ATLANTA, GEORGIA ~ AUGUST 5, 2022
OXFORD
TOGETHER WE RISE
CUP PRESENTATION 183RD GENERAL CONVENTION COLLEGE FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME
THE 87th OXFORD CUP PRESENTATION
MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Tom Cassady, Cincinnati ’76
General Fraternity President
“WOOGLIN FOREVER” AND “TI-DE-I-DE-O”
Beta Four
Led by
Brock Johnson, Oklahoma State ’09
General Fraternity Chorister
OXFORD CUP PRESENTATION
Tom Cassady, Cincinnati ’76
General Fraternity President
Presented to
M. Rivers Rutherford, Mississippi ’89
ACCEPTANCE RESPONSE AND MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
M. Rivers Rutherford, Mississippi ’89
Oxford Cup Roll No. 087
CLOSING REMARKS
Tom Cassady, Cincinnati ’76
General Fraternity President
“BETA DOXOLOGY”
Beta Four
THE OXFORD CUP
The Fraternity awards the Oxford Cup in recognition of achievement of the highest order by a Beta. Recipients must be loyal members of Beta Theta Pi who have brought honor to the Fraternity through distinguished service and accomplishments in their chosen professional fields. The Oxford Cup was developed in 1984 by then-President Peter E. Van de Water, St. Lawrence ’58, and General Secretary B. Hume Morris, Centre ’68. Brother Morris also wrote the award ceremony and designed the Cup, a smaller version of the Pater Knox Golden Wedding Anniversary Loving Cup.
M. RIVERS RUTHERFORD
Mississippi ’89 | Oxford Cup Roll No. 087
With a name like Rivers Rutherford, it’s no surprise this soulful storyteller and recent Nashville Songwriter Hall of Famer was destined to become one of music’s most talented and accomplished singer-songwriters.
Having grown up in the shadow of Elvis’ Graceland homestead in Memphis, Rutherford came out of the gates swinging at 21 years old, landing his first cut with American legends Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Kris Kristofferson – also known as The Highwaymen.
What followed were dozens of hits; multiple Grammys; Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music nominations; and over 20 awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers, including the coveted awards for Country Song of The Year and Songwriter of The Year.
All told, these honors have firmly established Rutherford’s position within the upper echelon of Nashville’s most lauded songwriters.
You’ll see Rivers’ name on #1 songs by Tim McGraw, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton, Rodney Atkins, Montgomery Gentry, Gretchen Wilson, Trace Atkins and Brooks & Dunn. Rivers has also enjoyed success with Country giants like Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Lady Antebellum, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Toby Keith, Faith Hill, Hank Williams Jr., Gary Allan, and hosts of others.
Known for his gritty southern style, Rutherford is unapologetic about his faith, devotion to his family and making great music. His decadeslong career, the countless hits to his credit and his ability to write music that is timeless are testament to a man that has come to be respected as an artist in his own right.
Currently signed to Verse 2 Music, a Sony Music Publishing joint venture helmed by Kane Brown and Kent Earls, Rivers continues to write with and for the biggest names in country music. He’s also returned to his early troubadour roots and maintains a rigorous touring schedule with over 50 dates a year, bringing his rip-roaring brand of no-holds-barred entertainment to audiences all over the world.
With a persona that is at once direct, raw and impassioned, Rivers possesses the shrewd skills of a storyteller capable of cutting right to the heart of the matter – a trait that leaves his talent both unique and enduring.
