The Beta Theta Pi - Winter 2025

BETA What’s Their Secret?

Beta aspires to have an even more active, engaged alumni base. For its historically Black peer organizations, that’s already a reality.

20

Iowa Reinvigorated

The Iowa chapter teams up with the General Fraternity House Corporation, ushering in a new era of Beta housing.

18

Dr. Ami Bera

The son of Indian immigrants, Ami Bera, UC Irvine ’87, was reelected last fall to his seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives, becoming the longest serving Indian American in congressional history.

28

What’s Their Secret?

The NPHC alumni engagement model serves as a powerful example of how fraternal organizations can remain relevant and influential long after their members leave college.

On the Cover Members of the Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. at Howard University, early 1910s.

The Beta Theta Pi

The first college fraternity magazine, founded December 15, 1872, by Charles Duy Walker, VMI 1869, and published continuously since.

38 Campus Life

When Grant Walther, Texas ’27, went viral, he turned the attention toward positive change. This and a variety of chapter and student highlights are covered in this issue’s expanded eight-page collection.

Publication Schedule Issue Deadline Mail Date

Winter Jan. 15 Feb. 15

Spring April 15 May 15 Fall Oct. 15 Nov. 15

Who Receives the Beta Magazine?

All Beta collegians and parents, current and former volunteers, Foundation donors, and anyone who requests to receive it in print. Update your subscription and contact info at my.beta. org, 800.800.BETA or officemanager@beta.org

46 Grabbing the Reins

After churning through five executive directors in six years, the Dallas Historical Society taps businessman Karl Chiao, Texas A&M ’90.

How Does One Get Published?

Content submissions and photos can be sent to beta@beta.org or:

Beta Theta Pi Administrative Office 5134 Bonham Road Oxford, OH 45056

While space constraints make it difficult to include all submissions, a fair evaluation process is exercised to publish a variety of unique content.

Want Instant Access to a Past Issue? All issues since 1872 can be accessed in Beta’s digital archive: magazine.beta.org

The Beta Theta Pi, (USPS 052-000), official magazine of Beta Theta Pi, is owned by the Fraternity, edited and published under the direction and control of its Board of Trustees, and published fall, winter and spring for a $30 one-time, prepaid subscription. Standard nonprofit class postage paid at Oxford, Ohio, and additional points of entry. Canada Post International Publications Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 0397474. Copyright Beta Theta Pi Fraternity. Produced in the USA.

historical throwback

Handcrafted Iranian Server Finds Permanent Home at Oklahoma

Betas in Norman received quite an archival surprise last October when House Corporation President Zach Allen, Oklahoma '85, received a gift from the family of Doug Banks '53, (left) containing a brilliant, 23-inch brass server emblazoned with the Beta coat of arms.

As detailed by Banks' son, Trent, his father "served in the U.S. Army and was assigned to Iran in the early 1960s when it was still our ally. He commissioned the hand-crafted tray while he was stationed there and proudly displayed it in our home his entire life." Vintage pics viewable at beta.org/ouserver

As the chapter's original dining room was converted into a stunning Beta museum (photo background) when the house was expanded and renovated in 2015, the Banks server adds to Gamma Phi's vast collection of treasures — symbolic of the chapter's storied 118-year legacy at OU.

Lt. Col. Doug Banks, Oklahoma '53, was son to WWI veteran Hugh Banks, Oklahoma State 1921.

foreword

editor’s note

Editor Martin Cobb, Eastern Kentucky ’96 martin.cobb@beta.org

Chief Communication Officer Justin Warren, SMU ’10 justin.warren@beta.org

Creative Director Sarah Shepherd sarah.shepherd@beta.org

Director of Brand Marketing Mike Roupas, Iowa ’10 mike.roupas@beta.org

Director of Digital Media Sutton Jacobs, Wittenberg ’18 sutton.jacobs@beta.org

Publication Printer Royle Printing Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

For pretty good reason, Betas have long viewed their Fraternity as a leader in the Greek world. Shaped largely due to the extensive list of "Beta Firsts" and Betas of achievement who have often been icons of industry, the "Pioneering Fraternity" and "Leadership Fraternity" monikers have been earned over 185 years given the high-mindedness of our order.

Still, there has been a "good sport" thread intertwined throughout Beta's DNA that has believed in the importance of getting along with fellow fraternities. The "Father of Interfraternalism" title bestowed upon Beta's William Raimond Baird, Stevens 1878, symbolizes the value we place on befriending and supporting other groups. "A rising tide lifts all ships" certainly embodies Beta's interfraternal posture.

In practical terms, Beta has collaborated with leaders of Sigma Phi Epsilon the last 30-plus years given their recognized success in new member education. Pi Kappa Phi was consulted in the early 2000s as Beta sought to restructure its chapter officer training model. And Phi Delta Theta has been a great sounding board throughout Beta's transition to substance-free housing. Our friendly competitors have time and again made us better.

In the fall of 2017, some 68 ideas were brainstormed during a Communication Department creative retreat that focused on potential future magazine features. One subject that captured the team's attention was the uniquely loyal alumni culture of Black fraternities and sororities and, specifically, our desire to answer a simple question: How do they keep alumni so involved throughout their lives?

More pressing topics earned their place ahead of it, but the idea was a favorite of the team's and it was consistently revisited. After all, one of the six tenets of the Trustees' strategic plan is all about alumni engagement, and we know the success of our chapters depends in large measure on their degree of skilled local alumni support.

Giving credit where credit is due is also the Beta way, which leads the editorial team this quarter to dive into the impressive alumni culture of The Divine Nine — the nine traditionally Black fraternities and sororities — that bring "lifelong commitment" to an unrivaled reality. Beta can learn a lot from its NPHC friends.

Sincerely and in ___kai___,

"Giving credit where credit is due is also the Beta way, which leads the editorial team this quarter to dive into the impressive alumni culture of The Divine Nine — the nine traditionally Black fraternities and sororities — that bring 'lifelong commitment' to an unrivaled reality."

the inbox

unfiltered feedback

“[The magazine] is always substantive, provocative and honest. I wonder about the silent struggle to come up with some of your topics. Has to be the fascinating unknown about what you do with the magazine. But, for some of us, we get it!

And the thoughtful design and layout add to a firstclass product. Thank you in particular for your tribute to Howard Fineman.”

Avery Friedman, Louisville ’68

frankdiscussion

”First, kudos to those responsible for copy and graphic layout of the magazine. Every issue is fresh, engaging and thoughtfully expressive.

The latest issue — ‘No Thanks’ — is timely and worthy of a deeper dive into the mindset of today’s parents and how they advise/push college age boys into a college application decision, and beyond that a decision to go Greek.

The one graph in the ‘No Thanks’ issue showing membership growth, along with chapter shrinkage, is potentially a Five Alarm Wakeup! You already know some of the reasons behind the decline:

1. Fiscal mismanagement

2. Alumni inattention

3. Alcohol consumption

4. Hazing

I believe Beta HQ needs to SERIOUSLY consider creating a ‘Frank Discussion About Alcohol and Hazing’ multimedia program delivered in-person, via Zoom or at Convention.

Bring together a group of adult Betas with professional experience in communications, public relations, advertising, motivational speaking and visual arts. Charge that group with creating a penetrating, effective and memorable message that addresses the continuing problem of drinking and hazing.

College and university executives, coast to coast, are becoming more and more intolerant of fraternity infractions. I fully expect to see more forced closures akin to what happened to Beta Theta Pi at Penn State. We continue to read about additional fraternity closures due to hazing and/or alcohol. Lessons are not being learned. A much stronger and impactful message is critically needed.

Yours in _kai_”

Eric Peterson, Michigan State ’64

magazine feedback

“This is an incredible [magazine] e-newsletter. Thankful for all of you, especially in this week of Thanksgiving. Proud to be a Beta. kaiDrae” — David Rae, British Columbia ’00

(Editor’s Note: Are you not receiving Beta’s monthly enewsletter that includes advance viewing of The Beta Theta Pi magazine? Send your email to beta. org/update, and the staff will add you to the list!)

“I have so enjoyed the article in the fall issue of the Beta magazine showing and talking about the renovated and expanded Gamma Epsilon Chapter house at Kansas State University!

I am a 1966 alum and proud member of Gamma Epsilon. So many fond, memorable times spent in the house and with brothers during my time there!”

— Fred Isernhagen, Kansas State ’66

“Regarding the fall 2024 ‘The Beta Theta Pi’ magazine cover story, outside of a rare United Negro College Fund television commercial, when was the last time males in the United States were encouraged to attend college? Not in my lifetime. -kai-” — Mike Sanders, Kansas State ’80

programchange

“Had an incredible time at Beta’s inaugural Winter Conclave! Embracing my motto for 2025, ‘Just do it,’ led me to say yes to this opportunity. Serving as a small group facilitator was an absolute honor.

Special thanks to our lead facilitator Fred Myrtle, Dr. Viancca Williams, Kirby Fitzpatrick, Cody Golden and the entire Beta team for their dedication in planning, executing and ensuring our safe journey to Chicago! #MenOfPrinciple #FriendOfBeta #JustDoIt #LeadershipEducation — Darius Jones, Asst. Dir. of F/S Life, The University of Texas at Dallas

(Editor’s Note: To improve officers’ collaboration with their advisors and GFOs, while also save resources, this year the Fraternity combined Presidents Academy, Leadership Summit and regional Keystone Conferences into one weekend involving 600+ attendees.)

universitypresident

“I send a hasty word of admiration for the outstanding issue of the fall magazine. It is topical and imperative. You have featured important and troubling issues of the moment. At least two of them should become front-ofmind for anyone paying attention to the quality and future of residential campus life.

While positively framed around many uplifting stories, you have once again made necessarily prominent the tragic story of an infamous and cruel hazing incident gone severely wrong in the worst possible way. The cautionary tale and morality play of the Penn State chapter’s dissolution must remain a part of Beta history if we are to have a useful future. Publishing Jeff Rundle’s masterful letter to the court was smart. Those words ought to be enshrined as part of the Fraternity’s state papers.

Secondly, the cover story about boys and men raises many questions that I have long fretted as a college president. It has been a slow motion crisis for at least two decades, a crisis that is now accelerating. The consequences of the growing trend that there are fewer young men pursuing and earning college degrees remains, for now, unknown. I am convinced, however, it is not going to be good ultimately that campuses will be functioning in severe gender imbalance. Yet, this is the reality for the foreseeable years ahead. This distressing and arguably unhealthy dichotomy, as it extends into the world of careers and communities, may lead to another kind of lost generation. The undisputed correlation between educational attainment and lifetime earnings is only one measure of concern about what it may mean.

