The University of Wisconsin-Madison chapter initiates Bishop Hying into the Fraternity!

Collegiate members from Wisconsin Lambda chapter gather for a group photo after initiation.

Since being re-chartered in 2015, the Wisconsin Lambda chapter at the University of Wisconsin has initiated several bishops and priests. They recently continued this tradition by welcoming Bishop Donald J. Hying (Bishop of the Diocese of Madison).

Others who were initiated into the chapter since 2015, include the following: 

• Robert C. Morlino (Bishop of Madison, Wisconsin from 2003-2018)

• Father Eric Nielsen (Current Pastor of Saint Paul's Newman Center and a Priest of the Diocese of Madison) 

• Father Luke Syse (Former Chaplain of the Wisconsin Lambda chapter)  

• Father Greg Ihm (Current Director of Vocations for Madison Diocese)  

• Father Gabriel López-Betanzos (Pastor, St. Peter Parish, Madison; Judicial Vicar) 

• Father Dave Carrano (Pastor, Good Shepherd Parish, Madison; Chaplain Catholic Charismatic Renewal)

• Father Tim Mergen (Current priest of Madison Diocese and chaplain in the U.S. Air Force)

• Luke La Salvia (Current FOCUS missionary) 

• Bishop Donald J. Hying (Current Bishop of Madison)  

We interviewed Casey Clark (University of Wisconsin-Madison, ‘24) to discuss this exciting news. Read on to learn more about how Bishop Hying has made an impact on the brothers within the Wisconsin Lambda chapter.

Could you tell us more about how Bishop Hying was initiated into your chapter?

It started as a comment between us brothers that Bishop Hying should be initiated. After contemplating whether he would be interested, we decided to ask him at dinner one night.  

The dinner conversation with Bishop Hying was very cool to witness. I noticed that even though he was the bishop, he wanted to listen to get to know us better. He made sure to ask us all about our schooling and interests. It shows how genuine he is and how much he truly cares about us. 

At dinner, we told him that we would love to have him initiated and become part of the brotherhood. He said he would get back to us, and a few months later, he reached out and confirmed that he would come to the ceremony and be initiated into the Fraternity. Everyone was very excited. 

What led Bishop Hying to join the chapter? 

As a Fraternity, we have always valued our Catholic faith. We strive to bring every brother to holiness and live out the faith's fullness. Bishop Hying sees all these guys seeking virtue and wants to support that. I would say that was one of the reasons for joining the chapter.

What do you think others can learn from Bishop Hying within the chapter? 

Bishop Hying is one of the most genuine, kind, and holy men I have known. You can tell he has an intimate relationship with Christ and is an excellent Shepard of the church. We are lucky to have him as a Bishop. 

We can learn from him by pursuing a relationship with Christ, especially in the craziness of college. When he speaks, his presence and what he says hits you in the heart. It feels like Christ is talking through him, and you feel loved and appreciated. I think we should all strive to be a man of Christ-like Bishop Hying.  

If you have an exciting story to tell, share it with us by clicking the button below. We would love to hear from you! 

Justin Sines accepts position with Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity as Fraternal Growth Coordinator

Brother Sines

Justin Sines (Duquesne University, '11) has accepted a position with Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity as Fraternal Growth Coordinator.

Brother Sines joins the professional staff after seven years of working in the English and Theater Arts Department at Duquesne University as the Technical Director. He graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Duquesne in 2011 and is currently finishing up a Master of Fine Arts in Digital Media.

“Since 2009, Phi Kappa Theta has given me multiple opportunities for leadership roles and to grow professionally, and this is truly an honor to be able to pass those opportunities to undergraduates across the country within my work.

I’m here to pass on the values of Phi Kap to a new generation of college men. I hope this position allows me to make a fraction of the positive impact our previous leaders had on me.”

