Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Initiatives of the PIKE Foundation


While studying at New York University, Manhattan Beach, California, event professional William Kopenhefer held membership in the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. From New York City to Manhattan Beach, "Pikes" like William Kopenhefer have made a difference in people's lives through the fraternity's charitable wing, the PIKE Foundation.

The PIKE Foundation, incorporated in the 1940s, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that provides personal and professional development opportunities. Specifically, it awards academic scholarships and presents grants for a variety of leadership and educational initiatives, including Pi Kappa Alpha's own PIKE University. It also works to improve the ability of Pi Kappa Alpha chapters to educate their participants through educational spaces in PIKE chapter houses.

As a separate part of its mission, the PIKE Foundation focuses on preserving educational books, war records, and archives at such institutions as Memorial Headquarters, the Harvey T. Newell Library, and the Freeman H. Hart Museum. It also provides a platform for patriotic and historical research and honors fraternity members who gave their lives in military service.                            

Thursday, January 28, 2016

Volleyball - A Sport with More 100 Years of History


William Kopenhefer of Manhattan Beach, California, is a student in New York University’s liberal studies program and a supporter of several community service organizations and initiatives. Outside his academic and charitable pursuits, Manhattan Beach native William Kopenhefer is an active volleyball player, a sport with over 100 years of history and more than 800 million fans worldwide.

The history of volleyball traces back to 1985, when Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) instructor William G. Morgan sought to design a sport with less physical contact than basketball. He combined aspects of the games baseball, tennis, handball, and basketball to form his new sport, which he called mintonette at the time. The first game used a tennis net raised approximately 6 feet above the ground, and the name volleyball came about when someone remarked that the players appeared to volley the ball back and forth.

Students at Springfield College were the first to play the game under its new name in July, 1986, and its spread throughout the world took off thereafter. The YMCA introduced the game in Asia, Canada, and the Southern Hemisphere in 1900, and the sport received its own ball design that same year. In 1916, Philippines players introduced the high-trajectory “set” and “spike” moves; additionally, the YMCA invited the National Collegiate Athletic Association to help promote the sport and edit Morgan’s original rules. Volleyball was also added to school and college physical education programs that same year.

Six years after the first YMCA national championships in 1922 in Brooklyn, New York, the United States Volleyball Association was formed and began establishing tournament regulations and rules. Prague, Czechoslovakia, hosted the first World Championships in 1949, and soccer featured in the Olympic World Games for the first time in the 1964 Tokyo Games.                            

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

NYU Dance Marathon Raises Money for B+ (Be Positive) Foundation


A high school graduate from Manhattan Beach, California, William Kopenhefer is currently pursuing undergraduate studies at New York University (NYU). William Kopenhefer has a strong volunteer focus and supports nonprofits such as the Andrew McDonough B+ (Be Positive) Foundation.

This B+ (Be Positive) Foundation has provided financial assistance to young patients at more than 240 hospitals spanning the United States and also funds childhood cancer research. In November 2015, the NYU community came together in support of the B+ Foundation at its third annual dance marathon event. Hosted by the NYU Greek organizations, the event lasted 12 hours and honored those who have lost their lives to cancer. The well-attended event featured a presentation by charity founder Joe McDonough, whose son Andrew passed away at 14 years old.

The college-age participants were also joined by young B+ Heroes, who have battled cancer. They grooved alongside the marathon dancers to motivate them in their fundraising efforts against cancer. In total, the dance marathon raised a healthy $333,000 for charity.