Issue No. 7
THE
Fall 2023
BAAA Journal
Welcome Alumni! Homecoming 2023
Beta Alpha Homecoming 2023 Friday, Oct. 27th 7:30p -
Brotherhood at the Chapter House 1 Fraternity Dr, Rolla, MO 65401
Saturday, Oct. 28th 10 - 11a SELF Board Meeting Chapter Dining Room, Please Arrive Early if Attending 11a - 1p BAAA Barbeque Chapter House Veranda, Food Provided by BAAA 5 - 7:30p Dinner and Trivia Fundraiser at Matt’s Steakhouse 12200 Dillon Outer Dr, Rolla, MO 65401 Attire: Business Casual 8p -
4
Brotherhood at the Chapter House 1 Fraternity Dr, Rolla, MO 65401
Drink Whiskey. Support BAEF. Repeat.
BAAA will be offering etched whiskey glasses for sale for $20. All proceeds will benefit the Beta Alpha Education Foundation.
Homecoming ‘23 If you have a suggestion for merchandise you would like to see in the future, please contact Jacob Walker at jswhdc@gmail.com. 5
Editor’s Note Brothers, I hope this message finds you and yours well. In this edition of our newsletter, we shine a light on the remarkable journeys and successes of our recent alumni. Dive deep into the spotlight articles that chronicle the paths of Brother Ellerbrock, PC2k14, and Brother Chris Markus, PC2k10. Their stories offer not just a glimpse into their achievements but also serve as an inspiration for our brotherhood. As autumn approaches, so does our much-anticipated homecoming event on October 27th-28th. This year, we're eagerly looking forward to seeing alumni from various batches celebrate their milestone reunions, be it their 10th, 20th, 30th, or beyond. For a detailed view of the scheduled events, please refer to the itinerary included in this edition.
Jack Conroy
One sentiment I've often expressed is the profound impact our alumni have on our fraternity. It's not just through grand gestures but in the simple acts of reconnecting during events like St. Pat's and Homecoming, or any moment in between. Engaging in candid conversations, sharing invaluable experiences, offering mentorship, and partaking in our cherished traditions together are what truly nourish the soul of our chapter. Your presence, support, and camaraderie are the threads that strengthen the fabric of our fraternity.
Want the next issue of The BAAA Journal delivered right to your inbox? Click here so we can learn how to contact you!
We look forward to welcoming you home soon! Fraternally, Jack Conroy, PC2k14
6
PC ‘14
BAAA Update Brothers,
Joe Studer PC ‘16
Contact Us: President Bill Thomas wrthomas@cmrestore.com
Newsletter Editor Jack Conroy jackryanconroy@gmail.com
Website Jared Hanisch Jared.Hanisch@gmail.com
Social Media Cole Phinney cjphin31@gmail.com
Homecoming & Reunions Colten Conroy coltenpconroy@gmail.com
Merchandise Jacob Walker jswhdc@gmail.com
Recruitment Bryan Babcock babcock.bryan@gmail.com
It’s that time of year again, homecoming is only a few weeks away! BAAA is entering our fourth year now, and with that we’re wrapping up planning of our third homecoming! We’ve been iterating over the past few years to incorporate the feedback y’all have been sharing (please keep it coming!) and are excited to be bringing back the BBQ at the house yet again (this time with desserts - thanks for the suggestion!), and will continue to be running the Scholarship dinner! We’re aiming to streamline events at dinner (auction, trivia, etc), and provide even more opportunities to raise funds to support our active brothers, all while giving members, both active and alumni, a chance to swap stories and make connections. I’m really excited for what our homecoming team has been planning, and can’t wait to make my first homecoming as an alumni! Of course, BAAA has a ton of other plans in the works that I’m lucky enough to brag about! You may have received an email recently titled “Welcome to the Beta Alpha Alumni Association!” this is a new effort by Jared and the Website team to consolidate alumni communication channels, and is likely how you received this newsletter. If not - check out alumni.mst-ka.org and share your contact info so we know how to find you for the next one. We’re also introducing another task group, Recruitment, led by Bryan Babcock. This group is tasked with filling out BAAA’s roster, establishing lines of succession, and generating more involvement in BAAA so we can continue to provide all the fun things we’ve been working on for you all! Expect to hear more from Bryan soon - you can reach out to him at babock.bryan@gmail.com. As always, if you have any questions or feedback for BAAA, don’t hesitate to reach out - you can find our contact info on the left side of this page. Fraternally, Joe Studer, PC2k16 7
