Saturday morning at Syracuse University’s Hall of Languages, undergraduate and alumni convened for the 2025 Psi Upsilon Leadership Institute. Attendees arrived ready to engage in a full day of immersive professional development, organizational strategy, and historical reflection. This annual convening underscored the fraternity’s dual commitment to preserving its storied legacy and equipping chapters for sustainable growth.
Keynote: Growth as Legacy
At 9:00 AM, Jonah Mudse of Phired Up Productions delivered the opening keynote, challenging members to redefine growth as a long-term legacy rather than a semesterly recruitment target. Drawing on case studies from chapters of varying sizes, Mudse identified limiting mindsets—such as passive recruitment and reliance on word-of-mouth—and replaced them with actionable strategies for proactive name-generation, vision setting, and momentum building. By the session’s close, delegates possessed a clear, scalable framework for chapter recruitment: establish presence, cultivate pride, and implement a repeatable system that can be executed regardless of membership count.
In the afternoon, a track of the Roundtables continued these discussions and gave undergraduates
Organizational Support and Policy Review
Immediately following the keynote, Executive Director Thomas Fox, Omicron ’00 (Illinois), guided participants through Psi Upsilon’s comprehensive support infrastructure. He outlined the Chapter Support Matrix, detailing how chapters can leverage the Summer Leadership Series, Archons Academy, and online Townhalls to foster continuous development. He also reviewed Aboveboard and Commitment to Excellence initiatives, positioning them as tools for reinforcing the fraternity’s core values rather than regulatory burdens.
In a subsequent policy session on Sunday, he reviewed Psi Upsilon’s risk-management policy. Through analysis of recent higher-education trends and comparative fraternity case studies, he illustrated how proactive education, transparent communication, and shared accountability mitigate liability and safeguard the chapter experience.
Archives Committee and Engagement
Later in the morning, Jonathan Chaffin, Gamma Tau ’00 (Georgia Tech) and Alex Senchak, Eta ’06 (Lehigh), presented dual sessions on Psi Upsilon’s heritage and technological advancements. Jonathan as Director of Member Engagement, highlighted the History & Archives Committee’s research since its 2020 inception, showcasing remarkable discoveries from Pi Chapter’s archives and highlighting the accomplishments of underrecognized alumni from the chapter. Then, with Alex Senchak, President and Chairman of the Psi Upsilon Foundation, they reviewed the programs of the Psi Upsilon Foundation and how members could get more involved and benefit from the Foundation, including the Social Impact Fellowship, Graduate and Undergraduate Scholarships, and the Connects Stipend.
Interactive Roundtable Discussions
After a campus lunch at the Pi Chapter House, participants reconvened for three successive roundtable sessions. Undergraduate delegates met to explore recruitment pipelines, event programming, and service-learning initiatives. Concurrently, alumni delegates gathered to share insights on fundraising, advisory board structures, and crisis management protocols.
