Phi Kappa Theta - Iowa State University

CLONE PAGE 2 A s an industrial engineer with Collins Aerospace, Pe- ter Ries '14 has a good understanding of how parts best fit together. Peter enjoyed perfecting his pas- sions for math and problem solving while earning a degree in industrial and manufacturing systems engineering at Iowa State, but his studies weren't the only thing that prepared him for the real world. When Peter arrived at Iowa State, he was already in prob- lem-solving mode. Peter wanted to find a core group of like-minded individuals that he could become lifelong friends with, and he found the answer he was looking for at the Iowa Xi Chapter of Phi Kappa Theta. "I was looking for a place that I could really feel like I be- longed. I had two high school friends, John Vonderhaar '14 and Ben Neuzil '14, that rushed the house in the fall," Peter said. "I really enjoyed the camaraderie that I felt at Phi Kappa Theta and it began to feel like home. I really liked that it was based in Catholic roots." Peter gained some valuable leadership experience as an undergraduate with Iowa Xi, especially during his time as the chapter president. As much as Peter enjoyed problem solving, he realized that part of being a success- ful chapter president included delegating some of those problems to others. "As chapter president, you can't do it all, so you have to rely on your broth- er officers to do their jobs well," Peter said. "I also learned that managing an organization is tough! Not everyone will be happy with every decision. I learned what it is to be the face of the fraternity to other fraternities on campus and how to interact with other peers that deal with similar situations." Making great memories with his brothers has never been a problem for Peter. He enjoyed living in Room 5, which was the hangout room. "Some favorites are the Superbowl parties, Quo Vadis cam- pouts, activation, and Yell Like Hell," Peter said while re- flecting on some of his top moments as an undergraduate. "I was involved with YLH every year and one especially great memory was when we took first place in 2013 with Talon Larson '14 and myself as co-chairmen." One of Peter's hobbies also involves making a lot of noise. Peter loves playing the drums and is now the percussion instructor at Decorah High School. "I work with the percussion kids and lead practices for drumline in the fall and solo and ensemble contest in the spring," Peter said. "I really like utilizing a different area of my brain and the ability to share my talents with the DHS students. I have a talented bunch of kids!" Peter plans to do a better job of staying in touch with his brothers and attending Iowa Xi alumni events going forward. You can reach Peter at pries55055@gmail.com. Lessons Learned at Iowa Xi Pay Dividends for Peter Ries '14 Nearly 100 Iowa Xi brothers attended the 2018 Phi Kappa Theta Homecoming tailgate. A Fun Time for All at Homecoming 2018 T hank you to everyone who played a part in making Homecoming 2018 a great success. With nearly 100 attendees at the tailgate, Iowa Xi experienced one of its strongest Homecomings in recent memory. Thank you to those who contributed financially to the chapter and ongoing projects, such as the parking lot. The Cyclones were even able to cap it off with an exciting win. We would like to extend a special thank-you to Pernilla Werniger, who catered the event. The meal was delicious! Visit Us Online Website www.isuphikaps.org www.pktalumni.com Instagram isuphikaps Twitter @ISUPhiKaps

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