By Michael W. Hoskins
In a historic milestone moment for Zeta-Pi at Oakland University, we’ve initiated the first intra-chapter, father-son legacies into our local Sigma Pi bonds of brotherhood.
The first legacy pair came in November 2019, while the second legacy set followed in late 2021. These men are brothers simultaneously at a moment when our chapter has about 400 men initiated locally, since our Chapter’s founding over three decades ago.
Brothers Waite
On Nov. 23, 2019, Zeta-Pi welcomed into its ranks the 11-member Beta Tau pledge class, the largest group in several years that brought our Undergraduate roster to more than three dozen men.
One of those new initiates was Brother Drew Waite, who happens to be the son of Brother Jeff Waite from the Lambda pledge class in Fall 1991 The elder Waite served as Pledge Educator and 2nd Counselor during his undergraduate years and has remained a respected leader and mentor in his years as an alumnus – both for our Chapter, and at the Executive Office level in serving on the Ritual Committee during the last biennium.
“Very surreal,” Jeff said about seeing his son initiated as a brother. “We have shared so many different unique bonds in our life, but this latest one is the deepest and most emotional for me.”
Drew says that brotherly bond that he observed within Sigma Pi was the main reason he joined, despite not convinced for a long time that a fraternity was going to be a fit for him. But after his dad started introducing him to both Alum and Active members, his perspective started changing.
“The connection you grow with your brothers doesn’t stop after you graduate, it really is a life-long bond,” Drew said. “My dad has been talking about Sigma Pi and the benefits of being a brother, ever since I can remember. But seeing first-hand the number of people who have had the same experience as he did, and all the good things they had to say about it, was awesome.”
Both Waites point to the special father-son relationship they’ve had through the years, including growing up in the same communities and attending the same schools a generation apart. Now, they say Sigma Pi has offered another bond to share.
“Now that I have joined Sigma Pi, that connection has grown even tighter and I’m proud to call him (and everyone else) my brother,” Drew says.
Brothers Tosolt
A second set of legacy men entered our Chapter’s history in early December 2021. Ethan Tosolt joined the Chapter that his father Jeffrey had joined back in 1987, as part of the early Beta pledge class.
The younger Tosolt joined as part of the 14-member Beta Psi pledge class.
Other Brotherly Bloodlines
While these were our first father-son legacies within Zeta-Pi, there have been other bloodlines shared within that fraternal brotherhood before now. Two notable examples stand out:
- Hakim Men: Past Grand Sage George Hakim (Gamma-Alpha, Detroit-Mercy ’78) welcomed his son Douglas into Zeta-Pi Chapter back in 2009. Doug’s had many different fraternity leadership roles through the years and joined Grand Council in 1994, and he was the sitting Grand Sage at the time of his son’s initiation as part of the Alpha Omega pledge class. He even assisted in the ritual aspect of the ceremony.
- Farrug Bros: at the Chapter’s beginnings, Michael was a Charter pledge class member in ’86, while his actual brother Joe transferred from Central Michigan University in the Beta Pledge Class and became the sole brother initiated without a Founding Father originated line.
- Hudas Men: Brent Hudas joined the Zeta Pi Chapter with the Beta Kappa class in 2014, initiating into the same fraternity that his dad Greg did in 1984 at Wayne State University.
- Alam Bros: Most recently, Josh came in with the Beta Omicron pledge class in 2017 before Jacob joined with the Beta Tau pledge class in November 2019.
We’ve also seen instances where our own Brothers have seen their children find Sigma Pi chapters at other schools, whether those fraternal experiences materialized into life-changing moments and positive experiences or not. It goes to the bigger point: even with a father-and-son story, it’s not always a happy end result when it comes to legacies.
Brother Michael Grant (Tau) emphasizes there are no guarantees. Because chapters can go from a Sage’s Cup to losing their charter very quickly, it becomes even more significant when a can stand the test of time and also welcome descendants from their own Brotherhood lines. He also points out that some fraternity chapters choose to not recruit or initiate legacies as a matter of principle, or that some sons may not have positive experiences like their fathers once had within the fraternity.
“It’s a big deal, and it really is an incredible thing for all the stars to align,” Brother Grant says. “This is a very memorable story – not just tugging on the heart strings of a father and a son, which is very moving, but about our Chapter. Together this shows Zeta-Pi has massive staying power.”
Importantly, it’s always about a Chapter initiating a new member for the right reason. That’s why Brother Drew Waite – while historically significant for us locally – is part of a bigger story. One that includes this Beta Tau pledge class of 11 new brothers: Jacob Alam, Zachary Fennell, Tristan Hoff, Yousif Kiryakoza, Justin Knox, Rob Martin, Tyler Mutz, Marco Pacifico, Adam Reich, Steven Turchi, and Drew Waite.
You might describe this as an ever-evolving story about the continuation of Zeta-Pi.
Chapter Director Rob Pankau III (Alpha Iota, Past Grand Herald) made this observation when snapping a photo of the new brothers following their recent initiation ceremony. While capturing the new initiates posing on an upper balcony with the Sigma Pi banner, he also noted that Brother Frankie Valenti (Beta Nu) is only one in that picture not a part of the newly initiated group of guys.
“I find it very serendipitous that he was the lone active in this photo as he is our single senior that is graduating this semester,” Brother Pankau observed. “This photo is the epitome of the perpetuation of our brotherhood.”
We are thrilled to have every new Sigma Pi complete their initial journey into the Brotherhood, regardless of where they hail from. We believe, and as always look forward to continuing to embrace the fellowship of kindred minds no matter where our road leads us into the future.