All of it is worrisome and was the main reason I accepted the invitation to join Beta’s Board of Trustees this year. I think the Fraternity’s current programs are extremely relevant because they offer young men a critical anchor point in the second most formative time of human life (the first being the period of early child development). The best grand strategy is to start locally where we can make a difference.

In both of these magazine stories, Beta has a lot at stake.

Yes, we’re a fraternity of great song, but also one of excellent prose. So, bravo. Keep going.

In -kai-”

Dr. Bill Fox, St. Lawrence ’75 President Emeritus, St. Lawrence University Trustee, Beta Theta Pi

“You have featured important and troubling issues of the moment. At least two of them should become front-of-mind for anyone paying attention to the quality and future of campus life.”

newsworthy

fraternity updates

Fraternity Breaks All-Time Fall Recruitment Record

Fall 2024 was a banner term for the Fraternity, as it marks the single largest recruitment period in Beta’s 185-year history. With 131 of 139 chapters reporting fall classes, 2,590 young men accepted bids, a 7.7% increase yearover-year. Fall 2024’s performance is followed closely by fall 2015 (2,546), 2017 (2,508), 2023 (2,504), 2021 (2,498) and 2022 (2,394).

Campus Challenges Take a Toll at Loyola Chicago

Installed November 22, 2020, Eta Omega Chapter at Loyola Chicago conveyed to the General Fraternity early last fall the desire of its seven active collegians to cease operations due to ongoing recruitment and retention challenges. On September 20, General Secretary John Stebbins, Emory ’92 , announced the chapter’s charter has since been suspended and will remain in care of the Board of Trustees.

Beta Honored by AFA With International Innovation Award

During its 1,500-person annual meeting in December, the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors presented Beta with its 2024 Innovation Award for the Fraternity’s Volunteer Engagement Initiative, a revised approach to supporting chapters at the local level.

Shifting to a “volunteers first” mindset focused on recruiting and supporting adults to mentor chapter officers and ensure effective transitions, the 2022 Trustee-adopted strategy has influenced a reorganization of staff servicing.

Michigan State Fall 2024 Initiation

greek headlines

A | Clemson Fraternities Bid Special Needs Students

Clemson University gained international media attention last fall due to its CampusLIFE program that focuses on independent living and competitive career prep for young men and women with intellectual disabilities. Not surprisingly, Greek life is viewed as an important, multi-faceted experience that can add to such students’ development, as seen in a video of Pi Kappa Alpha welcoming Charlie, a young man with Down syndrome, into their brotherhood: beta.org/clemsonpikes

B | Kappa Sig Alum Named TODAY Show C0-Anchor

This past year Kappa Sigma honored TODAY Show host Craig Melvin as its Man of the Year. Following the November announcement that the program’s co-anchor, Hoda Kotb, Delta Delta Delta , would step down in January, Melvin was named Kotb’s replacement alongside Savannah Guthrie, Pi Beta Phi.

C | Alpha Chi Omega Sorority Raises $33.5 Million

beta events

March 2025

22 Villanova 30th Anniversary Villanova, Pa. ckeaven1@villanova.edu

April 2025

5 Appalachian State Installation Boone, N.C. creechkg@appstate.edu

5 Cincinnati House Dedication Cincinnati, Ohio mckenzie.drew@gmail.com

12 San Diego State Installation San Diego, Calif. tdozier4036@sdsu.edu

May/June 2025

31-3 Wooden Institute Session 1 7-10 Wooden Institute Session 2 21-24 Wooden Institute Session 3 O xford, Ohio beta.org/wooden

July/August 2025

31-3 186th General Convention St. Louis, Missouri beta.org/convention

Learn more at beta.org/calendar.

Update: Stop Campus Hazing Act Passes Senate, POTUS Signs

As reported in the fall issue, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Stop Campus Hazing Act in September. Since, the U.S. Senate followed suit on December 11, leading President Biden to sign the transparency-, reporting- and programming-oriented legislation into law on December 24.

With an original goal of $25 million for Alpha Chi Omega’s “Common Bond. Uncommon Impact.” campaign, initial success caused sorority leaders to raise the goal to $30 million. During last summer’s convention, the women celebrated over $33.5 million raised for programs, scholarships, housing and philanthropy.

D | Sigma Chi Initiates 375,000th Member

On November 9, Sigma Chi announced initiation of its 375,000th member, University of New Hampshire Brother Steven Reddy. With 223 active chapters, Sigma Chi ranks as the largest NIC fraternity in terms of lifetime initiates. At publication, Beta ranks 11th with a total of 226,607 initiated brothers.

Two Fraternity Men Killed in New Orleans Terrorist Attack

University of Alabama collegian Kareem Badawi, Sigma Chi, and Auburn University young alumnus Drew Dauphin, Phi Delta Theta , were among 14 individuals tragically killed in the New Orleans terrorist attack on January 1.

news lifelong brotherhood

In the new book “Black Saturday,” Trey Yingst, American ’16, details his firsthand account of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

Story Update: Amidst Personal Grief, Yingst Details Israel-Hamas War

Featured in the spring 2022 issue of The Beta Theta Pi, Founding Father Trey Yingst, American ’16, has risen through the world of journalism at breakneck pace. Traveling the globe reporting on international story lines, he has built quite the resume as chief foreign correspondent for Fox News, a mainstay on nightly broadcasts of Special Report with Brett Baier, Sigma Chi.

Covering Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, however, may be his most impactful. As detailed in his recently released book, “Black Saturday,” Yingst recounts gripping details of the families of 1,200 Israelis who were killed that fateful day, including those of 251 hostages.

Unique to Yingst’s award-winning reporting, he takes the opportunity in “Black Saturday” to share his own personal grief having witnessed the degree of human suffering firsthand. “I’ve been very open about the fact that I struggle with post-traumatic stress,” he shared. “You see the worst of humanity on display. And it can be hard to maintain your hope and faith.” Still, “We have a responsibility to record these events — and tell the world the truth,” he wrote. “We cannot look away.”

Photo: Fox News

alumni news

A | Update: Lawrence Beta

Wins Council Race in Hawai’i

As reported in the fall issue after James Hustace, Lawrence ’08, won the early August primary capturing some 44% of the votes, Brother Hustace won the general election, unseating the incumbent and former 16-year state representative with 58% of the vote in Hawai’i’s County Council District 9 race representing north and south Kohala. He was sworn into office on December 2.

B | Canadian Canoe Trip 40th

Last September, Scott Falconer, Western Ontario ’82, spearheaded the 40th annual Canadian Beta Canoe Trip, this year on the Barron River in Algonquin Park, Ontario — the oldest provincial park in Canada. Next up for Falconer? His 46th annual participation in Toronto’s pledge-active football game. “I might hang up my cleats after the 50th!” he shared. Pictured left to right: Falconer; Paul Edwards, Carleton ’96; Carlyle D’Souza, Western Ontario ’80; and Chris Johnston, Toronto ’92

C | Brother Helps Brother

Hurricane Milton hit Florida’s west coast with force on October 9, ranking as a Category 3 that spurred a record number of tornadoes on the southern edge of the storm. Learning a fellow Beta brother was in need following damage to his personal property, decorated U.S. Army veteran Jon Cartier, Texas at Arlington ’91, (left) sprung into action and headed straight to the home of fellow veteran and big brother, Paul Herber ’88 Reminiscing about the value of their Beta origins, Herber shared, “Thank God I’m a Beta!”

alumni news

D | Update: Rales’ Commanders

Featured in the fall 2023 issue, becoming co-owner of the Washington Commanders was another milestone in a long line of successes of Danaher Co-founder Mitch Rales, Miami ’78 And he certainly has reason to celebrate. Within his second year of co-ownership, the franchise won its first playoff game since 2005 and made it to the NFC title game. With a 14-6 record, the team posted its best season since 1991 when it went 14-2 and won the Super Bowl.

E | High School Hall of Fame

Early last September, Ron Holm, Kansas State ’65, was inducted into Salina Central High School’s athletic hall of fame. Pictured with Beta Sweetheart, Marsha, Brother Holm earned all-state honors, lettering in football, track, baseball and basketball. Many of his records stand to this day.

F | Governor Honors IU Beta

Jed Dresbach, Indiana ’76, was recognized on October 20 by Governor Eric Holcomb, FIJI, for decades of service caring for the poor, advocating for the Keep Indianapolis Beautiful recycling program and U.S. Army service (1983-86). Jed was presented with the Distinguished Hoosier honor by Councilman Jesse Brown (right).

G | Housemom Retires in Style

Oregon Betas came together in force on November 2 to honor their beloved retiring housemother, Jan Franklin. After 27 years of service, 130 alumni and the 127-man chapter gathered to dedicate the Jan Franklin Memorial Dining Room and Kitchen and present her with an ATV, representative of her lively personality. The day included house tours and was capped off with a game-day watch party at The Better Living Room event venue as the Ducks took on Michigan.

Field Leader

Since Beta’s establishment at the University of Miami in fall 2006, the chapter has consistently been home to highly involved campus leaders. Doctoral student Joe Bonner, Miami (Fla.) ’17, (right) continues that tradition, as he was elected this past year as student trustee, Graduate Student Association president and chairman of the Iron Arrow Honor Society, the university’s top academic honorary.

Iconic Company Founders Featured in History Channel Series

In 2023, the History Channel released a new hit series, “The Mega Brands That Built America,” spotlighting icons of industry that have shaped American culture. Not surprisingly, the world’s largest retailer and Walmart Founder Sam Walton, Missouri ’40, (above) was the feature of episode one. In season two last summer, viewers were treated to the story of Oregon’s Hall of Fame Track and Field Coach and Nike Co-Founder Bill Bowerman, Oregon ’33. Watch their inspiring stories at history.com.

H | Dunkin’ Exec Honored

On November 7, Chris Burr, Florida State ’83, (left) was inducted into the renowned Dedman College of Hospitality Hall of Fame at Florida State. Burr is the director of development responsible for placing Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin Robbins in non-traditional locations such as military bases, airports and big-box retail.

I | Aviation Accolades

A lifelong historian, pilot and Victorian-age engineer, Kip Lankenau, Michigan State ’82, constructed replicas of the Langley Aerodrome No. 5 at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and presented them to the Stafford Regional Airport in Virginia and NASA Langley Research Center to celebrate Langley’s 190th birthday.