Daniel Ellerbrock
Alumni Spotlight
8
Daniel Ellerbrock is an experienced product development engineer at Intel Corp. Intel is a titan in the tech industry and is universally recognized as the world's premier semiconductor chip manufacturer. Their chips power a vast array of electronic devices globally. Landing a position at Intel is a herculean task; the competition is fierce, and even the most adept candidates often face rejection. Yet, Daniel not only secured a position but has excelled within the company. In just five years, he has garnered two distinguished awards for his innovations and achieved an accelerated promotion. His pioneering contributions, particularly in the advancement of flash memory, underscore his engineering prowess. Daniel exemplifies early-career success and serves as an inspiration for those aiming to rise in their careers. Behind his professional achievements lies a rich personal backstory that sheds light on his passion for technology. Curious about the man behind the achievements? Let's delve into Daniel's early life and see where his journey began." Daniel was raised in St. Charles, MO, where his father was the
Pledge Class – 2k14 Computer Engineering MS, Electrical Engineering BS
Major
–
KA Involvement
– Recording Secretary (III), IT Chair
Getting to know Dan 9
pastor of a Lutheran Church. Daniel’s mother dedicated her time to managing the house. Daniel is the youngest of his three siblings, he often played the role of the typical mischievous younger brother. He constantly stole and broke his brother Adam’s electronics, all while hogging his sister Erin’s laptop. Daniel's education took place at Trinity Lutheran School, the school was so small that it only had a mere 5 students. It was during this time that his fascination with technology took root. He was drawn in by Adam's burgeoning interest in computers. Daniel fondly remembers that "In 1st grade, Adam and I would sneak into the school's computer lab, indulging in video games. I'd watch him play on the old Windows 95 computers, entranced by the buzzing monitors and early 3D graphics. I would always end up on the oldest system since I was the youngest. I mostly played a game called 'stunts' — a racing game that was equal parts Roller Coaster Tycoon and Need for Speed." With a nostalgic grin, he added, "This was my first experience with computers, and I couldn’t get enough”. 10
Throughout his younger days, Daniel's inquisitiveness only grew. He jested, "I was that child who wanted to know how everything worked much to my parents' combined delight and annoyance." Whether he was dissecting a motor or delving into his families’ encyclopedia to demystify electromagnetism, his zeal for understanding was insatiable. While his parents might not have been knowledgeable in the same areas that intrigued him, they were always supportive. They introduced him to Loren, an IT specialist from their congregation. Loren would prove to be pivotal in shaping Daniel's technological journey. "Noticing my keen interest, Loren suggested a challenge: to construct a working computer from the components of the discarded computers that Trinity School intended to throw out," Daniel reminisced. "Loren introduced me to the intricacies of hardware and became an early mentor, teaching me the nuances of IRQ settings on hardware that did not support plug-and-play " While in middle school, Daniel's 6th-grade teacher, Mr.
