In the 1990s, you didn’t find frat houses on the Babson college campus and you still won’t. Regardless, Alpha Kappa Psi still controlled the college entertainment scene even if it was off campus. After losing on campus organizational space in 1991, Alpha Kappa Psi took over 2 Abbott Road in Wellesley Hills- strategically located within walking distance between the Bank of Boston and BayBank for Risky Business Tuesday’s. Not sure what that means? Search “Risky Business Tuesday’s I-Reroute” for details.
Alpha Kappa Psi was always more than just another Babson College fraternity, playing a major role in campus life extending beyond being the life of the party. Alpha Kappa Psi and the house it controlled on Abbott Road served as entrepreneurial think tank, a creative lab, a place where problems found solutions.
When any student run businesses needed labor, the Alpha Kappa Psi community at Babson College always came to the rescue. For our travel business, the brothers recruited a couple of undergrads setting up a typing room in the attic of the Abbott house. Just like that, we were back in business. TIK TOK TIK TOK TIK TOK was heard from the ceilings and it wasn’t a clock. It was the sound of Babson undergrads cranking out tickets by typewriter. Undergrad typing labor could be heard working at 2AM or later as Alpha Kappa Psi campus and alumni parties ragged on.
The brotherhood frequently fielded questions like “What’s that sound? Is that a typewriter? What kind of house is this? What goes on in the attic? Who’s REALLY up there?” – Alpha Kappa Psi brothers always had the responses ready.
“You need to lay off the beer and especially lay off the weed. It’s making you imagine sounds that just aren’t there” – The Wall Street Journal article was celebrated with an Abbott Road party while undergrads were busy typing up airline tickets in the attic.
Alpha Kappa Psi Gamma Nu-Babson Alumni Travel Forum
During the mid 1990s, the Alpha Kappa Psi Alumni Travel Forum providing the Babson community- not just AKPsi members- access to below market international premium cabin fares. Both Babson graduates and faculty were able to enjoy first class flights aboard the worlds elite airlines at 75% savings. Air France, British Airways, Qantas, Singapore Airlines- all first class and at 75% discounts.
While airline seat distribution has continued to evolve- relying more heavily on loyalty programs and buying events over agency discounts- opportunities still exist for the Babson community to enjoy premium cabin travel below market value. It all starts with an I-REROUTE subscription. Get “In the Know” with by subscribing to I-REROUTE and receive details how you can start flying comfortably for less.
How Babson Alumni Built a First Class Travel Network
What started as a college business typing airline tickets in the attic of the house on Abbott road became an international enterprise by the late 1990s. It started with Alpha Kappa Psi SPC ’91 member Barak Shibles before spreading to Mexico City, London, Singapore and Sydney by the end of the decade.
When Barak asked for first class travel perks at economy prices, he knew he came to the right place. Up to that point, all of the agency travel perks were being consumed by investors without attachment but Barak was different. He was one of my own- an AKPsi brother. One introduction led to another, then another which amounted to an $18 million valuation by the end of the decade and only Involuntary Reroute tells the tale.
More Alpha Kappa Psi, Alumni, Babson & Hidden City Ticketing Resources
Alpha Kappa Psi Gamma Nu at Babson | The Business Network Behind Involuntary Reroute
Babson Alpha Kappa Psi Fraternity Story- Keg Stands to the First Class Cabin
Babson Alpha Kappa Psi Gamma Nu Case Study: Opportunity That Changed Travel
Babson Alpha Kappa Psi Gamma Nu-Risky Business Tuesday’s
Pitching Robert Crandall—Before We Realized Who He Was
Babson College Swim Team, Sydney 2000 & the $18 Million Involuntary Reroute Turning Point