I am a member of four Greek organizations, totaling eighteen Greek letters in their names. That does not make me a party boy by any stretch of the imagination. These are not the typical “Tappa Kegga Brew” organizations we’re used to in the movies (although I have plenty fellow nerd members who put me in mind of the original, fictional Lambda Lambda Lambda from Revenge of the Nerds).
December 1986: Phi Eta Sigma, Appalachian State University
This is a first-year college student honors society, and apparently this one is the oldest (1923) and largest (1.5M members) such organization. But my membership invitation was so long ago that I had to look up what it was I did to get it. Apparently, I just had to be a first-year college student with at least a 3.5 GPA at the time of membership. I now recall the honor I felt at having been sought out just for being who I was. We ought to do these kinds of things more often. And I am now inspired to create an account at the society website.
April 13, 1987: Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, Rho Tau chapter, Appalachian State University
This is the one I had to work for. It was the usual situation of ‘pledging’ with hat and book and other paraphernalia that comes along with it. PMA behaves like a professional fraternity, presenting music-based events and services, but it is defined as a social fraternity for other reasons not music-related. It is the largest fraternity for men and male-identifiers in music, since 1898. My collegiate years in this fraternity were the best days of my life, spent with the best friends of my life. We worked hard and had an awful lot of fun along the way. I am glad I pledged, and I am grateful to Dennis Smith, who actively and personally recruited me to pledge. Without that personal touch, I would have continued to walk past the interest table in the lobby of the music building, having no idea what a 'Phi Mu Alpha' is. I have now served as a faculty co-advisor at Appalachian for about twenty years now, and since 1987, I have participated in at least two initiation rituals per year. That never gets old. The Rho Tau chapter continues to have healthy numbers and healthy activity. Every time I see brothers, they remind me of my own years in those same hallways, and I am grateful for the memories.
May 1989: Pi Kappa Lambda, Gamma Eta chapter, Appalachian State University
This one is an honor society for college upperclassmen with good grades and musical and scholarship capabilities the chapter wishes to honor. It was founded in 1918 at Northwestern University by Peter Christian Lutkin (of “The Lord bless you and keep you” benediction fame). The cool part is that the letters Pi, Kappa, and Lambda are the Greek equivalents of Lutkin’s initials. Since I returned to this chapter as a faculty member, I have served on its officer roster and have been privileged to invite students to accept our honor. This one has been fun, and its workload is low. And it usually comes with breakfast at the ceremony.
March 22, 2025: Kappa Kappa Psi, Iota Omicron chapter, Appalachian State University
This is the band service fraternity, founded in 1919 at what is now Oklahoma State University. I believe membership in this one might currently be my most prized. Since 2023, I have served as the Voice of the Appalachian State University Marching Mountaineers. And in my old age, I consider it the profoundest honor to have been sought out to serve in this capacity, despite my not specializing in a football field-type instrument and not having played in a band at all since the football season of 1985 (when I was the finest, last-chair third trumpet player the Statesville, N.C., Greyhound Grenadier Marching Band ever had, by golly). But then for the Iota Omicron chapter to approach me for honorary membership was truly a superlative highlight of my career as a professor, and I will never forget how I felt when that email came through my Inbox. I am humbled and grateful to have been invited into these particular ranks, and I joyfully attend the chapter’s meetings and events in continued thanks. I hope I can continue to serve them as well as they serve our instrumental large ensembles.
Bottom line: if you’re looking for a frat party, you might be better served to keep moving when you get to me.