J | Chico Alum: Industry Leader

Jamie Pardi, Cal State, Chico ’96, was recently named to Who’s Who in America given his leadership in the digital sports world. Co-founder of FanCompass, a leading platform for fan engagement that focuses on partnerships with teams and brands, Pardi credits his success to his days as lacrosse captain, student government and his “beloved Beta Theta Pi.”

K | Swimming Sensations

During the weekend of October 25, DePauw University inducted into its Athletics Hall of Fame 18-time AllAmerica swimmer John Cook, DePauw ’10, (pictured) and 7-time Conference Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year and longtime Friend of Beta and Chapter Counselor Adam Cohen, Zeta Beta Tau

alumni news

L | Renowned Conservationist

In a follow-up to “A Young Man in War,” which detailed his military service in South Vietnam, world-renowned conservationist and author Paul Pritchard, Missouri ’66, recently released his second memoir, “Voyage of a Conservationist.”

M | Forbes Honors Beta Author

Alongside notable authors such as Faulkner, Hemingway and Melville, Beta Brother John MacIlroy, Yale ’68, was recently recognized by Forbes in its “25 Greatest Short Stories of All Time” for his book, “Whatever Happens, Probably Will.”

N | Award-Winning Beta Poet

Following two volumes published in 2006 and 2016, Beta attorney and poet Charles Williams, Duke ’69, has released three more volumes, including “Visible Magic” and “Echo Ridge,” which won 2022’s “Reading for Sanity’s Best Reads in Poetry.”

O | New York Times Best Seller

Veteran Washington journalist David Von Drehle recently released “The Book of Charlie, Wisdom from the Remarkable American Life of a 109Year Old Man,” the personal story of his friendship with neighbor and Beta brother Dr. Charles White, Missouri 1926 (pictured). The book climbed to number four on The New York Times Best Sellers list.

alumni news

P | Founder’s Name Lives On

The initiation of eventual Chapter President Johnny Gordon Kehr, Centre ’14, was particularly meaningful in 2011, as he is the great, great, great, great nephew of Beta Founder Thomas Boston Gordon, Miami 1840 (inset). Thanks to Johnny’s mother’s maiden name, Gordon, how fitting then that he and his Sweetheart welcomed their first child into the world on October 23, and that the little guy helps carry on the Beta name: Cal Gordon Kehr.

Two additional founder legacies are also known to be living Beta brothers: the great, great nephew of Founder John Reily Knox, Miami 1839, former Chapter President John E.M. Ellis, Sewanee ’56, and his son John B. Ellis, Sewanee ’84. Brother Ellis ’56, traveled to Oxford on August 8, 2014, as a surprise guest at Beta’s 175th anniversary.

Q | Dr. Brickley’s Generosity

Giving back is a lifelong calling of Dr. Harry Brickley, Indiana ’49. Passionate about helping the less fortunate, he has funded 101 students’ first year at Ivy Tech, endowed 15 $100,000 scholarships — 10 of which are for Native American med school students — and given five agriculture high school classes 10 acres each to farm annually.

R | Services Rendered

During the Trustees’ alumni appreciation dinner in Cincinnati held in conjunction with the fall Board meeting, General Fraternity President Jonathan Brant, Miami ’75, (right) had the honor of presenting past president Tom Cassady, Cincinnati ’76, with his own Croom Badge, a replica of Beta’s unique 1859 badge reserved for General Fraternity Presidents.

Hollywood Exec Produces “The Americas”

NBC Universal Vice President of New Programming Joey Femia, Central Florida ’12, has added another high-profile show to his portfolio of professional work. Responsible for creative oversight of “The Americas,” NBC’s new nature docuseries narrated by award-winning actor and filmmaker Tom Hanks, the 10-part series premiered February 23 on NBC and Peacock.

Photo: NBC Universal

"Some of my closest friends in life are my Beta brothers from Irvine. As we've gone on our life paths after college, it's amazing how successful so many of my fraternity brothers have become."

BERA DR .

PHYSICIAN TURNED LAWMAKER BECOMES LONGEST SERVING INDIAN AMERICAN IN U.S. CONGRESSIONAL HISTORY

By Martin Cobb, Eastern Kentucky '96 /// Designed by Sarah Shepherd

Beta Theta Pi has long been known for its members who have answered the call of public service. Older than 24 states in the Union and 10 Canadian provinces, the Fraternity’s interfraternal first-mover advantage has certainly afforded its pick among men who would go on to do great things civically.

Eight Supreme Court justices, a Canadian justice, more than 200 congressmen, a vice president, 32 ambassadors and a Canadian prime minister all bear the name of Beta Theta Pi. As do 52 governors to 30 states and two Canadian premiers.

The Fraternity has placed that kind of leadership at the heart of its 185-year existence. Evidenced evermore by the recent reelection of Representative Ami Bera, M.D., UC Irvine ’87 — now the longest-serving Indian American in congressional history.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Born in Los Angeles in 1965 to Indian immigrants, Ami was raised in Orange County and matriculated to the University of California, Irvine, in fall 1983.

Joining the Fraternity as a freshman, Ami recalled the defining aspect of being a Beta. "Embedded in fraternity is camaraderie, that brotherhood piece. At its core, that's what was special about my experience," he shared. "Some of my closest friends in life are my Beta brothers from Irvine. We get together at least once a year, usually to watch the Super Bowl."

Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biology, he earned his doctor of medicine from UCI in 1991. Becoming chief medical officer for Sacramento County

and associate dean at UC Davis Medical School, from 2005-12 he served as a clinical professor at UCDMS.

THE CALL TO SERVE

Ami's calling to care for people as a physician certainly inspired his political pursuits, as demonstrated by his congressional focus on healthcare, national intelligence and foreign relations.

Known within congressional circles for his intellectual prowess and coalition-building, he serves as a member of the powerful House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and House Foreign Affairs Committee where he is the ranking member of the Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific. Unseating incumbent Dan Lungren in 2012, Bera was reelected last fall to his seventh term in office.

INDIAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP

The first Indian American elected to Congress was California's Dalip Singh Saund in 1956, who served for three terms.

In 2004, Louisiana native Bobby Jindal became the second Indian American elected to Congress — a post he held for three years before successfully pursuing the governorship of his home state.

In addition to Bera's history-making seventh term, Indian Americans have grown to five members in Congress, representing 1% of that body and correlating with the race's 1% of the U.S. population. The executive branch and state governments also exemplify how widely normed American Indian political leadership has become.

Kamala Harris, Alpha Kappa Alpha, was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016 and

vice president in 2020. Nikki Haley was elected South Carolina state representative in 2004 and governor in 2011, was named UN ambassador in 2017 and was the last GOP presidential candidate standing against Donald Trump in 2024. Vivek Ramaswamy also ran for the Republican nomination and recently announced his run for Ohio governor.

A POINT OF PRIDE

It has often been said that politics is a bare-knuckle sport — one that's not for the faint of heart. Beta's posture toward that arena, of course, has long been one that stays above the fray and away from brothers' platforms and policy preferences. In the spirit of that tradition, Brother Bera was honored in 2023 with one of just four Statesmanship Awards for Bipartisan Leadership in Congress by the Association of Former Members of Congress.

As No Labels co-founder and former President George W. Bush advisor Mark McKinnon said of Bera, "He is the most important member of our Problem Solvers group.” Likely no surprise for one who took an oath to "mutual aid and assistance" so many years ago. 

Brother Bera and his Beta Sweetheart, Janine, were married in 1991 and live in Sacramento County with their beloved daughter, Sydra.

IOWA REINVIGORATED

The

Iowa Chapter Teams Up With the General Fraternity House Corporation, Ushering in a New Era of Beta Housing

by

Nestled atop a hill overlooking the Iowa River, the Alpha Beta chapter house at the University of Iowa has been home to some 2,000 Beta brothers since its doors first opened in fall 1929. Founded in 1866, the chapter is credited as the first fraternity established west of the Mississippi River, and it has owned two houses in its 159-year history.

A BACKWARD GLANCE

In the early days, Alpha Beta brothers first lived in a third-floor apartment above a bank before moving to another downtown loft for a number of years. The men had their first taste of living in an actual house when they moved into a rental home on campus. Quickly outgrowing that property, their eyes were set on a larger vision.

“‘Own your own chapter house’ was the goal sought after,” reflected Charles Clarke, Iowa 1884, during his address at the chapter’s house dedication banquet in February 1930.

The first house the chapter owned was originally built for another fraternity, but the men soon outgrew that property, too. Since the chapter also owned the adjacent land, in 1929, Alpha Beta alumni decided to sell the house and build a brand new one next door — 816 N. Dubuque Street has been home sweet home ever since.

70 YEARS LATER

Home to nearly a century of brothers, the chapter house bore witness to decades of triumphs and challenges alike. Once considered a strong and influential chapter that helped usher in the existence of Greek life on campus, Alpha Beta faced a period of decline in the early 2000s and was closed due to risk management violations. Seventy years since its construction, conditions had deteriorated and the house was further vandalized during the members’ eviction, leaving the physical property in disrepair.

In 2005, a movement to reestablish the chapter began, and thanks to the General Fraternity’s willingness to serve as a guarantor on the loan for Alpha Beta’s house corporation, $500,000 was invested into a complete revitalization of the home and its furnishings, making it feel as pristine as it was in 1930. With the property returning to prime condition, the refounding fathers were proud to have a house to call home as they grabbed the torch to usher in the next generation of Alpha Beta.

MOUNTING CHALLENGES

Over the 17 years following its refounding in 2005, the chapter house again saw hundreds of new brothers live within its halls. The property was managed by

Mike Roupas, Iowa ’10

“We all wanted to make living at the Beta house a special experience for the undergraduates, as it was for us when we were in college. But with board members spread across multiple states and busy with careers, we were challenged to maintain the house’s needs as remote landlords.”

— Matt Petti, Iowa ’08, Refounding Father and House Corporation Member

a dedicated house corporation board during that time, but the board continually faced challenges with remote property management and collecting rent from the chapter. The lack of consistent cash flow led to limited funds available for the house corporation to sustain ongoing maintenance projects, let alone appropriate proactive upgrades to keep up with current campus housing expectations.

“We all wanted to make living in the Beta house a special experience for the undergraduates, as it was for us when we were in college,” said Matt Petti, Iowa ’08, a refounding father and house corporation member. “But with board members spread across multiple states and busy with careers, we were challenged to maintain the house’s needs as remote landlords.”

A TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP

In 2017, the Fraternity’s housing arm — the General Fraternity House Corporation (GFHC) — was established with

(A) The first chapter house owned by Alpha Beta is located directly to the right of its current home.

(B) The current chapter house in 1929, after the doors officially opened for the first time.

(C) A 1929 photograph of the Great Hall shows the interior aesthetics on day one.

(D) A $500,000 revitalization took place in 2005, restoring the 76-year-old Great Hall.

a vision to champion safe, competitive and brotherhood-focused Beta housing standards. One year later, Alpha Beta’s house corporation approached the GFHC to discuss the home’s mounting deterioration, expenses and other stressors to determine if there was an opportunity to receive support. With the General Fraternity’s still vested interest in the property as a loan guarantor, the GFHC proposed a solution in fall 2021: to pay off the remaining loan and assume ownership and property management of the house.

Alpha Beta’s house corporation officially approved the structure and announced the transition of ownership to the GFHC in October 2022, knowing Alpha Beta’s future — at least at 816 N. Dubuque Street — depended on it and would be in safe hands.

REFRESHING THE HOUSE

In alignment with the purchase agreement, the GFHC immediately invested in the necessary physical upgrades to the property, including a new boiler and heating system, and completely gutted the second- and third-floor bathrooms down to the studs. A plumbing leak occurred during the bathroom renovations, leading to water damage in the recreation room and kitchen located on the floors beneath the bathrooms. Thanks to the house’s property insurance coverage, the GFHC replaced the nearly 20-year-old carpeting in the recreation room and added new cabinets and countertops in the kitchen, giving both rooms an unexpected, yet welcomed, refresh.

One of the most anticipated projects by the students, however, was a complete transformation of the aging wooden deck.

Originally built in 1982 with funds gifted to the chapter by young alumnus John Apgar, Iowa ’76, upon his untimely passing from cancer, the outdoor space was enjoyed by four decades of Alpha Beta brothers and would soon be facing structural safety issues.

With the GFHC’s investment of more than $170,000, the deck’s design and footprint were completely reimagined by hired architects, creating an inviting atmosphere for brothers to enjoy. Officially named the Alpha Beta Alumni Patio, the space also features a section of 400 personalized bricks with the names of Alpha Beta alumni, symbolizing an ongoing connection between past and present chapter brothers.

A SYMBOLIC CELEBRATION

In September 2024, members of the GFHC joined dozens of Beta alumni and collegians for the Alumni Patio’s ribbon cutting ceremony. Appropriately, the occasion coincided with the 25th annual Dan Holmstrom Memorial Weekend — a cherished reunion event honoring the late Dan Holmstrom, Iowa ’99, who was tragically shot and killed during a robbery in 2000, shortly after his graduation.

Hosting the Alumni Patio ribbon cutting during the chapter’s most anticipated alumni gathering of the year was a fitting tribute. Over the last 25 years, the active chapter has continued to see and feel the impact of Dan’s legacy.

“The grief of that loss quickly turned to focus and energy,” recalled house corporation member Scott Hall, Iowa ’98. “A scholarship in Dan’s honor is awarded annually to a deserving chapter member for leading the chapter like Dan did. In death, as in life, Dan brings our chapter together, and with humble gratitude we continue to celebrate our brotherhood.”

Thanks to Hall, who leads the fundraising charge annually with the management support of the Beta Foundation, dozens of scholarships have been awarded over the last 25 years, with more than $120,000 gifted to the fund by hundreds of alumni donors in total.

A MATCHING COMMITMENT

Mirroring the investments made in the Alpha Beta Chapter at all levels of the organization, the active chapter rose to

Alpha Beta alumni, collegians and GFHC representatives pictured at the Alumni Patio ribbon cutting during the 25th annual Dan Holmstrom Memorial Weekend.

the occasion, too, contributing $30,000 of its own funds to refresh the house’s study room with new flooring, cabinetry, seating and lighting.

Culturally, the chapter has also achieved remarkable success since this time. Alpha Beta has grown into the second-largest fraternity on campus, now boasting 120 members after welcoming its largest fall new member class in history in 2023. Academically, the chapter leads the IFC community, maintaining a GPA above 3.3 for the last three consecutive semesters. Adding to their achievements, a member was elected IFC president and the chapter received its first John Reily Knox Award at the 185th General Convention in 2024.

Beyond enhancing their house and strengthening their culture, the collegiate men also pledged $25,000 to establish the Bridge Builder Scholarship fund within the Beta Foundation to assist Alpha Beta upperclassmen facing financial challenges to help them stay engaged with the chapter. Alumni followed suit, increasing the scholarship fund total to nearly $45,000.

PRESERVING THE LEGACY

With a thriving membership, commitment to academic excellence and a home under careful management of the GFHC, the Alpha Beta Chapter is strongly positioned for a bright and enduring future.

“Like all chapters, Alpha Beta has had its ups and downs the past few decades with membership and facilities,” said Hall. “Seeing the active members win their first Knox Award, increase membership, and excel in academics, philanthropy and brotherhood makes the alumni choice to partner with the GFHC to upgrade and manage our historic home one of the best decisions we ever made.”

Today, the Alpha Beta chapter house stands as more than just a residence — it is a symbol of enduring Beta pride, history and progress. 

STUDY ROOM

RECREATION ROOM

“Like all chapters, Alpha Beta has had its ups and downs the past few decades with membership and facilities. Seeing the active members win their first Knox Award, increase membership, and excel in academics, philanthropy and brotherhood makes the alumni choice to partner with the GFHC to upgrade and manage our historic home one of the best decisions we ever made.”

BRICKS

Are you an Iowa alumnus who still needs to secure a brick? Visit beta.org/iowa or scan the QR code.

— Scott Hall, Iowa ’98, House Corporation Member

PATIO | BEFORE

PATIO | AFTER GREAT HALL

KITCHEN

BATHROOM

PATIO | VIEW

cut and polishedrefining men of principle

let love flow free

Men and romance often mix like oil and water. But it’s the season of love, so follow these guidelines to keep the spark alive.

YOUNG LOVE

Be Receptive

Actively (and genuinely) engage in their hobbies and interests. You’ll create instant, lasting memories while allowing your partner to associate you with the things they already love. If you weren’t a Swiftie before, you are now!

Stay Curious

Ask a lot of questions. Learn about their past, their family, their best friend, their old pets, their defining life experiences and their life goals. Ask the questions, then probe further. Leave no stone unturned — this could be your soulmate, after all.

Take Notes

You’ll learn a ton about your partner in the first year of dating, so start a running written or digital note where you can jot down things like foods they enjoy, gifts they might want, inside jokes, etc. You’ll win serious brownie points when you come across as “Mr. Thoughtful” down the line.

Be Yourself

The teachings of Beta Theta Pi leave you well prepared for this one: Be an honest, authentic version of yourself. No need to chest pound! Be truthful about who you are and what you’re looking for in a partner, and in life. If they’re the one, they’ll love you as you are.

OLD FLAMES

Communicate

Make time for frequent conversations about your — and importantly, their — feelings, what is or isn’t working in the relationship, and plans or goals.

Get Creative

Break out of your routine and do something new and fun. Plan small surprises or date nights inspired by your partner’s likes and passions.

Make Time

After years together, once fiery love can begin to look more like a busy strategic partnership. Set aside time for just the two of you, without kids or friends. Schedule physical intimacy if necessary to ensure it remains a priority in your relationship. And invest in some alone time so you retain the individual qualities that attract you to one another.

Show Appreciation

Acknowledge your partner’s efforts with a simple “thank you.” Give them compliments that show you’re paying attention to the work they’re doing on themselves, for your family and for the benefit of those around them.

CONGRATULATIONS,

Your fraternity experience extends well beyond college. In Beta Theta Pi, brothers are brothers for life! Here are three ways to stay engaged as an alumnus:

• Update your contact information on MyBeta to stay connected with the General Fraternity and your chapter. While you’re there, confirm your interest in receiving the Beta magazine. | my.beta.org

• Volunteer as a chapter advisor or join a house corporation to support the next generation of Betas. | beta.org/volunteer

• Join a local alumni association to reconnect with brothers and build new Beta friendships. | beta.org/alumni

Photo: Sacred Heart University

What’s Their Secret?

Beta aspires to have an even more active, engaged alumni base. For its historically Black peer organizations, that’s already a reality.

by Justin Warren, SMU ’10

designed by Mike Roupas, Iowa ’10

“This level of passion, commitment and affinity seen from alumni members is the envy of fraternities like Beta Theta Pi ...”

Credit: Lorenzo Dow Turner Papers, Anacostia Community Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

n Thursday, July 24, 2024, some 450 collegians, alumni and friends of Beta Theta Pi converged in Oxford, Ohio, for the Fraternity’s 185th General Convention. Attendees gathered in a modestly sized theatre to receive a hearty welcome from General Fraternity President Jonathan Brant, Miami ’75, witness deserving chapters and individuals receive awards, and solidify a common bond through a group rendition of “Marching Along.” By most accounts, it was a routine kickoff to a weekend full of business, education and relationship building within the brotherhood.

The Convention is one of Beta’s oldest traditions, strategically smaller in this most recent year but capable of drawing crowds up to nearly 1,700 — as it did for Beta’s 175th anniversary in 2014 — and on average attracting roughly 620 attendees annually in the decade since.

Juxtapose that to a similar scene less than a month earlier in Tampa, Florida, where 8,457 members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. — a historically Black organization — and enough guests, local leaders and activists to total 30,000 gathered for a full week of fellowship, development and community service at its own biennial Grand Conclave.

Comprised of men from across all generations and corners of the globe, a group this size needed more than a space in the student union; it required an entire convention hall. Major media outlets covered the event, noting the lineup of keynote speakers that included former NFL safety Malcolm Jenkins and U.S. Representatives James Clyburn and Jasmine Crockett, among others. Like a Beta Convention, the gathering prioritized business and celebration, but it also featured a youth leadership conference focused on financial literacy, digital etiquette and college preparation; voter registration drive; 1,500-person silent march; historical artifacts exhibit and much more that, in total, generated some $30 million in economic impact for the local community.

This level of passion, commitment and affinity seen from alumni members is the envy of traditionally white fraternities like Beta Theta Pi, but it’s common for many of the groups comprising the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) — often referred to as the Divine Nine — where organizations like Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. also commonly host 10,000-20,000 attendees at their annual events. To be sure, this loyalty extends beyond the confines of a convention hall, so the question begs to be asked:

Photo: Members of the Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. at Howard University, early 1910s.

