pi Kap house will be located.