2026 FishFund Venture Summit and Venture Presentations
You are cordially invited to our FishFund Venture Summit & Presentations Hear from thought leaders and investors in the innovation space and learn about new projects helmed by Psi Upsilon brothers.
Significant others and guests are welcome!
Wednesday, April 29th, 2026. A panel discussion, ticketed reception, presentations, and networking 6 PM – 9PM.
University Club of San Francisco 800 Powell St, San Francisco, CA 94108
To qualify to present, the startup must have a fully developed and working product. A founder, C-Suite leader or key investor must be a Psi Upsilon brother.
Founded in 2021, the Psi Upsilon FishFund is designed to Honor, Support, Educate, and Facilitate the projects and skills of venture-minded brothers of Psi Upsilon. Learn more at www.psiu.org/fishfund/
MADE POSSIBLE BY GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR HOSTING BROTHERS
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•Joseph P. Cillo, PhD, Delta ’61 (New York University)
Make a Donation Here or Text GIVE to (317) 399-4318 to make a tax-deductible suggested donation of $25+ to the Foundation & support our programs, operations and outreach efforts like this.
PROGRAM INCLUDES: •Hosted Cocktail hour and heavy appetizers on the 4th floor of the historic University Club of San Francisco and ample time for Networking •The 2026 FishFund Venture Summit will include a discussion around what sparks interest in VC and angel investors
Cameron Turner Zeta ’96 (Dartmouth) General Partner Oxonian Ventures
Cameron Turner is founder and CEO of TRUIFY.AI, serving US Fortune 500 with AI solutions. Drawing from 30 years experience in enterprise data, including the founding of two companies: ClickStream, (acq. Microsoft 2009) and Datorium )acq. Kin+Carta (LON:KCT) 2021) Cameron brings a wealth of hands-of experience in leading teams to deploy AI solutions that uniquely fit the technology and culture of his clients. Cameron also serves as General Partner of Oxonian Ventures, a VC fund investing in Oxford University graduates, and volunteers with the Venture Studio at the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Stanford University. Cameron received his BA from Dartmouth College (Zeta, ’96), MBA from Oxford University and MS in Statistics/AI from Stanford University.
The Psi Upsilon Virtual Speaker Series has been on-going since 2020 and averages 6 or 7 episodes a year. These hour-long interviews span a wide variety of topics, chapters, and generations, from author Harlan Coben, Gamma ’84 (Amherst), and football star turned actor Ed Marinaro, Chi ’71 (Cornell), all the way to specialist discussions like Canine Genetics with Adam Boyko, Omicron ’00 (Illinois) or the future of horror literature. The channel also hosts various other resources like Scholarship announcement keynotes, statements of impact, and leadership series episodes aimed at younger members. Please subscribe today!*
Volunteer Opportunity! If you are a video editor or digital arts student or recent graduate looking for portfolio work there are ample volunteer opportunities to help with anything from editing down episodes to creating “Best of” bumpers and promo reels. Contact Sr. Director of Engagement Jonathan Chaffin at jonathan@psiu.org if interested.
If you would like to be be interviewed as part of the speaker series, contact Jonathan or Director of Administration Bethann Taylor bethann@psiu.org
Recent Flickr Albums
The Psi Upsilon Fraternity and Foundation engages with alumni and undergraduate brothers around the country year-round. Convention, Archons’ Academy, Foundation Signature Events, chapter visits and more. Bookmark or favorite our Flickr site to stay abreast of photos from these travels. Additionally, the History and Archives Committee will upload things like historic documents and composites by chapter in albums periodically.
Volunteer Opportunity! The Foundation and Fraternity are always looking for trained photographers with good equipment to donate time helping us capture events. In most cases that is rewarded with free and behind the scenes access to some pretty cool opportunities to meet and network with brothers.
*To get notified of new YouTube videos, subscribe to a channel and click the bell icon next to the subscribe button, selecting “All” to receive every notification. You can manage these alerts, including email and mobile push notifications, through your account settings
All Foundation programs are supported by the generous donations of brothers; make your gift and support Psi Upsilon here. Donors who are a Gold Member of the Founder’s Society and above receive printed copies of all the Psi Upsilon Foundation Publications.
Thanks to so many volunteers, the Foundation has been able to create exceptional opportunities as showcased in the following pages. A portion of those who we engage with have returned after years or even decades of time away from brotherhood activities. It is a joy to bring them back into our programs and build new relationships and find new ways for them to share their expertise, nurture personal interests, and be inspired by other each other. We now turn to grow our relationships and look through these annual and more frequent programs, stay connected through these long-form journalistic publications and convene more forums for substantive discussion and deeper connection. We are indebted to our generous community of donors who play such an important role in supporting the Foundation’s work to make Psi Upsilon a place of connection, joy, renewal, and inspiration!
