Approaching two decades since its founding at Sacred Heart University, Kappa Kappa Psi fraternity persists in fostering service, growth and empowerment through its music-centered brotherhood.
From coordinating campus performances to mentoring youth programs, senior Lauren Strong, President of the fraternity, emphasized the fraternity’s open and engaging culture.
Source: Instagram, @kkpsilambdanu
“In the fall there’s social events hosted open to everyone and apple picking,” said Strong. “We have meetings with the brothers, even evening events with Best Buddies organization and we show the kids how to play.”
Strong spotlights their work with K.E.Y.S. (Kids Empowered By Your Support) as a major initiative. The Elks Lodge-sponsored program offers free music lessons to Bridgeport students from fourth through eighth grade.
“Every Saturday, brothers in orchestra participate in lessons earlier in the morning,” said Strong. “We perform with them in their concerts, the next one being in May.”
Senior MaryAnn Droesch, Vice President of Membership, echoed the fraternity’s welcoming outlook. “We appreciate help from any people that want to help out,” said Droesch.
She noted upcoming fall events open to all, including mandatory happenings for current brothers along with special programming hosted jointly with their campus partners, Best Buddies.
“I wanted to branch out and give new things a try. I was very big on service,” said Droesch
According to Keith Johnston, Director of SHU’s Band and Orchestra and the fraternity’s longtime advisor, starting a chapter first emerged as an idea in 2003 to facilitate the band program’s expansion.
“If you haven’t already, you need to start a chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi. It’s a national honorary band service fraternity, and they do a lot internally for the band and externally,” said Johnston. “That will help the program grow in a lot of different ways.”
After securing institutional backing, Johnston moved forward rallying student leaders like Nicole Juba to handle the demanding year-long process in just six months. Officially installed in May 2005, Kappa Kappa Psi immediately began making an impact.
Johnston praises their continuous operational support, calling the work they undertake, from moving equipment to keeping music prepared, essential for streamlining all facets of the band’s functioning.
“They make a huge difference in there,” he said.
Now constituting over 40 members, the group provides inspired guidance and mentorship for the next generation of young musicians.
“There was one day when little kids, four, five and six-year-olds, and the look of sheer wonder as the brothers taught them to play the drums,” said Johnston.
As Kappa Kappa Psi celebrates 20 years embedded within SHU’s School of Communication, Media, and the Arts, the band-exclusive fraternity remains rooted in its founding mission–fostering service and inspiring young people’s growth through musical engagement. Student musicians unite within an empowering brotherhood that reverberates outward, elevating surrounding communities.