OXFORD CUP RECIPIENTS OXFORD CUP RECIPIENTS
1984 001 Seth R. Brooks*, St. Lawrence 1922 — minister; writer; President and General Secretary, Beta Theta Pi
1984 002 Joseph P. Allen IV, DePauw ’59 — astronaut
1985 003 John Sherman Cooper*, Centre 1922 — senator
1985 004 John N. W. Turner*, British Columbia ’49 — prime minister, Canada
1986 005 Arch A. Moore*, West Virginia ’51 — governor, West Virginia
1987 006 Stephen D. Bechtel, Sr.*, California 1923 — engineer
1987 007 Y.C. James Yen*, Yale 1918 — world-renowned teacher and humanitarian
1987 008 Arthur S. Torrey*, St. Lawrence 1924 — executive
1987 009 John R. Wooden*, Purdue ’32 — UCLA basketball coach
1988 010 Carl A. Kroch*, Cornell ’35 — businessman
1988 011 J.J. Robinette*, Toronto 1926 — lawyer
1989 012 Donald S. Dawson*, Missouri ’32 — major gen., USAF
1989 013 Richard G. Lugar*, Denison ’54 — senator, Indiana
1990 014 Glen A. Holden, Oregon ’51 — U.S. ambassador to Jamaica
1991 015 Jamie L. Whitten*, Mississippi ’33 — congressman
1991 016 Samuel M. Walton*, Missouri ’40 — founder, Walmart
1992 017 John E. Dolibois*, Miami ’42 — U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg
1992 018 Harold S. Hook*, Missouri ’53 — businessman; president, Boy Scouts
1993 019 John J. Rhodes*, Kansas State ’38 — congressman, Arizona
1994 020 Burton W. Folsom*, Nebraska ’49 — banker
1994 021 Gupton A. Vogt*, Westminster ’31 — businessman
1994 022 H. Lauren Lewis*, South Dakota ’37 — businessman; banker
1994 023 Michael J. Schmidt, Ohio ’71 — hall of fame baseball player
1995 024 James G. Martin, Davidson ’57 — governor, North Carolina
1995 025 Col. Lee B. Thompson Sr.*, Oklahoma 1925 — lawyer; civic leader
1995 026 Franklin D. Murphy*, Kansas ’36 — chancellor, Kansas and UCLA
1996 027 W.H. (Bert) Bates, Missouri ’49 — lawyer; public service
1996 028 Edward M. Brown*, Miami ’31 — business executive; philanthropist
1997 029 Edward B. Taylor*, Auburn/Davidson ’42 — educator
1997 030 Hugh E. Stephenson Jr.*, Missouri ’43 — physician; educator; inventor
1997 031 Stephen D. Bechtel Jr.*, Colorado ’47 — builder; financier; philanthropist
1998 032 Mark O. Hatfield*, Willamette ’43 — senator; governor, Oregon
1998 033 Robert T. Howard*, DePauw ’37 — editor and historian; author
1998 034 Spencer F. Eccles, Utah ’56 — financier; philanthropist
1998 035 H.H. Stephenson Jr.*, Miami ’39 — archivist; university administrator
1999 036 Stan Smith, Southern California ’69 — Wimbledon tennis champ
1999 037 Frank A. Shrontz, Idaho ’53 — chairman and CEO, Boeing Company
2000 038 Kenneth L. Lay*, Missouri ’64 — businessman
2000 039 Neal R. Fosseen*, Washington ’28 — mayor, Spokane, Washington
2000 040 Steven B. Sample*, Illinois ’62 — president, University of Southern California
2000 041 B. Hume Morris*, Centre ’68 — General Fraternity President
2000 042 Weldon B. (Hoot) Gibson*, Washington State ’38 — senior director, SRI
2000 043 Owen S. Williams*, Toronto ’50 — realtor; educator
2000 044 Bruce A. Nordstrom, Washington ’55 — CEO, Nordstrom
2000 045 Stanley R. Church*, Washington State ’31 — radio executive
2001 046 Robert L. Cottrell*, Miami ’54 — vice president, Kroger Co.
2002 047 Joe M. Allbaugh, Oklahoma State ’74 — director, FEMA
2003 048 Richard O. Ristine*, Wabash ’41 — lieutenant governor, Indiana
2003 049 Robert J. Schaupp, Lawrence ’51 — businessman
2003 050 Warren R. Staley, Kansas State ’65 — CEO, Cargill
2004 051 Dickran M. Tevrizian Jr., Southern California ’62 — federal judge
2004 052 Edward P. Roski Jr., Southern California ’62 — CEO, Majestic Realty Co.
