The Zeta Xi Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi was rechartered on September 28, 2024. The chapter was originally chartered on April 1, 1989, and was active until 2013.
At the chapter’s 1989 chartering, 37 men served as founding fathers and were brought into the fold of Pi Kappa Phi. The institution, then called Averett College, now Averett University, had an enrollment of just 900 students at the time. Born from a local fraternity called Delta Pi Alpha, the Zeta Xi Chapter joined two local fraternities and one local sorority on campus, making it the first national fraternity at Averett. As stated in the summer 1989 issue of the Star & Lamp, “Pi Kappa Phi virtually invented the Greek system at Averett, forming the Greek council and introducing the national Fraternity’s policies on drug and alcohol abuse, risk management and date rape.”
Installing officers in 1989 were Dave Vawter, Alpha Zeta (Oregon State), and Glenn Dickson, Beta Upsilon (Virginia). The initiating team was comprised of brothers from the Tau Chapter at North Carolina State University and the Epsilon Iota Chapter at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.
After the chapter’s 2013 closure, expansion efforts began at Averett in 2022, with past staff member Jason Markette, Epsilon Nu (Cal State-Sacramento), and current Chief Growth Officer Curt Herzog, Theta Lambda (Missouri State), leading the recruitment efforts. Since then, Chief Executive Officer Jake Henderson, Beta Theta (Arizona), and Director of Chapter Services Dane McGrath, Alpha Mu (Penn State) have worked closely with the refounding fathers of Zeta Xi to prepare them to charter.
As their rechartering approached, so did Hurricane Helene. A quick change of plans was necessary as national officers, who usually service as installing officers for charterings, were unable to travel. Pi Kappa Phi’s Chief Financial Officer Matt Zellars, Eta Pi (Coastal Carolina), and McGrath stepped in as installing officers to make this possible. While many guests were unable to attend due to the storm, there were a handful of alumni who were able to attend, with renowned aviation alumnus Bernie Morrell, Zeta Xi (Averett) among them.
“These men have worked long and hard to receive their charter,” said McGrath. “Handing Archon Payton Ruff the charter was the most memorable moment throughout the weekend. You could tell that this was the pinnacle of his undergraduate Pi Kappa Phi experience.”
Since 1989, enrollment at Averett has grown from 900 students to 2,400. Once the only national fraternity on campus, Pi Kappa Phi now joins Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity in Averett’s fraternal community. Eighteen men served as refounding fathers and satisfied the requirements of the chartering process. The Zeta Xi Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi received its charter and officially reentered the Fraternity as an active chapter on September 28, 2024.