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USC Breaks Record with 83 Men
Beta Theta Pi’s record-breaking return to the University of Southern California is drawing significant attention. Beta Theta Pi’s record-breaking return to the University of Southern California is drawing significant attention. An October issue of the campus newspaper The Daily Trojan ran a story of the re-colonization on the front page. (Directly below the fold was an announcement of the largest gift in university history of $175 million by George Lucas.) With
83 founding fathers, the Gamma Tau Colony is certainly headline worthy as an overwhelming success and a record-breaking expansion for USC and the Fraternity.
The founding father class consists of 22 freshmen, 27 sophomores, 25 juniors and nine seniors. They have an average cumulative GPA (excluding freshmen) in excess of 3.25 and are very involved on campus. Leadership Consultant Josh Fairchild, Oklahoma State ’05 remarked, "They are brand new to the fraternity but not brand new to being leaders."
The re-colonization was led by a four-man recruitment team consisting of Fairchild; Directors of Operations and Education Dustin Anderson, Minnesota ’05 and Michael Wolford, Miami ’04, and Leadership Consultant David Schmidt, Connecticut ’06. The team was on campus recruiting for more than three weeks from October 1st to October 26th.
The planning for the recolonization, however, began long before the team set foot on campus. An eight person advisory team, led by Chapter Counselor Vincent Mikolay, Bethany ’00, was recruited and trained to support the new colony and other alumni offered support to the project with time and resources. “Great alumni support, collaboration with the staff and a well executed plan helped Beta’s message reverberate on campus,” said Fairchild. “Recruits benefited from knowing they had a strong heritage of alumni before them.”
Gamma Tau, installed in 1947, boasts a prestigious roll of more than 1,600 alumni including co-owner of the LA Kings, Lakers and Staples Center Ed Roski ’62, Wimbledon Champion Stan Smith ’69 and many Olympic medal winners and business leaders. USC President Steven Sample, Illinois ’62, is also a Beta.
Following three years of inactivity, the Colony will initiate a new class of Betas on November 30th. Learn more about the re-colonization and Gamma Tau at
http://www.gammataualumni.com/ and
http://www.dailytrojan.com/.
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Beta Takes University of Miami by Storm
In April, the University of Miami Interfraternity Council invited Beta Theta Pi to expand to campus this fall. The results of that invitation have proved overwhelmingly successful with a poignant energy permeating campus and the third largest expansion in Fraternity history. Even University President Donna E. Shalala caught the fever of excitement wearing a “Go Beta” button.
The new colony boasts
63 founding fathers assembled from the top gentlemen, scholars and leaders on campus. The class makeup is four seniors, 11 juniors, 24 sophomores and 26 freshmen. The collective GPA of the members is an astounding 3.61 (4.107 with freshmen) with seven valedictorians, seven eagle scouts, two NCAA athletes, six resident assistants and more. Further, the men represent six nationalities and many campus interests. “Beyond the numbers, what matters the most is these men are true Betas,” said Leadership Consultant Joe Kokojan, Oklahoma ’06. “Their character, values, and determination, while difficult to express in words, is incredible.”
Kokojan, along with Director of Expansion and Recruitment J.B. Scherpelz, Miami ’05; Leadership Consultant Phil Fernandez, Miami ’05, and Leadership Consultant Russell Katigan, Oklahoma State ’06 led the 24-day recruitment period ending October 18th with the founding father class induction. The team was also supported by a nine-person advisory team and superb University and campus support. “Without the support of the institution and the Office of Student Life, this success would not have been possible,” reported Kokojan.
Scherpelz explained the selection of the University of Miami as a site for expansion, “We look at alumni strength in the area, the caliber of student, strength of the Greek community and support from the University. . . Miami had all those characteristics and more. The University of Miami was a perfect campus for Beta Theta Pi.” The excitement and interest was evident with more than 200 attendees as the campus wide informational meeting and 185 men expressing interest. The project was even featured in the student NewsVision show on October 12th.
The University of Miami expansion was planned by the university as well. After reviewing 17 national organization expansion packets, four groups were invited to present to the Interfraternity Council. Beta Theta Pi was invited this fall, with Pi Kappa Phi in the fall of 2008. Associate Dean of Students Greg Singleton said, “Beta Theta Pi communicated well its mission and how it would enhance the community.”
Founding father Marlow B. Hernández explained his emotions in joining the Fraternity, “I will bring an idea, a dream which I believe resonates in those who live with an open mind and have a sincere desire to be better. We all have a purpose — an internal and external mandate to change ourselves and serve those around us. The men at Beta Theta Pi understand what it means to have principle. To be in the company of such individuals gives me hope and gives me strength.”
Kokojan will guide the founding father class through an education period concluding with initiation in February.
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