Pikers alumni reconnected during The Pikers 40th reunion and concert. Pictured are those who sang in the 1990s. From left: Chris Tess, AB ’93; Matt Cooper, AB ’94; Seth Golub, BS ’93; John Wingert, AB ’93; Brian Stephens, AB ’93; Mike Winter, BS ’93, BS ’93; Michael Eisenberg, AB ’92; Steve Bogart, BSBA ’93; Jason Berger, AB ’96; and Eric Goldlust, BS ’95. (Courtesy photo)
By Nancy Fowler
Many WashU alumni look back on their college years as a time of navigating newfound freedom, engaging in compelling conversations, and pulling all-nighters. For Jason Berger, AB ’96, the joy of singing was also a defining experience.
Berger’s glory days as a member of The Pikers undergraduate men’s a cappella ensemble came rushing back in October during the group’s 40th reunion and concert. Berger, a high school principal in Rochester, New York, joined more than 40 alumni from across the United States for a weekend of food, drink, song, and merriment.
While catching up and reprising favorite tunes, Jason fell back into rhythm with his fellow Pikers and recalled the early days of falling in love with the group. “Even with only a few hours’ rehearsal, it was all still there,” he says. “Just like riding a bike.”
Like no time had passed
Founded in 1985, The Pikers is WashU’s oldest a cappella group. It shares a moniker with the university’s earliest athletic teams, named after The Pike amusement section of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair. The group is known for both its strong vocal talent and its playful performances.
As Jason worked toward his bachelor’s degree in music, he became The Pikers historian, publicity manager, treasurer, and, in his senior year, music director. One of his favorite memories was being invited to take part in a longstanding Pikers tradition.
“When I was first accepted into the group, they picked me up from my residence hall and brought me to Brookings, where the members all sang James Taylor’s ‘Lonesome Road,’ in the archway,” he says. “Afterward, we all went to Ted Drewes for concretes and sundaes.”
Another treasured experience was having former Chancellor William H. Danforth, whom he calls a fatherly figure, attend his senior recital.
After graduation, Jason became a high school music teacher. He and his wife, Keri Lopatin Berger, AB ’94, initially kept up with other Pikers by attending their weddings. But busy with careers and family, they were never able to attend a Pikers reunion until now.
Highlights of the reunion weekend included a Friday welcome reception, Saturday alumni concert and banquet, and Sunday brunch. The group even returned to Ted Drewes to enjoy their favorite frozen treats.
For Jason, reuniting and singing favorites, including Phil Collins’ “Take Me Home,” melted away the years. “It was like no time had passed,” he says. “We were all looking at each other like we were still 20 years old. I was reminded just how special my Wash U experience was, especially the lifelong friendships it gave me.”
Incredible to see
Keri, who was a member of WashU’s women’s a cappella group, then known as The Greenleafs, met her husband at a Pikers/Greenleafs bowling mixer. “We joke around that we are like the real-life ‘Pitch Perfect’ movie,” she says.
Keri, an elementary school music teacher and cantorial soloist for a synagogue, is proud the couple has carved out successful and long-lasting careers in music. “Much of what we’ve accomplished is due to our formative years at WashU,” she says. “And the opportunities we had as students.”
During the Pikers reunion weekend, Keri enjoyed watching her husband interact with old friends, other alumni, and current students. “The joy that all these men have for each other was incredible to see,” Keri says. “Their love of music and singing never went away.”
The Greenleafs, now the Evergreens, will get together for their 40th reunion in 2028. “I’m already thinking ahead and asking, ‘All right, ladies, who’s coming?’” she says. “I don’t know the exact date yet, but I’m blocking off the entire month of November so I don’t miss it.”
Keep the torch going
Austin Wesevich, AB ’11, BM ’11, MPH ’16, MD ’17, a University of Chicago hematologist and oncologist, often returns to WashU for The Pikers’ annual Jammin’ Toast concert. He led a committee that planned The Pikers 40th reunion and concert.
It’s important for classmates to reconnect, Wesevich says. “You can come together again with all these different people and see how they’ve grown and changed over time,” he says. “And it’s nice to be reminded of the curiosity and engagement that defined our college experience — something that can be harder to find in adult life.”
It’s also rewarding for current students to connect with alumni, he says. People sharing different perspectives across generations have much to learn from one another. “Younger students see how much these groups have mattered to people for so many years and how energizing it is for them to come together again,” Wesevich says. “It helps pass the torch to the next generation.”
The Bergers are carrying the tradition forward within their own family. Their son, Jared Berger, Arts & Sciences Class of 2027, is a member of the Stereotypes a cappella group. “Jason and I met through a cappella, and it’s meaningful that our son is now the music director of an a cappella group at the same university where our story began,” Keri says. “To the best of our knowledge, Jared is the first legacy child of two a cappella alumni at WashU.”
For the Bergers, it’s not only gratifying to watch their son thriving in an environment so dear to them, but also to see the university flourishing. “There are new buildings and new life, and the a cappella world has greatly expanded,” Keri says. “As an alum, it’s incredibly exciting to see.”
Videos
Enjoy this playlist from The Pikers.