Have you ever wanted to be on-screen? Wondering how to break into the world of the professional actor? Steve Malinski, EI ’09, & Rowan K. Bariteau discuss their experiences in front and around of the camera. Tips, tactics, and tales of extremely early and extremely last minute call times abound! Entertaining stories and questions answered. Register now!
Dr. Brian Christie, Zeta ’07 (Dartmouth) used his fellowship to train and share micro surgical techniques in under-resourced environments in Africa. Dr. Audrey Fisch, Gamma ’87 (Amherst) used her fellowship to for advanced training with the National College Attainment Network to help her better lead the non-profit she started to benefit under-represented students.
For 4 years the Psi Upsilon Social Impact Fellowship initiative has provided funds and development opportunities for some of our brightest lights striving for a better society.
We’re excited to announce applications for the 25-26 Social Impact Fellowship are open.
The fellowship is granted to support the professional leadership development of emerging leaders striving for the common good. The fellowship is appropriate for brothers working or volunteering in the environmental, education, social equality, medical, and related fields for good of society (including chapter advisors needing training!)
Here are videos of reflections and thanks from both Audrey and Brian.
On Wednesday April 30th, in San Francisco, CA, Psi Upsilon held our annual FishFund Venture Summit. Our venue was the venerable University Club of San Francisco.
Cameron Turner, Zeta ’96 (Dartmouth), Alexander Senchak, Eta ’06 (Lehigh), and investment specialist Graham Siegle participated in a panel discussion centered around what sparks interest in VC and angel investors, and what does diligence and valuations evaluation, particularly for AI centered startups, look like in 2025. Our experts discussed some of the key effects of the AI hype on startups today, and shared ideas and recommendations for people dabbling or considering engaging in early stage companies. The panel discussion was followed by three entrepreneurial pitches courtesy of the FishFund. Speakers representing their companies presented and took rapid fire questions from the audience. The paid event brought together brothers from around the country.
We had presentations from Fennec Ai, a marketplace of AI and ML products and services specifically designed to grow the hospitality and nightlife industry, Tribe Money Pools, a way to collect money and manage it together, and Sureel AI, a platform which licenses and tracks AI-driven media usage with precise attribution, awarding royalties and driving new revenue sources for rights holders.
In the words of presenter Vishal Desh, Zeta Zeta ’22 (UBC) co-founder of Fennec AI: “I’m grateful to the organizers and my fellow brothers who made this experience so impactful. Thanks for putting together such a great event. The journey of building something new is always better when you’re surrounded by people who believe in paying it forward and creating a community where everyone can learn and grow together.”
Thank you to our hosts and sponsors, whose generous contributions this year allowed us to keep tickets costs for the event discounted. Thank you Oliver V. Smith, Beta Alpha ’93 (Miami University), Craig Chiang, Epsilon ’95 (University of California, Berkeley), Joseph P. Cillo, PhD, Delta ’61 (New York University), and James Volpentest, Theta Theta ’90 (University of Washington).
We learned that our date this year corresponded with the RSAC Security Conference, and are investigating aligning these events again next year: Do you attend RSAC professionally? Please email jonathan@psiu.org
We’d like to congratulate the 36 brothers from 14 chapters who received scholarships for the 2025-26 Academic Year from the Psi Upsilon Foundation, including six graduate awards! Below is the list of recipients based on their award.
We held an online announcement for the Scholarship recipients on April 30th hosted by the Psi Upsilon Foundation’s Chair and President, Alex Senchak, Eta ’06 (Lehigh), and our keynote speaker Tyree P. Jones Jr. ESQ, Kappa ’82 (Bowdoin), who offered comments on how Psi Upsilon has positively affected his life. You can view a transcript of that speech below.
We would like to thank all the generous donors to the Annul Fund and everyone who has helped make these named scholarships possible. Since 1959 The Psi Upsilon Foundation has awarded over 1.2 million dollars in scholarships to our members because of the generosity of our donors! As we are approaching the end of our fiscal year, please make a gift to support the scholarships and programs of Psi Upsilon today. If you already have, check here to see if your company will double your impact with a matching gift.