— Justin Sines (Duquesne University, '11)

Justin lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with his partner Tony and their three dogs, Rosco, Harry, and Cyrus. Outside of work, Justin is a board member of the Gemini Children's Theater and volunteers his time with countless theater groups across the Pittsburgh region.

Kappa Theta Alumni Association receives official recognition with their chartering

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity is proud to announce the chartering of the Kappa Theta Alumni Association located in Weymouth, Massachusetts. The association is comprised of alumni brothers who hail from the Massachusetts Kappa Theta chapter at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

The Massachusetts Kappa Theta alumni brothers signed the petition on April 20, 2022. On July 15, 2022, the National Fraternity Board of Trustees motioned to approve the petition granting the alumni charter.
 
“On behalf of Phi Kappa Theta's leadership, we congratulate the brothers of the Kappa Theta Alumni Association on their chartering! These brothers have demonstrated a personal commitment to passionately serving the future generations of brothers at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. We continue to grow and look to like-minded brothers to be engaged in leadership roles with Phi Kappa Theta throughout the country,” said Robert Riggs, CAE, Executive Vice President of Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity.
 
Adam Acorn (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, ‘10), President of the Kappa Theta Alumni Association Executive Board, recently described the group’s initial interest that led to this important milestone. "Last fall, a group of alumni got together and began conversations on how we could engage other alumni to help the chapter financially.”

After a year of planning and involvement, the group’s efforts finally came to fruition. Acorn added, “almost a year later, we have an established alumni association with roughly 75 participating members. We have about 50 alumni donating to active chapter scholarships and recruitment initiatives. We had our first formal event, a family BBQ, and have a couple more events planned this year. It's great to see the support and involvement from the alumni.”

Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity’s National President, Matthew Runkle (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, ‘11), commended the alumni group’s mission to support future generations of brothers.

“The Fraternity Board is pleased to recognize the Kappa Theta Alumni Association officially. The commitment and leadership of alumni like Brother Acorn and other founding members of the Association are critical to the success of our collegiate chapters and alumni. It also demonstrates the lifelong brotherhood that is Phi Kappa Theta. As the Fraternity continues to grow, we hope to similarly partner with alumni across the country in service of our Mission.”

Our Mission: 
Phi Kappa Theta actively develops men to be effective leaders
who passionately serve society, Fraternity, and God.

A Recap of the 2022 Leadership Summit

Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity held its 2022 Leadership Summit in San Antonio, Texas, from July 15th - 17th.

The weekend consisted of leadership meetings, breakout sessions, an exemplification of our ritual, and much more at the Hilton Palacio del Rio!

A special reception was hosted by the PKT Alamo Alumni Association at the Tower of Americas in downtown San Antonio to honor Manny González (Texas A&I University, ’82), who was honored as the 2022 Man of Achievement at our Saturday evening banquet.

““My mind and my heart are still trying to process what occurred that weekend. I have been blessed with my wonderful Lucinda, my loving daughters, friends, and my career, but I honestly underestimated what fraternal brotherhood has meant to my life. It is my core, it is my compass, and it is who I am. To be recognized as “Man of Achievement” by these wonderful men I call my brothers was exceptionally meaningful and truly validated the pillars of our brotherhood, which we proudly call Phi Kappa Theta.””

— 2022 Man of Achievement, Manny González (Texas A&I University, '82)

Current and former National Fraternity presidents proudly stand next to Brother González (center).

In addition to honoring Brother González, attendees recognized the efforts of our collegiate chapters with awards for the 2021 - 2022 academic year during a luncheon.

We interviewed Pritish Mishra (Case Western Reserve University, ‘23) and Alexander Laitinen (Bridgewater State University, ‘23) to highlight the attendee experience from a collegiate perspective.

What was your overall impression of the Leadership Summit? 

Pritish Mishra:
Since this was my first time going, I did not have any set expectations. I was pleasantly surprised. I think of my chapter as a group of close and honest brothers. All the events we had during the summit reflected that aspect of our brotherhood.  