“The question begs to be asked: In Beta’s quest to improve lifelong alumni engagement, what can we learn from our peers?”

The

Divine Nine are fully represented on the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s National Executive Board of Directors and slate of area coordinators.

In Beta’s quest to improve lifelong alumni engagement, what can we learn from our peers?

COMMON FOUNDATIONS, DIVERGING PATHS

“On the eighth day of the eighth month of the year 1839, eight earnest young men …”

You know how it goes.

When Beta Theta Pi was founded in the first half of the 19th century, its aims tracked closely alongside those of other Greek-letter fraternities dating back to the 1776 founding of Phi Beta Kappa at the College of William & Mary. Yes, it was rooted in the practices of a literary society and a desire to debate topics deemed taboo by college faculty at the time, but Beta’s primary purposes then were much the same as today: intellectual and social.

Contrast that to the historical context surrounding the 1906 founding of the first Black Greek Letter Organization, Alpha Phi Alpha, on a Cornell University campus then plagued by segregation and a culture of social exclusion for Black students. The Alphas and groups like them emerged during a particularly low point in the country’s race relations, as Jim Crow laws became rampant and threats of violence and prejudice

grew. They became havens and outlets, fostering brotherhood and sisterhood intent on bringing about positive change through the development of social programs that would move the Black community, and the country, forward.

According to Dr. Taulby Edmondson, a professor of history, religion and culture at Virginia Tech:

“Black fraternities and sororities allowed members to pool resources and carve out systems of aid and a Black cultural niche within higher education’s white-dominated spaces. Black Greek alumni groups, similarly, helped finance members who could not afford an education by themselves, provided a community for those who felt isolated on a majority-white campus, and helped define a sense of purpose and direction for their organization, its individual chapters and members.”

A number of symbols and secrets have become attached to the Beta name over the years: a badge, password, grip and a commitment to mutual assistance, intellectual growth, responsible conduct, trust and integrity. Black fraternities and sororities have many of these signs and core values, too, but also prioritize racial uplift and societal advancement through grassroots community service, civic

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Est. 1906 at Cornell University

290,000+ Members

725+ Chapters

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

Est. 1913 at Howard University

350,000+ Members

1,000+ Chapters

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Est. 1920 at Howard University

100,000+ Members

850+ Chapters

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

Est. 1908 at Howard University

325,000+ Members

1,050+ Chapters

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Est. 1911 at Howard University

250,000+ Members

750+ Chapters

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Est. 1922 at Butler University

100,000+ Members

500+ Chapters

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.

Est. 1911 at Indiana University

160,000+ Members

700+ Chapters

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

Est. 1914 at Howard University

200,000+ Members

750+ Chapters

Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc.

Est. 1963 at Morgan State University

30,000+ Members

300+ Chapters

The Divine Nine

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, frequently referred to as the Divine Nine, are historically Black fraternal organizations that have shaped Black culture, empowerment and leadership for over a century.

Source: HBCU Lifestyle (Collegiate and Alumni Chapters)

Martin Luther King Jr.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Minister/Activist; Nobel Peace Prize Winner

Aretha Franklin

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Grammy-Winning Singer/Songwriter; “Queen of Soul”

Cedric the Entertainer

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Comedian/Actor; “Barbershop”

Toni Morrison

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Novelist; Nobel and Pulitzer Prize Winner

John Lewis

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.

U.S. House of Representatives (19402020); March on Washington Organizer

Jalen Hurts

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

NFL Super Bowl Champion (2024); NFL Super Bowl MVP (2024)

Names You Know

Michael Jordan

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. 6x NBA Champion; 5x League MVP

Maya Angelou

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Poet/Activist; Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient

Spencer Christian Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. Television Broadcaster; “Good Morning America”

Robin Kelly

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

U.S. House of Representatives (2013-Present)

Sheryl Underwood

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.

Emmy-Winning Actress/Comedian; “The Talk”

“Rarely do you hear NPHC alumni members utter the phrase ‘I was a member,’ but rather ‘I am a member.’”

engagement and philanthropic efforts — aims which members continue to hold dear far beyond graduation.

Perhaps identifying and advocating for a shared cause that rallies the brothers of Beta Theta Pi, one that inspires and endures across all stages of life, is one way to address the alumni engagement gap.

SETTING EXPECTATIONS

“Once a Beta, Always a Beta, Everywhere a Beta,” Francis W. Shepardson, Denison 1882/Brown 1883, famously proclaimed. In Greek life one’s membership extends beyond the college experience — a universal truth all Betas swear to forever uphold, in principle. In practice, though, only NPHC-affiliate groups seem willing to set that expectation in stone. Rarely do you hear their alumni members utter the phrase “I was a member,” but rather “I am a member.”

“This is a lifetime commitment,” the NPHC plainly but boldly states. “The individual member is expected to align with a graduate/alumni chapter following graduation from college, with the expectation that he/she will attend regular chapter meetings, regional conferences and national conventions, and take an active part in matters concerning and affecting the community in which he or she lives.”

The presence and role of alumni chapters no doubt represents another significant structural difference between NPHC and NIC fraternities, with the first being chartered in 1911 — only five years after Alpha Phi Alpha’s founding.

While organizations like Beta have (loosely) relied on alumni associations to engage non-collegiate members for quite some time, their prominence and influence have ebbed and flowed. Case in point: Alumni associations used to routinely occupy more than 100 delegate seats at the Fraternity’s General Convention, yet today that number rarely surpasses 30. Now, they are more often informal networks that provide a social outlet and occasional support for students via fundraising efforts.

In contrast, NPHC organizations continue to have well-organized graduate chapters, often around the world, that serve as an extension of the undergraduate experience or a stand-alone opportunity for those who wish to join after college.

Indeed, these graduate chapters provide extensive support to undergraduate members in the areas of advisor support, fundraising and development, similar to Beta’s alumni associations. In fact, most NPHC organizations mandate a trained and certified advisor affiliated with a

Before becoming vice president, Kamala Harris reunited with her Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. sisters in 2018’s Los Angeles Kingdom Day Parade.

“Their bonds are demonstrably not ‘just a college thing’ — they truly bring the adage to bear that brothers are brothers for life. ”

Today, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has active chapters in the United States, Germany, Bermuda, the Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Canada and Korea (pictured below).

graduate chapter be involved before an undergraduate chapter can function.

Their functions extend far beyond that, though. These are structured, official entities with leadership positions, community service programs, dues and regular meetings where involvement is an expectation, not merely an option. They also provide professional networking opportunities, mentorship and continued exposure to the organization and its purposes, ensuring members remain connected beyond their college years.

Beta Theta Pi promotes alumni involvement, though most vigorously when it involves seeking local volunteers or soliciting financial gifts to support its own young men. Maybe a more structured membership experience that continues to provide fellowship and development to brothers in their later lives would yield better, more lasting results.

MEANINGFUL OUTCOMES

When masses of loyal members work together, the results can be huge; and success begets success.

Recall last summer’s well-attended Omega Psi Phi Grand Conclave mentioned earlier. There, 8,400 books on Black history and culture were collected and distributed to local families. Soon thereafter, at the 20,000-attendee national

convention for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., sisters and guests distributed 25,000 meal kits for Dallas school children before setting a Guinness World Record by assembling 8,500 hygiene kits for a local charity.

“It’s more than a sorority,” said Alpha Kappa Alpha convention attendee Evelyn Sample Oates in an interview with CBS News. “We’re a movement that really does change communities, change nations.”

The Martin Luther King Jr., Memorial on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., even exists today because of a grassroots campaign initiated by Dr. King’s Alpha Phi Alpha brothers back in 1984. That same group funds and formally leads programs that touch members across the Black community, from teenage men through their “Go to High School, Go to College” program to elder brothers, spouses and widows through the “Brother’s Keeper” program. Because these missions extend beyond the siloed interests of those on college campuses, alumni naturally remain involved to continue their organization’s work in underserved communities.

And while networking is a key benefit of membership in any fraternity, Black Greek Letter Organizations have tended to take this responsibility more seriously. Given the historical lack of

access to professional opportunities, their brotherhoods and sisterhoods have, in fact, long served as essential careerbuilding platforms.

“If you look back at any point in history at Black excellence, nine times out of 10 you’re talking about someone who’s been a part of one of our [Divine Nine] organizations,” International 1st Vice President of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., David Turner, told the Black college culture and news site Watch The Yard.

The strong alumni network provides mentorship, job opportunities and business partnerships that benefit members well into their careers. This professional support system incentivizes alumni to stay involved and reciprocate in meaningful ways.

At the moment of initiation, all Betas commit to a lifetime of mutual aid and assistance. Could the Fraternity prioritize programs and platforms that more easily allow brothers to connect across generations and geographic locations to aid in furthering one another’s aims and ambitions? Might that convince more brothers to remain committed to the Beta experience?

AN OPEN SECRET

Almost daily, Beta Theta Pi collaborates with and learns from its peers in the North American Interfraternity Conference. On the matter of lifelong alumni engagement, however, it’s high time leadership looks further beyond to see if, in even a small way, the Fraternity can achieve success by emulating the post-collegiate experience Black organizations have spent nearly 120 years perfecting.

There is much to actively learn from these fraternities and sororities because, the truth is, if they have a secret at all, it’s an open one. Yes, Beta envies their alumni’s continued affinity, passion, loyalty and involvement. That’s a byproduct, however, of organizations that remain

deeply connected to the historical fabric of their founding and prioritize lifelong membership in their core structures from top to bottom.

If ever there was a moment for Beta to analyze how it might in some way replicate that, it’s now as the Fraternity is aggressively pursuing a number of Board-directed alumni initiatives of its own. The Fraternity is actively growing its number of alumni associations; supporting them with new and advanced communications tools; piloting three affinity groups connecting brothers with similar interests and backgrounds, such as military veterans and GBTQ+ members; pursuing an online networking and mentorship platform that will be available to collegians and alumni alike; and for the first time ever hiring a fulltime director of alumni services to see these efforts through.

But there is still more to do.

Much of the steadfast devotion displayed by members of historically Black fraternities and sororities is entrenched in the intertwining of their affiliation with their cultural identity. That, Beta can never fully recreate. That doesn’t mean we can’t try, though. As The Beta Theta Pi has reported in two of its most recent issues, 1.1 million fewer men are pursuing college degrees today than 15 years ago, and 15% of men report having no close friends at all. Our order, created in 1839 with purposes rooted in intellectual and social development, stands to be more inspirational than ever to members young and old alike. We must simply capitalize on the moment.

