Originally founded in 1889 as the Thulanian Club, the first local fraternity at the University of Minnesota, Alpha Pi Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity was first installed on March 8, 1924. The Fraternity gained a new chapter with 33 active members and 65 alumni of the Thulanian Club were initiated into Theta Chi. One of these undergraduate members was Bryan E. Smith (Class of 1926 and Roster #25) who would later serve as President of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.
Among the noteworthy Thulanian Club alumni that were brought into Theta Chi included J.A. Preus (1902) and Theodore Christianson (1906), governors of Minnesota from 1921 to 1925 and 1925-1931, respectively. Theodore Christianson was elected National Vice President in 1931, eight months after completing his term as Governor. While serving on the Grand Chapter he was elected to Congress. Christianson joined two other alumni that had previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives: Einar Hoidale (1898) and Conrad G. Selvig (1907). Theta Chi also gained Oscar "Ossie" Solem (1915) who would serve as the head football coach at Luther College, Drake University, University of Iowa and Syracuse University.
In the years that followed, the chapter actively recruited the best athletes and scholars from the University of Minnesota’s student body. In 1929, the 73rd annual Theta Chi convention was held in Minneapolis and featured the newly constructed, English-style chapter house at 315 16th Ave. SE.
In the decades that followed, eminent figures passed through the doors of the Alpha Pi Chapter House. Among them, founder of CBS' 60 Minutes founder & ABC news anchor Harry Reasoner (1944) and two National Presidents: William F. Frantz (1939) who served 1956-1960 and Paul Norstrem (1986) who served 2002-2006.
By the late 1990s, Alpha Pi faced hard times due to low membership and a chapter house that had been left in poor condition. This was a difficult time for Greek Life in general at the University of Minnesota, and Theta Chi was not the only organization to leave campus. After a difficult vote by the Grand Chapter, on Feb. 14, 2000, Alpha Pi Chapter was officially inactive. Soon after, the chapter house was sold and still stands today as a coffeehouse. A total of 1,035 men had been initiated into the Alpha Pi Chapter during its time on campus.
Alpha Pi alumni worked together with the International Headquarters staff to prepare for reinstallation. Coincidentally, as plans were formulating to petition the University of Minnesota to recolonize, Matt Levine, Gamma Tau/Drake 2006, was hired as the Program Director of the Office for Fraternity and Sorority Life. Brother Levine did not play favorites; however, he certainly upheld the North-American Interfraternity Conference's policy on Open Expansion and permitted Theta Chi to re-colonize beginning in the Fall of 2012.
Leadership and Education Consultants Cory Loveless and Joe Macko arrived on campus in the fall of 2012 and began the process of recruiting men in order to form an interest group. Loveless and Macko organized events for the new members to get to know one another, taught organizational skills, and trained the newly elected officers of the colony. Later that semester, the International Headquarters accepted the petition for colonization and a ceremony was held Dec. 8, 2012 at Hanson Hall.
In the months that followed, the Alpha Pi Colony became more active on campus and within the Greek community. Members attended philanthropy functions hosted by others in the Greek community, and began volunteering with the University of Minnesota Amplatz Children’s Hospital, Feed My Starving Children, and People Serving People. By the end of the Spring 2013 Semester, Alpha Pi Colony had 31 members.
Alpha Pi Colony participated in its first formal rush in the fall of 2013. Leadership and Education Consultant Justin Jones visited the colony during that time to make suggestions concerning recruitment, and to address the colony on national policies concerning hazing and hosting safe social events. By the end of September, the colony had grown to 43 members and formally petitioned the Grand Chapter for reinstallation.
On a sub-zero Minnesota day, Saturday, Dec. 7, 2013, 42 men, including two fathers of undergraduate members, were initiated into the reinstalled Alpha Pi Chapter of Theta Chi Fraternity during a ceremony held at the Normandy Inn in downtown Minneapolis. Past National President (and current Vice President of the Norwich Housing Corporation), Paul Norstrem (Alpha Pi/Minnesota 1986) presided. Also in attendance were National Treasurer Douglas Allen, Norwich Housing Corporation Secretary Dr. Wesley K. Wicker, Past Foundation Chapter President David May and Counselors Dan Reilly and Royce A. Keehr. Representing International Headquarters were Senior Director for Recruitment and Expansion JD Ford and Assistant Director of Recruitment and Expansion Joe Macko and Recruitment and Expansion Specialist Jeffrey Draluck.
The undergraduates that revived Alpha Pi are: Landon Auld, Stephen Beck, Paul Broderson, Andy Buckley, Alex Campbell, Austin Cariveau, Henry Carras, David Cesnik, Aymen Chalbi, Zack Coffel, Steven Cordes, Levi Dantzinger, Andy Day, Ross Denison, Tyler Ellegard, Brad Frederickson, Jake Fritz, Mitch Fuller, Jordan Gustafson, Jon Heywood, Joel Hoffbeck, Chandler Ignaszewski, Stefan Jobe, Will Kivlin, Blake Kraussel, Dylan Kuntz, Nick Lambert, Daniel Liesener, Michael Lu, Heng Ly, David Macura, Josh Matushin, Jarod Morrissette, Andy Nguyen, Greg Norsten, Abdul Nur, Charlie O’Hare, Sam Riley, Sam Schultz, Chris Schwass, Jake Sherman, David Szeto, Luke Tajima, Blake Tan, Dominic Villanueva, Luke Wolf, and Tom Young.