2004 053 Richard E. Heckert*, Miami ’44 — chairman and CEO, DuPont
2004 054 Charles S. Mechem Jr., Miami ’52 — chairman and CEO, Taft Broadcasting
2004 055 Barney Calame, Missouri ’61 — deputy managing editor, The Wall Street Journal
2004 056 G. Kennedy Thompson, North Carolina ’73 — chairman and CEO, Wachovia
2004 057 E.B. Wilson, St. Lawrence ’53 — businessman; strategist
2004 058 John C. Reppert*, Kansas State ’63 — brigadier general
2005 059 John D. Backe*, Miami ’54 — president, CBS
2005 060 Russell E. Palmer, Michigan State ’56 — dean, Wharton School of Business
2005 061 James A. Collins, UCLA ’50 — chairman, Worldwide Restaurant Concepts, Inc.
2007 062 Hugh L. McColl Jr., North Carolina ’57 — CEO, Bank of America
2007 063 Howard D. Fineman, Colgate ’70 — senior editor, Newsweek; MSNBC analyst
2007 064 James L. Mann, Wichita State ’56 — CEO, SunGard Data Systems, Inc.
2008 065 John W. Warner Jr.*, Washington and Lee ’49 — senator, Virginia
2008 066 Jerry R. Lucas, Ohio State ’62 — hall of fame basketball player
2008 067 William A. Cook*, Northwestern ’53 – medical engineer
2009 068 William J. (Bill) Bowerman* , Oregon ’33 — co-founder, Nike
2010 069 C. William (Bill) Nelson, Florida/Yale ’65— astronaut; senator, Florida
2010 070 Donald L. Cromer, Washington State ’59 — U.S. Air Force lieutenant general
2011 071 William O. Douglas* , Whitman 1920 — associate justice, U.S. Supreme Court
2011 072 Donald E. Petersen, Washington ’46 — chairman and CEO, Ford Motor Co.
2011 073 Donald G. Abbey, Penn State ’70 — founder and CEO, The Abbey Company
2011 074 David C. Mulford, Lawrence ’59 U.S. ambassador to India
2012 075 John E. Warnock, Utah ’61 co-founder, Adobe Systems, Inc.
2012 076 Dale T. Mortensen*, Willamette ’61 Nobel Prize in economic sciences
2013 077 Eric M. Javits, Columbia ’52 U.S. ambassador to the OPCW (The Hague)
2013 078 Raymond E. Mabus Jr., Mississippi ’69 U.S. Navy secretary; U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia; governor, Mississippi
2014 079 Daniel M. Carney, Wichita State ’53 co-founder, Pizza Hut
2015 080 Geoffrey S. Mason, Duke ’63 ESPN/ABC/NBC/Fox/NFL executive producer
2016 081 D. Deloss Dodds, Kansas State ’59 college hall of fame athletic director
2017 082 Shahid Khan, Illinois ’70 business executive; owner, NFL Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham Football Club
2018 083 Walter J. Pories, Wesleyan ’52 surgeon; Holocaust survivor
2018 084 Philip E. Nelson, Purdue ’56 food scientist; World Food Prize laureate
2019 085 Dow H. Finsterwald, Ohio ’52 hall of fame golfer
2019 086 Richard H. Evans, Denver ’66 sports and entertainment executive
2022 087 M. Rivers Rutherford, Mississippi ’89 country music singer-songwriter
* Deceased
MISSION
To develop men of principle for a principled life.
VISION
Every member will live Beta Theta Pi’s values.
CORE VALUES
To build lasting bonds of friendship and brotherhood, Beta calls for:
MUTUAL ASSISTANCE
Betas believe men are mutually obligated to help others in the honorable labors and aspirations of life.
INTELLECTUAL GROWTH
Betas are devoted to continually cultivating their minds, including high standards of academic achievement.
TRUST
Betas develop absolute faith and confidence in one another by being true to themselves and others.
RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT
Betas choose to act responsibly, weighing the consequences of their actions on themselves and those around them.
INTEGRITY
Betas preserve their character by doing what is morally right and demanding the same from their brothers.
STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
STRATEGIC INITIATIVES
1. Member Education and Safety
2. Creating a Diverse and Inclusive Brotherhood
3. Fraternity Growth
4. Volunteer Recruitment and Training
5. Alumni Engagement
6. Safe and Competitive Homes
BROTHERHOOD PERSONAL GROWTH HOME
