On the sunny afternoon of Friday, September 10th, sweater vests and argyle were in style at Kappa Kappa Psi’s Nerd Party. Biz rocked an IU snuggie and dutch clogs while Dylan wore suspenders and taped glasses. Attendance was great! There were nearly as many PPMs as brothers in attendance. There were games such as root beer pong, Apples to Apples, and Bananagrams and a lot of just “getting to know” the PPMs. Everyone brought their inner nerd from the inside to the outside and had a great time.
-Brittany Tempest
On September 18th, the brothers of Kappa Kappa Psi traveled to the Murphy Art Center in Fountain Square to view the Post Secret Exhibit. With the topic being Confessions on Life, Death, and God, the brothers silently reflected on the postcards, attempting to empathize with the secret holders. This event was a great experience for the brothers to step out of the comfort zone of the IU campus and get to know one another while discussing the deep secrets of the exhibit. In addition to visiting the Art Center, several brothers had the opportunity to attend a local community arts festival. Belly dancing, artists, merchants, and craft-makers all had booths set up. The entire trip was an eye opening experience that brought the brothers closer together.
-Tonya Mitchell
This past summer, six brothers travelled from around the Midwest to attend the Kappa Kappa Psi North Central District’s Summer FUNction. The Summer FUNction is an opportunity for brothers from around the district to gather and simply have fun! This year, Summer FUNction took place in Southern Indiana, just 45 minutes south of Bloomington, at Spring Mill State Park.
Some of the activities enjoyed were swimming, a game of volleyball with the Zeta Epsilon chapter from Michigan State, cooking hot dogs over an open fire, and enjoying s’mores into the night with brothers and sisters.
Ryan Comerford, ΔΨ
Ryan is from Glen Ellyn, IL just 25 miles due west of Chicago, and is majoring in Information Process Management and Supply Chain Management within the Kelley School of Business. Ryan is the lead teaching assistant for the “Technology in Business” course and participates in many case competitions throughout the year. Outside of Kelley, Ryan plays baritone for the Marching Hundred, Crabb Band, Big Red Basketball Band and All Campus Band. When deciding on joining Psi, Ryan evaluated how he wished to dedicate his time while at IU, and realized that music is a strong passion, and wanted to give back through this fraternity. As President, he hopes to instill best practices learned from previous leadership positions in order to add value to Alpha Zeta. Ryan is really looking forward to this semester!
E-mail: rcomerfo@indiana.edu
Dylan Suehiro, EA
Dylan was born and raised on the Big Island of Hawai'i and is studying music education with a minor in wind conducting. A trombonist by trade, he has served as the vice president of AZ since fall 2009. Away from music, Dylan enjoys running and inventing recipes. He is also a copy editor for the Indiana Daily Student. A member of the EA PM class of 2009, Dylan joined KKPsi because it offered a welcome continuation of the many opportunities he had in his high school's band program. This semester, he is most looking forward to being the Guiding Spirit for Epsilon Gamma.
E-mail: dsuehiro@indiana.edu
Jessica Zmierski, EA
Jessica from Chesterton, Indiana and is majoring in Chemistry with a minor in History. Jessica holds the office of Secretary. Her instrument is clarinet, although she started her musical interest on the violin, which she still plays to this day. While not in a music ensemble Jessica enjoys sewing quilts, watching the Chicago Cubs & Indianapolis Colts, and hiking through Mammoth Caves. She joined Psi because music has influenced so much of her life, and she wanted to give back to the bands that have created so many cherished memories. Jessica remarked that she is “looking forward to having a hand in creating the Offbeat, and creating stronger bonds within the chapter.”
Email: jazmiers@indiana.edu
Paul Reinhart, EB
Paul is a sophomore from Brownsburg, IN. His primary major is Speech and Hearing Sciences with a secondary major Classical Civilizaiton with a literary and cultural emphasis. His primary instrument is French Horn; however, he also plays clarinet and baritone. Paul is proudly serving as Treasurer. He enjoys music (obviously), hiking, traveling, and reading. Paul joined Psi last year in order to maintain a high level of musical involvement despite being a non-music major. Paul's goal for this semester is to grow as both an N.I. and member of the executive team.
