VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1
THE BRIDGE BUILDER CONNECTING WITH ALUMNI, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS OF THE ETA EPSILON CHAPTER OF BETA THETA PI AT JOHN CARROLL UNIVERSITY
Eta Epsilon welcomes nine new brothers
Dream Days selected as chapter’s new philanthropy
On Friday, November 18, we welcomed nine new initiates into the lifelong brotherhood of Beta Theta Pi and the Eta Epsilon Chapter. The initiation of the Rho Class came approximately two months after they were first inducted following a successful recruitment period. Members of the Rho Class come from a variety of class years, majors, and hometowns. After an education period led by VP for Member Education Ryan McGowan ’19, they were all judged to be men of high character, and truly exemplify the principles and values we hold dear. They signed the rolls of Eta Epsilon in the Hall of Chapters in Oxford.
We are excited to announce our new philanthropy: Dream Days! This organization puts on events for those with developmental and physical disabilities and other chronic conditions to give them opportunities they can’t always enjoy. With only an annual budget of $2,000, we are looking to make a meaningful impact for the organization by raising money and helping put on more events yearly. The Eta Epsilon Chapter of Beta Theta Pi looks forward to helping spread awareness of Dream Days in the John Carroll community and are honored to have the chance to do so.
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INSIDE
THIS ISSUE
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT A SEMESTER OF FUN MEET OUR EXECUTIVE BOARD
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THE CHAPTER’S NEWEST INITIATES PINNING LEEZA CATCHING UP WITH MARK EHRBAR
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VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1
A Letter from the President Matthew J. Bocketti ’19 Among many other things, our first priority is to revive philanthropic efforts. Our new philanthropy, Dream Days, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a day of dreams for a lifetime of courage and strength to those with mental and physical handicaps. We plan on taking an active role with this organization by helping facilitate their events, in addition to our fundraising efforts. By building a strong, healthy relationship with Dream Days, we hope to positively impact the participants of their events, all while spreading our core values to the community.
Hello Brothers and Friends, My name is Matthew Bocketti and I am a sophomore at John Carroll University, majoring in finance and economics. When I was initiated into Beta during the Fall of 2015, I knew immediately this is where I belong. Right away, every brother in the chapter welcomed my pledge class with open arms and instantly began forming fraternal bonds to last a lifetime. Even as a sophomore, I have already experienced great personal growth through this organization. It is because of this personal development that I am committed to giving Beta all of my efforts. By helping to further this chapter, I hope to provide future brothers with even more experiences to aid in their preferment. It is with great pride that I can say I am the President of the Eta Epsilon Chapter of Beta Theta Pi. This is a position I hold in high regard. The mere thought of being able to take a leading role in rituals passed down in our great fraternity since 1839 is unfathomable. With our current exceptional executive board, this will be a year to remember in our chapter’s history.
Everyone in the chapter is excited and motivated with the prospects of a new year. With a commitment to mutual assistance, intellectual growth, trust, responsible conduct, and integrity, we are all striving to make 2017 the year of Beta Theta Pi. Yours in ___kai___, Matthew Bocketti #144
Dream Days selected as chapter’s new philanthropy Continued from Page 1 Dream Days is a Northeast Ohio-based nonprofit organization dedicated to planning, facilitating, and providing events for those with developmental and physical disabilities and other chronic conditions. Their constant goal is to aid in the enrichment of all who participate in a Dream Days function. Though their name suggests that they are committed to a single day, they understand the necessity of providing opportunities that will build character for a lifetime and share the light and love of God with others. Over the past 4+ years, Dream Days has hosted nearly 75 specialized events across the spectrum, including partnerships with Cleveland’s major sports teams, Playhouse Square, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, and Mitchell’s Ice Cream. Through its programming, Dream Days has already directly touched hundreds of families. They are a unique entity, using a formula that takes an event wish list from special needs organizations and brings them to life – all free of charge. The future is incredibly bright as they look to grow and positively impact countless lives.
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PIERCE J. SRAIL ’19
VOLUME VII, ISSUE 1 WINTER 2017
VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATION
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE ETA EPSILON CHAPTER OF BETA THETA PI
COMMUNICATION ADVISOR
JOEL W. MULLNER ’07
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CONTRIBUTORS:
MATTHEW BOCKETTI ’19 TONY DEMPSEY ’17 STEPHEN LEE ’18
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VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1
(Above) The 2017 Eta Epsilon Executive Board. Read more about the vice presidents and their plans for the year on pages 4-5.
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(Below) A collage of photos from the past year, including pledge induction, mixers, retreats, and Greek Week.
