Welcome to The Rock
Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock Reinstalled
Slippery Rock, PA - Theta Chi Fraternity reinstalled the Zeta Alpha Chapter at Slippery Rock University in Slippery Rock, PA after nearly three decades of being inactive. This is the Fraternity’s tenth active chapter in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Though the chapter closed in 1989, the spirit of Theta Chi remained with the Zeta Alpha alumni, who hosted annual golf tournaments and reunions to stay in touch and keep the faith that one day Zeta Alpha might return to Slippery Rock.
The journey began when Kevin Krepinevich (Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock 1976) contacted the International Headquarters staff about bringing back Zeta Alpha Chapter. Staff members approached the university and were granted permission to start a new group during fall 2017. In August 2017, Field Executives Mitch Nolan and Patrick Zurn arrived at Slippery Rock to recruit men to revive Zeta Alpha.
Fortunately for the Field Staff, one student had already committed to Theta Chi prior to their arrival: Riley Keffer (2018). Riley attended Theta Chi’s Initiative Academy during the summer and used that knowledge to aid the Field Staff in their expansion efforts. While members of the colony were learning about what it means to be a fraternity man, members of the Slippery Rock Greek Life community were experiencing fraternity and sorority expansion for the first time in 10 years. With that in mind, Mitch, Patrick, and the colony members had to be more diligent with their recruitment efforts. On September 30, 2017, Zeta Alpha was officially recolonized.
Brothers of the newly reinstallated Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock Chapter
After Mitch and Patrick left Slippery Rock, the Zeta Alpha men continued to recruit and create a positive image on campus. They aided multiple community service projects, hosted Sacred Purpose events, and received the Academic Excellence Award from the Slippery Rock Fraternity and Sorority Life Office, having the highest Greek GPA on campus. Theta Chi was also recognized as the Outstanding Greek Organization during the Rising Star Award Ceremony.
Colony members participated in events such as a trash pickup after homecoming, Relay for Life (raising over $1,000), St. Jude's Up Til' 2, and "Cardboard Village", where brothers built a cardboard house on campus and slept in it over night to raise awareness for homelessness. The Colony hosted a campus-wide Sacred Purpose event on drug abuse education and invited University Police Chief and two drug abuse experts, including Don Iskat (Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock 1975), who works with juvenile offenders. Eighty-five students filled the auditorium for the event.
Colony members were involved in many areas on campus including: Actuarial Club, American Society of Safety Engineers, Black Action Society, Club Lacrosse, Club Soccer, College Republicans, Collegiate Middle Level Association, CORE Team, Counseling Center StepUp! Team, Disability Services on Campus, Exercise Science Society, First-Year Leader Scholarship Program, Future Health Care Leaders, FYRST Seminar Peer Leaders, Guitar Club, Intramural Sports, Law Society, Liberal Studies Consultant, Mindfulness Math Club, Meditation and Yoga Club, Office for Community Engaged Learning, Outdoors Club, Parks and Resources Club, Phi Alpha Theta, Physics Club, Pre-PT Club, Presidential Search Consultant, Psi Chi, Psychology Leadership Committee, Residence Life, Resistance Training Workshop, Rock Investment Club, ROTC, School Wellness Education Council, Slippery Rock Musical Theatre Society, Spontaneous Acts of Random Kindness (SPARK), Sport Management Alliance, SRU JumpStart, Strength and Conditioning Association, Student Government Association, Student Organization of Latinos/Hispanics and Allies, Student Veterans of America, TASOW Inc., University Forum, University Program Board, Women’s Center/Pride Center, and as a volunteer firefighter.
In a letter of recommendation, Jayne Piskorik, Assistant Director, Fraternity/Sorority Life & Student Organizations, noted, “There were many untapped areas of campus that Fraternity recruitment did not reach. Our goal was to meet and recruit those leaders to join our community. Theta Chi has been a haven for student leaders who sought the fraternity experience but knew they wanted to raise the bar that has been set in our community…The Colonization was a huge success due to the support and true partnership between Zeta Alpha Alumni, the International Headquarter staff members, and Slippery Rock University staff. The colony has reinvigorated our Fraternity and Sorority community and raised the bar in multiple areas.” This sentiment was echoed by Slippery Rock University Interim President Philip Wray who commented that based on his experience, he holds Theta Chi as the “Gold Standard” for Greek Life on campus.
After continued growth, colony development, attendance at International and Regional Theta Chi events, and further campus involvement, Zeta Alpha Colony petitioned the Grand Chapter for reinstallation. Their petition was approved and on April 29, 2018, the Zeta Alpha Chapter at Slippery Rock was officially reinstalled.
The 32 Zeta Alpha Rechartering Members are: Logan Angert (2019), Stephen Beacom (2019), Mackenzie Bestine (2021), Charles Borcherding (2019), Joe Castma (2020), Jason Chioda (2021), Jacob Duval (2020), Christopher Garcia (2021), Julian Gonzalez (2019), Jacob Good (2019), Justin Groff (2020), William Hawk (2021), Jordan Higgs (2020), James Jackson (2019), Riley Keffer (2018), Eric Lehman (2021), Francisco Maya (2021), Broderick McKenna (2020), Kevin McLaughlin (2020), David Miller (2020), Zach Morse (2020) Christopher Pagley (2018), Sky Pederson (2019), Daniel Pennell (2021), Mason Pritchard (2019), Christian Rebmann (2020), Benjamin Richards (2019), Joe Rubcic (2019), Nick Ryckman (2021), Mason Schell (2020), Logan Tupper (2019), and Marshall Tuten (2019).
