Setting the Bar

Pi Kappa Alpha will set the standard of integrity, intellect, and achievement for our members, host institutions, and the communities in which we live.

Those are some strong words.  I especially am a fan of the word "will".  Pike WILL do this.  Pike WILL do that.  Pike WILL set the standard.  This reminds me of a line from one of my favorite movies.

I'm sure you've all seen the movie Amistad at one point or another.  (or at least I hope you've seen it).  Basically, as far as backstory, a mutiny occurs in the 1800's on a Spanish ship (called the Amistad) that is carrying slaves from Africa to America.  Once the ship reaches America, a huge legal battle ensues as to where the slaves belong.  (Are they American property?  Spain's?  Should they be freed and sent back to Africa?)  

Anyway, Matthew McConaughey plays a young attorney who is trying to free the slaves and send them back to their homes.  He doesn't speak their language, so when he is visiting the slaves in prison he brings along a linguist to help translate.  McConaughey says something like "Tell them I can't do that" or something like that.......

The linguist pauses and says "They don't have a word for 'can't' in their language".

That's powerful stuff.  Imagine if the word "can't" was taken out of our vocabularies?  What if we did everything we said we would do?  Does my chapter act in this way?  Well, now it's time to examine a little closer and see how congruent Pike is with it's mission statement.

I think Pi Kappa Alpha is full of integrity and intellect.  Yeah, our GPA isn't the tops, but we are still above the non-Greek average, and as a whole we are pretty smart people.  But intellect also entails good old fashioned common sense.  And I can say Pike exercises that when we can.  We avoid getting into trouble, and making a scene, and keep our eye on the prize.  And that to me is highly intellectual.

As far as integrity goes, I think everyone can work on being a little more honest and moral.  And my chapter is not any different.  One thing that I do take pride in our organization though is how we act as gentlemen.  We definitely show respect to all people, and especially women.  We discourage talking about other Greek houses behind backs, because it's been made aware that that is detrimental to the Greek community.  And we all look good in a suit and pin haha.

Achievement?  Well that's a little harder to touch upon.  I think that's the one thing we need to work on.  Yeah we are making waves with our whole move back to 15th and what not, but as a chapter I don't think we take pride in our achievements.  And that's because we don't have a very streamlined goal in mind.  Yeah everyone wants to be Chapter of the Year, but it's not going to happen unless everyone in the group hops on the Success Express here.  So that's something that I would like to try to change in the near future.

Excuse me.  That's something I WILL change.