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VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1
Meet Our 2017 Executive Board Installed on December 4, 2016
Austin Dunlop ’19
VP for Brotherhood
I am a sophomore from Detroit and am currently a marketing and logistics major here at John Carroll. Along with being in Beta, I volunteer with The Carroll Ballers service program and work with our campus recreation department. My position of Vice President for Brotherhood stands upon two pillars: standards and ritual. I look to refine and improve on both these aspects of our fraternity in the upcoming term. I plan on holding more ritual review sessions throughout the year in order to better every member's understanding of our ritual in order to act as a fraternity in the most proper and efficient way possible. When it comes to standards, I plan on further utilizing the Kai Committee as a way to help aid and guide brothers through situations throughout the semester. I am excited to work with this particular Executive Board this term in order to uphold the five core values of Beta and further the success of the Eta Epsilon Chapter on John Carroll's campus.
Thomas Tritt ’19
VP for Programming
Aside from serving Beta, I will also be serving as a Senator for the Student Union. During my term I’ve already established Dream Days as our chapter’s new philanthropic organization, selected my cabinet positions, and planned out some of the events for the calendar. For my committee we have selected Lonzo Dampier as our Brotherhood Chair, Nick Travis as our Service Chair, Scottie Marzano and Matt Ramsey as our Social Chairs, and Nick Holoman as our Philanthropy Chair. During my term, I plan on exploring a new idea that was brought forth—an Alumni Formal—where we invite our chapter’s alumni to join us at our final dance of the semester. I also plan on incorporating a major service event in the spring, two service-oriented mixers, and three regular mixers to increase Beta’s reputation in the local and Greater Cleveland community as well as here on campus with sororities and other campus organizations.
Frank Miskuly ’19
VP for Member Education
My job entails teaching our new members about the history and lore of the Fraternity, as well as being a guide and mentor to them as they go through the eight-week process of joining Beta Theta Pi. I would like to use my position to instill the values and history of our great fraternity into the minds and lives of our newest members. My goal for my term as VP for Member Education is pledge retention and a large pledge class to be initiated this spring and fall.
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VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1 LJ Spangenburg ’19
VP for Recruitment
I currently hold the Vice President for Recruitment position. My goal over the course of the next year is to obtain members who are Men of Principle and who are in line with our values of integrity, mutual assistance, responsible conduct, trust, and intellectual growth. My member educator, Brent Gibala-Broxholm ’17, once told me that “we don’t make Betas; we take Betas.” This statement will always be in the back of my mind when recruiting in the future for potential new members of Beta. With the help of the entire fraternity, I strongly believe that we can increase our presence on John Carroll University’s campus.
Keegan Kennedy ’19
VP for Risk Management
I am currently a sophomore pursuing marketing and logistics. I am also involved in many aspects of campus life, including the Student Union Senate (and by extension the Student Diversity and Inclusion committee), the John Carroll Rowing team, and the theatre department. I also enjoy community service, logging over 70 hours this past fall. This is my second term as VP for Risk Management, and my goal remains to strive for excellence. I aim high for myself and my brothers, and I encourage an environment where we treat people with courtesy and respect, and are able to hold ourselves and each other accountable for our actions. A very lofty goal that this includes is: zero incident reports. I am looking forward to the next year in this position, hopefully garnering another Excellence in Risk Management award for the Eta Epsilon Chapter.
Tony Dempsey ’17
VP for Finance
As a fourth-year member in the chapter I have seen us go through many different events but none of these would’ve happened without our financial support. So here I am, on my third executive board term, serving in this crucial role as the Vice President for Finance. Now this position seems relatively straightforward but we will be looking for new ways to rejuvenate both our housing as well as our fundraising. If you have any ideas to help, I am more than happy to sit down and listen.
Pierce Srail ’19
VP for Communication
I would like to implement new changes to the Vice President for Communication position including the addition of a functioning committee, with committee members responsible for many things not previously heralded under the position. In addition, I have split the archivist and the recorder roles. The archivist will now start forming a history of the John Carroll chapter. The recorder will take roll at all of our chapter functions. Now that we have enough members in our chapter that we can successfully have this many positions under the communication umbrella, I look forward to working with my committee to reach out to alumni, family, and friends. I look forward to producing our Bridge Builder newsletters for the rest of the year.
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VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1
The Rho Class at the Beta Theta Pi Administrative Office in Oxford, Ohio
Meet the Rho Class, Eta Epsilon’s newest brothers Continued from Page 1
Eta Epsilon’s newest members include:
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Nick Holoman ’20, from Bellefontaine, Ohio, and alumnus of Bellefontaine High School Matt Ramsey ’20, from Allison Park, Pennsylvania, and alumnus of Hampton High School Frank Miskuly ’19, from Grand Island, New York, and alumnus of Canisius High School Chad McWhorter ’20, from Bath, Ohio, and alumnus of Revere High School Jonathan “JC” Bastick ’20, from Valley City, Ohio, and alumnus of Buckeye Senior High School Dominic Rayl ’20, from Willoughby, Ohio, and alumnus of Eastlake North High School Yanguang Zhu ’20, from Taian, China, and alumnus of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio Brady Kyle ’20, from Williamsville, New York, and alumnus of Carson Long Military Academy Lonzo Dampier ’20, from Ashland, Ohio, and alumnus of Ashland High School
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VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1
Pinning Leeza Reflection by Tony Dempsey ’17 Since I came to JCU there have only been two things I can count on: Beta Theta Pi and my girlfriend, Leeza. When one challenges me, the other is there to answer. Beta Theta Pi means the world to me and in Leeza being able to wear those letters just unites the two things that mean the most to me now and hopefully forever. In presenting Leeza with the sweetheart’s pin I was able to tie the traditions of our age-old fraternity to the person most important to me.
