International History
The Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was founded on the fateful Sunday Evening of March 1st, 1868 by six students at the University of Virginia. Our founders (pictured right) came together out of a common desire to gather a group of high achieving men who would go on to "set the standard of integrity, intellect, and achievement for our members, host institutions, and the communities in which we live."
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Thus, Pi Kappa Alpha was founded and began to spread throughout the United States
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Portrait of the Founders: Robertson Howard, Julian Edward Wood, James Benjamin Sclater Jr., Frederick Southgate Taylor, Littleton Waller Tazewell (Bradford), William Alexander
Now, 150 years later, PIKE is one of the most prominent Fraternal organizations. To this day the Fraternity has remained dedicated to developing men of integrity, intellect, success, and high moral character and to fostering a truly lifelong fraternal experience. As chapters continue to exemplify the values of this Fraternity, Pi Kappa Alpha will continue to shape the lives of its members each and every day.
Chapters and Colonies founded internationally to date.
220+
Chapters & Colonies
Lifetime Initiates into the bonds of Pi Kappa Alpha
300,000
Lifetime Initiates
In scholarships and grants given to undergraduates YEARLY
$350,000
Annual Undergraduate Scholarships & Grants
For more information on our Fraternity's history
Gamma Upsilon History
Our chapter was originally founded as a local fraternity known as Phi Delta in 1914. This was the first establishment of a fraternal organization on the University of Tulsa's campus. 21 years later the men of Phi Delta petitioned to become a chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha and a little more than a year later on June 6th, 1936 the men were successfully chartered as the Gamma Upsilon chapter.
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In the early 1960s the chapter moved into its current residence on TU's campus (featured on the home page).
Todd Hays and team in 2002 Winter Olympics
Since our founding the men of the Gamma Upsilon Chapter and Phi Delta before them, have left a lasting impact on our university and the surrounding community. Alumni of our chapter include some of the most prominent figures in the university's history including the legendary Glenn Dobbs, arguably the best football player to ever play at TU and Todd Hays, silver medalist in the 2002 Winter Olympics (Men's Bobsleigh).
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To this day, the men of PIKE strive to set a standard of excellence on the University of Tulsa's campus and has received several accolades and awards for our success in recent years. These accolades include 6 out of the last 10 Circle of Excellence Awards (the highest award given to a Fraternity by TU) and 9 Robert Adger Smythe Awards (the pinnacle achievement of any PIKE chapter) since 2000.