September 2024 Newsletter
October 5: PIKEtoberfest Tailgate & UConn Football Game
UConn v Temple
12:00pm tailgate, Blue Lot
3:30pm kickoff, Rentschler Field
Please join us Saturday, October 5, for pre-game food and drink in Blue Lot at Rentschler Field, East Hartford, followed by a match of old Big East rivals* as UConn (2-2) takes on Temple (1-3).
And if you missed it, UConn set a program rushing record of 422 yards rushing against FAU last week.
Please RSVP to Nick Carpino if you would like to attend. Here’s how the event will work:
Buy your own ticket to the game;
Find us in Blue Lot (exact location TBD). The alumni association will provide food and drinks.
Enjoy the short walk for kickoff at 3:30pm.
Contact: Nick Carpino, 203-232-4928
After 10 failed seasons, the Big East voted to kick Temple out of the conference in 2001.
From Indiana Hoosiers on SI: “Temple getting kicked out of Big East is quite literally the most notable thing the Owls' football program has ever "accomplished."” The 2023 article was about conference realignment, so by no means getting giddy here. Just some interesting history.
** SAVE THE DATE **
Wednesday, December 18
Holiday Happy Hour & Pregame
UConn v Xavier, time TBA
XL Center, Hartford
In the spirit of back to back title defense while kicking off home Big East Conference play, we are hosting a holiday happy and pregame on Wednesday, December 18. Details TBA.
You will need to buy your own ticket to the basketball game. Contact: Nick Carpino, 203-232-4928.
17th Annual Golf Classic Recap
Congratulations to Team Garnet, which defeated Team Gold, 81-84, in this Ryder Cup-style best ball team match on Friday, August 23rd at Lyman Orchards Golf. Team Garnet evened the series after Team Gold’s win last year.
Team Garnet included: Dennis Charland (Pi ’99), Chris Davis (Alpha Gamma ’05), Nolan Davis (Alpha Mu ’09), Kyle Jandreau (Sigma ’00), Greg Johnson (Carneige Mellon ’00), Eddy Rodriguez (Sigma ’00), Chris Wetzel (Phi ’02), Ray Yakaitis (Upsilon ’01).
Additionally, congratulations to our competition (and cash) winners:
Ian Rawlison (Alpha Chi ’14), Putting Contest Winner
Dennis Charland (Pi ’99), Longest Drive Winner
Dennis Charland (Pi ’99), Closest to the Pin Winner
Also, a special thanks to Sal DePino (Alpha ’93) and Matt Ussery (Alpha Omicron ’11) for donating raffle prizes and gifts for each player. And thank you Dennis for donating your portion of the 50/50 raffle back to the association.
Finally, thank you tournament host, Kevin Penner (Phi ‘02), for bringing back the raffle prizes and of course, the soon-to-be annual first tee surprise raffle! We are looking to host the tournament the same date/weekend every year moving forward.
First tee surprise raffle
Our raffle prizes
The winning group
Article Series: Part 1 - The Return of the Iota Chi Chapter In 2025, by Bryan Rawlinson, Alpha Zeta ‘06
After a ten-year hiatus, the Iota Chi Chapter will be returning to Storrs in Fall 2025.
You probably have a lot of thoughts, emotions, and interest in the future expansion project. How is this whole thing going to work? What will the chapter look like? How can alumni get involved?
The first place to start is how we get to the decision.
For the better part of five years, efforts from PIKE Memorial Headquarters (MHQ) have been spurred on by the Alumni Association and other key Iota Chi alumni. Staff at MHQ reestablished relationships with key UConn faculty, rebuilt bridges once burned with the university, and in winter 2024 Pi Kappa Alpha was invited to present for a return proposal against two other fraternities.
In the end, we did what we do best … we won the proposal to rejoin UConn Greek Life in Fall 2025.
We won because we care. Which leads me to my second talking point, how can I (an alum) help the new Iota Chi.
A big part of our pitch focused on alumni support. Support focuses on time and/or treasure.
Time fell into two main categories: alumni association and alumni advising.
UConn is aware of our alumni association. As a university, they love seeing their alumni gathering and supporting, especially through a university adjacent group, Pi Kappa Alpha.
Leading up to and after the establishment of the new Iota Chi, we encourage all alumni to participate in Iota Chi Alumni Association (IXAA) events and communications. The best chapters in PIKE have a strong, mature, and thriving alumni base.
