PIKE LARGEST WORLD'S CIRCULATION ALPHA ETA GATOR A MAGAZINE FOR ALUMNI UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA FALL 1981 Alpha Eta Wins Unprecedented Third Smythe Winning a Robert A. Smythe Chapter Excellence award three years ago may have seemed like a fluke to those observ- ing Alpha Eta Chapter. Winning the prestigious award again in 1980 appeared to many a lucky feat. But now no one can be skeptical about the University of Flori- da's Pi Kappa Alpha chapter, after a third consecutive Chapter Excellence Award. News of that exciting, but not totally sur- prising, award from National Officers arriv- Pikes ed at Alpha Eta a few days before Fall Semester Rush began. If anything could add momentum to a full week's worth of get-together parties, it was our third Smythe. The road taken by Pi Kappa Al- pha's Alpha Eta has not been easy. After the turbulent Sixties, the Greek system's popularity slipped among University of pa Alpha offers: the Robert A. Smythe Can you guess our goal for this year? Florida students. This fall from favor in- Chapter Proficiency Award. We were also Another Smythe would seem impossible, cluded, through no direct fault of its own, recognized as the Top Rush Chapter in the but we'll do it. We plan to outdo the past Alpha Eta, as well as other quality frater- nation. But our goal remained: to win the three years combined. Fall Rush attracted nities. coveted Smythe again. We also set out to thousands of young men to the Pike Our organization then reached inside of regain our place as the best athletic frater- House: a select fifty were pledged. Little itself, and with brothers concerned with the nity on the University of Florida campus. Sister Rush lured the most beautiful fraternity's future, began to adapt to a We achieved our goal in 1980, and after women on campus to our home. The suc- changed world. There was a new emphasis another big fund-raiser for Big Brothers cess story goes on. on Rush, greater interest in the University, called the "Battle of the Bands," were It would be unfair for only active and a new drive to lift grades among old awarded a second consecutive Smythe brothers to take credit for Alpha Eta's suc- brothers and new pledges. The interest in Award. cesses. A re-juvenated Housing Corpora- socializing, which had never waned, re- Our first Smythe Award in 1979 proved tion has a share in the success story. Con- mained high. Slowly, Pikes again began to something to the active Chapter. But the cerned alumni continue to support the be mentioned as The fraternity at the second proved to others, namely loyal House - both with moral support and University of Florida. Alpha Eta alumni, that the Florida Pikes financial backing. And to all brothers who The National Officers recognized these were back. We neither could nor would have since graduated: you are the ones changes. First came a Sentinel Chapter stop there. You know the story of a third who built such a strong foundation on award for improvement and excellence in consecutive Smythe Chapter Excellence which Alpha Eta could build. Our goal for the chapter. Another year of improvement award. Behind this achievement are 180 the future? It's a goal to be shared and brought more accolades. After a great year hard working brothers, active Student worked toward with everyone's help, and in 1979, which included a celebration Government leaders from Pike, brothers we invite you to keep the momentum go- honoring Playboy's 25th Anniversary and interested in community service, and an in- ing. We're proud of what we have at the benefitting Big Brothers of America, Alpha tense desire to have' a good time, all as a University of Florida, and we invite you to Eta won the most prestigous award Pi Kap- brotherhood. become a part of it.