With goal and leadership changes being implemented for the fall semester, Kappa Kappa Psi has high hopes for a new year of service.
KK? serves the community and Texas A&M University-Commerce by first assisting the band. As a service organization, their primary duty is to help the band directors by bringing water to football games and rehearsals, handing out uniforms and setting up chairs and stands for concerts. They show up early and leave late for all performances, whether it is for marching, ensemble or jazz band.
All behind-the-scenes production falls to the president of KK?, Kraig Reeves, a music education major with the desire to play trumpet for a living. Reeves is a Commerce local in his third year at the University. He stays active by playing in tennis tournaments and swimming, but is sure that music is his number one passion.
“I spend 98 percent of my time in the music building,” Reeves said.
Reeves has devised an ambitious list of goals for the fraternity this year. He hopes to double the amount of members in KK? by the end of the spring rush, and raise two hundred dollars for the band’s volunteer announcer, Matt Fisher.
Plans are also in the works for the organization to work with other groups on and off campus. This includes their sister sorority, Tau Beta Sigma, and the chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi that they sponsor at South Eastern Oklahoma State University, Eta Nu.
The organization also wants to get the word out that KK? is not a fraternity just for music majors, or even just for guys.
“We have several girls in the chapter. Actually, my big brother was a girl,” Reeves said.
There are only a few requirements for the fraternity: a member has to be in a music ensemble every semester, must maintain a 2.5 GPA and pay chapter and national dues.
Some girls prefer the band fraternity to the sorority, because of the annual activities that KK? hosts
The Halloween party in the music building offers food, dancing, games and creative costumes. The fraternity also has poker nights for members to enjoy.
Officers include Will Vaughan as vice president, Caleb Esparza as treasurer, Andrew Wilson as secretary and Jerrod Tynes as historian.
The sole girl officer is Gabi Vitela, who works as the sentinel and handles public relations.
Men and women have gone through the KK? rush process, which has ended in a secret induction ceremony since 1919. There’s only one way to learn the secret word, secret motto and meaning behind the symbolism in their crest.
“Join Kappa Kappa Psi, and you’ll find out,” Reeves said.