SNAPS
The Alumni Newsletter of the OH Beta Tau Chapter of Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity Vol. 11, No. 1
Spring 2011
Pilam Celebrates its 116th Founders’ Day by Honoring Two Big Pi’s Pi Lambda Phi OH Beta Tau Executive Board
Jeffrey Jackson, Rex Matt Ciha, Archon Derek Newbould, K.O.E. Travis Elliott, Marshall Aaron Howard, Scribe Rich Teel, New Member Educator Cole Metzger, Recruitment Director
B-W Alumni Association Officers Brendan Sorg, President Corey Clay, Vice-President Al DiFranco, Treasurer Jason Mansfield, Secretary
Correspondence and gifts can be mailed to: Pi Lambda Phi B-W Alumni Association, Inc. 177 Front Street, STE 102 Berea, OH 44017 USA
Pi Lambda Phi celebrated its 116th Founders‟ Day on Saturday, March 19th by honoring two OH Beta Tau Alumni with Big Pi Lifetime Achievement awards. More than 150 people, including undergraduate Brothers, Pilam Alumni, Pilam Governing Board members, parents and Baldwin-Wallace College officers and staff were in attendance at the annual Founders‟ Day dinner to honor our Big Pi recipients: Steven Minter and J. Timothy Riker. Due to the significance of the celebration, the Pi Lambda Phi International Executive Council (IEC) and Educational Foundation Trustees selected Berea as the location for their mid-year planning meetings. Nineteen governing board members descended upon Berea to discuss the strategic plan of Pi Lambda Phi (see Healthy Chapters Today – Growing Chapters Tomorrow, page 6) and to celebrate our Big Pi recipients. OH Beta Tau should be proud of its continued representation at the International level. Ian Lowe (‟08) is the current Director of Chapter Operations for Pi Lambda Phi, leading the Leadership Consultant staff and numerous volunteers. Shawn Upchurch (‟94) continues to make tremendous investment to ensuring the longevity of Pi Lambda Phi, and currently serves as the IEC Vice-President. Joining Shawn as Governing Boards members are David LaBanc (‟95) and Bill
Chorba (‟92), both Educational Foundation Trustees. Current undergraduates, Jeff Jackson (‟13), Matt Mccluskey (‟14) and Van Haddad (‟14) also serve as Educational Foundation Interns. After a tremendous dinner provided by the Baldwin-Wallace College Dining Services staff, B-W President Dick Durst welcomed our guests. Durst told the audience, “The values that are inherent to Pi Lambda Phi are also part of the rubric of B-W as a whole.” Durst, who is a consistent supporter of Pilam and a staple speaker each year to our New Member Program, was also impressed with how many Pilam Alumni continue to come back to campus to support the chapter. Durst told the Alumni in attendance, “By returning to campus, you give substance to your motto, Not Four Years, But a Lifetime.” In total, more than 50 Pilam Alumni were back on campus for Founders‟ Day. Following Durst‟s welcome, leaders of our undergraduate chapter, with the help of fraternity patriarch Eric Courtney, provided the audience a comprehensive history of Pi Lambda Phi and its legacy at B-W. Ohio Beta Tau‟s rich history of eliminating prejudice began at B-W in 1946 in the form of the local inter-racial fraternity, Sigma Sigma
Epsilon (SSE). SSE was founded on the principle that a brotherhood of men can only exist where there is complete freedom to choose membership from persons of all cultural groups, regardless of color or the manner in which they worship God. In opening its ranks to all minority groups, SSE began breaking down the traditional barriers of race, color, and creed. The men of SSE quickly learned that their progressive ideals were shared by others nationally. In 1948, SSE leadership joined 12 other intercultural local fraternities at a meeting in Chicago to draw up the constitution and structure of the first national, intercultural fraternity, Beta Sigma Tau (BST). BST would become the sixth national fraternity on BaldwinWallace‟s campus. An introduction of the ideals of BST was provided to the audience through a 1954 radio broadcast from famous ABC radio personality, Chet Huntley. This organizational treasure was made available to us by Steve Minter. You may listen to this recording by clicking here. Beta Sigma Tau merged with Pi Lambda Phi in 1960. Joining Minter in attendance at Founders‟ Day as a Pilam originally initiated into BST was Vernon Cockerham (‟62). ***************** Founders Day article continued on page 9 of SNAPS.