Happy Founders Day 2012
Brothers and Friends of Kappa Kappa Psi,
Today we celebrate the founding of our fraternity. For 93 years and counting, Kappa Kappa Psi has been a part of college and university band programs. What started at Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College with 10 men and their college band director, now lives on over 210 campuses, powered by over 5900 college students, their university band directors, and alumni members around the globe.
Last year on this day, I challenged you to “come together and make your bands better” for the next year. Given our membership numbers, tremendous local projects, and other successes, I would venture to say many of you met this challenge. While I want to take this time to congratulate you all, our organization cannot be content with these achievements. In fact, to rest on these facts fly directly in the face of our motto to “Strive for the Highest.”
Many people leverage the word “tradition” in our organization to justify outdated and sometimes even harmful practices. This founder”s day, I challenge you to honestly look at the tradition our founders set. These were men who were not content with the status quo. They wanted, expected, and deserved more. They decided to challenge what “traditionally” happened on their campus and set a higher standard. With that in mind, the true “tradition” our founders set was not to be content with “the way it has always been done” and create a positive change. Nationally, we have met this challenge through expansion to new campuses, opening our membership to outstanding band members regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or any other factor, and through our work with our National Commissioning Project to move band literature forward with Tau Beta Sigma. All of this powers the one true passion of our founders: elevating our college bands.
Kappa Kappa Psi is in one of the strongest places it has ever been in its history. This is because of students, directors, alumni, and friends who stand up for the values of our organization and truly model excellence in our fraternity. I encourage you all to continue Striving for the Highest and celebrate today the way I believe our founders would have wanted – by challenging tradition with our values and mission in your mind and heart to elevate college bands.
Fraternally,
Adam D. Cantley
Kappa Kappa Psi
National President