Pi Kappa Alpha - Iowa State University

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY | 3 A Year of Achievement Homecoming Recognitions, Academic Success, and Philanthropic Support T he Alpha Phi Pikes had an amazing year. Overall, we welcomed 21 brothers into the bonds this year and have nine brothers preparing to initiate this fall. The brothers saw the year off strong with Homecoming. From Yell Like Hell to Lawn Displays, we worked hard to show off our Iowa State pride. This year, we came in second for Yell Like Hell, first in Lawn Displays, third in Community Service, first in Blood Drive, and second overall in Homecoming. The fall semester saw the chapter GPA rise to 3.06, continuing our focus on academic success. We kicked off the spring semester by serenading the lovely ladies of Kappa Alpha Theta, our Greek Week pairing, to start the Greek Week celebrations. Two brothers, Mikey Hurtado '23 and Samuel Clark Jr. '24, brought home awards for Best Line and Best Main Character during our lip-sync performance. DJ Carr '23 and Jason Steigerwald '23 deserve a special shoutout for leading our philanthropic efforts this year, helping us raise $3,000 for the HAMO Foundation through our PIKE-Giving and PIKE-N-Out events. Socially, we built strong connections across campus. Highlights included a slip-n-slide kickball event with Alpha Gamma Delta and a rodeo-themed social with Alpha Delta Pi. Overall, spring 2025 was filled with service, celebration, and strong chapter engagement. We're proud of what we accomplished and look forward to carrying that momentum into the fall. Looking forward to fall, we have big plans in the works. For Homecoming, we are paired with the men of Triangle and the women of Chi Omega and are looking forward to bringing some more trophies home to the halls of 2112 Lincoln Way. We are also working hard toward our goal of hosting a charity concert. Additionally, our recruitment chairman, Collin Angelakos '24, and his cabinet are hard at work this summer to grow the brotherhood. Any recruitment recommendations should be sent to Collin at (630) 234-5136 or cangel@iastate. edu. Please include name, phone number, and any connections to alumni when making referrals. Fraternally, Caden Carr '23 Chapter President Time to Step Up for PIKE DAN N E M M E R S ' 75 D I SCUSS ES FR ATE R N AL B O N DS, C AM PAI G N S U PPO RT F ollowing his retirement, Dan Nemmers '75 was approached about a new opportunity to support the PIKE brotherhood that provided so much for him. He credits Alpha Phi Chapter for lifelong friendships and memories, and Dan is now serving on the 2112: The House That Built Us campaign committee to support Pi Kappa Alpha's future at Iowa State. PIKE DEVELOPMENT Pikes stood out as a relatable group of excellent young men when Dan pledged during freshman year. He appreciated his newfound mentors and made great memories with his new brothers during their pledge skip to Champaign, Illinois. "That six-plus-hour bus ride really brought our pledge class close together, and it was fun spending time at another university like Illinois. I also learned about the great musical talents we had in our class—Dick Bartley '75, Bill Plantan '75, Rick Anglin '75, and Ed Bruere '75." Serving PIKE as recruitment chairman and president gave Dan opportunities to develop meaningful communication and leadership skills while networking with fellow students and their families. He was proud of his brotherhood's ability to bond into a tight-knit group on their way to becoming a campus-leading fraternity and Smythe Award-winning chapter. LIFE AFTER COLLEGE After Iowa State, Dan spent 24 years with Principal Financial Group in employee benefit sales, followed by 19 years as an employee benefit and investment consultant with Lockton Investment Advisors. He retired in 2021, following a career that had him relocate from Iowa to Houston, Minneapolis, and concluding in the Denver area. "What always amazed me is that I could always find a PIKE in any city I traveled to for business. My first position out of college was in Houston, and I had never been to Texas. However, I had Alpha Phi brothers, like Dennis Griggs '75, to show me the ropes of a big city. When I moved to Denver, my pledge father, Gene Commander '72, was the first person I contacted." FRATERNAL SUPPORT Mike Risk '70 contacted Dan about Gene's recommendation for him to join the campaign committee. He hadn't been back to the house since 2015. Dan was excited about Alpha Phi's rechartering efforts and the idea of PIKE becoming a premier fraternity on campus once again. "It was important to me that Pi Kappa Alpha keep this historic property," he said. "Starting this campaign during the financial uncertainty of COVID was challenging. However, we persevered and can now show positive results after completing and paying for Phase 1." Dan understands that for PIKE to remain competitive at Iowa State, alumni must do their part to support renovation efforts so the chapter's excellent young men can have their housing needs met. "Now is the time to volunteer or donate. We've only scratched the surface of support, but we now have tangible results that alumni have been requesting." Dan has been married to Jane, an Iowa State Tri Delta and PIKE little sister, for 46 years. They live in Centennial, Colorado, and have two adult daughters. In his retirement, Dan enjoys skiing in the winter, golfing during the summer, and travel that includes quarterly visits with his parents in Cedar Rapids. You can discuss the campaign with him at dannemmers@q.com. Henry Larson, Ben Timmerman '23, Brendan Dunne '24, Jason Steigerwald '23, and DJ Carr '23 raising money for the HAMO Foundation. Brothers participate in the Walk Out of Darkness event hosted by Iowa State Health and Wellness to support suicide awareness. "We need to upgrade the housing to fit the current needs of undergraduate students." Dan and Jane at their anniversary dinner.

• Cover