The Beta Theta Pi Magazine/Vol. 139/No. 3
[Contents]
I am a Man of Principle.
I AM A MAN OF PRINCIPLE
I believe in the power of the mind, cultivating my own intellect and the minds of others. I respect leadership, lead when called upon to do so and help to prepare the leaders who will come after me. I willingly lend my talents and abilities to the service of my community. I recognize and respect the worth of each person, refusing to take part in activities that undermine the dignity of others or myself.
State of the Chapters: a new look for Chapter Reports, page 26
departments 4
From the Editor
“Sunlight is the Best Disinfectant”
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Staff Updates
A/O Staff Additions
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News & Notes
I choose to act responsibly, weighing the consequences of my actions on those around me.
Fraternity Updates
I speak honestly and listen actively.
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I seek the company of other men of principle, extending them the bonds of brotherhood.
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I build bridges, not walls. I am a Beta.
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The Darkening of the Hall
Chapter Closures
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Marching Along
Alumni Accomplishments
Alumni News
Member and Alumni Association Updates
State of the Fraternity
An honest look at Beta’s 2010-11 performance
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Parents
Right at Home
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Mystic Shrine
In Loving Memory
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A Lasting Moment
Trekking Around the World
features 12 Monarch of Mind,
Forever Reign A call to action for Betas to unite
“cultured thought, and lettered brain” to strengthen society
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It’s Not That Scary...
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The Game of Beta Theta Pi
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Introducing Cornerstone
Beta’s new housing program
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Distinction: San Diego
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn? What are they, and how can Betas utilize them to raise their ‘Beta IQ’?
“Education” in the Fraternity continues to evolve. Read about future goals for this Strategic Plan priority
Discover the key elements that allow the Zeta Omega Chapter to flourish among all fraternities
betathetapi.org
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[Marching Along] Shining Stars of
Beta Theta Pi
Edward Deeb, Michigan State ’60, was awarded the Detroit Free Press’ Neal Shine Shining Light Award. This award is bestowed to men and women who, throughout the years, have demonstrated exemplary leadership in the community. Congratulate Ed at edward deeb@michbusiness.org.
Don Coryell, Washington ’47, was added to the Hall of Very Good for his role as a longtime NFL Head Coach for the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers.
Joe Vancisin, Dartmouth ’44, became a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame. Joe coached at Yale for 19 seasons. He served as president and executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches 17 years. 10
Summer 2011
The Marching Along section is full of great personal Beta stories. From government appointees and athletic accomplishments to successes in the arts and men leading principled lives, Marching Along features some of the shining stars of Beta Theta Pi. Read on to learn more about some of the great achievements of brothers throughout North America. Have you been “marching along” with job promotions, athletic feats, interesting inventions, military service, etc.? Send Beta’s editorial staff an email at beta@betathetapi.org or mail a letter to the Administrative Office. Just be sure to include “Marching Along” in the subject line or content of the letter.
Awarded for his achievements as a White House volunteer and young professional career in social media, Drew McKenzie, Cincinnati ’05, received the University’s Young Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award. He now volunteers on UC’s Greek Alumni Council and works professionally as the director of digital strategy at Empower MediaMarketing. Congratulate Drew at mckenzie.drew@gmail.com.
Ohio Wesleyan University recently recognized Paul Schimmel ’62 and George Conrades ’61, for their outstanding achievements by naming the Schimmel/Conrades Science Center in their honor. Schimmel recruited Conrades to join Beta when Conrades was a first-year student, and they have since become life-long friends and brothers. Congratulate Paul at schimmel@scripps.edu and George at conrades@akamai. com.
Tommy Reid, Ohio State ’96, produced the movie “Danny Greene: The Rise and Fall of the Irishman”. This film about the Cleveland mobster features exclusive interviews with Danny Greene’s family, federal government officials, mafia associates and Cleveland police enforcement. Congratulate Tommy at tommyreid@gmail.com.
Newsman Howard Fineman, Colgate ’70, an Oxford Cup recipient, gave the commencement address at his alma mater on May 15. Colgate also honored Fineman with an honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters. To read his commencement address, type “Fineman commencement address” in your favorite Internet search engine.
Matt Neville, Connecticut ’06, was on Jeopardy demonstrating his cultivation of the intellect in May 2011. He won three nights in a row before losing by a dollar in the final round on the fourth day. Congratulate Matt at shapur260@yahoo.com.
A winemaker, Beta and bachelor: three characteristics that make up Ben Flajnik, Arizona ’05, who is 1 of 25 men competing for the love of ABC’s Bachelorette, Ashley Hebert.
Stanley Macomber, Iowa State 1908, was inducted into the National Inventor’s Hall of Fame posthumously. He was credited with receiving 30 patents before and after he died in 1967.
Dan Israel, Emory ’89, was appointed to Georgia State’s Board of Education. disrael@ doe.k12.ga.us
[Alumni News] The 1969 Purdue pledge class held their 40-year alumni reunion on May 21, 2011. They met for lunch, golf and dinner at Eagle Pointe Resort in Bloomington, Ind. The 16 members in attendance traveled from Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Texas, California, Colorado, Wisconsin, Kentucky and Indiana. Email Bob Hall ’72 at roberthall22@gmail.com.