Theta Chi alumni at the reinstallation of Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock
The Reinstallation Ceremony was held at the Smith Student Center on Slippery Rock’s campus and with Dave May, Vice President of the Foundation Chapter Board of Directors, presiding. Other Theta Chi Official Family in attendance included Chief Operating Officer Ray Vanlanot, Director of Recruitment and Expansion Taylor Dahlem, Field Executives James McGuire, Mitch Nolan, and Patrick Zurn, and Rattle Editor Ben Hill.
More than 20 Zeta Alpha alumni were present for the day’s activities, representing each decade of the original chapter’s membership, including Charter Member John T. McMahon (1965), Roster Number 11.
Ten additional Theta Chi chapters were represented including Alpha Iota/Indiana, Gamma Tau/Drake, Delta Psi/Kansas, Zeta Beta/Adrian, Zeta Rho/Kentucky, Zeta Sigma/Wisconsin-River Falls, Eta Kappa/James Madison, Iota Delta/Southeastern Louisiana, Iota Lambda/Longwood, and Epsilon Delta/Youngstown State, which sent 6 collegiate members who had recently reinstalled their own chapter. Each brother who attended became an Honorary Member of Zeta Alpha Chapter.
Three Zeta Alpha Rechartering Members are Theta Chi legacies: Joel McKenna (Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock 1991) and Stephen Pennell (Zeta Alpha/Slippery Rock 1977) each had the opportunity to pin the Badge on their sons, Brody Mckenna (2020) and Daniel Pennell (2021), while Alan Marthinsen (Gamma Tau/Drake 1961) proudly attended to pin his grandson, Eric Lehman (2021).
Following the Reinstallation Ceremony, a banquet was also held at the Smith Student Center. Special Guests included Director of Student Engagement and Leadership Lauren Moran, Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life and Student Organizations Jayne Piskorik, Graduate Assistant for Fraternity and Sorority Life Rachel Pearce, and friends and family of the newly initiated brothers. Speakers at the banquet included Ray Vanlanot, Taylor Dahlem, Mitch Nolan, Patrick Zurn, Jayne Piskorik, Kevin Krepinevich, and Chapter President Sky Pederson (2019).
During the ceremony, Zeta Alpha presented the following awards:
- Assisting Hand Award – David Miller (2020)
- Scholar of the Year – Mackenzie Bestine (2021)
- Community Involvement Award – Marshal Tuten (2019)
- Brother of the Year – Riley Keffer (2018)
- Outstanding Service Award – Jayne Piskorik, the Zeta Alpha Chapter Advisory Board, the Zeta Alpha Alumni Association
Chapter President Sky Pederson (2019) commented, “Installation day was incredible,” and added, “It was nice to see that the hard work we put in these past eight months finally paid off. I’m proud to officially be a brother of the greatest fraternity out there.”
Kevin Krepinevich shared, “The efforts of these 32 young men have, in my opinion, exceeded our expectations. Under the leadership of Colony President Sky Pederson and his Executive Board, I have been able to watch the colony grow, set standards of excellence and act as leaders on campus and in the community. These young men are maintaining the highest standards of Theta Chi Fraternity. More importantly, they are raising the bar for all fraternities and sororities on campus at Slippery Rock as to what a Greek organization can offer a young person in the areas leadership, volunteerism, involvement, philanthropy, academics and friendship.” He added, “There is a very strong core of Zeta Alpha alumni already standing behind and supporting the men and we are committed to do the things necessary to support its growth and development through the years.”
The newly reinstalled chapter will continue to be supported by a Chapter Advisory Board composed of Zeta Alpha alumni:
- Chairman: Kevin Krepenevich (1976)
- President: Paul Herbert (1975)
- Vice President: Don Iskat (1975)
- Health and Safety Adviser: Gregory Laws (1987)
- Marshal: Alan Lichtenwalner (1986)
- Financial: David Minett (1976)
- Recruitment: David Derosa, Jr. (1981)
- Scholarship: Ron Burke (1973)
- Legal: Thomas Minett (1973)
- University & Public Relations: David Price (1978)
- Liaison to the House Board: Richard Rowland (1980)
Congratulations to our new brothers of Zeta Alpha Chapter! Welcome Back to The Rock!
Congratulatory notes may be sent via email to Chapter President Sky Pederson.
You can follow the progress of Zeta Alpha Chapter on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Click here to read the reinstallation article prepared by Slippery Rock University’s student newspaper, The Rocket.
Slippery Rock University, founded in 1889, is a four-year, public, coeducational, comprehensive university offering a broad array of undergraduate and select graduate programs to more than 8,500 students. SRU is a member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education.
Located in the rolling hills of western Pennsylvania, the 660-acre campus is less than an hour north of Pittsburgh, situated in the borough of Slippery Rock in Butler County, Pennsylvania, a community of approximately 3,500 people.
Founded in 1856, Theta Chi Fraternity is a men's collegiate fraternity with more than 188,000 initiated members and has established 236 chapters across North America. Leadership development, personal development, and service to alma mater are fundamental to Theta Chi Fraternity's mission.