Over the past decade, MHQ has expanded its alumni and volunteer department. A top priority for all active chapters (200+) in PIKE is to establish an Alumni Association Board (AAB). Long gone are the days of a single chapter advisor managing all aspects of chapter operations.
In the coming months we will work on scaling a board of alumni who can support individual leaders at the chapter in a meaningful way. Think of the executive council roles in your head – our goal is to match an alum with either personal or professional experience to that specific exec position.
As for treasure, we anchored our presentation on supporting the chapter by way of scholarship. As it stands today, Iota Chi has two chapter-based scholarship initiatives held with Pi Kappa Alpha Foundation (a registered 501c3)
The Chapter Endowment Fund, which awards scholarship annually for PIKE University registration.
Recurring Donors:
Brian Chesler, Beta ‘93
Nick Carpino, Alpha Theta ‘07
Sal DePino, Alpha ‘93
Greg Marmaros,* Alpha Kappa ‘08
Kevin Penner,* Phi ‘02
Corey Rousseau, Alpha Theta ‘07
Bryan Rawlinson, Alpha Zeta ‘06
Nolan Riley, Alpha Theta ‘07
Jeff Shaw, Sigma ‘00
John Fisher, Alpha Kappa ‘08
Total Raised: $9,003/$10,000
*Completed pledged
The Tim Bonavita Memorial Scholarship, which will grant tuition scholarship annually through a merit based application.
Recurring Donors:
Todd Horn, Alpha Beta ‘04
Steve Welch, Alpha Iota ‘08
Bryan Rawlinson, Alpha Zeta ‘06
Bill Bonavita (Tim's Dad)*
Andrew Bellon, Theta Omicron ‘04 (Indiana State) Transfer
Ryan Hunt, Alpha Gamma ‘05
Chris Callahan, Alpha Beta ‘04
Jason Ponicsan, Alpha Epsilon ‘06
Nolan Davis, Alpha Mu ‘09
Bryan Pandajis, Alpha Kappa ‘08
John Fisher, Alpha Kappa ‘08
One-time Donors:
Pete Han, Alpha Alpha ‘04
Tom Melfi, Alpha Eta ‘07
AJ Krize, Alpha Theta ‘07
Ryan San George, Alpha Beta ‘04
James Lerro, Alpha Zeta ‘06
Pat Schaedler, Alpha Alpha ‘04
Total Raised: $19,263.30/$25,000
Since 2020, Iota Chi Alumni have been donating to both initiatives working towards their endowment levels goals and growing each fund’s balance. These endowments are not funded by one big donation from an individual, rather they are lifted by many smaller recurring gifts as noted above. For example, some alumni are donating $125 per quarter to PIKE U Scholarship, $1,000 annually to Tim’s Memorial Scholarship, or $42 per month to each.
Indeed, many hands make light work when it comes to supporting the chapter via scholarship, though as of 2024, only 3% of Iota Chi alumni are engaged in these efforts. Each donor has a reason why they give, but at the end of the day they are rooted in a common goal; to advance the mission of the fraternity for the next generation of Iota Chi Pikes.
If you are interested in helping, would like to learn more about, or have general feedback on helping support the alumni association, the alumni advisory board or either scholarship endowment, please feel free to connect with Nick Carpino, Bryan Rawlinson, or Jeff Shaw.
In Part 2 of ‘The Return’ article series, we will discuss the details of Fall 2025 and how the actual expansion project works.
Return of UMass (Theta Mu) and Syracuse (Alpha Chi) Fall 2024
Additionally, undergraduate PIKE chapters are returning to Syracuse and UMass-Amherst this Fall (2024). Consultants from Memorial HQ are on campus and need your help identifying potential new members. If you know men who fit our mold of being a scholar, leader, athlete and gentleman, please fill out the referral link: https://pikes.org/membership/join/recommend-a-potential-pike/
Sept 28-29: A 100-mile Walk to Raise Awareness, by Anthony “DiChi” DiChiara, Phi ‘02
Let’s cheer on the DiChiara family and Run to Breakthrough for a 100-mile run this weekend! Run to Breakthrough is committed to organizing inclusive races and community events, while also offering resources to support disabled individuals and their families.
On Sunday, March 10, Iota Chi alumnus Anthony DiChiara (Phi ’02) completed a 100-mile walk in fire department bunker gear. A 13-year member of the Massapequa Fire Department, a volunteer department on Long Island, NY, Brother DiChiara walked to raise awareness for the lack of after-school care programs on Long Island for children with disabilities. This cause is near and dear to the DiChiara family.
