“We came established but we came to work for the community.”

The Flint (Michigan) Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. was chartered on 3/15/1947. Because there were Kappa Men in Lansing who had extensive professional and personal relationships with Kappa Men in Flint, they began meeting together and became “unofficially” the Flint-Lansing Alumni Chapter. This unofficial chapter name was never endorsed or accepted by the National Office of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. and this unofficial relationship existed until the Lansing Alumni Chapter was chartered on April 05, 1981.

Prior to the chartering of Lansing Alumni Chapter, the Kappa Men (and their Silhouettes) of the Flint-Lansing Alumni Chapter engaged in productive fraternal programs and activities:

• The monthly Fraternity meetings were held alternately in Flint and Lansing in the home of a hosting brother. Most of the time, these meeting went late, late, late in the evening.
• The office of Polemarch was held by Brothers living in Flint and Lansing alternately.
• The annual KAΨ Dinner Dance was held alternately in Flint (Grand Blanc Country Club) and Lansing (University Club of MSU). This was truly THE social, event of Mid-Michigan. The Dinner Dance assessment was part of the Annual dues and non-financial Brothers could not attend the event. Additionally, the Sweetheart song and the Kappa Hymn were sung and that was it. NO SPEECHES & INTRODUCTIONS.
• The annual Family Picnic was held at Kensington Park and was well attended by brothers and their families.
  In the early Seventies, the Flint-Lansing Alumni Chapter petitioned Province Polemarch John D. Russell to suspend Delta Pi Chapter for three years to allow all of the students (athletes and non-athletes) involved in a series of altercations, to complete their athletic eligibility/academic programs and leave the area. This petition was appreciated and approved by the Province and National offices. John D. Russell and Province Keeper of Records Charlie Smith were impressed how the brothers “rescued” Delta Pi.

The Flint-Lansing Alumni Chapter also advised MSU to raise the GPA from 2.0 to 2.5 due to probation issues (pledges becoming academically ineligible).

The process of establishing the Lansing Alumni Chapter took approximately two years and it was not an acrimonious process among the Brothers. Brothers John Russell and Charles Smith were more concerned about the implications of this action on what was viewed as a very productive “Flint-Lansing Alumni Chapter.”

Willard Walker was the Polemarch during this transition period and he adroitly steered the process successfully. He was quoted:

“We came established but we came to work for the community.”

The Lansing brothers had the objective to be engaged in the community.