The NPHC alumni engagement model serves as a powerful example of how fraternal organizations can remain relevant and influential long after their members leave college. Their bonds are demonstrably not “just a college thing” — they truly bring the adage to bear that brothers are brothers for life. 

Did You Know?

There may be more similarities between Beta Theta Pi and one Black Greek Letter Organization than meet the eye.

Henry Arthur Callis, one of the founders of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., worked at the Cornell Beta house when the organization was founded in 1906. In fact, its original constitution was written inside the home! In a 1929 letter, Callis wrote that much of their initiation ceremony “was gotten directly from old fraternities.”

Beta has long been known for its deep bench of volunteers who tirelessly serve the Fraternity they love. It's a hallmark characteristic of one of North America's greatest college fraternities.

Yet, the need to enlist talented individuals to coach Beta collegians is constant. As of February 1, some 96 chapters have at least one core advisor opening, totaling 215 volunteer vacancies.

Visit beta.org/volunteer to view the full list of vacancies and discover more ways to get involved.

Arizona

Member Education Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Baylor

Risk Management Advisor

Boise State

Member Education Advisor

Butler

Member Education Advisor

Carleton Recruitment Advisor

Central Michigan

Financial Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Cincinnati

Financial Advisor

Clemson

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Colorado

Financial Advisor

Colorado State

Financial Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Connecticut

Financial Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Denison

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Denver

Financial Advisor

DePauw

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Elon

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Embry-Riddle

Risk Management Advisor

Emory

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Florida

Financial Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Florida International

Risk Management Advisor

Florida State

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

George Mason

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

George Washington

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Georgia

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Hanover

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

High Point

Financial Advisor

Illinois

Risk Management Advisor

Iowa

Financial Advisor

James Madison

Financial Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Johns Hopkins

Member Education Advisor

Kenyon Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Lawrence Member Education Advisor

Loyola Marymount

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

LSU

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Maine Recruitment Advisor

Miami (Fla.)

Member Education Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Michigan Chapter Counselor

Michigan State

Member Education Advisor

Missouri

Risk Management Advisor

Nebraska at Omaha

Recruitment Advisor

North Carolina

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

North Dakota

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Northeastern

Financial Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Ohio State

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Oklahoma State

Risk Management Advisor

Pacific

Financial Advisor

Pennsylvania

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Saint Louis

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Samford

Recruitment Advisor

San Jose State

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

South Carolina

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Southern California

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

St. Lawrence

Financial Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

TCU

Financial Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Temple

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Texas Tech

Recruitment Advisor

Toronto

Member Education Advisor

Tulane

Member Education Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

UCLA

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Villanova

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Virginia

Financial Advisor

Virginia Tech Recruitment Advisor

Washington Chapter Counselor

Financial Advisor

Washington & Jefferson

Financial Advisor

Washington in St. Louis

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

West Virginia

Financial Advisor

Member Education Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Wichita State

Recruitment Advisor

William & Mary

Financial Advisor

Recruitment Advisor

Risk Management Advisor

Wisconsin

Recruitment Advisor

"I often describe this experience as the most rewarding of my life. Witnessing those 'light bulb moments' and the growth of Beta's members is incredibly fulfilling. It's not just about the personal reward, but the understanding that the support I provide will have a positive effect extending far beyond the present moment."

— Friend of Beta Ash

Spoto, Pittsburgh chapter counselor and facilitator at the Wooden Institute and Winter Conclave

campus

life student highlights

Big Hair, Big Heart, Bigger Hopes

Disappointment set in for Grant Walther, Texas ’27, late in the game as Georgia was on the verge of handing the Longhorns their first loss of the football season back in October. While he was crushed by the score, those around him turned their attention to social media. His reaction, captured on the broadcast, quickly went viral, dubbing him "Angry Texas Fan" and "Texas Hair Guy."

"They go, 'Walther, you're a meme.' And I'm sitting here absolutely astonished because how could I be a meme? I'm just watching a football game," Grant later shared. Online, his hair was likened to country legend Conway Twitty and Syndrome from The Incredibles.

Brother Walther decided he wanted some good to come from his newfound fame, so he set on a course to raise $20,000 for breast cancer research by the end of 2024 — a goal he easily surpassed. It's a personal cause for him and his family as his maternal grandmother recently beat her cancer. "When something good happens to you, the best thing to do is just pay it forward.”

Grant Walther, Texas ’27, shared his daily hair routine: Dial shampoo.

campus life

A | Home Away From Home

Every year, countless Beta brothers take the opportunity to study abroad. Ayhan Yasar ’25, (red sweatshirt) a student from Esslingen University in Germany, jumped at his own chance to study abroad, landing at University of the Pacific for the fall semester. Though only able to stay for a few short months, he was welcomed with open arms by the Eta Kappa Chapter and initiated onto the roll.

B | UW's Culture of Service

Washington's new members came together for a day of community service at Ryther, a mental health care center in Seattle. They worked hard painting, hauling bark and clearing planting beds across the 9-acre campus.

C | Gubernatorial Networking

Preston Lian, Eastern Kentucky ’26, proudly wore his Beta letters to the groundbreaking of EKU's new flight training center at the nearby Central Kentucky Regional Airport. While there, he had the opportunity to meet Governor Andy Beshear, a Sigma Chi from Vanderbilt.

D | Taking the Podium

Some seven brothers are members of the alpine skiing team at St. Lawrence. Among them, Kobe Villeneuve ’24, (pictured) notched the school's first podium finish since 2019, posting a two-run time of 1:49.15 in the giant slalom, a career-best and just 10 milliseconds off the first-place time. In the slalom, Simon Trudeau ’27, posted his own career-best 1:35.00 in mid-January, placing 18th on his home slope. Brother Mitch Sampson ’25, has also been point-getter for the Saints, notably running the team's best giant slalom finish in the first competition of the season.

D

Reestablishing Beta's Historic Iota Chapter at Hanover

During new member education, Betas remember learning about the inspiring story of John Hannah Gray, Hanover 1856. Well, the historic Iota Chapter is back! The Fraternity has worked in tandem with a dedicated interest group on campus — led by Iota legacy Joey Theobald ’26, son of Matt Theobald ’96 — since last spring. The first six refounding fathers were inducted in December and another 19 were inducted in January following deferred recruitment (top). They continue to be supported by alumni Randy Master ’82, Jim Hickerson ’78 and District Chief Paul Sommerfield, Centre ’90, who attended both ceremonies. On February 16, they became the first Hanover men initiated onto the Iota roll in more than 10 years.

The Fraternity undertook five expansion projects this year as noted below, including a brand new chapter this spring at Temple University (left). At the University of Arizona, the reignited Delta Beta Chapter (right) took the next step in recognizing leadership within, appointing its executive board.

ARIZONA

Delta Beta Chapter

Tuscon, Arizona

Refounding Fathers: 16 Advisors: 6

TEMPLE

New Chapter

AUBURN

Delta Zeta Chapter

Auburn, Alabama

Refounding Fathers: 43 Advisors: 10

WEST VIRGINIA

Beta Psi Chapter

HANOVER

Iota Chapter

Hanover, Indiana

Refounding Fathers: 25 Advisors: 3

Collegiate Commissioners

Recently announced by General Secretary John Stebbins, Emory ’92, a new cohort of Collegiate Commissioners has been selected to provide the student perspective to members of the Board of Trustees, Foundation Board of Directors and General Fraternity House Corporation. They hit the ground running this winter, participating in the joint board meetings February 7-8 in Houston, Texas. Learn more about this year's collegiate commissioners at beta.org/2025-cc

Board of Trustees

1. Christopher Cardenas, Texas ’24

2. Joseph Kosak, Furman ’26

Foundation Board of Directors

3. Henry Jonas, Appalachian State ’25

4. Phillip Miavelstück, George Mason ’25

General Fraternity House Corporation

5. T.J. Hockett, Florida State ’25

6. Jake Polzin, Minnesota ’25

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Founding Fathers: 16 Advisors: 2

Morgantown, West Virginia

Refounding Fathers: 9 Advisors: 1

Giving Back Over Break

Several Creighton brothers made the most of their week-long recess from classes. The 13 men spent a few days giving back to the community of Taos, New Mexico, putting in hard work at a Habitat for Humanity worksite applying stucco and digging a never-ending trench. They did find time for rest and relaxation, visiting the Rio Grande Gorge and hiking the Elliot Barker Trail.

Beta Snow Day

As winter weather dropped snow across the continent in January, Louisville brothers saw a blank canvas on their volleyball court, perfect for marketing the Beta experience. The chapter welcomed seven new members with bids this term, matching the largest winter class since 2019.

H | Drop the Puck a Success in Seventh Year

Drop The Puck continues to be a standout philanthropic success at British Columbia, bringing together the entire Vancouver community for a charity hockey match. The men left everything they had on the ice against their Phi Delta Theta foes but came up short on the scoreline. Gamma Omicron did lead the charge in funds raised between the two teams, however, with nearly $30,000 supporting the Canadian Mental Health Association. This year's event also included a meet-and-greet with a special guest, former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Dave Babych (left).

I | Last First Day

Across Beta's Broad Domain, senior brothers are embarking on their final academic term as undergraduates. At Maryland, their goal to uphold Beta's GPA reputation is intact: Stay atop the campus GPA leaderboard. In the fall, the men continued their reign leading the 20 fraternities on campus with a 3.53 GPA.

J | Holiday Magic in Granville

At the annual Christmas Candlelight Walking Tour in Granville, Ohio, Denison partnered with the local arts center to bring extra holiday spirit to the community. In addition to providing live music and treats, more than $2,500 was raised for Mental Health America of Licking County through a raffle and silent auction.

campus life

Interfraternity Presidents

Beta Theta Pi continues to be a beacon of leadership on campus. In 2025, seven brothers assume the role of IFC president — the highest interfraternal post on their respective campuses. In the case of Miami (Fla.) and Ohio State, it's the first Beta IFC president in many years. Learn more about this year's interfraternal leaders at beta. org/2025-ifc

1. Nafeh Ahsan, Case Western Reserve ’26

2. Lucas Carpenter, Wabash ’26

3. Charlie Fox, Creighton ’26

4. Sam Koch, Colorado Mines ’26

5. Gabe Phillips, Ohio State ’26

6. Bartu Sevil, Miami (Fla.) ’27

7. Gunnar Swanson, High Point ’26

campus life

K | Generational Gathering

Collegians at George Mason University just outside Washington D.C. were recently privy to a special gathering with the chapter’s original 10 founders from the late 1980s. Proof that brothers are for life, it was a great opportunity for both generations to network and hear Beta tales from the chapter's earliest days.

