TKE News
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Fraters at Florida State University (Lambda-Iota) are gearing up for the annual dance marathon to benefit the children at Shands Memorial Hospital in Gainesville, FSU's College of Medicine and the Children's Miracle Network.
The donation drive took to the streets last week, with students from Alpha Chi Omega Sorority and TKE at Apalachee Parkway and Monroe Street standing with buckets. The event has become a staple in student-run charity events at FSU. Alpha Chi Omega member Alex Hebert said the event raised almost $500,000 last year and this year's total should "definitely" eclipse last year's number.
There's also an extra bonus in topping the numbers from the University of Florida, she added smiling wide.
Frater Nathan Carlson, a sophomore at FSU and Hegemon for the chapter, said the members of Alpha Chi Omega were quite enthusiastic and potential donors responded to their zeal.
In the last 16 years, the dance marathon has raised more than $3.3 million, according to the marathon's official website.
The Offices of the Grand Chapter commend the Fraters at Lambda-Iota and the rest of the Greek Community for their efforts. Better Men for a Better World is definitely a priority in Seminole country.
Have you done service or philanthropic work recently? TKE wants to know. Email us your story to be featured on tke.org or in the next edition of The TEKE.
Adapted from an article on tallahassee.com. Be sure to follow the latest TKE News with the RSS Feed, on Twitter or the official TKE Facebook Fan Page (Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity). Submit your news today.
This year’s Regional Leadership Conferences are expected to be better than ever. More Fraters than ever before have signed up, but you can still reserve your seat by registering today. Why does having more Tekes at these five locations matter? It’s a unique opportunity to learn from each other, network and socialize with men you may not have met if not for the RLC. Find a location that best suits you and sign-up today. The clock is ticking.
In the opening TKE 101 session we will discuss the history of TKE. Where have we come from? Who are the Founders & what makes their story unique? Be prepared to learn the great story of this Fraternity.
This session explores the symbolism of Apollo and how his attributes play a part in being a great mentor. We will discuss the five types of mentoring & explore the psychology of being a great leader.
Ever wondered what type of leadership is within you? We will explore what type of leader you are, as well as tactics to make your group more effective and more organized.
Have you heard about The Blueprint program? You will learn what the program is all about & how your group can get involved with what nearly 25% of our groups have now made part of their culture.
Ever wondered what each officer role entails? This session explores the importance and responsibility of each chapter officer as well as how an officer corps should work together.
This session discusses all of the areas included in having a successful interview and landing a job. We will talk about dress, preparation, closing an interview, and how to market your TKE experiences.
Are you in a colony or interest group? You need to be at this session! Our team will explain how to go from an interest group to a colony and how to go from a colony to a chartered group.
Our international philanthropy partner, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, will share many effective ideas to raise money and awareness for this great organization.
Do you regularly hold retreats? This session will discuss the power of retreats and the impact that can be made when done properly.
Ever wondered what the correct fork to use is? What each glass means at a nice meal? Frater Greg Roskopf will lead this session discussing every aspect of a restaurant experience & how you can be prepared.
In this session, we will investigate some of the media that are being used, what the impact of our uses are, and how we can use all of these tools to make our lives and relationships better.
Are you the poor guy that has to say "pay your dues" at each meeting? TKE & GreekBill have created a partnership to get our groups on an innovative & organized system so you don’t have to be the bad guy.
Ever wanted help on how to run a better chapter meeting? We will discuss everything involved in a chapter meeting including how to prepare and run a meeting in the most effective way.
This session will help you get, guard, and protect your money. Created by a Teke who is the CPA of the Year in Arkansas, this session will appeal to our alumni members and how they can create more wealth.
Similar the afore mentioned session, this will help you get the basics needed to enhance your financial future. This session will talk about many facets of finances including credit, investing, and budgeting.
Ever wondered how to use the TKE Maintenance Module more effectively? How to submit materials that end up on the TKE website? This session will address all of the technologies that we use within TKE.
This will be a forum to learn from your peers who have won a Top Teke Award. These Fraters will answer questions & give tips on what they’ve done to achieve the highest honor in TKE.
Ever wanted to learn how to do ritual according to the Silver Book? Need an opportunity to get a hands-on look at ritual and learn it in a classroom setting? This session will walk you step-by-step through it.
Did you know there are four different generational types? Did you know they have repeated over time? We will discuss the four types of cultures that exist & share the common thought-process of each one.
What are our values? What are the values of TKE? Do we live these values through our actions, our words, or our Fraternity? We will investigate the bond we promise to uphold & how we do it today.
As you have heard many times, recruitment is the lifeblood of the Fraternity. In this session, Buckwheat will discuss recruitment, as well as the details it takes to put on a successful recruitment event.
