Twenty five years ago, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity celebrated its official return to Northwestern State University after an 18-year hiatus. In early 1999, a group of student leaders set out on a journey to re-charter the Beta Omicron chapter.
Less than a year later, on February 12, 2000, a group of 29 young men earned their charter: Wesley Breeden, Todd Boddie, Chris Baker, Kyle Thomas, Rick Guillot, Danny Thomas, Steve Franklin, Danny Thomas, David Morgan Jr., Cory Wilson, Micheal Barras, Ryan Bienert, Justin Hicks, Mike Marston, J.P. Fitzmorris, Shawn Hornsby, Robert Deramus, Luke Hudnall, Brock Oakes, Joe McGowan, Kyle Bobbitt, Brandon Hopkins, Chad Black, Josh Green, Heath Crawford, Jonathan Grant, Todd Modgling, Justin Reynolds, Michael Johnson, and Rick Jones.
With the dedicated support of distinguished alumni, advisors, family and hard-working brothers, the dream of a new fraternity was alive once again. That tradition of leadership began in 1929, with the founding of Phi Kappa Nu, a local fraternity that later became the Beta Omicron Chapter of Pi Kappa Phi in 1956. Today, its student leaders carry on that rich legacy of excellence as one of the top student organizations on campus and one of the most respected chapters in the national Fraternity.
In these past 25 years, alumni purchased and paid-off a chapter house on University Parkway, earned countless campus and national awards, erected a wrought-iron clock on campus, established a million-dollar endowed scholarship for Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity members at NSU, built a $1.1 million dollar chapter house on Chaplin’s Lake, and more importantly, have changed the lives of more than 700 initiates. The chapter has a track record of developing ‘Exceptional Leaders’ through ‘Uncommon Opportunities’ forged from the bonds of brotherhood and fellowship.
Beta Omicron chapter’s re-founding archon, Wes Breeden (#286), shared this message today, reflecting on fond memories:
A formal recognition of the 25th anniversary of Beta Omicron’s re-chartering will be marked this Spring at the chapter’s annual Rose Ball formal and later this Fall on October 3-4, during the NSU Homecoming weekend.
In 2026, the Beta Omicron chapter will commemorate 70 years since its original founding.
Beta Omicron chapter re-chartering members and alumni are encouraged to share memories from 1999-2000. Please post reflections in the comments section below or email to LetUsKnow@pikappNSU.org to be included in the chapter archives.
- To view a chapter photo album from the year 2000 and the re-chartering ceremony, click here.
- To read a more detailed account of the Beta Omicron chapter’s history, click here.
- To read the Spring 2000 issue of the BO Blast newsletter, click here.
In this 2015 video, Beta Omicron chapter 1956 founding member John “Buck” Wheat (#29) recalls the first time he met the re-chartering Pi Kapps in 2000.
On February 12, 2000, re-chartering archon Wes Breeden delivered this speech at the re-chartering ceremony held at Northwestern State University.
One year. It is truly amazing. What a group of friends can accomplish in that amount of time. And in that, all just coming from a simple joke. Many people come to college these days to wander through halls in search of a four-year degree, a spouse or just a good time. These people come and go with just a bat of an eye, never to be remembered again after the presence has left us. But then there are the few, those that choose to get the most out of their college experience. They spend their four years wisely, and walk away from this place being always remembered for the great things that they have accomplished. You, my brothers have accomplished this. That is why you have all gained the title of founding fathers.
Wesley L. Breeden
For my brothers, it has been a long year, and a long winding road. Sometimes the road has been rough, full of problems and challenges that faces. In this to keep us safe we learned to use one thing that we all hold common. And that one thing is brotherhood.
There were many days along our journey that we could’ve simply thought that it was not going to get any better.
Together, we laughed; we learned, and we felt love from 29 guys that were previously strangers in all of our lives. The only thing that could have made this year as joyous as it was, is one thing. Brotherhood, my friends, today our complete Greek system is under attack by a force that we often do not like to recognize. That forces you, and our brothers and sisters who choose to wear the Greek letters of a different name and I.
Every time someone who belongs to our Greek community is hazed, arrested, or even worse, dies, a little more of what being Greek means, is taken away from us, causing the outside world to think less and less of these ideals that we hold sacred.
My brothers in the past year, you have worked hard and have set standards to show our campus, and our community that you can be a Greek, a gentleman, and a Christian all at the same time. For this, we should all be proud.
But my brothers, we must not stop there. We must work hard harder than ever before to break down the reputation and stereotype of the typical Greek and said an even higher standard so that others can follow. This is not an easy task, but as brothers, we can achieve this together. For this is what I leave as a challenge to us all.
It is truly been a long year, but every second of the work was worth it. You can tell by the looks on our faces. There is much thanks and gratitude that we owe tonight.
To our families, friends, alumni, Northwestern State, our national fraternity, and to each other. But there is nothing that we can give to pay our debts to all of you. Let it be known that you will always be held near inside the hearts of all of us. Without you, this would not have been possible.
BO 286
Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity | Beta Omicron Chapter 