Nearly 30 Alpha Pi Alumni were on hand to assist with the Reinstallation Ceremony. Alumni were represented from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Out of these seven decades of Alpha Pi brothers, Tom H. Swain (1942) was the "elder statesman" at the young age of 92. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Alpha Pi had initiated its newest youngest brother: Abdul A. Nur (2017), who had just turned 18 at the end of September.
During the ceremony, Paul Norstrem presented his old Badge to the Alpha Pi's undergraduate President, Austin Cariveau. Norstrem noted that as a Past National President, he now wears a replica of the Founders Badge and therefore has the opportunity to share his former Badge with Alpha Pi. He presented his jewled Badge to Cariveau as the new Alpha Pi President's Badge and instructed him to pass the Badge to his successor.
In total, 14 Theta Chi chapters were represented at the ceremony, including: Phi/North Dakota State University (8 brothers), Psi/Wisconsin, Alpha Upsilon/Nebraska (4 brothers) Alpha Phi/Alabama, Beta Kappa/Hamline (from neighboring St. Paul, MN with 14 brothers), Beta Lambda/Akron, Gamma Rho/Florida State, Gamma Phi/Nebraska Wesleyan (4 brothers), Delta Beta/Georgia, Delta Zeta/Nebraska-Omaha (5 brothers), Epsilon Zeta/Tampa, Zeta Delta/St. Cloud State, Zeta Sigma/Wisconsin-River Falls (boasting 25 brothers) and Zeta Tau/Michigan-Flint. Every chapter in the state of Minnesota was represented at the ceremony. Brothers were very surprised to greet the delegation that drove up from the three active chapters in Nebraska. Jon Graan, Psi/Wisconsin 1969, was the most seasoned non-Alpha Pi while Zeta Sigma's 18-year-old Jared Goldstrand was the youngest member, having just been initiated on November 17, 2013. Each of the men attending from another chapter became an Honorary Member of Alpha Pi Chapter and will receive a certificate.
A banquet followed the ceremony at the Normandy Inn. Opening remarks were delivered by emcee Creig Andreasen, Alpha Pi/Minnesota 1990, the current Treasurer of the Theta Chi Alumni Association of Minnesota. An invocation was given by Alpha Pi undergraduate Chaplain Chris Schwass (2016). Following dinner, additional remarks were provided by Paul Norstrem, and Alpha Pi's Vice President, Nick Lambert (2015) and President, Austin Cariveau (2016). The Keynote Address was delivered by National Treasurer Doug Allen.
Following the keynote address, several awards were presented:
Alpha Pi President Austin Cariveau was awarded the Active Chapter Service Award.
In recognition of their tireless efforts to revive Alpha Pi and maintaining the bonds of brotherhood during their absence, the Theta Chi Alumni Association of Minnesota presented George T. Kilavos Alumni Awards to Creig Andreasen, Alpha Pi/Minnesota 1990, Steve Gehrke, Alpha Pi/Minnesota 1990, Daren W. Jenson, Alpha Pi/Minnesota 1995, Tom Swain, Alpha Pi/Minnesota 1942 and Lawrence A. Laukka, Alpha Pi/Minnesota 1958.
David E. DeVol Awards were presented to the additional members of the Alpha Pi Colony (now Chapter) Advisory Board whose guidance greatly assisted the undergraduate men: Josh Eifert, Alpha Pi/Minnesota 2000, Peter Demuth, Phi/North Dakota State 2008, Cory Olson, Beta Kappa/Hamline 2001, Emiliano Pantner, Gamma Rho/Florida State 2011, Allen Goebl, Gamma Upsilon/Bradley 2011, and Jordan Hogness, Phi/North Dakota State 2012.
Additionally, Alpha Pi alumni were recognized with Golden Guard and Silver Legion certificates.
Recipients of the Golden Guard recognizing 50 years of Theta Chi membership were: Lawrence A. Laukka (1958), Peter C. Hakanson, (1965) and Richard A. Williams, Jr. (1965).
Brothers with 25 years of Theta Chi membership were recognized with the Silver Legion. These alumni included: Alan R. Meyer (1966), Richard C. Hansen (1968), David D. Brudevold (1972), Mark W. Hanson (1977), Kelly R. Dunn (1978), Philip H. Mattison (1979), Larry J. Hull (1980), Patrick B. Cunningham (1983), Carl D. Peterson (1984), Scott D. Schwab (1985), Joel D. Hedberg (1987), Creig L. Andreasen (1990), Steven J. Gehrke (1990), Terry L. Hoppenrath (1992), Andrew C. Willey (1992) and Daniel P. Reilly (1993).
The banquet concluded with the Fraternity Anthem.
Congratulations and welcome back to Alpha Pi Chapter! This reinstallation is a great precursor to the upcoming 158th Anniversary Convention - which will be held July 16-19, 2014 in Minneapolis!
The newly reinstalled Alpha Pi Chapter with Past National President Paul Norstrem and former LECs Cory Loveless and Joe Macko.
Photo by Kyle Weaver, Zeta Sigma/Wisconsin-River Falls 2004
The University of Minnesota is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. The university was established in 1851 and is the oldest and largest campus within the University of Minnesota system and has a student population of 52,557, the sixth largest in the U.S. The University of Minnesota is also home to 38 fraternities and 19 sororities.