In 2014, Anthony’s oldest daughter Penelope was born with an extremely rare genetic disorder known as Emanuel Syndrome. Though Penelope avoided many of the common medical complications common with Emanuel Syndrome, she still deals with global developmental delay. Penelope is non-ambulatory and non-verbal, but in spite of these challenges, she is a very energetic and lovable little girl.
The DiChiara family has found it difficult finding appropriate after-school care options for Penelope. Prior to the pandemic, few programs existed and post-pandemic, these programs are virtually non-existent. Any existing programs for children with special needs are not able to accommodate Penelope’s specific needs. The DiChiara’s have had to rely on finding in-home caregivers for Penelope. It has been difficult finding the right people who work within the needed schedule, are comfortable providing the care needed, and willingness to be paid, in part, through various Medicaid-based programs.
Friends, family, colleagues, and fellow fire department members joined Brother DiChiara over the weekend of March 8-10 in walking at the Berner Middle School track in Massapequa. Over 100 supporters came out through the weekend and combined with the 100 miles that Anthony walked, over 1,000 cumulative miles were walked. Accompanied by his wife Melissa and his daughters Penelope and Bianca, Anthony finished the 100 miles in the early afternoon on Sunday.
Anthony acknowledges that the walk was only the first step towards advocating for change, and most likely the easiest step. The walk was not meant to be a fundraiser. The goal of the walk was to raise awareness for the lack of much needed programs.
Anthony drafted a letter that will be sent to New York State Governor Kathy Hochul and other elected officials who have the resources and influence to create after-school programs that accommodate the needs of children with disabilities. Supporters of the walk and overall effort are encouraged to sign this letter. Thousands of people have signed it. If you are interested in reading/signing the letter, follow this link: https://forms.gle/NDofRqvgCKeHkjUz7.
Since completing the walk, Brother DiChiara has accepted a position on the board of directors for the newly launched non-profit Run to Breakthrough (www.runtobreakthrough.org). The organization was created by the owner of Penelope’s physical therapy, Dr. Christine Astarita.
Run to Breakthrough is committed to organizing inclusive races and community events, while also offering resources to support disabled individuals and their families. The organization is sponsoring a 100-mile run that will occur on September 28 & 29, which will be Christine’s third long distance awareness run. These runs served as an inspiration to Brother DiChiara in the pursuit of his own 100-mile walk.
Local news coverage of Brother DiChiara’s walk can be found:
and Massapequa Volunteer Firefighter Completes 100-Mile Walk in Bunker Gear to Raise Awareness
The ‘Final Four’ Minutes of Connecticut’s 2024 Legislative Session, with Chris Davis, Alpha Gamma ‘05), Nolan Davis (Alpha Mu ‘09), Jeff Shaw (Sigma ‘00), and Chris Wetzel (Phi ‘02)
Connecticut’s 2024 legislative session adjourned “sine die” at midnight on May 9. But a few minutes beforehand…Brother Chris Davis (Alpha Gamma ‘05) comforted Brother Jeff Shaw (Sigma ‘00) by reminding him of a legislative victory the day prior, while Brother Nolan Davis' (Alpha Theta ‘09) boss, a State Senator, filibustered that final, fateful hour, of the constitutional legislative adjournment date, while Brother Shaw’s bill (and countless others) died a slow, verbal death, on the Senate floor.
The inside-baseball twist is that Brother Shaw’s dying bill was a bill the same State Senator not only voted for in Committee AND voted on earlier in the week (before it was amended in the House) BUT EVEN co-sponsored.
And all these shenanigans happened while Brother Chris Wetzel (Phi ‘02) presumably laughed his tail off from the comfortable confines of his plush nonpartisan office at this perfectly Pike-like sequence of events.
Hartford Capitol
Update Your Contact Information
For us to be successful, we need to be able to reach you – email, text, heck, carrier pigeon.
Pike Nationals/MHQ has rolled out a number of resources and services to help alumni associations and chapters. One of those services is a central database for contact information, rather than leaving each organization to figure out how to do it/update it/etc.
This service will save us time (and money) and help us reach more alumni. As you may know, Iota Chi has an insider at Nationals/MHQ, in Bryan Rawlinson (’06), so if you have any questions, let us know. Click here to update your contact information!
See you at our next event!
IXAA
