A SHORT GUIDE TO THE ALUMNUS INDUCTION CEREMONY

of the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity The Phi Kappa Psi Alumni Induction Ceremony is one of the Fraternity's major ceremonies. It is open to the public and may be used by itself or in conjunction with other Fraternal events year-round.
The ceremony formally marks the transition of: -- undergraduates to alumni status due to graduation or transfer to a campus without a Phi Psi Chapter, or when they end their undergraduate careers for various reasons. -- alumni of any age who have yet to be inducted, regardless of the amount of time which has passed since they ended their undergraduate years. It does not make one an alumnus; it just allows the one being inducted and others to celebrate that transition no matter how recent or distant. The ceremony usually lasts between 20-40 minutes. Among other features, it includes the reading of The Creed of Phi Kappa Psi and opportunities to both present the Fraternity alumnus recognition button to those inducted and to hear their own memories about their fraternity experience. In this ceremony, those undergraduates being inducted are encouraged to see their departure from their Chapter of initiation and undergraduate life not as a loss of friendship and Brotherhood, but rather henceforth as Brothers of all Chapters and alumni organizations of Phi Kappa Psi. Unlike initiation, but like the pledge ceremony, family members and friends are welcome, and should be encouraged, to attend. So should college officials as they will hear an important message -- a call in the ceremony for each alumnus to remain loyal not only to the Fraternity but also to his school. Thats a message we want them to hear. Some Chapters schedule the ceremony several times a year -- usually at or before winter and spring graduation, Founders Day, Homecoming, and other events. But it also can be performed as its own stand-alone event. It also has been used at graveside, to posthumously induct a Brother as an alumnus. Alumni who are distant from a Phi Psi Chapter or alumni group where the ceremony is performed may induct themselves, if the circumstances prevent the involvement of other Brothers, simply by reading through the ceremony. Then, in future years as they have the opportunity, they can be inducted again, in a group ceremony. Any initiated Brother can be inducted as an alumnus as many times as the ceremony still has meaning to him. Ideally, the date(s) chosen for these ceremonies will allow for attendance by undergraduates from the Chapter. If held on the same day as graduation when many undergraduates will have left campus, the graduating seniors might go through the ceremony twice -- the first time in front of their undergraduate Brothers a few weeks before graduation, then again on graduation day when family members constitute the majority of those in attendance.

What can make each ceremony particularly memorable is that point where those being inducted are given an opportunity to talk for a few minutes about as his feelings about his Chapter and/or the Fraternity at large, as well as other Brothers he has known. The Script section offers the ceremony in three versions -- for the induction of undergraduates only, alumni only, and a mix. The Alumni Induction Ceremony Resources packet also includes some additional related materials to help those planning and conducting the ceremony. For example, letters of invitation also may be sent to graduating seniors and any alumni who are known to the Chapter or alumni association sponsoring the event. A letter of invitation to attend also may be given to all undergraduate members of the Chapter, to help insure a good turnout. Decide in advance if recordings and photography will be permitted (we encourage you to do so) and, if so, include that information to those being inducted and those being invited to the ceremony. Chapters conducting and/or hosting these ceremonies also should arrange to have these ceremonies similarly documented by the Chapter Historian or his designee. When graduating seniors are being inducted, you may wish to integrate the Senior Sendoff kits into the ceremony. Consider building in an inductee class service project, at least for those graduating seniors. Thats a suggestion from Andrew Dommer, then a Minnesota Delta undergraduate: Most Greek members remember their pledge class and the varying class of brothers that make up their organization while in school. Because of varying ages for pledges and lengths of time spent in schooling, the alumni class will likely be very different than the pledge class. An idea is to have it be custom for the leaving alumnus class to perform some sort of activity or function. This could be to help the chapter or alumni support. News-letters, events and fundraisers would all fall into this category. This is similar to most pledge projects."
CREDITS The author of the Alumni Induction Ceremony is Michael H. McCoy, Indiana Beta 1958, who later served as the Fraternitys Sesquicentennial Chairman and as Historian of Phi Kappa Psi. The ce remony was written for, and first conducted at, Wisconsin Gamma (Beloit College, Beloit, WI) in 1990 and was subsequently adopted by the Executive Council for use by all Chapters and Alumni Associations. Contributing ideas during the Ceremonys development was Kent C. Owen, Indiana Beta 1958, Mystagogue of Phi Kappa Psi and author of our Creed. The Rev. David McDonald, Wisconsin Gamma 1982, also wrote the text of the Alumnus Covenant which has been a later addition to the Ceremony and appears later in this set of materials.

PRODUCTION NOTES
Ceremonial Positions to be filled: This ceremony calls for speaking roles for a minimum of four, and up to 15, persons. They are: Symposiarch or Presiding Officer (1) Chapter Officer (GP or other) (1) Alumnus #1 or Chapter Advisor (1) Alumnus #2 (1) OR Creed Readers (1-11 persons, all of whom should be undergraduates or a mix of undergraduates and alumni, whenever possible) (If necessary, the roles of Alumnus #1 and #2 may be combined.) Minimum Materials: Scripts for each reader (minimum of 4 needed*) Choices: Alumni-only version Undergraduate-only version mix of Alumni and Undergraduate-version * Scripts for 1-11 Creed readers only may be limited just to that section of the ceremony. Binders for scripts The following forms which are used with the ceremony are reproduced in the Alumni Induction Ceremony Resources packet. Pre-Ceremony Alumnus Induction Questionaire (1 per inductee) Alumnus Covenant (2 per inductee) and pen (Note: The Alumni Induction Ceremony Resources packet contains the Covenant in two versions -- a customized version when the names of inductees are known in advance, and a non-customized version for use on the spot. The inductee signs both, and keeps one; the other is retained by the Chapter or alumni group for its records.) Optional Materials: Alumnus buttons (1 per, and of the right type [regular, 25-year, 50-year]) (available throughthe Fraternity jewelers*; because they must be ordered in advance, organizations may wish to keep a supply on hand and reorder after each ceremony.) Alumnus Induction Registration Book and pen Candles and matches/lighter Candleholders Framed (or other representation of) Shield of Phi Kappa Psi Printed programs

Folder (1 per inductee) protecting the Covenant he is to keep and which also may contain a copy of the script for the induction, any printed program for the occasion, and any other materials.
* To order your pin directly from the manufacturer, Burr, Patterson & Auld Co., contact them at 1800/422-4348 (or 765/552-7366) or 765/552-2759 (fax), or P. O. Box 800, Elwood, IN 46036-0800. The price as of 2002 was $4.75 each, plus tax and shipping. When ordering, specify "Phi Kappa Psi" and mention you want an "offical recognition button." Also note if you want other than the basic pin; options are 10 year, 25 year, 50 year, and 75 year. (If you contact Phi Kappa Psi headquarters to order your pin, they will refer you to Burr, Patterson & Auld.)

Revised July 2011