In memory of Ken.
The Ken Kalmbach Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 1980 to honor Ken following his sudden passing as a result of a brain aneurism at the age of 26.
Ken Kalmbach pledged Kappa Sigma, Delta Eta as a freshman in the fall of 1972. His family roots at USC run deep. His father Herb was a Delta Tau Delta and his older brother Kurt was a member of Sigma Chi. Older sister Laurie and cousin Jody Ceithaml were Kappa Kappa Gamma sisters. Cousin George Ceithaml was also a Delta Eta brother.
Kenny had a unique, special charisma that naturally drew people to him. He possessed a quick wit, loved to make people laugh, was always ready with a joke, and lit up the room.
Kenny also had a sincere interest in seeing his brothers and fraternity prosper.
He represented the chapter in Intra-Fraternity sports on the basketball and football teams, helping Kappa Sigma to win the coveted Iron Man trophy. Elected Social Chairman, he brought forth some of the most memorable events with his creativity and enthusiasm. To his brothers, he was a loyal friend, generous and a man of uncompromising integrity. In all his interactions within the USC community, he represented the house with class – “A scholar and a gentlemen” in the long standing tradition of Kappa Sigmas.
Ken graduated from the Marshall School of Business in 1976 with a BS in finance and set out on his career in real estate development in the Southern California area.
His sudden passing struck a deep chord among his brothers. It was the tragic loss of a very good man at such a young age.
In his honor, they established the Ken Kalmbach Memorial Scholarship Fund.
The fund is under the management of the USC Endowment. Initial funding came from his family and donations from several brothers.
In March 1982 while watching the NCAA Men’s Basketball Finals with Rick Kissler (Spring ’75), Mike Griffith (Spring ’72) would propose the creation of an annual volleyball tournament to raise money for the scholarship fund. Ken had been a close friend and Mike felt that a volleyball tournament and the strength of the brotherhood would raise much more money than he alone could personally donate. Mike Griffith had played on the USC Volleyball Team for Head Coach Ernie Hix (Spring ’54). There was a strong volleyball heritage within Delta Eta in those days. The chapter won many of the 2-man and 6-man Ironman tournaments. Alan Rosehill (Fall ’75), Jim Strickland (Fall ’77), Todd Miller (Fall ’78) and Mike Hurlbut (Fall ’84) also played for the USC Volleyball Team. USC men won Volleyball National Championships in 1977 and 1980.
The Kalmbach Kup.
Griffith and Kissler sought the help of Patrick Bagnall (Fall ’75) and Donovan Perkins (Fall ’73) and together they planned for the very first “Kalmbach Kup” in the summer of 1982.
Bagnall and Perkins provided the support of their business, United Systems Company for logistics and generously sponsored the tournament t-shirts. Two dozen brothers were joined by a few friends and family on a sunny Saturday morning at a small family park in Irvine, CA for a day of spirited competition. That inauspicious start raised only a couple hundred dollars. However, those brothers left the first event with great memories and a cherished Kalmbach Kup t-shirt and the word spread. Jon Pulaski (Fall ’74) and Rick Fortunato (Spring ’74) joined the committee as the tournament became an annual summer tradition while attendance and donations grew. The Kalmbach Kup was held for 10 consecutive years and at its peak drew nearly 100 players and spectators while contributing thousands to the Kalmbach Scholarship fund.
Thanks to expert investment by the specialists at USC, the early donations from family, friends and fraternity combined with the Kalmbach Kup proceeds have grown to allow the fund to grant scholarship awards of as much as $7,000 to the brothers. Each year, members of the active chapter submit applications during the Fall semester and are interviewed by a committee of alumni in early December. Since 1985, the scholarship committee has been honored to recommend awards for more than 70 deserving Delta Eta undergraduates totaling $200,000.