Berkeley Celebrates 100th Anniversary

In October, more than 120 brothers from the Cal Tau chapter at Berkeley gathered to celebrate a century of brotherhood. A major milestone! Few chapters can boast the distinction of continuously operating for so many years. 

Old and new brothers from around the country came to the event at the University Club in San Francisco. The chapter has always been loyal to the Creed and very proud of its diversity.

In an interview in 2021, Olympian Amin Nikfar ’06, said of his chapter, “Pilam ran the gamut of skin colors and family histories. Everything from first-generation American to who knows how many generations… from a hundred percent financial aid kids to kids that are paying cash out of state. It really had a little bit of everything.”

An event to remember

The event was a high spirited exchange of great stories (some, perhaps embellished) and remembrances. Every chapter will inevitably have struggles, and Cal Tau brothers talked about how “being there for each other” helped them overcome.

In his speech, David Binetti ‘91 spoke about how they helped a brother in trouble.

He said, “His parents knew who to call. They called his Pilam brothers, and that’s what makes Pilam special. That feeling of brotherhood and camaraderie, that has ensured that this fraternity has never closed… because these principles matter.”

Binetti emphasized the lifelong impact of Pilam, “Your fraternity brothers will be the groomsmen at your wedding, and they’ll be the pall bearers at your funeral.”

Additional speakers included: Maurice Levitch, Mike Johnson, Max Brown, Ajay Kshatriya, David Law, Ben Zaks, Daniel Webster, Albert Hwu, and Perez Lowery.

The After Party

On Saturday, the undergrads invited alumni to visit the chapter house at 2727 Channing Way, Berkeley CA. And a number of brothers attended the Cal vs. Oregon football game.

Congratulations Berkeley on your longevity and a fantastic event!