Pi Nu Epsilon, Inc. Founders’ Day Ceremony
(to be observed annually the last Sunday of February)
Purpose of the Founders’ Day Ceremony:
To honor the nine men who founded Pi Nu Epsilon and the purpose and goals upon
which it still builds. This is also to honor those men and women who are founders of
each chapter of Pi Nu Epsilon.
Personnel:
o All members of existing chapters of Pi Nu Epsilon
(alumni and National Council members are encouraged to go to their local
chapter to participate in the ceremony)
o Associates of Pi Nu Epsilon (if applicable)
o Campus administrators, media, etc.
Speaking Roles:
o The Chapter President and Vice President will have speaking roles.
o A chapter alumnus will have a speaking role. If no alumni are present, the senior most
member of the chapter should assume this speaking role.
Materials:
o Any suitable room on campus
o Three long candles (use any color candle as long as they comply with fraternity colors,
white is acceptable)
 Two candles should be one color and the third candle should differ from
the others.
 If candles are not allowed on campus, please substitute them with electric
candles, flowers or additional suitable items.
o Long table, table cloth, speaker’s podium, Pi Nu Epsilon banner
Arrangements:
A long, draped table is placed at the front of a suitable room on campus. The podium
should be in the center of the table. The two similar candles should be arranged on the
table in a row, with the different candle in the center.
Founders’ Day Ceremony:
The speaker is indicated by the bold print. Each speaker should read the
italicized text following the title.
Chapter President:
Welcome brothers and sisters of Pi Nu Epsilon. We are gathered today to remember and
honor the founders of Pi Nu Epsilon. Without their foresight, their dedication and their
love of music and musical affairs, Pi Nu Epsilon would not exist. For that, we are
thankful. We are also gathered here today to recognize the men and women who have
founded this chapter. Their initial devotion and passion to music on this campus is a
remarkable example that Pi Nu Epsilon continues to emanate throughout this institution
and the community.
We also recognize the alumni of Pi Nu Epsilon who have set unprecedented examples for
all current and future members. At this time, I ask that all alumni stand to be recognized.
The alumni in attendance will stand.
Without the examples you and your fellow predecessors set, our chapter would be lost.
For this, we are grateful.
You may be seated.
I would now like to call upon an alumnus to assist with the recognition of our Founders.
Introduce the alumnus, the year they graduated, etc. If from another chapter,
please recognize their home chapter.
Chapter Alumnus:
Let us first honor those men and women responsible for the establishment of Pi Nu
Epsilon at (insert your school name here). Through their dedication and hard work, Pi
Nu Epsilon was able to flourish here. We can only hope that we have been able to build
upon their expectations, goals and dreams for this chapter. We honor those men and
women with a moment of silent reflection.
The chapter members remain silent for several seconds before proceeding.
We light this first candle in remembrance and in honor of those men and women who
founded Pi Nu Epsilon here at (insert your school name here).
The names of the founding chapter members can be read if known.
Let us go forth with the knowledge that our chapter founders established Pi Nu Epsilon
on this campus with the goal of bringing the musical community of this school together in
celebration and appreciation of music.
Chapter President:
Having honored those men and women who dedicated their time and energies to bringing
Pi Nu Epsilon to the current chapters, let us now turn our focus to those men who are
credited with creating Pi Nu Epsilon, its purposes and its goals.
Pi Nu Epsilon is an inclusive fraternity which is dedicated to music, diverse musical
organizations and college-community service. Our goals include preserving traditional
values, enhancing the social life of college students and promoting music as an art.
This is the mission statement set forth by eight students and one professor emeritus at the
Armour Institute of Technology in January, 1927. Pi Nu Epsilon was founded with the
purpose of giving recognition to those men and women who had unselfishly devoted their
time and energies to the furtherance of good music.
Let us now honor these men.
Chapter Vice President:
After the founders name is read, the other same colored candle should be lit. (Do
not light the different colored candle in the center)
From the Class of 1927:
Thorton J. Clark
Nicholas Markoff
William E. Vevurka
Willard Wilson
From the Class of 1928:
David G. Greenfield
W. McDowell Horn
Kent H. Parker
George Rezac
And professor emeritus Charles W. Leigh.
Again, let us honor those men with a moment of silent reflection.
The chapter members remain silent for several seconds before proceeding.
Chapter President:
The final candle represents Pi Nu Epsilon’s future. With its lighting we are igniting a
broader passion for music and musical affairs within each of you. It is the challenge set
forth by our founders to us, the current members, to stimulate an interest in the music and
musical organizations on our campus and in our community. The founders have
entrusted us with the future of Pi Nu Epsilon, let us not falter in our goals and purposes.
The last candle is lit.
“Dear friends and gentle hearts…” were the only words penned of what was believed to
be Stephen Foster’s last arrangement. Five words of an unfinished piece, yet they
allowed a future to be derived from them. Pi Nu Epsilon has based its goals, its beliefs
and its history on these words. From the original eight founders to current members
alike, these words have described the souls of the individuals of Pi Nu Epsilon. A
brotherhood; a society drawn together by a passion for music, based on friendship and
giving, created and shared with musicians for decades.
At this time, we ask current members and alumni to join in sharing your memories of Pi
Nu Epsilon. Whether these memories are about music or about friendship, we ask that
you share what Pi Nu Epsilon means to you and what it has brought to your lives.
Allow for several minutes of sharing. When everyone that wishes to share is
finished, proceed.
So many great memories of Pi Nu Epsilon have been shared today and so many others
are held within the hearts of those unable to join us. Let it be our goal to create many
more of these fond memories, as well as to present the opportunity for members of the
future to do the same.
Go forth and continue to strengthen and develop the objectives of our founders.