The Phi Kappa Psi (ΦΚѰ) fraternity is one of the four fraternities located at Ashland University.

According to the Ohio Theta Chapter website at Ashland University, the fraternity was founded on Feb. 19, 1852, and was later brought to AU and installed on April 16, 1966, making Phi Kappa Psi the first fraternity on campus.

The website also states that the fraternity is “a brotherhood of honorable men, courteous and cultured, who pledge throughout their lives to be generous, compassionate and loyal comrades”. This brotherhood mentality is something that Mike Serrato, president of Phi Kappa Psi, holds to high regards.

“Our chapter is very close to each other,” Serrato said. “We are very proud of having a very tight-knit community. We like to go by the saying, ‘Where we go one, we go all’. It’s not really an individual thing, it’s mainly about all of us.

Jim Schoffstall, corresponding secretary of the fraternity, agrees with Serrato while also stating that school and grades are equally as important.

“We try to stay united,” Schoffstall said. “We try to maintain the best grades possible. If you come by the house on a weekday, we are all usually working on something. We like to have fun too, whether that’s playing video games or watching sports on the weekends.”

Along with many of the other fraternities and sororities at Ashland University, Phi Kappa Psi attempts to do a great deal of philanthropy to assist the surrounding community. The fraternity holds philanthropy events in high regards, due to the open motto of the fraternity being “The Great Joy of Serving Others”.

According to Serrato, one of the more recent philanthropic events Phi Kappa Psi started is a silent auction. 

“We started that a couple of years ago and that raised about a couple thousand dollars,” Serrato said. “All the proceeds from that go to Camp Nuhop, which is a camp for students with learning disabilities assisting said students in getting an education that may be difficult in a typical school environment.”

Serrato said that the next silent auction by Phi Kappa Psi would not be until 2021 in the spring semester.

Another one of the philanthropic events that the fraternity engages in is the “Get Yolked” event, which was cancelled this year. The event takes place around the time of homecoming and involves those in the fraternity standing in front of a tarp while eggs are thrown at the individuals, with all the proceeds for the event going to Camp Nuhop as well. 

“The entire FSL community does a great job at doing philanthropic events,” Schoffstall said. “We have done a canned food drive in the past to give to the needy, along with many other ways. We really strive to help better the community.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Phi Kappa Psi will not have many different events and activities. One event the fraternity will be having is a 5-K run in cooperation with Kappa Sigma fraternity at Ashland University.

“With the 5-K, it will be a walk-run type of thing,” Serrato said. “If you don’t want to run, you are more than welcome to walk it. All the proceeds from the 5-K will go to Saint Jude’s Hospital. That’s the biggest thing we have going on this semester.”

Jim Schoffstall believes that the COVID pandemic has been both difficult and frustrating for leaders of the fraternity to plan events, but also stating that the fraternity has overcome the obstacles.

“It’s frustrating,” Schoffstall said. “It takes a lot more creativity than usual in previous years due to COVID, but I feel as though the chapter has adapted well.”

Serrato stated that an online link to the 5-K run would be up in the near future along with a donation tab for those wishing to do so. Serrato also said that an individual does not have to participate in 5-K to donate funds.