Graduate Scholarships
Lewis Finkelstein, Omicron 1983 Awards •Yury Onikashvili, Zeta Zeta ’22 (University of British Columbia)
Henry B. Poor, Gamma 1939 Award •Tuna Ergan, Gamma Tau ’23 (Georgia Tech) •‘Sarah Koh, Delta ’24 (New York University)
Dr. Tony Kremer, Omicron 1987 Award •Jack Patterson, Tau Epsilon ’24 (Clemson)
Undergraduate Scholarships
Albert C. Jacobs, Phi ’21 Award •Jack J. Drabik, Epsilon Nu ’27 (Michigan State University)
Francis C. Hardie, Omicron-Zeta ’18 •Randilyn P. Saul, Gamma Tau ’26 (Georgia Institute of Technology) •Andrew F. Stewart, Sigma Phi ’27 (Saint Francis University)
Curtis J. Rettke, Eta ’84 Award •Daniel C. Levine, Eta ’26 (Lehigh University)
Earl D. Babst, Iota-Phi ’93 •Tyler D. Hahn, Epsilon Nu ’27 (Michigan State University)
Eric W. Didul, Phi Beta ’90 Award •Katherine O. Rosinski, Gamma Tau ’26 (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Henry B. Poor, Gamma ‘39 Awards •Kabral K. Armah, Tau ’27 (University of Pennsylvania) •Daniel Bauer, Tau ’26 (University of Pennsylvania) •Derek C. Ike, Tau ’27 (University of Pennsylvania) •Ming-Hao (Alex) Lee, Tau ’27 (University of Pennsylvania) •David O. Oladeji, Tau ’26 (University of Pennsylvania)
Michael D. Oberg, Theta Theta ’88 Award •Torrin Pataki, Zeta Zeta ’25 (University of British Columbia)
Paul D. Friday, Theta Theta ’26 Award •Stephen A. Klock, Zeta Zeta ’25 (University of British Columbia)
J. Russell McShane, Delta ’32 Award •Jin Lee, Delta ’26 (New York University) •Ian Lin, Delta ’26 (New York University)
Jerome W. Brush, Jr.,Delta Delta ’39 Award •Yuriy A. Sandmerier, Upsilon ’27 (University of Rochester)
Jonathan E. Persky, Omega ‘85 Awards •Devan V. Johnson, Omega ’26 (University of Chicago)
R. DeWitt Wallace, Epsilon ’14 Award •Jacob Nahmias, Psi ’27 (Hamilton College) •Fernando J. Pardo, Upsilon ’26 (University of Rochester)
R. Timothy Leedy, Phi ’57 Award •Olubande T. Taiwo, Gamma Tau ’26 (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Robert W. Morey, Pi ’20 Awards •John W. Adams, III, Pi ’26 (Syracuse University) •William D. Alcorn, Pi ’26 (Syracuse University) •Conor L. McKenna, Pi ’26 (Syracuse University) •Logan J. Rothschild, Pi ’26 (Syracuse University) •Alex G. Torres, Pi ’26 (Syracuse University)
Robert W. Parsons, Xi ‘22 Award •Logan Heales, Zeta Zeta ’25 (University of British Columbia)
William P. King, Omicron ’73 Award •Kevin Sanderson, Omicron ’26, (University of Illinois)
Psi Upsilon was pleased to give out 36 scholarships this year!
Psi Upsilon Foundation Scholarship Announcement Keynote
April 30, 2025
Now moving on, I am very pleased to welcome Tyree Jones.
Tyree is a member of the Kappa chapter, Bowdoin College, Class of 82. I’ve known Tyree for about five years. He has been a speaker at our Social Impact Fellowship Retreat year one; he did a wonderful discussion on diversity and integration of diversity practices in organizations. He is a litigator and a seasoned litigator and a notable leader of his law firm living in DC and has a wonderful cadre of other Kappas who I’ve gotten to know and are just wonderful people. It is my honor and privilege to bring Tyree to the proverbial stage, and turn it over to him: Tyree.
Thank you, Alex, for that really wonderful and generous introduction and Congratulations to all the brothers and scholarship recipients.
It’s really a privilege for me to be asked to address you upon receiving this prestigious series of scholarships sponsored by our foundation, the Psu Upsilon Foundation. I don’t do this often. I’ve never done this before for Psi Upsilon in terms of just delivering remarks to scholarship recipients, so I thought about just a couple of things to one, be brief, but hopefully give some remarks that you know, not only help you understand more about the Fraternity of which you’re a member and why this scholarship program and the Foundation is so important to our mission, but to tell you about a little bit one about why Psi Upsilon is important – how that has jibed with the values and missions of the Fraternity.