Regarding the event, I liked the discussions on why we exist as an organization. I think it is essential to have those conversations. We also had an honest and open-minded conversation about what diversity means to us as a national organization, fraternity, and brotherhood. That conversation was also highly appropriate because it revealed the brother’s feelings and what they thought was important. 

It was nice meeting all the new people from all different walks of life. 

The biggest and the best experience I had, was conversing with other brothers and their families. I did not expect everyone to be so forthcoming, honest, and friendly. When you talk at a chapter level, you know everything. But at a national level, it is different. Before, I was intimidated by the board and national staff. But when attending the summit, I talked to the current and past presidents and realized they are brothers first, and we are all on the same level. It humanizes them a lot, and I think that is very important.

Alexander Laitinen:
Being from a Massachusetts chapter, I had never ventured out to San Antonio. I didn’t know what to expect regarding how those at nationals would receive me. Once I got there, I realized that even though my other brothers were older than me, we still had mutual respect for everyone, and we all enjoyed getting to know one another. 

What was your biggest takeaway? 

Pritish Mishra:
I would split this into three parts. First, It is essential to remember where we come from and never forget our roots. The second is always to be open-minded when working in a team. You have the potential to learn something new from everyone. The third piece is to be kind to everyone. You don’t know where they come from regarding why they do what they do. When you are kind, sometimes the best of someone comes out, which you will always cherish. 

Alexander Laitinen:  
It can feel like those at nationals are distant, and we don’t always know if our beliefs are the same as theirs. After attending the Summit, I could see how much those at nationals do care. Seeing how they spoke and carried themselves showed that we are on the same page, and at the end of the day, we are all Phi Kaps. Everyone up top cares the same as everyone below. 

What advice would you give to someone if you knew that they were contemplating going to a national event next year? 

Pritish Mishra:
My honest advice is to go for it. I was the only one from my chapter attending.

Surprisingly, I found out that one of the former [National Fraternity] presidents [Robert Stalder from Case Western Reserve University, ‘94] was from my chapter, and I would not have found that out if I had not gone. I met so many new people and made so many new friends. I still am in regular contact with many of the people I met. We only interacted in the span of two days. If I can form that bond with brothers so different from me in two days, it shows the benefit of attending. Just do it! 

It was something I will cherish for the rest of my life, and I will plan to attend the next national event. I think for my chapter, this will be highly beneficial, and it will help us grow and have more conversations about who we are and help us continue growing a stronger bond. I will always be grateful for having this opportunity, and I will encourage future leaders to come to this in the future.

Alexander Laitinen: 
Find why you love Phi kappa Theta and take that with you. 

Figure out what you want from Phi Kappa Theta and choose to attend the Summit [or any other upcoming national event] for that reason. It will help you get the most out of your Fraternity experience. 

““I always enjoy attending Phi Kappa Theta’s annual summer meeting - this Leadership Summit included - as it’s one of the few times a year we’re able to gather and experience what it means to be part of a nationally shared Phi Kap brotherhood. Our discussions over the weekend, both business and society alike, were energized, thoughtful, and inclusive. The  Summit was a fantastic reminder of how blessed our Fraternity is to have many alumni volunteers who consistently dedicate themselves to enriching the next generation of brothers in the Phi, the Kappa, and the Theta. That is why it was so fitting that the culmination of the weekend was honoring brother Manny González, one of the most humble, kind, and generous members of our order, with the Fraternity’s highest honor: the Man of Achievement award!” ”

— National Fraternity President, Matthew Runkle (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, '11)

If you attended this year’s Leadership Summit, you know how beneficial it is to connect with brothers from around the country and contribute to discussions that are guiding the Fraternity into the future.

The connection between alumni and collegiate members is always important, and we encourage you to continue making those connections whenever possible.

For those who couldn’t make it to the Summit – we hope to see you at our Biennial Convention in 2023!