General Secretary Welcome

S. Wayne Kay, Virginia Tech ’73

General Secretary   

WELCOME

to Beta Theta Pi’s 182nd General Convention in Oxford, Ohio!

All told, Beta Theta Pi has held its annual reunion in 32 American states and Canadian provinces over the years, but nothing quite compares to coming home.

Every General Convention leaves its mark on Beta history. From landmark legislative decisions to speeches now forever enshrined in our texts, some of the Fraternity’s most cherished moments occur around this great Beta tradition. When brothers across chapters and generations come together to rekindle their Beta Spirit, we chart the path forward for our Great and Good Fraternity. Perhaps not surprisingly as host to now 11 Beta Conventions, many of these memories throughout the years were made right here where it all began – Oxford, Ohio.

It’s here at Beta’s birthplace where Founder John Reily Knox, Miami 1839, gave a rousing address on the Fraternity’s first anniversary, where hundreds of brothers gathered on the lawn of Old Main to sing the “Beta Doxology” and ring in the centennial and where, some 25 years ago, former North Carolina Governor and General Fraternity President Jim Martin, Davidson ’57, perfectly summed up what makes the General Convention so pivotal to the Beta experience:

“This uniquely annual event has long been a special source of strength of our Fraternity . . . It brings us together to renew Beta’s vitality; it brings us together, annually, so that no class of undergraduates will be skipped; and it brings us together to share in building a Fraternity . . . In short, it brings us all together.”

This emphasis on togetherness rings especially true to me here at Beta’s 182nd. Following an unprecedented year of disconnect and distance due to the COVID19 pandemic, we come together on this hallowed ground to celebrate and honor our eight founders and this great Fraternity we all know and love.

We reaffirm our commitment to the brotherhood of Beta Theta Pi.