And, you know, how you should really embrace this recognition. It is really a recognition of the tremendous work you’ve done to this point.
Not only impressing those who recommended you, but impressing those through the information you submitted who awarded you these scholarships and to really embrace what you have ahead of you because we all know and see from the material we’ve received from you that the future is really ahead and you all have really rosy and distinct futures to look forward to.
I’ll start with one, why Psi Upsilon is important for me. I joined the Kappa chapter of Psi Upsilon at Bowdoin, as Alex said.
A long time ago, back in 1979, just time spent interacting with other members there determined that it was really an organization that I wanted to be a part of.
And people that I wanted to really fellowship with as we continued our education at Bowdoin.
That was exactly what it proved to be, and we had an incredibly diverse body of members covering a variety of different academic disciplines, athletic disciplines. Social activism as we students were then in the late 70s and early 80s.
Just really a support network that carried on long after Bowdoin, which again as I say, jibes with the mission and values of the fraternity which really are focused around having all our members aspire to be Moral, intellectual, and social excellence in whatever you choose to do, whether it’s what you do on campus, what you do in your communities, and what you do as you go out and venture forth into the world in your respective disciplines. I ended up having a tremendous experience at Bowdoin during the years I was there, in part because of my membership in Psi Upsilon and, or as we called it then really Psi U… in the Kappa chapter at Psi U.
So much so that I’ve maintained a strong connection with Bowdoin. I currently sit on Bowdoin’s Board of Trustees. You know, and as a fraternity member, I am one who still lives the memory; Bowdoin got rid of fraternities during the 90s.
So the Kappa chapter no longer exists there on campus. But our house does and has been brought under the purview of the campus. It’s been updated and still is providing a resource for students there at Bowdoin and so so proud to see that when I go back on campus as I do certainly occasionally for trustee meetings.
The other thing I would talk about too is as I looked at information on many of you, I mean. You all in encompass a variety of fields of study, as I heard, I think, Alex and certainly Dick saying. You know, around science I saw clinical psychology, aerospace engineers, statistics, computer science, medicine. Women’s and children’s health. These are all just such important areas and fields of study where we need you to continue doing.
What you are doing and excelling in those fields. And we hope that the scholarships that you’re awarded here today will really help you in being able to accomplish those objectives.
We all know having been through college and for me, law school: pursuing educational endeavors can be costly and all help is appreciated.
We also appreciate the effort you undertook in applying for this recognition, and the efforts you will continue to undertake to be true not only to the fraternity’s mission, but to be true to yourselves so I would end with just being sure to congratulate all of you again for this recognition.
Wish you all the best in your future endeavors and just urge you to really be proud of this recognition, as I’m sure you’ll receive other recognition in your fields of endeavors and as you proceed and pursue success. So again, congratulations.
Thank you for bearing a few minutes to listen to me and thank you for what you do for the fraternity and how you represent it.
The Board of Directors of the Psi Upsilon Foundation are pleased to announce the election of Brother Apurva Upadhyay, Eta ’06 (Lehigh) as the newest member of the board. Mr. Upadhyay graduated from Lehigh and brings extensive experience from a distinguished career in insurance.
Apurva received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management with a minor in French Language from Lehigh University and his Masters of Business Administration from Villanova University. In addition to his extensive education in business, Apurva is a licensed property and casualty agent in the state of Pennsylvania, as well as a designated Construction Risk Insurance Specialist (CRIS). His great persuasive capabilities and affable nature make him an excellent addition to the Foundation board.
I lived in Florida before I went to Psi U at Lehigh University. And, when I moved to Lehigh, I didn’t have much in the way of family around. I didn’t have friends right away, either, as I was not local to PA, so when I joined Psi U, it became that. Psi U that immediate family for me, and it always will be, quite frankly. So, now I can be anywhere in the world, anywhere in the country, and connect with people that are family that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. Psi U will always be an important part of my life, and it’s something that I feel very, very strongly about…I truly feel that Psi U was that family that I needed when I was 18 years old and living away from home. That’s why I feel as strongly as I do about Psi U as a whole.
Professionally, Apurva joined The Safegard Group in 2008 and currently holds the position of Senior Vice President of Commercial Lines. He serves as a team leader and an Account Executive maintaining client accounts and proactively helping to improve their total cost of risk. Apurva maintains significant relationships with his clients, helping them with various coverage issues and keeping them informed. In addition, Apurva specializes in formalizing coverage terms and conditions across Safegard’s multiple insurance companies and keeping his clients informed of coverage and litigation changes that affect their risk management portfolio. Apurva has also incorporated managing and maintaining insurance company relationships and marketing efforts. By managing the book of business on a macro level, Apurva maintains growth and profitability goals for Safegard with its partner insurance companies.