E-mail: panreinh@indiana.edu
Caitlyn Kruer, ΔΨ
Caitlyn Kruer is from the great city of Louisville, Kentucky and is majoring in Exercise Science. She just finished applying to physical therapy school and has been checking the mail every single day since. Her primary instrument is piccolo and she chose to join Psi because she loved the band family she had in high school and wanted to continue serving the bands. Joining Psi has been a great decision for Caitlyn--she made wonderful friends and has had some great experiences--and she has done her best to do her part for the organization by fundraising and holding the position of Sergeant at Arms. Outside of Psi, Caitlyn mostly studies like a mad woman, but she also enjoys the occasional run, is learning to feed herself without a microwave and loves to make jewelry.
E-mail: ckruer@indiana.edu
Sarah Wever, EA
Sarah is from Danville, Indiana and is majoring in Informatics with a cognate in graphic design. Her primary instrument is flute and piccolo. Outside of Psi, Sarah enjoys tennis, technology things, graphic design things, and hedgehogs. She is really excited about her role on the executive board as Historian and really wants to use the opportunity to make a positive impact on our chapter.
E-mail: swever@indiana.edu
Biz Carson, EA
Biz Carson is from Alpharetta, Georgia and is majoring in Journalism, International Studies and Spanish with a minor in Western European Studies. Trombone is her primary instrument in the Marching Hundred and All Campus Band. In Psi, Biz holds the position of Alumni Secretary and Convention Planning Committee. She's always looking for new ways to involve alumni in Alpha Zeta. Biz joined Psi because music has always been such a big part of her life and she loved spending time with the brothers during recruitment events. When not doing Psi-related things, Biz can be found working for the Indiana Daily Student newspaper and Inside Magazine, procrastinating, quoting Zoolander and collecting old Coca-Cola ads.
E-mail: evcarson@indiana.edu
Courtney Grayson, ΔΨ
Courtney Grayson is from Fishers, Indiana and is pursuing a graphic design major with a minor in business marketing. Mellophone is her primary instrument in the Marching Hundred and other athletic ensembles on campus. Within Psi, Courtney holds the Member at Large position and enjoys planning brotherhood functions for the chapter as well as creating fun recruitment events. Specifically, she would like to see the chapter grow and develop stronger brotherhood bonds through continued use of the revised recruitment schedule. Her involvement in Psi was spurred by her "dad" in the chapter as well as a love for serving the bands of IU. While not helping out with Psi, Courtney enjoys designing posters, playing around in Photoshop, chilling with friends, and playing cool diddies on the piano.
E-mail: graysonc@indiana.edu
Loren Clark, EA
Loren is from West Lafayette, IN and is majoring in Anthropology, Classical Civilizations and Literature, and pursuing a certificate in Underwater Resource Management. She plays Alto Saxophone in the Marching Hundred although her primary instrument is Clarinet. Outside of Psi and band, Loren is involved in the Calamity Jane Ultimate Frisbee Club, IU Taekwondo, and loves to read and gaze endlessly at the stars. She joined Psi as a way to get involved in helping and supporting programs of music since music has always had a presence in her life. She fell in love with the brothers and the initiative in Alpha Zeta. As Service coordinator, Loren hopes to communicate as well as possible with the band department and the Marching Hundred so that AZ can serve the departments to the best of its ability.
E-mail: clarklor@indiana.edu
by Caitlyn Kruer ΔΨ
Rule number one? Cardio. I have found that when you fundraise, much of your life is spent chasing people, not for their brains, but for their cash. (See Zombieland) I have served almost two years in the office of Sergeant at Arms, and it has proved to be one of the most frustrating and rewarding leadership positions I have ever held.
Money is, unfortunately, extremely necessary to run this organization, and when I came into the office our bank account wasn’t in the happiest place and there was no record of past activity. It has improved, but it could certainly be better. Through participating in stadium cleanups, selling sweatshirts, CDs, DVDs, hats, garment bags and holding fundraisers at restaurants, I’ve exhausted my ideas. That’s why now I’m looking to the past and asking you: What fundraising did the chapter benefit from when you were an active brother? How did you better advertise fundraisers to maximize the profits?
As you know, we do this for a purpose. Music and band have been so influential, certainly in my life, and I want to do my part to give back along with my brothers! My part might be chasing people down, begging for opportunities at every corner, and living around the many boxes that fill my dorm room, but in the end it’s worth it. Everything is for the bands and everything is for giving those the experiences we have already been so lucky to have.
As Alpha Zeta finished its first year long Prospective Member process, new initiates to the brotherhood stepped up in various roles. From the office of Alumni Secretary to the office of Vice President, Epsilon Alpha has surely made its impact upon AZ.
