Homecoming week was an eventful one for the Kappa Chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa this past November. In addition to having a tailgate hosted by alumnus David Hyland, the active chapter of Phi Sigma Kappa came in first place in the Homecoming competition.

Ethan Kudler, head Homecoming Chair for the fraternity, was just a sophomore when he decided to take on this position. When asked why he ran for the position, Kudler says, “I decided to do homecoming because it’s a tradition at the school and it ended up being one of the most important events we had.”

With many events throughout Homecoming week such as the talent show and homecoming parade, there was much for the fraternity and their partners to plan. “The largest amount of planning came when we had to start the float. Our triad ? Triad ?partners designed a phenomenal float but when it came to put it together it turned into an ordeal. However, luckily, we were able to create a schedule for people to “pomp” and decorate the float that made it easy to finish.”, said Kudler.

And their hard work paid off. After many hours spent constructing the float and mad hatter, the fraternity and their partners had finally come in first place for this category. Ultimately their success in designing both entries helped them win the overall homecoming competition as well.

On Saturday, many of the undergraduate brothers and alumni celebrated the fraternity’s success during a tailgate hosted by David Hyland. “We probably had a total of 30 to 35 people. It was great to see some brothers and their families that we don’t normally see,” Hyland said.

The tailgate activities included games, hot dogs, hamburgers, and the State College Diner’s famous grilled stickies. “It was difficult to break away from the tailgate to attend the game,” Hyland responded when asked about the success of the tailgate.

The festivities ensured the continued bonding between the alumni and the undergraduate fraternity members. When asked why he continues to host the tailgate, Hyland made it clear that continuing this bond plays a critical role. “Many of our children attend or have attended Penn State and it is fun to see the traditions of Phi Sig carry on. Our kids really enjoy hearing stories from our time at Penn State. We formed life long bonds living in the house together and we work hard to continue those relationships.”

It was a great week for Phi Sig. From pomping to tailgating, fraternity brothers both past and present were able to connect, reinforcing why each of them values their chapter in the first place.