After months of work and anticipation, the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the chapter arrived on Saturday night and proved to be an outstanding event for alumni and brothers.
The evening opened with a brothers and alumni and meeting at the chapter house for a cocktails and snacks. Though learly eyed and exhausted, the ne wly initiated brothers turned out in force to mingle and meet alumni from 30+ years of PA Iota.
Following cocktails, the brothers and alumni proceeded to UC Sheraton for dinner and some remarks. Courtesy of Brother Lobron ('78), we learned that the Chapter Installation Banquet was held in the very same room 30 years ago. Brother Lobron also treated the assembled brothers to some stories of the early days of PA Iota and proved a gracious guest, entertaining a host of questions on what it was like to be a brother of the newly re-chartered chapter. He also
shared with the brothers some memorabilia from the chapter installa tion. Following Brother Lobron, the group was honored to be addressed by Brothe r Richard Templeton ('71) who shared his recollections of life in the old chapter house and provided some insight on the end of the old chapter. But the highlight of the night was our own, Brother Bill Staples who looked back on 25 years as a brother and chapter adviser and shared his many stories of brothers who ran afoul of the law. As a token of appreciation, the chapter and the alumni presented Bill with a framed picture of the U.S.S. Thresher and baseball tickets for him and his family.
Brother Richard Lobron ('78) shares his recollections of rechartering the chapter
Brother Richard Templeton ('71) talks about the old chapter
Brother Bill Staples ('85) poses with a picture of the U.S.S. Thresher given to him by the undergrads and alumni.
The undergrads of the chapter also took the opportunity to announce new alumni initiatives, including the reorganization of house corp into a wider alumni corporation and the relaunch of the chapter website (www.upennphipsi.com, its still being developed so make sure to check back constantly in the next few months as we improve and expand it). Finally, the brotherhood and alumni joined together for a rousing rendition of
Amici and the Phi Psi yell.
Brothers Aaron Peskin, Matt Davis, Fred Beckley, and Greg Benz at dinner
Brothers Staples, Swierk, Weinstein, and Templeton
Four different classes together (Brothers Davis, Stein, Alcorn, and Pelhan)
Brothers and alumni took the celebration back to the chapter house and sharing beers and bonding. Rarely in the history of Phi Psi have alumni of so many generation and brothers bonded or spent such a pleasurable time as they did on Saturday night. We are working to make more pictures from Saturday available and we would like to invite everyone to share any comments or stories from Saturday night.
-Brother GP
Perhaps after one beer too many, Brother Davis and Beckley debate the merits of new brother Chris Pynn (left)
Brother Staples grimaces thinking about all the times he bailed a brother out of jail
We can't tell them apart either (in all seriousness Brother Sunny Saxena and new Brother Kirti Patodia)
Phi Psi brothers at Relay for Life