In order to find more qualified members for recruitment, AZ decided to switch to a year long process, instead of two p.m. classes per academic year. As EA became adjusted to what and how AZ operated for the department of bands as a whole, two members particularly showed their desire to strive for the highest.
Sarah Wever and Dylan Suehiro stepped up and took on positions even though they didn’t necessarily have the knowledge initially to do so. In particular, Suehiro the office of V.P. and being the guiding spirit for Epsilon Beta. For an office that is reserved for elder members, a new initiate, took his first hand experiences, previous lesson plans, and guidance of fellow brothers to provide a unique experience to those seeking admittance. Suehiro took former V.P, Jessi Reddick’s guidance and taught the five new prospective members of EB the history of Kappa Kappa Psi, the importance of brotherhood, traditions of AZ, and how the lessons learned by being a brother of Psi can have a positive impact on oneself and be used in everyday occurrences.
By being an n.i. himself, Suehiro could offer the understanding of being a p.m. in a year long process, and having to deal with a process that still doesn’t have all the nuts and bolts worked out quite yet. For the time being, the p.m. process became a learning process for all those involved, and will continue to have to be tweaked to allow the chapter to strengthen.
Another n.i. that stepped up to an executive position within AZ was Sarah Wever. As Alumni Secretary, Wever took over the task of co-chairing the communications committee, and running the Alpha Zetan.
“It's been a lot of fun seeing the ‘behind the scenes’ to everything that was going on last year before we were initiated. I also feel like it's given me a good way to contribute especially during the spring since I'm not in ACB,” Wever said. Since Marching Hundred is associated with the fall semester, it becomes difficult to be involved with AZ during the spring. Being on the executive council gives brothers the opportunity to be involved specifically in at least one aspect (communications/brotherhood/fundraising/membership ed. etc...) of the fraternity.
As the year long process continues to develop and more brothers take the journey, n.i.’s will have the opportunity to form closer and more comfortable relationships within the chapter, and contribute their ideas and strong qualities to a diverse organization. Although n.i.’s don’t necessarily understand quite how the inner workings of AZ operate when they are sworn in, that doesn’t mean that they are any less qualified to offer suggestions and/or be a leader.
District convention was hosted by the Nu chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi and the Lambda chapter of Tau Beta Sigma in Dearborn, Michigan. Seven brothers from Alpha Zeta attended the convention. Two of the brothers, Dylan Suehiro and Sarah Wever, played in the North Central District Intercollegiate Band. Brother Sarah Emery served as the delegate for Alpha Zeta, and as the Nominations Committee Chair for the district. Brothers Loren Clark, Daniel Corbin, Holly Sheffer and Brittany Tempest also attended the convention.
Alpha Zeta presented a bid to host the 2011 convention on Indiana University’s campus, but lost it to a bid presented by the Gamma Pi (Purdue) and Mu Delta (Western Michigan University) chapters of Kappa Kappa Psi and the Beta Sigma (Purdue) chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. Alpha Zeta is currently planning to rework and resubmit the bid next year for the 2012 convention.
The North Central District Intercollegiate Band was a huge success this year. Suehiro participated as the principal trombone for the ensemble, and Wever played the flute. They both have strongly recommended participating in the ensemble to brothers in the future.
Clark, Corbin, Sheffer and Tempest were able to attend some of the small group sessions. One session attended by Sheffer and Tempest discussed creative ways to serve the bands. One idea that they came up with was creating a jazz ensemble for non-music majors.
All of the brothers who attended this year’s North Central District Convention returned from it inspired to serve the bands better and to get to know more brothers from around the district. Since the district convention, our chapter has also made visits to Gamma Pi for third degree and the Theta Epsilon for the Great Southern Hospitality Cookout.
by Biz Carson, EA
While getting handed the four bound editions of our convention bid to send in the mail, I felt several things all at once. The first was the desire to cough because I had bronchitis. The second was to pass out because I had pulled an all-nighter working on the budget. The third was a strong sense of pride and accomplishment in Alpha Zeta.
The initial work on the convention bid occurred before I even knew what KKPsi was. Cassey Crowell and her convention committee had worked to submit a bid the year before. Lacking the full support of the chapter, it never went beyond the initial planning stages
A year later, I held bound copies of 69 pages of plans, budgets, maps, restaurants, etc. Looking back on the experience of producing a convention bid, it was more than just compiling a list of restaurants and budgeting how much money would be spent on bagels for breakfast. The most rewarding part was looking and evaluating our own chapter.
