In March 2024 Jeff Maher Kansas ’87completed his sixth World Marathon Major in Tokyo, Japan, making it his 28th marathon overall. A significant accomplishment for anyone, but Maher did so after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2020. His neurologist stressed the importance of diet and exercise moving forward with MS. So, Maher, with the support of his friends and family made Tokyo a reality. “No Bad Days” has become Maher’s mantra since his diagnosis, and he keeps moving — just at a different pace.
Matt Hager Valpo ’87 not only learned some life lessons but also earned a new name, “Mississippi Matt,” as he paddled his kayak for a 69-day trek on our country’s longest river. The 1,800-mile journey was chronicled on mississippimattblog.com and supported by family and his chapter brothers, who celebrated with him when he reached his final stop, New Orleans.
Philanthropist, business leader, and three-term New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg Johns Hopkins ’61, was one of 19 individuals presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Joe Biden during a ceremony at the White House on May 3, 2024. (Photo: Bloomberg Philanthropies)
In July 2024, Marc Dumas DePaul ’93 was elected as the 69thNational President of Phi Kappa Psi at the Grand Arch Council in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This historic appointment positions Dumas as the organization’s first Black national president. He plans to move the organization forward, building on the existing strategies, and continuing the work into the new biennium.
Iowa Beta – Iowa State
A mass shooting occurred on January 4, 2024, at Perry High School in Perry, Iowa (about 40 miles southwest of Ames). A 17-year-old student shot five students and three staff members before killing himself. One of the wounded students, a sixth grader, died the same day, and the high school principal died 10 days later from injuries sustained during the shooting.
This incident hit close to home in more ways than proximity. Brother Oscar Gutierrez ’23 grew up in Perry, just down the street from the high school. And Brother Adam Jessen ’07 is a first-year associate principal at Perry Middle School, which is connected by a hallway to the high school.
The Iowa Beta Chapter decided to contribute the profits from its spring semester philanthropy, Phi Psi Frost, to the Perry Schools’ Student Needs Fund to benefit students in a direct way. The event served hot and cold delights of chicken wings and ice cream and raised more than $4,000 for their efforts.
Mississippi Alpha – Ole Miss
In October 2024, the chapter came together in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and hosted an Hourathon from 6-7 p.m. During this event, our brothers reached out to family, friends, and alumni, raising funds to support hurricane relief efforts. The generosity of our extended community was overwhelming, and in just one hour, they raised $33,141.40. These funds will aid the families of brothers affected by the storm.
Ohio Beta – Wittenberg
Brother Jackson Miller ’23 applied the Phi Psi value of volunteerism at Camp SOAR. Staying eight days at camp, Brother Miller was a caretaker to Wyatt, an 18-year-old with autism and Down syndrome. It was a perspective-changing experience for Miller, and he had a great time.
