UPSILON
Penn State University

FOUNDED ON
6.10.1854

LOCATION
State College, PA

HISTORY
The chapter Prudential Board of 2005-2006, along with guidance from Alumni Advisors, helped focus the group on fraternity values, policy and recruitment to attain the long-envisioned goal of a re-chartered Upsilon. On January 10, 2006, Upsilon Colony’s petition for re-chartering was approved. On March 17, 2006, the chapter violated fraternity risk management policies and re-chartering was delayed from an anticipated April 2006 date. Pennsylvania State University was chartered in 1855 and is the only land grant university in Pennsylvania. The university became co-educational in 1871, and annual enrollment at the University Park campus totals more than 44,000 graduate and undergraduate students, making it one of the largest universities in the United States.

The Viking Club was organized by seven men on November 25, 1912. On February 1, 1917 the group petitioned Alpha Sigma Phi for a charter and was installed as the Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi by Grand Junior President Wayne M. Musgrave, Yale ‘07, in ceremonies at Omicron Chapter on February 9, 1918. The chapter’s first house was at 218 East Nittany Avenue.

From 1935 to 1946, the chapter was located at 288 East Prospect Avenue. The first chapter newsletter was the “Pinnacle”, published from 1920.

Sigma of Phi Pi Phi: Cuheco Club was founded by eight students on February 15, 1915. It rented a house at 208 E. Nittany Avenue until 1924. In 1924 the group moved to 212 W. Fairmont Avenue and the group’s name was changed to Beta Sigma Lambda. The group petitioned Phi Pi Phi and was chartered as Sigma Chapter of Phi Pi Phi on May 25, 1929. Its house was at 212 W. Fairmont.

Omicron of Alpha Kappa Pi: Delta Sigma Chi was formed in Fall 1920 by John Harting, Paul Andrews, and Martin Bare. Nine other charter members were added and IFC recognition was obtained on December 8, 1920. On April 25, 1929, the local broke ground on a new house to accommodate 42 men. In the Fall, a decision was made to petition Alpha Kappa Pi for a charter. Omicron Chapter of Alpha Kappa Pi was installed on June 30, 1930. The initiation of 47 charter members was the largest to that date in Alpha Kappa Pi’s history, and included Leon Fencil, Penn State ‘30, and A. Jahn, Penn State ‘30. The Delta Sigma Chi house of 1929 at 328 East Fairmont Street remains the Alpha Sigma Phi house.

In 1946, when Alpha Kappa Pi and Alpha Sigma Phi merged, the chapter had two houses and two sets of officers. In November 1947 Upsilon chapter moved into the Alpha Kappa Pi house and the old Alpha Sigma Phi Chapter house was sold.

The Upsilon Chapter house has been at 328 East Fairmont Street location since 1947.

The chapter was saved from near extinction in 1975-1976 by Jerry Matchett, Paul Ilgen and Jack Augenbach. Upsilon Chapter was cited as a leading fraternity at Penn State by From Here to Fraternity in the mid 1980’s. Upsilon Chapter has a proud tradition in philanthropic fund raising; its program, a dance marathon, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars per year for the Four Diamonds Foundation in the late 1990s. The nine year total raised by Upsilon of Alpha Sigma Phi for the Four Diamonds Foundation totals over $1 million. In 1992 Alpha Sigma Phi and Alpha Sigma Alpha raised $196,192 and the overall dance marathon raised $1.1 million.

In Spring 2000, the chapter was placed on probation for risk management policy violations. After further problems in the early Fall 2000, the undergraduate chapter was suspended. Following violation of the terms of suspension by the chapter, the charter was revoked in August 2000. 

Reorganization efforts commenced in Spring 2001 when freshman student Michael Cocco initially reached out to the National Fraternity to bring 

Upsilon back to Penn State.  Meeting in a dormitory study hall for months, Cocco and 17 other young men began meeting several times a week to select their first membership roster, set up recruitment and philanthropic events, and draft a plan that would bring Alpha Sigma Phi back to glory 

at Penn State, and allowing Alpha Sigma Phi to retain their house.

With hard work and determination, this chapter took part in the Penn State Dance Marathon, Homecoming parades, many community services events and a special event to have FDNY heroes from September 11th recognized on the field before the first PSU home game in 2002.  In recruiting future classes of young men who want to make a difference, the charter was re-claimed in 2006.

The chapter was reinstalled on October 7, 2006 in ceremonies at the Upsilon Chapter house. Past Grand Senior President Stuart Spisak, 

Westminster ‘78, and Grand Marshal Bernie Schulz, Radford ‘89, presented the charter; Dan Duncan, Ohio State ‘00, and Ryan Brown, Coastal 

Carolina ‘94, represented the Fraternity staff and presented other paraphernalia. Undergraduates from Alpha Tau, Epsilon, and Epsilon Zeta 

assisted with the initiation.

The Upsilon Chapter won the Fraternity’s Service Award in 1985-86, and the Philanthropy Award in 1989, 1991, and 1992.  It received a Grand Senior President”s Citation for its long record of outstanding philanthropic work in 1991. Upsilon Chapter won the National Province Leadership Award for 1976. The chapter publishes “The Upsilon Newsletter,” formerly known as “Upsilon News.” The chapter won the Newsletter Award in 1989 and 1991. Craig Snyder, Penn State ‘85, received the Frank F. Hargear Award for 1988.

Three alumni of the chapter have served on the Grand Council of Alpha Sigma Phi. Charles Vohs, Penn State ‘75, was Grand Senior President from 1990 to 1992. Brother Vohs also served as a Trustee of the Alpha Sigma Phi Foundation. Allen Breedlove, Penn State ‘77, served as a director of the Alpha Sigma Phi Foundation. Alan B. Kime, Penn State ‘21, served as Executive Secretary of Alpha Sigma Phi. 24 Upsilon initiates have received the Delta Beta Xi Award. Charles W. Shaeffer, Penn State ‘30, received the Distinguished Merit Award.

Due to a large graduating class in 2019 and concerns among the officers in regard to recruitment, Omicron Chapter voted to go on a semester-long suspension through the fall of 2019 to preserve the Chapter’s ability to recruit and succeed moving forward.

CHAPTER AWARDS
Records show award name and year(s) received.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Records show brother's name, initiation year, and award received.