L | The Cold Climb

Mount Washington in New Hampshire is the tallest mountain in the northeast United States, known for its erratic weather. Stefano Rocca, Virginia Tech ’26, (left) recently geared up and made the climb to the top, braving the winter cold and ice to reach the 6,288foot summit.

M | Coffee Collab

Furman partnered with local coffee company Leopard Forest Coffee to create a unique Beta Holiday Blend. Through its efforts, the chapter gained positive visibility within the community and also gave back to the small business with every bag sold. The roast was a special blend of beans ethically sourced from Indonesia and Guatemala.

N | Doubling in Size

A new group of young men proudly wear their Beta letters at Carleton.

The Epsilon Upsilon Chapter welcomed 13 brothers into the fold in early December, effectively doubling the chapter to 30 members strong. It's the largest initiated class in more than three decades, second in size to only the 1991 fall class that came on the heels of the chapter's establishment in Ottawa.

Life-Changing Big Brother

Conor Salas, High Point ’26, and Tristan were matched a little over a year ago through Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Piedmont, and they have been inseparable ever since. What began as a schoolbased mentorship, the two built a special bond that has lasted even when Tristan transferred to a new school. They now spend nearly every Friday afternoon playing pickup basketball and having dinner together.

Conor has been an advocate for his peers to serve as mentors, too. More than 10 chapter brothers participate in the program, including newly initiated members Andrew Kleist ’28, and Preston Erwin ’28, who were matched with little brothers of their own in November.

GRABBING THE REINS

BUSINESS EXEC TAPPED TO PRESERVE AND TEACH HISTORY

By

Martin Cobb, Eastern Kentucky ’96 | Designed by Sarah Shepherd

In late September, Karl Chiao, Texas A&M ’90, found himself in a feature article within D Magazine, a premier print and online publication that keeps the beat on all things Dallas. But it was not for his expertise in real estate, insurance or banking, or for his service on multiple boards throughout the community.

It was for his decision to shift from serving as a general board member to executive director of the Dallas Historical Society. As the nonprofit had churned through five executive directors during his first six years on the board, and 15 or so in the last 20 years, one day he thought, “Why not me?”

“There was no stability at the top. We needed to get to the next level,” he shared with article author Layten Praytor. “And it’s not easy,” he continued. “There is a pecking order of who gets money first, and a historical society is usually last in line. With the arts in general, it’s difficult to raise money because people don’t think of it as a necessity. But we’re important. We’re history.”

Since taking over, Chiao has exercised leadership teachings he learned in Beta Theta Pi by overseeing a revitalization of the century-old nonprofit, which has

a collection of more than three million items. Including pieces from former Dallas Cowboys Head Coach Tom Landry and a massive interactive diorama of the Alamo, Chiao’s team cares for the only original Juneteenth document.

Beta Brother Bill Helmbrecht, Texas ’77, was board chair when Chiao was hired, and Dr. Roy Washburn, Texas ’68, was elected chair a few years later. “This wouldn’t have happened without their support,” Chiao remarked. And now that the dust has settled, many are asking what’s next for the notably humble but proud Texan.

In addition to finalizing millions of dollars worth of grant proposals, Chiao is laser focused on technology that uses artificial intelligence to bring historical figures to life.

“Kids no longer memorize dates. Everything has to be interactive,” he said. “Everything we’re going to feature will be geared toward the 4th and 7th grade Texas history classes so students can come here and learn what is taught during those two years. Then in 9th grade, before they test for it, they can come back and we’ll have activities and curriculum that tie in with the state requirements, making it much more fun.” 

Chiao stands in front of one of the Dallas Historical Society’s prized exhibits, the 336 square foot “Texas Liberty Forever!” diorama, which depicts the Battle of the Alamo. The re-creation of the besieged Alamo compound features over 2,000 hand-painted figures sculpted in 1/32 scale (54 mm).

Photo by Danny Campbell

Friends of Beta

Henry G. Meier ’53, Sept. 19, 2024 c

Benedict S. Maniscalco ’63, Nov. 27, 2024

chapter eternal in

Ann Brennan, July 25, 2023

John A. Jan, Dec. 17, 2024

Catherine Roberts, Feb. 9, 2023

loving memory

Forever Remembered

Notices of Betas, Sweethearts and Friends of Beta who passed within the last two years and were reported to the Administrative Office between October 1 and December 31, 2024, are included in this listing.

Report a Beta’s Death

Please contact the Beta receptionist at 800.800.BETA or officemanager@beta.org to report a Beta’s passing.

Donate to the Archives

Ask loved ones to donate your Beta badge and important Beta artifacts to the Fraternity’s Archives and Museum in Oxford.

Memorial Gifts

The Fraternity is often asked how to memorialize a dearly departed Beta. Memorial gifts can be made at beta.org/gift or with Director of Development

Laura Lednik at 800.800.BETA. In lieu of flowers, consider naming the Beta Leadership Fund in your own obituary.

Alabama

William M. Whitten ’72, Sept. 19, 2024

Amherst

Robert J. Mignone ’62, Oct. 3, 2024

Auburn

William B. Owens Jr. ’69, Feb. 2, 2024 c

Ball State

Harry A. Gonyer Jr. ’67, Dec. 15, 2024 c

Beloit

Richard C. Hughes ’56, June 21, 2023

Bethany

Jeffrey R. Hurl ’86, Oct. 30, 2024 c

Donald O. Nixon ’45, Oct. 2, 2024 c

Bowling Green

Michael S. Cabot ’63, Oct. 6, 2024

British Columbia

James M. Strilesky ’72, Dec. 4, 2024

Carnegie Mellon

John C. Herr ’56, Nov. 20, 2023

William C. King ’43, Nov. 12, 2024

Case

James S. Fox ’57, June 19, 2024

William E. Werley ’61, July 10, 2024

Case Western Reserve

Michael J. Geczik ’85, Oct. 29, 2024

Centre

Stephen H. Schoening ’72, Nov. 7, 2024

Chicago

Harry F. Brauer ’51, May 5, 2023 c

Cincinnati

John D. Brown ’53, Nov. 11, 2024

James N. Selbert ’66, Nov. 22, 2024

Colgate

Warren E. Brubaker Jr. ’65, Oct. 16, 2024

Robert W. Cleveland Jr. ’61, Dec. 13, 2023

Howard B. Hughes ’60, Oct. 13, 2024

Frank E. Mueller III ’64, May 11, 2024 c

Ralston W. Russell Jr. ’57, Oct. 8, 2024

Colorado

Joseph M. Birdsell ’58, May 8, 2024

William D. McIntyre Jr. ’64, Oct. 13, 2024 c

Robert C. Mountjoy ’50, Jan. 1, 2024

Gareth H. Tanner ’47, Dec. 22, 2022 c

Columbia

Edvin Auzenbergs ’61, Nov. 1, 2024

Gordon R. Hamilton Jr. ’50, Sept. 9, 2024 c

Cornell

Walter R. Umbach ’50, March 15, 2024 c

Dartmouth

Rodney R. Anderson ’59, Feb. 12, 2024 c

Kevin P. Corbin ’80, March 9, 2024

Davidson

V T. Morehead ’68, Nov. 16, 2023 c

John M. Spratt Jr. ’64, Dec. 14, 2024 c

Denison

Jonathan T. Heyman ’80, Oct. 12, 2024

Dennis B. Robertson ’59, Oct. 11, 2024

William R. Ryno ’54, Oct. 30, 2024

DePauw

Richard W. Gethin ’58, June 4, 2024 c

Larry G. Lewallen ’60, Sept. 26, 2024 c

C. Alan Marsh ’63, Nov. 22, 2024

Scott A. Morehead ’83, Dec. 15, 2024

Ernest M. Thayer ’53, Oct. 31, 2023

Dickinson

Bradford D. Fischer ’99, Dec. 12, 2024

Duke

Anthony Weir ’58, May 31, 2024 c

Florida

Thomas A. Graham III ’63, Sept. 11, 2024 c

Ann Brennan

Beta Sweetheart

July 25, 2023

Flags indicate Betas who served in the United States or Canadian armed forces.

A powerful force alongside her husband, David Brennan, Ohio State ’53, Ann helped gift $1.5 million to the Beta Foundation’s Upon These Principles Campaign 2001-06, resulting in the naming of Brennan Hall, Beta’s Administrative Office.

Robert W. Sutphen ’66, June 11, 2024

James S. Wade ’57, May 29, 2024

Georgia Tech

Goodman B. Espy III ’57, Nov. 7, 2024 c

Hanover

Scott A. Allen ’87, Nov. 13, 2024

Thomas F. Holbrook ’63, Oct. 1, 2023

Idaho

William W. Deal ’59, Nov. 20, 2024 c

Thomas L. Reveley ’59, Nov. 13, 2024

Indiana

Ward E. Poulos ’68, Jan. 22, 2024

Iowa

Thomas L. Dodd ’78, Oct. 8, 2024

Robert C. Swisher Jr. ’53, Dec. 16, 2024

Iowa State

Charles P. Richards ’71, Jan. 12, 2023

James N. VanDriel ’67, Nov. 4, 2024 c

Peter D. Wilson ’55, Oct. 16, 2024 c

Kansas

Carl W. Smith ’63, Nov. 23, 2024

John T. Stewart III ’58, Dec. 6, 2024

Kansas State

Stewart W. Mayott ’82, April 1, 2024

Lawrence

Richard E. Cusic ’61, Nov. 30, 2024

Frederic D. Nordeen ’66, Sept. 16, 2024

Lehigh

Richard T. Briggs ’58, Oct. 5, 2024

Miami

George J. Budig ’58, Dec. 16, 2024 c

Harry B. Kuder ’55, Oct. 18, 2024

Frederick E. Soller ’50, Sept. 26, 2024 c

Kenneth M. Tewel Jr. ’64, Dec. 24, 2024

Michigan

Fredric F. Balgooyen ’62, Oct. 10, 2024

Michael C. Moss ’78, Aug. 31, 2024

Charles R. Penhaligen ’58, Oct. 5, 2023 c

Jim Strilesky

British Columbia ’72

December 4, 2024

Known for his impeccable style, gracious demeanor and commitment to fitness and life as an educator, Jim served as district chief, scholarship commissioner and Trustee. He passed after a short battle with Leukemia.

