By: Tawny Vanover
Cameron University welcomes Kappa Theta Pi, a professional, technology-focused co-ed fraternity, as its latest addition to student organizations.
President and co-founder Lance Wallace spearheaded the mission to bring the fraternity to campus.
“I reached out to them saying, you know, we would like to start a chapter here because we don’t have anything for people who like technology,” Wallace said. “There’s regular Greek life fraternities and sororities but nothing kind of tailoring towards the tech side of things.”
Founded in 2012, Kappa Theta Pi stands as the nation’s first technology fraternity. It centers around five defined pillars that Wallace hopes to build upon with the Cameron chapter.
“Our goal is to provide students with hands-on tech opportunities,” Wallace said. “Things you might see or hear about in class or in a lecture. What we try to do is give you hands-on experience with it.”
Kappa Theta Pi offers a variety of technology-focused opportunities designed to enhance members’ skills and career prospects.
“We are working on sponsorships and internships with various companies around here right now,” Wallace said. “It also just provides that community, more friends to hang out with, to study with, and to go do stuff.”
Vice President of Marketing Brennan Hibdon said that the fraternity offers valuable connections and a sense of community, despite being newly established.
“There are other chapters that we can connect with,” Hibdon said. “It gives us a little more than the other organizations campus offers, there’s also just the comradery of it, being able to just go out with people.”
As Kappa Theta Pi opens up membership, the fraternity’s officers at Cameron University are eager to kick off their new chapter. Wallace expressed his aspirations for the future.
“I’m a bit of an optimist, but I am realistic,” Wallace said. “I know we all have competing requirements, and we’re here to go to school, learn something and get a degree. But I want to take as much of your spare time as I can to have fun, let some steam off and help keep that good life balance of fun and learning.”
The organization also plans to offer opportunities for students to become actively involved within their community.
“We have a couple of community service efforts set up and already in place,” Wallace said. “One is the adopt a street program. We adopted Dr. Elise Ham drive back here on the backside of the campus, so that belongs to the fraternity now and we will be doing monthly cleanups out there.”
“We’re also going to be working with the Oklahoma Council for the blind at their conference at the end of the month,” Wallace said.
Wallace encourages students who have a love for technology to consider joining the fraternity regardless of their major.
“Give it a try,” Wallace said. “We’re here to give everyone the opportunity to play with technology, and so it’s geared to be more fun than anything. We want you to come in, have fun, occasionally learn something, and make friends that will last a lifetime.”
Additional information regarding the fraternity can be found by visiting www.ktp-uc.org or by contacting ktp.cameron@gmail.com.