Pi Kappa Alpha - University of Texas

Pi Kappa Alpha Jack Roberts '18 (left) presents the Texas-Oklahoma game ball in Dallas, 2022. life would require too much of my time and affect my grades and ROTC participation. I shared this frustration with some Pike friends, and then my mentor and Pike Rush Chair, Taylor Golden '16, took me under his wing and helped me make a quick move to Pike. It was one of the best decisions of my life to give fraternity life another chance, and I am very glad that I did so. S&D: Tell us about your ROTC participation and leadership. What is your commitment going forward with the Navy and tell us about your aviation assignment? JR: In high school I decided to apply for the Naval ROTC four-year scholarship. This works by granting full tuition to an individual in return for a four-to-10-year service commitment depending on what community you go into. I was accepted and very excited to enter the Texas NROTC battalion. Following my freshman year, I attended a summer training called CORTRAMID (career orientation training for Midshipman) in which I was able to test out all of the communities that the Navy had to offer. For reference for anyone who doesn't know the available Navy communities, they are aviator, naval flight officer, submariner, surface warfare, SEALs, explosive ordinance disposal and some in the program decide on the Marine Corps. Once I got to the portion of my trip in which I was able to explore the aviation community, I was hooked and decided to commit the next three years of college to secure a flight school slot. Getting into flight school is a lot like applying to college. Everything you do in your ROTC career is graded and evaluated against your peers. It was crucial for me to participate in leadership positions, get good grades, and maintain a high level of physical fitness. I ended up maintaining a ranking of number two in my class at UTNROTC throughout the four years and eventually in my first semester of senior year was chosen to be the Battalion Executive officer, the number two program leader. This position was a great honor. Then I was accepted into flight school where I headed after graduation in May 2022. I began my journey in Pensacola, Florida, attending NIFE (Naval Introductory Flight Evaluation) after I received my commission as an Ensign. During this time, I continued to be ranked against my peers and at the end decided which platform I will serve on and continue my training with. In May 2024, I completed primary flight training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, flying and training in the t-6 Texan II Bravo. After completing school, I got my first choice and will be continuing training to eventually fly the V-22 Osprey, a tilt rotor multi engine aircraft. I am very excited for what lies ahead and have been thoroughly satisfied with my career choice. S&D: Tell us about your fraternity offices, activities and a favorite memory from PIKE days? JR: I was honored to hold several PIKE offices, including Co-Social Chairman, Honors Council Chairman, Sergeant-at-Arms, Round-Up Chairman and Rush Captain. I also participated in a multitude of NROTC and PIKE intramural sports teams. My favorite memory in PIKE has to be Winter Storm Uri 2021. It was certainly a devastating period to many and caused great hardship. The new PIKE House lost electricity for days. As students, we had some time off, and it actually strengthened our brotherhood. I can still remember the text from then-PIKE President Richard Sherwood '17: "School is canceled tomorrow, gentlemen, the snow is about to come down. I will be firing up the bonfire and expect to see each and every one of you there." All of the house crew bundled up and went outside to help him build this massive fire while snow was coming down. We stayed up with all of the members having a great time into the night and had an absolute blast. S&D: What are your hobbies or other interests? If you were giving a "fantasy dinner party" and could invite three guests who would that be? JR: Aside from my aviation career, I gained an interest in card games and game theory during the COVID-19 quarantine, when it was just the 32 guys in the house stuck together 24/7, we all got really interested in poker, and I have been playing a lot since then. I also coached a middle school basketball team while I was in Pensacola, and despite going 0-11, we had a blast. My dream dinner would consist of Aaron Rodgers (I am a diehard Packers fan from being raised by a native Wisconsinite), Evan Felker (lead singer of the band Turnpike Troubadours), and the actor Al Pacino (nobody more hardcore than Lt. Vincent Hanna in Heat). S&D: Your advice to current and future PIKE undergrads? JR: Never be afraid to get involved. I never thought that I would ever have adequate time to commit to my brothers and fraternity due to my other commitments. I quickly saw that this was far from the truth. All of my roles have opened doors to experiences that I would never have been able to do without them. You can always add to your plate, no matter how full it may seem.

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