Sommerer proved to be a major influence. Daniel explained, "He saw where technology was going and made projects that were ahead of their time, introducing us to the world of wikis and knowledge bases, giving us a glimpse into the future of digital collaboration. Mr. Sommerer's passion for tech was infectious. He used military surplus laptops in the classroom, and one day he gifted me one. I’m very grateful because that laptop solidified my love for technology." Daniel has had numerous positive experiences during his childhood, but he didn't shy away from discussing some of the obstacles he faced early on. "I felt disconnected from my peers in middle school. The culture at school was more focused on athletics which, unfortunately, I did not excel at. Or at least I felt so far behind that I didn’t even try. That feeling of inadequacy had a big impact on my grades. At this time, it was hard to care about my performance in school, I felt like I was a bit of an outcast. This completely changed though once I reached high school. And the change was immediate. I decided to join
band my freshman year and quickly bonded with many likeminded individuals. It was incredible to find my group where I could be myself and not feel judged. And probably not so surprisingly this gave me a lot of confidence. I started to really excel in my classes. I had several teachers take notice of me and they challenged me to aim higher. Mrs. Swift and Ms. Puscian were my math teachers that believed I had potential to be an engineer. Between them
“Joining KA became a pivotal experience in my
”
life
and my mom, they encouraged me to start doubling up on my math courses so I could take Calculus in my senior year. By the end of high school, my path was clear. I was going to pursue my degree in electrical and computer engineering. During his first semester at S&T, Daniel lived in the TJ dorms. He recalled, "Before I 11
joined Rolla, I'll admit I was skeptical about fraternities. At first, choosing dorm life seemed like the right move. I formed close bonds with several guys on my floor. However, by the spring semester, my friends from TJ and I felt drawn to pledge to KA. It was a leap of faith, and I wasn't sure how things would turn out. In the end, joining KA became a pivotal experience in my life, teaching me balance and resilience.” Daniel chuckled as he recounted one of his first experiences as a KA potential new member (PNM): "Just before our induction, we were playing a game of touch football. Having little football
experience, my skills were, let's say, rudimentary. On the game's first play, as a receiver, I sprinted straight up field. Shockingly, the quarterback aimed for me. An opposing player was in front of me ready to get the interception. The ball went straight through their hands and the ball landed square on my face. As I crumbled to the ground there was laughter and playful taunts poured in. While they teased me for my questionable catching skills (Daniel has since improved, for the record), I often ribbed right back about them getting Cs on their tests (Daniel was known to get As). This fraternity experience redefined Daniel's selfperception. "Participating in KA activities broke down the barriers of how I saw myself. I used to avoid experiences that I thought didn't fit my strengths. But KA showed me not to box myself in with preconceived ideas." Daniel's fraternity journey wasn't just about personal growth; he contributed significantly to KA. In his sophomore year, he held the role of KA's IT chair, redefining the responsibilities
12
beyond fixing the house's internet or mending printers. He became the go-to tech troubleshooter for brothers facing laptop glitches. His dedication elevated him to the house's number three, a pivotal role that saw the fraternity achieving one of the top GPAs on campus. The leadership lessons Daniel learned from these roles laid the foundation for his early successes after college.
friend Nicole hesitated to chase an internship at Intel, doubting the likelihood she could secure it, Daniel, true to his nature, encouraged her to apply anyway. With his encouragement, she secured the internship, a feat she credits partly to Daniel's unwavering support.