Risk Management
Keeping our brothers & guests safe is the greatest responsibility all of us have within TKE. This session will teach us how to be better in hosting events and what guidelines we must follow to keep us safe.
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - During the last four decades, Tau Kappa Epsilon has seen many terrific men become members in college and go on to prominence in their chosen profession. A select number of these men gained their prominence within the doors of International Headquarters. One has had such an influence on the continued success of TKE, he is idolized whenever his name comes up.
The man - the myth - the legend - Dennis "Buckwheat" Perry.
Approximately 100 of Buckwheat's closest Fraters and friends gathered in Indianapolis to honor one of the most famous men in the Fraternity. Frater Tim Murphy (Omicron, The Ohio State Univ.) emceed the event that recognized his 40-years of service. Frater Mike Moxley (Beta-Beta, North Carolina State Univ.) spoke about "Uncle Buck’s" impact to the crowd.
"The greatest of TKE's traditions is that of sharing our Fraternity experience with others. The most famous Fraters; the ones with their names in the Black Book; the Founders, the National Founders and the Expansion Leaders, all earned their place in history because of their passion for membership, the sharing of our fraternity with others. In the entire history of TKE, no one has shared the fraternity experience with more men than has Buckwheat. That is why he is our most beloved Frater and probably the most inspiring Teke ever. TKE loves you Buckwheat."
One-by-one, men came to the stage talking about his accomplishments and how he exemplifies TKE's principles. A special award was presented, thanking him for his selfless service as a Knight of Apollo. No words capture how grateful the Grand Council, TKE Offices of the Grand Chapter and entire TKE Nation are. Send Frater Buckwheat a note by clicking here.
More about Buckwheat
In 1969, Dennis "Buckwheat" Perry (Alpha-Nu, University of New Hampshire) became the Recruitment Chairman's Assistant at the Alpha-Lambda Chapter at Kansas State University. He planned all of the summer recruitment events including cookouts, mixers, and even set the schedule for the chairman's visits. It was during this time that he became intrigued by the idea of recruitment, a passion he still holds dear even today. The chapter broke every record TKE had during a time dubbed as "The Fraternity Depression."
Brought in to a summer recruitment conference held at the newly opened Offices of the Grand Chapter in 1972, Frater Buckwheat was asked by the Grand Council why he was so successful during a time with steady declining recruitment numbers. After much discussion, Executive Vice President Frater T.J. Schmitz (Iota-Omicron, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater) decided to create a position dedicated solely to recruitment. The idea had never been approached before in the interfraternal world and, so it's effectiveness was untested.
"January 1st, 1973, I came on staff with the approach that we were going to run this like a business," said Frater Buckwheat. "We had mass marketing plans, ran the first ever newspaper ad and recruitment materials to spread the word about TKE. Within four years every fraternity headquarters adopted this idea because of our success."
Armed with the ability to sell the fraternity to prospective members, Frater Buckwheat set out to start chapters from scratch. He quickly fell in love with the west and spent much of the first twenty years expanding in the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas and many more. His most memorable moment was a special hello from Frater Ronald Reagan (Iota, Eureka College).
"In the early days of his campaigning, the secret service always let Tekes past security for the sole reason that they wore the letters T-K-E," said Frater Buckwheat. "But, what keeps me going all these years is a small gesture by then-President Reagan during a difficult time in my life. I had surgery and was recovering in my room, when a nurse came in all flustered. There was a huge bouquet of red carnations from the President of the United States. They said, 'Who is this guy that would get flowers from the President?' But that's the kind of guy he was and it really touched me."
During the eight years of President Reagan's administration, he sent Frater Buckwheat a telegram to read at each of the new chapter installations. On top of that, Frater Buckwheat said he gets several phone calls a year from Fraters who say thank you for believing in them. There is no greater joy in his life, he said, than taking those phone calls and seeing the difference he makes.
During his 35-year tenure on the TKE Professional Staff, Frater Buckwheat has travelled around the United States and Canada helping men realize their potential and strive to be gentlemen of TKE. Happy Birthday Frater Buckwheat from the Offices of the Grand Chapter and the entire TKE Nation.
Details on How to get Buckwheat to your campus
For a limited investment , Buckwheat will come to your campus and help your members and advisors put together a great recruitment. Chapters interested should contact him at the Offices of the Grand Chapter (317)872-6533, and check availability. Chapters accepted to the program, who produce 10 or more new initiates over results from the previous academic year, will get a refund on their recruitment consultation fee as a reward for succeeding! His schedule fills up very quickly, so be sure to plan ahead. Call Buckwheat today for success tomorrow!
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