Michael Geczik

Case Western Reserve ’85

October 29, 2024

A lifelong fisher and music fan, particularly the Grateful Dead, Mike was part of the World Trade Center recovery team on September 11, 2001. He spent the last 10 years battling kidney cancer believed to be a result of that exposure.

Michigan State

Burton L. Gerber ’55, Jan. 2, 2025 c

Minnesota

Gary E. Thorp ’63, Aug. 7, 2024

Mississippi

Gary L. Hines ’79, Oct. 13, 2024

Missouri

Michael T. Devine ’56, Sept. 22, 2024 c

Nebraska

James W. Hewitt ’54, July 8, 2024 c

Michael J. McCarthy ’72, May 10, 2024

James F. Nissen ’53, Aug. 8, 2024

North Carolina

William F. Foster Jr. ’80, Dec. 7, 2024 c

North Dakota

John W. Bonneville ’56, Nov. 20, 2023

Ohio

Chester A. Bennett Jr. ’59, Sept. 20, 2024 c

Gary W. Gantz ’67, Nov. 18, 2024

John D. Sawyer MD ’52, March 21, 2024

Ohio State

William S. Fuller ’48, June 1, 2024

Hall B. Liles Jr. ’60, Sept. 19, 2024

Ohio Wesleyan

Brian D. Hill ’96, Nov. 9, 2024

Robert M. Johnson ’52, Oct. 14, 2024 c

Oklahoma

Frederick L. Patrick ’64, Dec. 21, 2024

Michael A. Sartin ’66, Oct. 12, 2024

Robert E. Slocum ’60, April 26, 2024

Frank C. Thompson ’75, Dec. 3, 2024

Land B. West ’79, Sept. 14, 2023

Lance A. Williams ’78, April 4, 2024

Oklahoma State

Austin J. Bennett ’13, Sept. 27, 2024

George R. Turvey ’49, June 23, 2024 c

Edvins Auzenbergs

Columbia ’61

November 1, 2024

Immigrating from Latvia at the age of 10, Edvins earned an MBA from Columbia before becoming a distinguished executive in the automotive engineering industry. In 2019, he was honored with the Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award.

Oregon State

Warren J. Ulrich Jr. ’51, Nov. 6, 2024 c

Penn State

John D. Brown ’68, Nov. 11, 2024

John F. Mallory III ’58, March 4, 2023 c SMU

George E. Trimble ’65, Nov. 5, 2024

South Dakota

Robert S. Clark ’55, Dec. 26, 2024

Dean E. Hutton ’56, April 7, 2023 c

Scott K. Iverson ’79, Oct. 13, 2024

John O. Lohre ’54, Nov. 1, 2024 c

St. Lawrence

Donald C. Gilbert ’54, July 13, 2024 c

Stanford

Jay A. Precourt ’59, Sept. 16, 2024

Stevens

Robert H. Lance Jr. ’71, Sept. 15, 2024 c

Syracuse

John L. Egenberg ’62, Nov. 27, 2024 c

Herbert N. Gerhardt Jr. ’54, Jan. 24, 2023

Vincent J. Samar ’75, Dec. 29, 2024

Texas

James D. Dannenbaum ’62, Sept. 19, 2024

Robert L. Gross ’61, Oct. 12, 2024 c

Texas Tech

John T. McCavit ’01, Dec. 4, 2024

Tulane

Robert T. Brooks Jr. ’55, Oct. 25, 2024 c

Charles F. Seemann Jr. ’59, Sept. 22, 2024 c

UC Berkeley

William W. Spore, ’56, Aug. 12, 2024

UCLA

Merrill C. Dean ’63, Aug. 5, 2024

Union

Christian G. Rasch ’76, July 8, 2024

John Spratt c Davidson ’64

December 14, 2024

Student body president, Marshall Scholar and Yale law graduate, John was an Army captain before serving 28 years in Congress. Past budget committee chairman, he co-authored the 1997 Balanced Budget Act, creating a surplus for the first time in 30 years.

Utah

Robert S. Pembroke ’57, Nov. 10, 2024

Vanderbilt

Thomas W. Clark ’47, Dec. 6, 2024 c

Bobby D. Widdice ’62, Feb. 6, 2023

Virginia

Albert B. Butler V ’88, Oct. 1, 2024

Alexander G. Gilliam Jr. ’55, June 8, 2024 c

Washington

B.D. Halverson ’68, Nov. 1, 2024

Frank W. Keeney ’50, Dec. 11, 2022 c

Scott A. Satterlee ’64, Oct. 13, 2024 c

Washington and Lee

Pearce D. Hardwick ’62, Nov. 1, 2024 c

Washington in St. Louis

John L. Gianoulakis ’60, Sept. 18, 2024

Michael J. Kearney ’62, May 30, 2024 c

Washington State

Paul T. Holmes ’57, March 24, 2024

David L. Pearson ’76, Nov. 2, 2024

Westminster

Rodrick C. Gilbert ’81, Nov. 2, 2024

Whitman

Darrell F. Allen ’53, Sept. 18, 2024

Kerry B. Lamus ’75, Oct. 30, 2024

Willamette

Louis D. Williams ’59, Nov. 1, 2024

Williams

Rodney O. McWhinney ’55, March 5, 2024

Wisconsin

George M. Hayes ’38, Oct. 8, 2024

Christopher J. Moarn ’71, Nov. 7, 2024

Wittenberg

David Y. Handlir Jr. ’69, March 14, 2024

Albert H. Pharis Jr. ’72, Aug. 22, 2023

Alan Marsh

DePauw ’63

November 22, 2024

Starting off behind the butcher counter, Alan grew Marsh to 110 grocery and 150 Village Pantry convenience stores. Marsh’s Troy, Ohio, store was the first to use UPC technology in 1974 when it scanned a pack of Wrigley chewing gum.

G.B. Espy c Georgia Tech ’57

November 7, 2024

A world-renowned doctor who led missions in towns and villages throughout Southeast Asia, Africa, Haiti, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, G.B. delivered more than 20,000 babies throughout his career in his beloved home state of Georgia.

George Budig c Miami ’58

December 16, 2024

Proud former Alpha Chapter president, George served in a long line of Budigs dedicated to the city of Cincinnati. A generous philanthropist, he was father to “The Bold and Beautiful” soap opera actress Rebecca Budig and uncle to recent Miami Board of Trustees Chairman and Beta David Budig ’84

Burton Gerber c Michigan State ’55

January 2, 2025

Known for his bluntness and demanding management style, Burton served the CIA for 39 years, notably as an operations agent during the Cold War against Russia. Devoted to Beta, he served as an advisor to George Washington’s chapter and established a Beta Foundation scholarship for seniors in military or international affairs.

Michael Kearney

Wash. in St. Louis ’62

May 30, 2024

A 35-year international businessman with Hussmann Refrigeration, Mike spent the latter part of his career with banks in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City. A past chapter advisor at Northwestern, he also served Beta as a regional director.

eponyms worldwide tributes

Kenyon Names New Residence Hall in Honor of Banking CEO

Leonard Hall at Kenyon College has long been home to the Beta Alpha Chapter of Beta Theta Pi. Dick Thomas, Kenyon ’53, lived there all four years. This January, however, a stunning new residential facility that bears his name was opened right next door: Thomas Hall.

As a student, Thomas majored in economics, played baseball and was elected student body president. Earning a Fulbright Scholarship, he was eventually drafted into the Army and later earned his MBA at Harvard. He also served as chapter president during an incredibly historic period of Beta history, the initiation of Beta’s first Black member, Bill Lowry, Kenyon ’56. “I am indebted to the college,” he said. “Kenyon is truly where I learned to think, to write, to speak — to lead. It was a happy time, and I loved being there,” he reflected during the dedication in September.

Elected to Kenyon’s Board of Trustees in 1967, becoming chair in 1985, Thomas led a successful banking career as CEO of First National Bank of Chicago. Other Kenyon eponyms named for him include the Richard L. Thomas Chair in Creative Writing and Thomas Dining Hall.

Former Chapter President Dick Thomas ’53, becomes the namesake of Thomas Hall, Kenyon College’s newest student residence.

Photo: Kenyon College

I“I went to the Winter Leadership Conclave hoping to better myself as a chapter officer, but I learned much more than that. I’ve bettered myself as a leader. Thank you for the support that helped me, and Betas everywhere, have this experience.”

— Matthew Slovak Texas at Arlington ’25

n January, 600 newly elected officers and advisors converged in the heart of downtown Chicago at Beta’s first-ever Winter Leadership Conclave, featuring Presidents Academy, Leadership Summit and the Keystone Leadership Conference. Because of generous donor support, the Beta Foundation shouldered 75% of the costs required to train and develop this new generation of leaders, helping make experiences like this accessible and affordable to all. MAKE YOUR GIFT NOW AT GIFT.BETA.ORG/MAG

developing men of principle for a principled life

His jovial nature, infectious laugh and 52 years with Sweetheart Helen by his side represented a lifetime of positivity by Jerry Davis, Williams ’56.

At the General Fraternity level, he first expressed his Beta Spirit in 1996 with the donation of a $150 engraved brick during the campaign to build a new Administrative Office. Multiple gifts to the Beta Leadership Fund showed up annually thereafter, with no less than four senior Beta Foundation staff members in the succeeding decades cultivating Brother Davis’ loyalty.

Jerry made what would be his final BLF gift just three weeks before his passing in 2012, but Helen picked up right where he left off and made gifts almost every year until her passing in 2024.

But the Davises weren’t done yet.

Last October the Foundation learned it would be one of nine nonprofits to share in equal measure the bulk of the Davis estate, resulting in a $1.8 million gift to strengthen Beta’s brotherhood and educational mission — three times more than what Jerry and Helen indicated the bequest may be.

Foundation directors have since created the new Jerry and Helen Davis Endowment Fund as part of the Build the Bridge Campaign, which will protect in perpetuity the couple’s generosity and help fund leadership training and educational needs of all Beta chapters across North America.

As shared by Jerry’s friends, he built quite a local reputation given his signature gesture of leaving single roses on neighbors’ cars to help foster more joy throughout their community.

How fitting Jerry and Helen have now done the same for the Fraternity they so loved. Proud to be a Beta