The Kappa Alpha chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi is an extremely active and involved chapter at the University of Minnesota. We are devoted to promoting the existence and welfare of college bands, stimulating leadership, providing a pleasant and helpful social experience to those engaged in college band work, and cooperating with other musical organizations at the University of Minnesota. We are always looking for ways to improve our chapter and brothers through service, leadership, and music.
Kappa Alpha was founded by Skeeter Burroughs in 1994. Our first class consisted of six members and five honorary members, joining the University of Minnesota's already-established chapter of Tau Beta Sigma in service to the bands. As a chapter, we took on the responsibilities of the Band Student Organization, our predecessor, and we began assisting the University of Minnesota Marching Band during games and travel, and documenting band history and events. We hosted the Midwest District Convention in 2000 and 2015 and continue to actively participate in the fraternity at the district and national levels.
The Kappa Alpha chapter now has 52 active and conditional members devoted to serving the bands at the University of Minnesota. This past fall we initiated our Alpha Epsilon class. In the past, we have had many successful service projects, gone to multiple MWD Conventions, hosted a highly attended District Day, won district awards, had two brothers serve on the District Council, won a National Chapter Leadership Award, and had a brother elected to the National Council. Our members hail from a wide variety of majors and are members of the marching band as well as the Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Jazz Ensembles, University Band, and Campus Bands.
We are always looking for ways in which we can build strong ties between our brothers in Kappa Alpha. For example, we have an active Big/Little program. Our prospective members are paired with an active member they do not previously know well. These Big Brothers help their Littles become better acquainted with all aspects of Kappa Kappa Psi and our chapter by attending membership lessons and sitting next to them in meeting. Towards the end of the education process, our chapter hosts a Big/Little social in which the rest of the chapter gets a chance to hang out with and get to know the littles in a social setting. Big Brothers are also the first people to speak on behalf of their Little during their interview for membership.
Midwest District
Formed at the 1987 National Convention in Ann Arbor Michigan, the Midwest District was originally composed of Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana east of the Continental Divide. In 1991, it was decided that the other parts of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana should be included in the Midwest District to unify the states. The following chapters are in the Midwest District:
University of Colorado: Alpha Iota Colorado School of Mines: Xi Emporia State University: Delta Xi Iowa State University: Iota Omega University of Kansas: Eta Zeta Kansas State University: Epsilon Pi Lincoln University: Theta Rho University of Minnesota-Twin Cities: Kappa Alpha University of Missouri-Columbia: Eta Upsilon University of Missouri-Roll: Delta Gamma Missouri State University: Epsilon Psi Montana State University: Beta University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Epsilon Omega University of Nebraska-Kearney: Iota Psi University of Nebraska-Omaha: Kappa Iota North Dakota State University: Tau Beta Chapter Only University of Northern Colorado: Alpha Theta University of Northern Iowa: Eta Pi Northwest Missouri State University: Kappa Delta Pittsburgh State University: Delta Eta Wayne State College: Gamma Delta Wichita State University: Beta Tau University of Wyoming: Alpha Nu
Founding Fathers of Kappa Kappa Psi
In 1919 and Oklahoma A&M College (now the Oklahoma A&T University), ten men and their band director began developing an honorary society for those participating in university bands. These men were led by student William A. Scroggs, later elected as the fraternity's first president, and band director Bohumil "Boh" Makovsky. Along with William A. Scroggs, the first members of Kappa Kappa Psi were A. Frank Martin, Raymond D. Shannon, Clyde Haston, Clayton Soule, Carl Stevens, William Coppedge, Dick Hurst, Asher Hendrickson, and Iron H. Nelson. Scroggs was later nicknamed "The Father of Kappa Kappa Psi" and Boh was deemed the "Guiding Spirit" of the fraternity as he became the first sponsor and educator for the Alpha chapter.
Tau Beta Sigma
Tau Beta Sigma is a national honorary band sorority dedicated to serving college and band programs and the corollary to Kappa Kappa Psi. The sorority operates primarily as a student service and leadership recognition society whose chief aim is to assist the Director of Bands in developing the leadership and enthusiasm that they require of their bands. Its goals are not only to provide the band with organized and concentrated service activities, but to give its membership valid and wholesome experiences in organization, leadership, and social contacts. The honorary nature of membership is based on its premise that “it is an honor to be selected to serve” – the band, its department of music, its sponsoring institution, and the cause of band music in the nation’s colleges and universities. The University of Minnesota is the home of the Alpha Iota chapter of Tau Beta Sigma.