Pi Kappa Phi fraternity came to the University of California, Irvine campus in the spring of 1989. We colonized the campus without any formal invitation from IFC. Jim Rundle brought Pi Kappa Phi to our campus because he saw how his older brother Keith
Rundle, a founder of the Zeta Beta chapter at the University of California, San Diego, was a "Pi Kapp."
IFC did not welcome Pi Kappa Phi to UCI. IFC prevented us from being integrated and from having sorority social exchanges on campus. Pi Kappa Phi's colonization would have been a lot more easier if the campus and current greek advisor were receptive to
us.
Pi Kappa Phi at UCI was the first group to do an Adopt-a-Highway project sponsored by Cal-Trans. Our street was the MacArthur/73 extension (from Champagne Market to Fashion Island). This was our first community project which we were proud to have publ
ished in the local Los Angeles Times newspaper. With 40 members and proof of hard work, the associate chapter at UCI was chartered by the National Office on May 30, 1992. The initiation was held at the Methodist Church of Newport Beach. Our chartering ball was the next day on May 30, 1992 in Dana Point. The charter signified the founding of an established working Pi Kappa Phi chapter, designated Eta Eta. Eta Eta is Pi Kappa Phi's 175th chapter in the United States, which upon chartering had 39 active
members and 6 alumni initiates. Although Eta Eta existed, we were still not integrated into IFC. Since we were a recognized working chapter, we had to go through an IFC integration program. This program allowed us to be a part of IFC without voting privileges nor an opportunity to hold any IFC offices. The "integration" took one very long year. After this year, Pi Kappa Phi was proudly a part of the UCI campus.
By this time, we changed our PUSH (People Understanding the Severely Handicapped) America philanthropy beneficiary to the Los Naranjos middle school. Our PUSH Bowl-a-thon and scaffold sit enabled us to instill handicapped awareness as well as raise money
for this worthy cause. After our IFC integration, our chapter has gone no where but up. In winter of 1994, we were paired with Pi Beta Phi sorority to participate in the musical "Pippin" for Greek Songfest. Our first year of participation was a success
. In fall 1994, our chapter placed first in Kappa Alpha Theta's "Go Fly A Kite" philanthropy. We also placed in Delta Gamma's "Anchor Splash" philanthropy.
During this time, our Vice Archon Internal, Craig Capon, got elected to be the IFC Vice President of RUSH. During his term, he pushed and got integrated, an open RUSH policy for the entire UCI campus. Before Craig's open RUSH policy, IFC was using their
inefficient formal RUSH policy in which there would only be two RUSH periods (fall and winter) in which to bid new members. The new open RUSH policy states that RUSH is year long and that perspectives can be bid and integrated into pledge programs an
ytime.
In the spring of 1995, Rick Garcia brought back Greek Week for this campus. Thus, he got the support of other Greeks to be involved in a week full of activities that would show the campus Greek pride. Not only did Pi Kappa Phi bring Greek Week back to our campus, but we also rocked Greek Songfest that year. For the 1995 Greek Songfest, we were paired with Gamma Phi Beta sorority in the musical "Jerome Robbin's Broadway." The cast had spent numerous hours in preparation for their big performance which culminated in a victory!
In the winter of 1996, Pi Kappa Phi published the annual Greek Directory. We had raised more than $2000 for PUSH America. Also in the winter of 1996, we held our annual Casino Night. Our Casino Night chairman Art Charchain had saw to it that Casino Nig
ht was a success, as numerous prizes were awarded during a night full of blackjack, craps, roulette, and poker. Eta Eta chapter of Pi Kappa Phi at UCI has been the envy of all the greeks on our campus. As UCI's #1 greek fraternity, we are all proud to be
Pi Kapps.