Brother Spotlight: Scottie Marzano ’18 My journey to becoming a member of a fraternity was a little different than your typical college student. Back when I was a freshman, I honestly did not know if Greek Life was for me. I knew when college started I wanted to try new things but was not sure exactly what new things I wanted to pursue. When Fall of ’14 came around I went to various fraternities’ recruitment events with an open mind to see which one was the best fit for me, if any at all. I received bids from each organization; however, I chose to decline all four because I did not want to rush into anything within my first month of school. Truthfully, I was beginning to think maybe Greek Life wasn’t for me. It wasn’t until the spring semester of my sophomore year that I realized that I was missing out. The majority of my friends were in Beta so I was able to see what it was like to live within the community by visiting and hanging out with them on the floor. Whether it was playing some Madden, or watching the Cavs dominate the NBA, or even just unwinding with the guys on a Friday night, I always found myself growing closer and closer with the men of Beta Theta Pi. My connection with both the upperclassmen and the newly initiated Omicron Class grew strong my sophomore year—strong enough for them to present me with a bid that I would later accept in the spring of 2016. I would soon become the Eta Epsilon chapter’s 150th member. What made my pledge experience a memorable one was not only this fact, but I also was the only member of my pledge class. Being the only pledge in my class wasn’t as bad as it seemed. Ryan McGowan ’19, my member educator, and I became very close friends and he showed me all the ropes as an incoming Beta which made the whole pledge process that much better of an experience. Each class, Ryan made it a point to always have other Betas showing me that I was not alone in becoming a member of Beta Theta Pi. Furthermore, Ryan and I had an understanding that during pledge class there was a time for fun and games, but at the same time I was in class not as a peer but as a pupil. What made my pledge experience one for the books was that it was modeled specifically for me. Ryan went the extra mile to ensure this every step of the way. Being the only member in my pledge class was a rewarding experience. For starters, I was top of my class from day one seeing that the competition was second to none. However, I still had an obligation to uphold the fraternity’s standards and responsibilities being the only member who accepted a bid that semester. I had to earn the privilege of being the Eta Epsilon’s 150th member. I did just that through the support of my brothers who were there with me every step of the way until I officially became a brother of Beta Theta Pi.
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VOLUME VIII, ISSUE 1
Catching Up with Mark Ehrbar ’12 Delta Class and Current Chapter Counselor
Mark Ehrbar ’12 holds #50 on the roll of the Eta Epsilon Chapter, and was initiated with the Delta Class in November 2009. Mark now serves as Eta Epsilon’s fourth chapter counselor. The Bridge Builder recently had an opportunity to catch up with Mark to learn how Beta has made a difference in his life.
BB: What have you been doing since graduation?
BB: Have you kept in touch with many Betas?
Mark: I moved to Cleveland Heights and went to work at Church of the Resurrection in Solon, where I was director of music for three years. In summer of 2015, I returned to the Heights to work at the Church of the Gesu as the co-director of music.
Mark: Yes, most definitely. Betas remain my best friends and I see many of them several times a week. Many of us still vacation together or have weekend trips away. We also have casual dinners and nights out.
BB: What is your favorite Beta memory? Mark: It’s hard to pinpoint just one instance. Instead, I like to think of a broad idea of impromptu nights in the lounge, off campus, or lunches in the dining hall. There were definitely memorable road trips, too, like the one to Washington, D.C. where many of us went to Convention to earn our chapter’s charter.
BB: Why did you decide to become the chapter counselor? Mark: I had one year as a chapter advisor under my belt before there was a need for a chapter counselor. My close proximity to campus made being available an accessible idea. I have enjoyed being a part of the fraternity in this way.
BB: What would you like to achieve as chapter counselor? Mark: I would feel successful if the
MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
INTELLECTUAL GROWTH
TRUST
Eta Epsilon Chapter John Carroll University 1 John Carroll Boulevard University Heights, Ohio 44118
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Mark Ehrbar
brothers were able to create a vibrant chapter, since that was my experience as an undergrad. I think something that the whole chapter can strive for is that every brother buys in to the many events and facets of the chapter. This includes working with the new philanthropy, taking a special interest in service, understanding the depth of our Ritual, and strengthening the bonds between each brother.
RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT
INTEGRITY