A couple years later, when Intel returned, scouting for adept computer & electrical engineers, Daniel tossed his hat When I asked what memories into the ring. Armed with a from college stood out the most glowing recommendation from Daniel smiled wide. "There are Nicole, he clinched an interview countless moments to cherish, slot. Predictably, he but the spontaneous, unscripted impressed—landing a coveted ones at KA hold a special place. position that whisked him off to Whether it was listening to the California. KA country playlist on the veranda, enjoying a cigar, or an Starting at Intel, Daniel consistently defied expectations activity on the tennis court— with his seamless adaptability those impromptu moments and knack for devising efficient often surpassed the organized events in terms of meaning and solutions. He often refined and enhanced existing code, even if connection." it meant overhauling scripts In his junior year, Daniel had penned by peers and secured a co-op position at predecessors alike. Ameren, slated for the Yet, his ingenuity wasn’t upcoming summer, and extending into the fall. With this confined to these feats. Confronted with the arduous certainty in place, he invested manual task of tracking who ample time mentoring peers, had access to what tester refining resumes, and resources, Daniel, alongside a dispensing advice. When his 13
teammate, conceived of a tool to streamline the process. Their brainchild earned a departmental accolade at Intel. Another accomplishment was to combat a costly pipeline inefficiency. Daniel and a team of engineers employed a “shift left" approach—moving testing of a certain feature earlier in the manufacturing pipeline, saving both resources and money. This innovation garnered another departmental award. However, his favorite accomplishment was in the domain of flash memory. To simplify this topic Daniel explained that a memory cell was like a bucket. In the rudimentary Single Level Cell (SLC), the bucket can either be full or empty mimicking a binary 1 or 0. While MLC (Multi Level Cell) can hold 4 different objects (states). As the technology evolved, the bucket was able to hold more and more. Daniel was part of the trailblazing team that qualified the first pentalevel cell (PLC) SSD, boasting a staggering 32 states. This endeavor is an engineering marvel as it must be able to be reliable and circumvent problems like electron leakage which can corrupt data. This 14
PLC qualification was an industry first, and Daniel was part of a group award for this feat. Of course, his career has had a few hiccups. Daniel was humble enough to bring up one of his oversights that halted an entire production line in their semiconductor fab in China. Unfazed, he absorbed the repercussions, took advantage of the learning opportunity to grow, and grew from the experience. Throughout his tenure at Intel Daniel always championed that teamwork was an integral part of his early industry success. He's been a true team player and I'm sure everyone on his team will miss him because his time at Intel will be coming to an end this year. Daniel has resided in California for two years and Alabama for three. He’s gotten married and obtained his master’s degree all while working for Intel. Now, he and his wife Kelly (Nuclear Engineer – S&T 2018), have chosen to relocate to Saint Louis, MO to reconnect with family and friends. This move marks the end of his time at Intel and the beginning of a new chapter. Daniel will be starting a new position at Boeing,
guaranteeing further growth and complex system. Those realachievement. world experiences are the most valuable". His new position is in a new domain for him, "I'm delving into Daniel also underscored the the world of hardware systems, importance of balance . "I could and it will be a new experience easily lose myself in screens, for me. But I love new but life is more than pixels and challenges and I’m excited to code. There's my family, my start”. I asked what keeps him nieces, and nephews. There’s a motivated, his answer was lot of joy out there in the real simple and honest: “Computers world". A recent health scare are my hobby and my prompted him to start cycling. profession … I've reached a He wants to approach exercise pinnacle in my current position. with the same vigor he has for Now, I want a new challenge, a technology. He talked about his new summit to climb" personal best power output and RPMs with light-hearted Daniel's insatiable anecdotes filling the gaps. It inquisitiveness isn't just was evident, though, that for confined to his professional Daniel, life was about moving realm. His personal endeavors, forward, always seeking, like engineering a mini always learning. autonomous car powered by a programmable chip called On the cusp of a new start with FPGA (Field Programmable Boeing, he reflected on the Gate Array), highlight his myriad projects he relentless drive for exploration. spearheaded at Intel, ignited by When I asked him what advice his sheer enthusiasm. Daniel's he'd offer to electrical engineers tenure at Intel stands as a who are just starting out, he beacon, exemplifying his said, "Stay curious, and don't passion for innovation and get fixated on one path. There's continual learning — it’s a a whole world out there to testament to the unwavering explore. Real-world electronics drive that can leave an enduring differ from what you learn in a legacy. A testament to a value textbook. Work on a project, that our order holds very dear, whether it’s a simple LED excelsior. counter on an Arduino or a 15
Spring ‘23
16
!
