About Pi Alpha Phi
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A Note from the Editor A twice yearly publication of Pi Alpha Phi National Fraternity for its members, alumni, donors, and friends. This edition of Generations is a mark of consistency and experience. As a young active I have worked hard and through every experienced year, it seems the personal rewards have been GENERATIONS greater. Generations and Pi Alpha Phi have been vehicles for FALL 2005 success. Every brother strives to reach the goals of Pi Alpha Phi, the well-known five pillars – academic excellence, leadership, Asian Awareness, philanthropy and brotherhood. However, the road to achievement is often difficult with arduous bumps and many stops along the way. Pi Alpha Phi National Leadership Generations is a vehicle to express the reflections of the brotherhood and for me as a personal vehicle for experience in my President career goals. Pi Alpha Phi is also a vehicle…that should carry us Kenny Shih - UCB Alumnus to reach our five pillars. A Pi Alpha Phi leader should be in the [email protected] driver’s seat of that vehicle, often taking more people along for Vice President the ride. Whether through college, or as an alumnus, throughout Cheng Chiv - Arizona Alumnus the generations, a brother should always be driving toward [email protected] excellence…the five pillars. Treasurer Paul Hsiao - UCB Active The vehicle must be cared for and maintained to allow the driver [email protected] to reach his destination. However much we put into our vehicle, Secretary it will give us back. In this edition you can read about alumni, Phil Wang - UCSC Active actives, and current leaders working hard to steer the fraternity [email protected] in the right direction. You will also read about the rewards of brotherhood and lifelong bonds the fraternity creates. They have Generations Staff taken the driver’s seat. They have contributed for Generations… given and received. Hopefully this can be a theme for us all. Editor in Chief John Zhang Thanks to all the drivers and contributors of this edition. Your thoughts and efforts are appreciated. Contributing Writers Brian Takemoto When you are on the road and look into the distance…it is blurred Gene Hwang and the path may seem endless or uncertain. You may have made Phillip Chang mistakes or have taken a wrong direction. Vehicles can always be Jeff Chen righted to travel the right direction. Take control now and pave Phil Lee your future and the future paths for generations to come. Use Pi Erik Dong Alpha Phi and the generations as a vehicle for your success. Lee Heh James Lo Best Regards and Fraternally, Graphics Editor John Zhang Brian Gee National Newsletter Editor Contributing Artist On the Cover: With the Leadership Convention and the Asian Greek Summit taking place in Las Vegas, what’s better than Elvis on the cover? Chris Lee From the President Pi Alpha Phi ... What does it mean to you? ith the core-concept of the organization their time, be self-motivated, and realize that free time being advancement and forward-looking is precious - not to be wasted. Wgrowth, it only makes sense to examine our own organization and hold ourselves accountable to a Philanthropy - the fraternity is active within our “vision”. community with philanthropic causes, such as through the Jade Ribbon Campaign. It is important to build Where will Pi Alpha Phi be in 5-10-20 years? What a positive reputation within the community and build kind of Brothers do we want to recruit? What kind of upon what we’ve done in the past. Philanthropy is culture are we looking to build? What do we need to very open-ended. I challenge future generations of the do to strengthen the “foundation” of the fraternity? fraternity to excel even more in philanthropy. Pi Alpha Phi is only as good as the people in it. Leadership - QUALITY BROTHERS are those This is a poignant statement in that it is imperative willing to take on larger and more proactive roles that the fraternity at every chapter continues to recruit within their respective chapters - and maybe even QUALITY BROTHERS. Only with quality brothers a National role later on. A successful team needs do we have a quality organization and vice-versa. LEADERS - people that inspire others to new heights. Quality Brothers are those that add to the “human Asian Awareness - We are the first Asian American capital” of the organization through strong leadership fraternity in the nation. Be proud of the Asian roots of skills, unique individual talents, willingness to Pi Alpha Phi. sacrifice for the fraternity, not to mention those that believe in the values that define Pi Alpha Phi, and Pi Alpha Phi... what does it mean to me? individuals that redefine what we do by taking our fraternity to another level. At every chapter there You all remember that moment in pledging where needs to be a greater effort in identifying men who it all clicked for you? You fully understood what it are confident, charismatic, intelligent, academically- meant to be passionate about Pi Alpha Phi. That same driven, financially responsible, sociable, good at level of mental toughness, drive, and conviction is sports, and most importantly “go-getters”. The quality what comes to mind for me when I think of Pi Alpha of the organization and the quality of its members Phi. That level of intensity is something that’ll carry - are not only intimately intertwined, but they feed with you throughout your lifetime and never to be upon and perpetuate one another: If the quality of our forgotten. It is through this organization that we are membership increases, the quality of the organization challenged to become better men. increases. Today’s National Cabinet is in the position to make Brotherhood should always be the focal point and an impact on each chapter and improve the fraternity “foundation” of the fraternity. If we truly care about as a whole: with long-term financial stability, a better one another and care about Pi Alpha Phi as our more connected alumni network, and more national own, we will strive to do nothing but positive things events that bring us closer together. We have a lot of to achieve the common goals we have. Without great ideas that will lay the groundwork for the future Brotherhood, we really have nothing. success of our fraternity. Academic Excellence - We are all in school for Fraternally, a reason - to make our parents proud and get the college degree necessary to further our careers in life. Kenny Shih Everyone needs to take care of their business: manage National President Davis Alumni Get Organized Dedicated Alumni form UC Davis Chapter Alumni Association by Brian Takemoto brothers from so many different generations that I still UC Davis Founding Father see, hang out with or even do business with. Although there were many different faces it appeared that nothing am proud to announce the formation of the Davis Pi has changed, year to year to year. Alpha Phi Alumni Association. Fifteen years after I we established the Gamma Chapter at UC Davis, Our latest event involved two topics that are essential a handful of my alumni brothers and I decided to take to the success of an active house; fundraising and some time out of our professional and family lives to planning. On July 16th, we hosted an Active Planning help support the active house we founded and rebuild Conference for the Davis and Berkeley active chapters. the network of brothers who have either recently or This was an opportunity for the house leaders to meet long since graduated. with each other as well as alumni outside of school and away from other distractions. We were able to leverage our individual professional expertise in Ten years had passed, As alumni, we learned about the law, banking, commercial real estate challenges of running a house in and business to incorporate the but it’s amazing how this day and age of multiple Asian association and get it operational. we still welcome each Greek fraternity choices and Our Board and active cabinet intense anti-fraternity scrutiny by representatives now meet every other with a big smile law enforcement and the university third Saturday of the month in the and a heartfelt hug systems. The actives learned that Bay Area. many potential problems can be overcome by careful planning and One of the huge challenges of the association was communication with the other brothers. getting our database populated. I was encouraged to see how many alumni brothers signed up for our yahoo During the morning we led an open discussion on house group, pledged their annual donation and attended our financial planning. We held break out sessions so that May reunion event. each chapter could review their own expenses for the next quarter / semester. Utility bills, rent, insurance, I was even happier the board had the opportunity to dinners, formals, and rush events were just some of connect with almost every alumni member, either by the dozens of expenses a house has to deal with. We email, phone or over lunch. In some cases, 5-10 years then compared income, added up dues, rent and other had passed since I had heard from or personally seen expenses in order see the difference. some of my brothers, but it’s amazing how we still welcome each other with a big smile and a heartfelt This exercise was an eye-opener to many of the non- hug. treasurer / house manager brothers. The budget shortfall that each house found emphasized the need to The May reunion event was held at the Dublin Ranch plan ahead for fundraising activities as well as the need golf course and was a great time.