Robert H. Levin ’71 (Harv)

Community service is one of the cornerstones of the Gamma-Rho Hall of Fame. Having spent a quarter-century serving the community of Schaumburg, Illinois as a firefighter, Brother Robert Levin has certainly embodied this core value of Kappa Sigma and Gamma-Rho.

Brother Robert “Harv” Levin pledged Gamma-Rho in the fall of 1970, and was initiated the following spring. As an undergraduate, Harv served as grand treasurer prior to receiving his B.A. in 1974.

As Brother Tom Pentz ’71 recalls, “Harvey came to us from Chicago, mild and meek. He left us a more worldly and confident Robert Harvey Levin! He had the Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors Van, which we nicknamed ‘The Magic Bus.’ It was always an event anywhere we traveled in ‘the Magic Bus.'”

Harv was also nicknamed ‘the Bear’ by the ladies who visited the Kappa Sigma House, while his brothers who were dating the girls, were ‘the Wolves.’ “They found comfort with ‘the Bear,’ he was gentle. Harvey always had women around him,” says Tom.

The Bear also had quite the appetite and was not known to pass-up on the late night trips to Jack-in-the-Box.

Robert has spent 25 years on the job in Schaumburg, Illinois as a firefighter. He has advanced up the ranks, first as a firefighter and paramedic, then as a lieutenant. In August of 1997,he was promoted to captain, a rank in which he has served since.

As a firefighter, Brother Levin has received extensive training in emergency medicine and specialized rescue. More recently he has received training for incident command.

He has also been awarded two Village Commendations and two Unit Performance Awards.

The civic responsibilities of a firefighter exceed those demanded by the job itself. Robert has remained very active in the community, serving in a number of charitable projects sponsored by the Schaumburg Professional Firefighters Benevolent Association. Additionally, he has been a supporter of the Schaumburg Athletic Association and the Schaumburg High School Parents Club.

Brother Levin and his wife, Carol, have three children – Victoria, Joseph, and Zachary.

When asked what Gamma-Rho of Kappa Sigma meant to him, “Harv” responded that, “It represents a time of brotherhood and a period of personal growth. I have such great memories of parties, intramural sports, and exploration of the sites that Tucson had to offer.”