16
Pledge Class:
PC2k18
Location: Kansas City, MO Employer:
Engineering Management Title: Project Engineer Louis Company Major:
Chapter Involvement
-
Campus Involvement
FSAE
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
Major: PC2k18 Civil Engineering Title: St. Louis, MO Project Manager ARCO National Construction
Chapter Involvement
Brotherhood Chair
Campus Involvement
ASCE
PC2k18 Biloxi, MS
Major: Computer Science Title: Sales Engineer US Air Force
Chapter Involvement
House Manager
Campus Involvement
AFROTC, ACM, Motorcyle Riders Association
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
PC2k19 Seiling, OK
Major: Petroleum Engineering Title: Field Engineer Gore Nitrogen
Chapter Involvement
-
Campus Involvement
Football, Society of Petroleum Engineers
17
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
PC2k19 Berkeley, MO
Chapter Involvement
-
Campus Involvement
EMC lab undergraduate research assistant
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
PC2k19 St Louis, MO
Major: Civil Engineering Title: Project Manager BSI Constructors
Chapter Involvement
House Manager
Campus Involvement
American Society of Civil engineers and AGC
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
Major: Electrical Engineering PC2k18 Title: St Louis, MO Project Engineer McCarthy Building Companies
Chapter Involvement
Vice-President (II), Parliamentarian (VII)
Campus Involvement
-
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
18
Major: Electrical Engineering Title: Electrophysicist Boeing
PC2k19 St Louis, MO
Major: Electrical Engineering Product Software Title: Engineer ECS
Chapter Involvement
-
Campus Involvement
Multirotor Design Team, Computer Science Grader
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
PC2k18 St Louis, MO
Major: Mechanical Engineering Title: Operations Engineer SkyView Partners LLC
Chapter Marshal (IX), Assistant Recruitment Chairman, House Involvement Manager, Social Committee Campus Co-Founder and President of MST R.I.D.E.S. - a theme Involvement park engineering group
Information Science and Technology Location: Kansas City, MO Title: Implementation Partner Employer: Reynolds and Reynolds
Pledge Class:
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
Major:
PC2k18
Chapter Involvement
Historian (V), Social Chair
Campus Involvement
Young Republicans
PC2k18
Major:
St Louis, MO
Title: Boeing
Mechanical Engineering, MBA Systems Engineer
Chapter Merchandise Committee Chair, Philanthropy Committee Involvement Chair, Greek Sing Campus Involvement
SUB (Concerts and Secretary/Treasurer); Solar Car Design Team
Pledge Class: Location: Employer:
PC2k18 Lawrence, KS
Information Science and Technology Quality Business Unit Title: Lead Hills Petcare Major:
Chapter Involvement
Pink Week Chair, Prudential Committee, IT Chair
Campus Involvement
SUB President 19
Chris Markus Alumni Spotlight By Paul Rosemann Chris Markus and I are both from St. Louis, pledged the same year (PC2K10) and both started working in Kansas City, Missouri following graduation. We’ve gotten to know each other very well over the years, but sometimes work is one of the last things we discuss with our close friends. That’s what made this interview so exciting as I’m learning new things about a Brother I’ve known for 13 years. Chris majored in Chemical Engineering when at MST, and part of the reason for choosing this discipline had to do with a high school chemistry teacher. His teacher’s advice was to look into the Chemical Engineering program at MST and get an idea for what kind of job opportunities came with it. After some research Chris was sold on the idea, but there was a long road ahead. Most of us have all had a course that pushed our limits getting our degrees. This course, for a lot of Chem E’s, was Thermodynamics II. The first lecture had to do with black holes and that’s when Chris knew it wasn’t going to be easy. On the other hand some courses just seem to click 20
and for Chris this was Fluids. The professor for this course was a younger fellow and really utilized visual examples for problem sets as well as intro to new concepts for lectures. Although every course is different, a favorite of Chris’ was Senior Design. Having a chance to connect with your classmates, get guidance from the teacher while still being independent really helps prepare you for the real world after graduation. Chris had a few internships before graduating. One was at Experitec in St. Louis, joined with our pledge brother Tommy Burrows for a summer. The second was with US Gypsum in Gypsum, OH which was a longer 8 month co-op. These jobs were great experiences that helped Chris figure out what direction he wanted to take his career. Sometimes that can take some time to mull over, which Chris did on a little vacation down in Argentina. While on vacation a recruiter reached out to Chris, started the interviewing process and four weeks later earned a job with his current company Keyence.