We do a lot of service in Alpha Zeta – stand tightening, water bottle, uniforms, cleaning Hundred Hall, music filing, etc. It all blurs together in the time of a year, as service just becomes part of what you do. To prepare for the bid, we had to list everything and put it in a positive light. It was great to see how much we do, but also where we need to improve. We could easily identify our strengths and weaknesses. The bid became a self-evaluation, a presentation of our chapter, and a chance to reflect on our work.
The same evaluation happened with every aspect of our chapter: joint relations, sponsor relations, membership education, and finances. It was nice to take a step back and look at the chapter from an outside perspective. What would people think of our chapter as they flipped through our bid? Would they think we’re on the decline because of our low PM classes? Would they think we’re financially unstable since our budget isn’t in the tens of thousands?
Regardless of their answers, I’m proud of our bid. The feedback from the committee and our brothers was really good and beneficial. We’ll continue to rework the bid and submit it for convention 2012. Watch out North Central District.
Annelise Herchen ΔΧ is a 2006 graduate of Duxbury High School from Massachusetts. She is currently a senior at Indiana University studying music education. In high school, she was active in the Honors Society, president of both the Wind and String Ensemble, an AP Scholar and private flute teacher. An avid participant in the music program at DHS, she now studies music education and plans on becoming a music teacher. She plays the piccolo, flute, tenor saxophone, and cello. She has had the privilege of being one of two librarians for the band department at IU - working with and learning from world renown professors.
At IU she was a member of the piccolo section of the Marching Hundred for three years, an Undergraduate Staff member for three years and a drum major for one. She has been the principle flutist for both the Concert and Symphonic Bands and received numerous awards in both the marching and concert bands. She joined Psi in the spring semester of her freshman year and remained active until graduating at the end of the fall semester of 2009.
by Juliana Musmanno, ΔΤ
AZ awarded the Jeremy Ferguson Memorial Scholarship to trombonist Debbie Newman at 2009’s Marching Hundred banquet on December 7. She was the third recipient of this award and the first non-brother.
Ferguson was tragically killed in a car accident in fall of 2007. In more recent years he was known as the “Golden Voice of the Marching Hundred,” but during his time as a student he was a baritone in the Hundred and a brother of AZ.
After hearing about his death and realizing there were sufficient funds, active brothers under then president, Schuyler Troy, decided to make a scholarship in his honor. It was decided that applicants for the award must have completed at least three years in the hundred and be returning the next season. This was to ensure dedication to the band. They also must have no less than a 3.0 GPA. To apply, they submit an essay to the chapter about how music and band have changed their lives for the better.
Because the first two recipients were brothers (Jamal Miller ’07 and Cassey Crowell ’09) the chapter updated the bylaw to encourage other members of the Hundred to apply.
“If less than five letters have been submitted one week prior to the deadline,” states the bylaw,” active brothers are encouraged to apply.”
Each year the number of submissions has grown. This year, four non-brothers applied.
There is no way to know where the chapter will be financially, so the bylaw does not state how much monetary value the scholarship holds. This time, Newman will be awarded $250 upon returning to band next fall.
by Jessica Zmierski, EA
Many honored traditions have been created in the Marching Hundred. The clarinet section has had the honor of two awards, the red and white Vito, given every game day, in memory of two people dear to the hearts of those who knew them. Although these awards are similar in style and meaning, they each have their own unique story to tell.
The Marching Hundred clarinet section marched all white Vitos, a model of clarinet produced by LeBlanc corp.; this set Indiana apart from the Big Ten marching bands. But because of the plastic clarinets demand for countless hours of repairs, the white clarinets were discontinued from being used before the 1997 marching season. In 1998, the clarinet section brought back a single white Vito to be awarded to the most spirited member of the clarinets that week before a home football game. In 1999 the recently inaugurated spirit award was dedicated in memory of Tiffany Nicole Powell, who was a beloved member of the clarinets.
In 1999 Powell, a newly initiated brother of AZ, was tragically killed in a car accident. An excellent student, Powell achieved a 4.00 gpa her first year at Indiana University, the brothers set up an award to be given to a current first or second year brother who exuded the same dedication to music and their education studies. The executive council of AZ presents the Tiffany Nicole Powell award in memory of an honored brother to a worthy recipient at the spring banquet. The council can elect not to give the award if they feel that a brother does not meet the qualifications.