Apurva has worked in the insurance industry for over two (2) decades. Previously, Apurva worked with Crum & Forster Insurance Company as a Senior Underwriter for the Philadelphia regional office with territory responsibilities as far west as Ohio.
Over the years Apurva has maintained contact with many brothers and describes some of the young men who he attended college with as his best friends that he still is in regular contact with. In fact, during Covid, his friends started a weekly “running call” with multiple Psi U brothers. “We have a running call with some of my buddies. Every Monday and Wednesday we go out at 6:30 in the morning, and we run wherever we are, and we talk and fill each other in on our lives, and it’s a great opportunity for us to catch up. We started that during Covid…I didn’t really have any outlets at all, and my buddy Mike (Michael Sale, Eta ’06) was like, “Hey, we have to go out and get some fresh air, do stuff and just talk and be connected.” [Other important parts of the group are Benjamin G. Jahre, Tom Rovere and Gregory Brown, also Eta ’05 and ’06. Just one way Psi U connections have been important to Apurva.]
For the Foundation Board Apurva looks forward to finding ways to contribute and move the leadership of Psi Upsilon to reflect the brotherhood and society as a whole. He is particularly passionate about the Schoepflin Society and planned giving program. He says, “I feel planned giving is crucial to what we [as the Foundation] do now. It’s [paramount] in terms of helping out brothers to make sure that they have an opportunity to succeed, and to continue to do the work we do. That’s something that we can’t do enough of. Planned giving helps to have a direct impact on that”
Apurva lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with his wife, Katie, and their dog named Gizmo.
You are cordially invited to a special evening to celebrate members of the Phi at the Detroit Athletic Club
2025 Phi Gathering
Join us in the Stadium Club Detroit Athletic Club Hosted by Tim Whims ’80
Join Us Thursday, May 8, 2025 Starting at 5 P.M.
Please join us on Thursday, May 8, 2025 after work at the DAC to meet your Phi Chapter brothers. We are planning a great time to connect with old friends, make new friends, and celebrate all things Psi U! The night is about brotherly fellowship.The food and drink is on Tim Whims, but we need YOU to make the night fun! We look forward to seeing you there!
Yours in the Bonds, Joey Cobau, Phi ’21
Detroit Athletic Club 241 Madison St. Detroit, MI, 48226 Held on the Seventh Floor in the Stadium Club(Valet & structure parking available for a fee.)
On Friday, January 10th, in Alexandria, VA Psi Upsilon held our annual retreat and reception for the 2025 Social Impact Fellowship.
Fellows came from around the country and as far away as Singapore to participate in the 2 day intensive leadership retreat.
The Psi Upsilon Social Impact Fellowship is an annual program that brings together alumni who are engaged in professional or volunteer work aligned with the fraternity’s value of Service to Society. Over the course of the year, fellows participate in in-person and remote training sessions to enhance their professional skills, and are also eligible for grants to support their ongoing community impact initiatives.
This workshop day is a launching point for self-discovery, skills development, and further engagement with the facilitators and coaches recruited from our broad network. Our hope is that participants leave brimming with ideas, useful contacts, and questions for further consideration. By design we have included members of past cohorts and a good number of brothers who have been part of the program leadership.
Presentations and presenters this year included: Marketing your Mission and Soliciting Engagement Kenneth S. Ball, Eta ’82 (Lehigh) Utilizing Boards and Advisors Alex Senchak, Eta ‘06 (Lehigh) Inclusive Leadership: Leading Beyond Bias Devon Trotter CPCC, ACC, Phi Beta ’06 (William and Mary) Leadership and Team Building Throughout Your Career Capt. Jimmy T. King (Ret.d) Phi Delta ‘97(Mary Washington) Optional, elevator pitch workshop with Jonathan Chaffin, GT’00 (Georgia Tech)
The reception, newly endowed, ran for several hours Friday night, including brief remarks as well as an introduction of our Fellows and Archons, followed by ample opportunity for networking and social engagement. All members of Psi Upsilon and spouses and guests had a grand time.
On Saturday the fellows joined the archons. For the fellows, this involved some large group learning alongside the archons analyzing their individual Birkman assessments and conflict resolution training) and some practical experience acting as a facilitator for some small group discussions (Relating to Others, Navigating Difficult Conversations). The fellows specifically mentioned enjoying interacting with the undergraduate archons and the opportunity for growing as a leader.