Keyence is a manufacturing automation company. There can be a lot of components to this automation, but some examples would be smaller sensors to high end microscopes mostly for use at manufacturing facilities. Starting out the training program was a six week long stint in Chicago, Illinois to learn technical information about the products and business strategy. After that Chris joined our band of KA brothers in Kansas City for a few years until meeting his wife, Gabrielle, and getting a promotion to his next in Chicago. Chris, Gabby and Millie have loved the opportunity to experience a bigger city. Chris’ current title is Strategic Product Development Manager and his focus is on capital product lines in microscopy and metrology. Keyence is headquartered in Japan so a lot of what the role entails is communicating the US Market needs to improve current products and even bring new ones to life.
Advice from Chris… “It’s not always what you know, but who you know. Connections and networking are so powerful in the world of engineering because you’ll never know who you will run into down the road.” 21
Alum Gateway Alumni Chapter The Gateway Alumni Chapter holds quarterly happy hours, a family BBQ in the summer and other events. The next event will be held at 405 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO on Thursday, November 30th, 6:30pm. You can find this group on Facebook here or search groups for Kappa Alpha Order Gateway Alumni Chapter. For detailed information contact Gateway’s President Tony Michalka (Gamma Beta) at tmichalka@hotmail.com.
BAAA Recruitment BAAA welcomes Brother Bryan Babcock to our new RECRUITMENT position. Bryan is responsible for Structural Recruitment (onboarding) to BAAA in three primary areas: • BAAA succession planning • Reinforce the depth of all TG`s to maintain vitality, decrease TG volunteer workload and increase participation in BAAA meetings • Track and identifies mechanisms to grow alumni participation. Please contact Bryan at babcock.bryan@gmail.com if you would like to assist him in this new position or if you would like to share your talents and skills with BAAA. 22
mni Bulletin (Pictured Left) Jacob & Josie Walker welcome their baby, Charlotte!
(Pictured Right) Joseph & Andrea Raymond welcome their baby, Sylvia!
23
Alum Weddings Nicholas & Maggie Reichert Chris & Heather Siebert Josh & Brittney Davis
Engagements Brendan Schanuel and Lindsey Carvalho Tom Hennessey and Sydney Hill Colten Conroy and Molly Arand Bill Morgan and Mikala Ryan Merckel and Brittnee Elizabeth Dylan O’Neal and Allie McEntee Cooper St. John and to Kelly Elizabeth Kurt Schueddig and Alyssa Jaycox Hammer Trinidad & Kennie Knauth Bryan Schueddig and Emily Nissen
Weddings & Engagements 24
mni Bulletin Ryan Merckel & Brittnee Elizabeth
Colten Conroy & Molly Arand Kurt Schueddig & Alyssa Jaycox
Bryan Schueddig & Emily Nissen 25
Have a fun story? Pledge Brother you want to brag about? Let us Know: betaalphaalumni1903@gmail.com
You could be featured in the next BAAA Journal!
26
Contact Us
President Website Newsletter Recruitment Homecoming/Reunion Planning Merchandise General Email
BAAA Contacts Bill Thomas (wrthomas@cmrestore.com) Jared Hanisch (Jared.Hanisch@gmail.com) Jack Conroy (jackryanconroy@gmail.com) Bryan Babcock (babcock.bryan@gmail.com) Colten Conroy (coltenpconroy@gmail.com) Jacob Walker (jswhdc@gmail.com) betaalphaalumni1903@gmail.com
Facebook Group Twitter LinkedIn
BAAA Social Media Kappa Alpha Order - Beta Alpha Alumni Association @BetaAlphaAlumni Kappa Alpha Order - MS&T
Alumnus Advisor Number I Recruitment Chair
Chapter Contacts Jim Hennessey (jim.hennessey@outlook.com) Andersen Lohr (alv24@umsystem.edu) Trey Brown (twbyny@umsystem.edu)
Facebook Page Instagram LinkedIn Page Twitter Website
Chapter Social Media Missouri S&T - Kappa Alpha Order @mst_ka Kappa Alpha Order - Beta Alpha Chapter @MST_KA www.mst-ka.org 27
Interested in Joining BAAA? Want to be featured in the next Journal? Email: betaalphaalumni1903@gmail.com