Brett A. Jensen (1982-2002)
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Brett
moved into Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity in Fall 2001, a bright-eyed, eager freshman,
who was ready to jumpstart his college career at the University of Washington.
While quickly establishing his prowess in the classroom by becoming a Dean's List
caliber student, at the house he immediately ascended to a leadership position,
winning the presidency of his associate class as well as becoming the new
members' emotional leader.
"Brett was the pillar of our associate
class; he held us up," said Andy Tweedale, a member of Brett's associate class,
while discussing Brett's significance to other young members in the house.
Tweedale also commented that Brett's leadership style was natural and unforced.
"He led us without even trying and we all followed. He was one of the guys, but
he could separate himself from that and be serious and a leader when the time
called for it," said Divakar Gupta, another member of Brett's associate class.
Leadership was not a new thing for Brett. From seventh to eleventh grade, he
was the president of his class, and during his senior year, he was ASB President
at Everett's Cascade High School. Brett intimated to his fellow Pi Kapps that his
long tenure as President during his junior high and high school all stemmed from a
campaign promise he made while running for class president during seventh
grade.
Brett said that he ran on the platform that he would lower soda
prices if he were elected. Well, the promise led to his victory and where most
seventh graders would give up and realize trying to argue for lower soda prices
was most likely a dead end, Brett persisted and convinced the principal to lower
them. Brett joked that everyone was afraid to run against him after he kept his
promise. Even more importantly than helping him secure future elections, his kept
promise indicated his character and leadership, which would last him through high
school and into his fraternity life.
After becoming an active member of
Pi Kappa Phi, Brett turned his attention to Rush, winning one of the two Rush
Chair positions in the winter and planning for summer recruitment. To many in the
house, his personality made him the natural choice for the person representing
the
chapter to prospective members. "He was real friendly; instantly likeable. When
you met him he'd act like he'd already known you for a while and it was
comforting, he just exuded friendliness," said Pi Kapp Adam Kiyonaga, commenting
on his first impressions of Brett.
Brett was also devoted to service and volunteerism. In Christmas 2001, he
organized a group of Pi Kapps to come with him to work at Everett's Christmas
House. Christmas House provides free clothes and toys to less fortunate families
who could otherwise not afford gifts for their children. Over two days, Jensen
and the others helped set-up the shop, package people's gifts and assist them to
their cars.
Along with helping to raise money for Pi Kappa Phi's national philanthropy devoted
to helping people with disabilities, PUSH America, Brett was a mentor to
elementary school students through Cascade's "Bruin Buddy" program. He also
helped as a coach for Special Olympics for three years, volunteered at the Everett
Gospel Mission and served on the Youth Advisory Committee for the Everett Parks
Department.
Brett's scholarship was just as remarkable as his other attributes. He was his
high school's valedictorian with a cumulative 4.0 GPA and a local as well as
national Coca-Cola Scholarship winner. He was also the recipient of a four-year
tuition waiver having won the prestigious Washington Scholar Award and the
University of Washington Scholar Award.
Despite all of these accomplishments and accolades what stands out to people about
Brett was his positive disposition. As Pi Kapp Jenkins Chan recalled, "He was
always able to take positives from a situation and he had the ability to adapt
well to situations and make the best of them."
When almost 2,000 people attended Brett's memorial service on May 15, 2002, they
confirmed what most of them already knew: Brett was a great son to his parents Don
and Jan, a loyal brother to his little sister Megan, and a devoted and trustworthy
friend. Brett Akio Jensen was also the epitome of what a Pi Kappa Phi should be:
a gentleman, a scholar, and a friend.
(information taken from the University of Washington Pi Kappa Phi web-site)
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