In 2005 The LeBlanc corp. gave a new white and red Vito to the Marching Hundred. The red Vito was and still is awarded to a member of the clarinet section based upon the best attitude during the week prior to game day. This clarinet is awarded in memory of Steve Jones who passed away from cancer in 2005. Jones daughter, Molly, still keeps in touch with the Marching Hundred clarinet section. Although Jones is no longer with us, he is remembered for starting the clarinet tailgate and being a supportive fan of the Hoosiers.
These two uniquely crafted instruments have been awarded in memory of past contributors of the Marching Hundred, but very few people outside the clarinet section know why these colored instruments are still used. It is a tradition, which is bestowed upon the veterans of the section, past and present, to keep these traditions alive. As memories fade of seasons past, the memory that a member of the Marching Hundred has of being a part of “A Tradition of Excellence” is priceless and should always be treasured. It has been an honor of the clarinet section to march with these specific instruments in memory of deserving veterans, and will always be in the memory of those who have been given the opportunity to keep the tradition alive.
by Biz Carson, EA
A group of red-eyed, bleary members of AZ and Rho huddled around a box of donuts and jugs of orange juice. It was 7 a.m. on Sunday morning when they clasped gloved hands clumsily around Styrofoam cups. It was okay if a little orange juice sloshed onto the rough beige fabric. After all, they would be dealing with much worse later. At that moment in time, it was about sugar and brotherhood. They would
need this later as they combed the grounds of Memorial Stadium picking up trash.
Under the stress of the economic recession, many IU student groups have to rework and expand their fundraising strategy. This includes Kappa Kappa Psi’s AZ chapter.
Twice this semester, the group has gathered early in the morning to clean up the tailgates trash. The piles of beer cans, hamburgers, pizza boxes, and the occasional diaper or pair of boxers equate to $1200 for the chapter. This $1200 means some sort of financial stability – the chapter can survive another year.
Traditionally, the chapter has been funded through dues and fundraisers that have been traditions since its inception. Now, Treasurer
Ryan Comerford and Sergeant-At-Arms Caitlyn Kruer (both of Delta Psi) are having to think on their feet to create new ways to keep AZ afloat in the rough economic waters.
“I haven’t seen a drop in fundraising so far this year, but I have made sure I offer things that can’t be purchased elsewhere: the Hundred car stickers and BRBB sweatshirts," Kruer says, "or activities that people may have attended other
wise: fundraiser at AppleBee’s."
Comerford and Kruer have continued to reinvent the fundraising style of the chapter. At the beginning of the semester, AppleBees sponsored a night where 10% of the proceeds benefit the group. AZ earned more than $90 through a more nontraditional fundraiser that is growing in popularity among student groups at IU.
Kruer hopes to continue this sort of fundraiser to other restaurants in town. Chains like Noodles Inc. and Qdoba often donate a portion of their proceeds to help student groups and to attract more costumers.
Outside of restaurants, Comerford also credits the success of product fundraisers.
“Fundraisers that have not been successful seem to be those that lack a tangible product. We always seem to do better when we are able to distribute actual products,” Comerford said.
The basketball sweatshirt fundraiser was open to anyone via a group on Facebook. On the event, members could post their designs to be voted on by group members. The winner would receive a free sweatshirt with their design.
Clarinet UGS Jayme Kasting submitted this winning design for the BRBB sweatshirts via the BRBB Sweatshirt Design Contest!!! facebook group. The design won with 78.5 percent of the vote.
Kruer, however, notes that their “biggest failure to date” was selling Sudler glasses.
“The company went on strike and then out of business,” Kruer said.
Kruer now looks to the new and the old fundraisers of this year to support the chapter. These include Mom and Dad Hundred sweatshirts, Hundred stickers, restaurant fundraisers, BRBB sweatshirts and CD/DVD sales.
“The current economic situation has heightened the importance of fundraising for our chapter,” Comerford said. “Specifically, our chapter was
experiencing economic conflict even before the recession hit, and now it is imperative for us to have successful fundraisers."
“We are always searching, welcoming and open to new fundraising ideas, especially given the current situation. What makes fundraising difficult is product differentiation. In what ways can we offer a better, unique or rare product to our customers that will create a competitive advantage for our chapter.”