Seth Davenport, Southern California ’03 (lower center), heeded a call to action for the Wounded Warrior Project. Seth and his three friends ran a 50-mile marathon, raising $100,000 for the project which helps physically and psychologically injured soldiers who are returning home. Congratulate Seth at SDavenport@voitco.com.
Columbia University brothers recently trekked to Austin, Texas to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Lone Star capital for their annual “fellas” trip. Pictured left to right: Francois Furstenberg ’94, Chad Steele ’92, Albert Andres ’94, Brian Shaklee ’93, Miguel Javier ’93, Matthew Murphy ’93, Matthew DeFilippis ’93 and Richard Brosnick ’92.
Daniel Minot, Washington in St. Louis ’09 (right), has been teaching 2 years at a school outside Washington, D.C. for Teach for America. His students have very little outside knowledge of the world around them, so he decided to begin fundraising for a trip to Costa Rica in summer 2012 to allow his students to see the diversity of the world. Visit his blog, costarica2012.blogspot.com, to see what they are up to, or email him at daniel.minot@gmail.com.
In mid-April, the Indiana University Beta alumni residing in North Carolina held their annual meeting in Asheville, N.C. George Taliaferro, a famous IU quarterback and the first African American drafted to the NFL, provided the keynote to the 100-member audience. Pictured to the left and right of George are the oldest active alumni from that era, Mark Woodward, Indiana ’44, and Richard Starr, Indiana ’45.
The Duke Betas “50s group” has been reuniting since their graduation in the 1950s. They first met in Winston-Salem, N.C. in 1976 and 1986. Destinations they have visited include Durham and Pinehurst, N.C., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Santa Fe, N.M., Carmel, Calif., Paris, France, Baltimore, Md., Savannah, Ga., Dallas, Texas, and most recently this summer in Lake Lure, N.C. The 2011 75-member crowd (39 Betas and 36 sweethearts) were from 13 states.
Beta’s Delta Theta Chapter acted swiftly in late April – just as swiftly as the tornado that plagued the campus and surrounding community – to aid in the University of Alabama Greek Relief. The Delta Theta Chapter, other Greek organizations and students on campus led a united effort to help those affected by the storm’s damage. Roll Tide!
Back in February, the Dallas/Fort Worth Beta Alumni Club met for lunch and to hear a State of the Fraternity address from General Secretary David Schmidt, South Florida ’92. Pictured are Jason Gomez, FOB, Beta Foundation Director Jonathan Brant, Miami ’75, Clay Welch, Texas Tech ’05, Andoni Vossos, SMU ’11, David Schmidt and Mike Casson, SMU ’67.
Lee Williams, North Carolina ’73, was honored for his 11 years of service as a chapter advisor and house corporation president to the Eta Chapter at North Carolina from 1999-2010. The three brothers from North Carolina pictured are Tom Purdie ’77, Lee Williams ’73 and Tim Stump ’79. Congratulate Lee at wlee@bizec.rr.com. betathetapi.org
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Program Mission
Cornerstone AnnouNcing Beta Theta Pi’s new Housing Program More than a decade in concept and after 3 years of formal surveying and research, Beta’s new housing program, Cornerstone, has finally become a reality. Built upon 5 overarching objectives – each serving their own unique benefit to the Fraternity – the program is holistic, robust and grounded in addressing important risk management, education, house corporation board governance, resource-development and advocacy-related issues. Beta’s membership, parents and friends have every reason to be encouraged by this new General Fraternity program because it serves a constituency that directly impacts our student members, chapter cultures and thousands of alumni who identify the majority of their college experience with “the Beta house.” With 120 active Beta chapters across North America, approximately 90 enjoy Beta-specific facilities – 60 of those being alumnicorporation owned. Universities and colleges own and manage the remaining 30.
Oklahoma
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Summer 2011
Arizona
The Cornerstone Housing Program exists primarily to support and champion safe, competitive, academic and brotherhood-centered housing for chapters of the Fraternity. Through the professional delivery of Greek housing best practices, house corporation board governance resources, facilities management education and risk management services, Cornerstone will help Beta foster a safe, well-rounded undergraduate experience – one aimed at developing men of principle for a principled life.
Program Services House Corporation Boards (HCB) must participate in the Insurance component of Cornerstone in order to access the Education, Best Practices, Resources and Advocacy aspects of the program (right). Implementation of those four major components and their supporting resources are encouraged; however, they remain at the discretion of the local HCBs and are not required for membership in Cornerstone.
Proven Partnership Willis of North America has served the General Fraternity as its insurance broker for the successful liability insurance and risk management program since 1998 and is the recognized leader in designing insurance programs for Greek letter organizations, insuring more than 1,500 Greek properties across the United States.
Cincinnati
Beta never looked so good.
8.8.11 www.betathetapi.org