Senior Matt Wooters co-led the January immersion experience to Reynosa, Mexico, a new site this year.
Beta was announced as the 2008 Greek Organization of the Year at the Student Union Inauguration on January 15.
New president J.J. Kuczynski attended the Chapter Presidents Leadership Academy at the home of Beta Theta Pi in Oxford, OH January 16-18.
Recruitment chairman Kyle Sobh executed a flawless Informal Recruitment week, featuring a wing night, clue excursion, dodgeball game, and service night.
Most brothers participated in the Dance Marathon "You Can't Stop the Beat" sponsored by Kappa Kappa Gamma and supporting their philanthropy, Reading is Fundamental, on January 31. Senior Peter Niro also performed.
Teaming up with the Relay For Life Leadership Team, Beta Theta Pi co-sponsored a Super Bowl Watch "Party with a Purpose" on February 1 as the Steelers defeated the Cardinals. All proceeds went to the American Cancer Society.
The next evening on February 2, the colony inducted its Gamma Class.
From February 6-8, eight executive officers and two advisors attended the Keystone Leadership Development Conference for the Northeast region, held in Valley Forge, PA. Attendees took part in a number of general leadership workshops, individual officer track sessions, and worked to establish an action plan for the year. They also took home the Northeast Leadership Development Award and the Outstanding Regional Beta Volunteer Award for Chapter Counselor Ric Eickhoff.
For the second consecutive year, we had an almost 100% participation rate for volunteering at the state's largest blood drive at Landerhaven, sponsored by the American Red Cross on February 10. The Red Cross subsequently presented Beta with an award for its volunteerism.
Big Brothers were revealed to those in the Gamma Class during a brief ceremony on February 22. Big brothers have the responsibility of guiding and mentoring the newest members of the fraternity.
Spring Break arrived during the first week of March, and many spent the week with each other, to destinations like Chicago, IL or Marco Island, FL. Some even went on a Caribbean cruise! Senior Doug Gault co-led a spring break immersion experience to Immokalee, FL.
Members of the Beta and Gamma Classes took part in a retreat March 13-15 at Carrollodge, where all members really grasped "The Beta Spirit." Retreatants took part in a number of trust-building activities, learned Fraternity history, and baked cookies for the five sororities on campus. Member Educator Jurell Sison planned and led the weekend retreat.Doug Gault '09 was announced as the first ever "Greek of the Week" on March 18 as part of a new recognition initiative by JCU Greek Life.
Eight brothers provided food and fellowship to those living on the streets of Cleveland on March 20 through participation in the Labre Project, while a majority of the rest of the colony took part in Chi Omega's "Battle of the Sexes," which raised funds for their philanthropy, the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
About 20 of the brothers' mothers attended the second annual Mothers' Tea, which featured a private Mass, on Sunday morning, March 22. The sons also performed a special serenade for their moms.
Later that evening, several brothers attended the Kappa Delta Shamrock Pancake Breakfast, which benefited Prevent Child Abuse America, one of KD's philanthropies.
Senior Ryan Schoonmaker presented his research and findings on the "Experimental Development of an Undergraduate Laboratory Experience to Differentiate Beers and to Evaluate Beer Ageing" during the poster abstracts session of the 8th Annual Celebration of Scholarship on March 25.
The colony held a successful first "Eye of Wooglin" ritual, a Betas-only brotherhood activity, on March 29.
Ryan Schoonmaker '09 was announced as one of six finalists for the Beta Theta Pi General Fraternity's 2009 "Undergraduate of the Year" honor. He was later featured in an article entitled the "Head of the Class" in the Spring 2009 edition of The Beta Theta Pi magazine.Risk Manager Kurt Hauber '10 worked with members of the executive board and advisory team throughout the spring to completely revamp and rewrite the colony's Risk Management Policy, which was finalized by the end of March.
Kicking off what would be a tremendously busy month of April, more than a dozen Betas volunteered their time and talents during the morning and early afternoon of April 4 to introduce accepted students and their families to campus as part of the Office of Admission's Class of 2013 Celebration.
That evening, the heavily-anticipated Beta Formal, the group's first such event, was held at the prestigious Mayfield Country Club. After a number of scenic photo opportunities and a delicious dinner, Betas and their dates danced the night away. The event was pronounced a rousing success.
The Kai Committee sponsored a Wing Night as a brotherhood activity on April 6 at Pizzazz.
On April 9, Peter Niro '09 was announced as this year's recipient of the Beaudry Award, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a graduating senior.
After forming a great partnership with the East Cleveland Adult Activities Center, brothers held their last in a series of three instructional sessions on the game of kickball for adults with mental and developmental disabilities on April 16. The "students" came to campus each time and even got to play on Wasmer Field at Don Shula Stadium.
Five Betas - Steve Fedyk, Andy Lane, Brian Overberger, Brian Pestotnik, and Nick Skiviat - took part in this semester's Emerging Leader Program (ELP) and presented their definition of leadership during a Dinner and Presentation Session on April 16. Sophomores Andrew Vogel and Craig Thomas, who graduated from the program last year, came back during the series to serve as student facilitators, and senior Ryan Schoonmaker co-facilitated a session on collaboration. Advisor Joel Mullner serves as the program's co-director, and both he and Vogel work on the ELP Advisory Team.
Capping a full day, Beta Theta Pi was proud to officially welcome the five members of the Gamma Class during an Initiation Ceremony on the evening of April 16.
On April 17, Peter Niro '09 performed for the last time as the headline act of a show, this time also playing with a full band. Peter released his "rocker" side much to the enjoyment of all in the crowd!
Greek Week got off to a great start on Sunday, April 19 with a victory in kickball. Later in the week, Betas would continue the "teamwork trend" by claiming wins in a number of team-oriented, bracket-style activities including water polo and dodgeball.
On Tuesday, April 21, Beta's musical prowess was on display during the Variety Show. Seniors Peter Niro and Doug Gault rapped to original lyrics before giving way to a garbage can-beating percussion line featuring Andy Lane, Jurell Sison, Nick Orlando, and Niro. Quite the display, the colony claimed first place.
To mark Administrative Professionals' Day on April 22, brothers gathered to serenade Janet Paradise, the secretary in the Office of Student Activities.
On Friday, April 24, brothers volunteered their time with Project HOPE, offering assistance to children with physical disabilities and limitations.
That evening, as the culmination of weeks of late night practices, Betas claimed victory in the Lip Sync competition with their entry, "BETALYMPICS." Senior Peter Poznako, sophomore Craig Thomas, and Beta Sweetheart Ciara Mastin choreographed the show.
The next day, brothers were back at it with the American Cancer Society Relay For Life. Some brothers were members of the leadership team, while others volunteered to set up, and still others worked the "America's Next Top Beta" bake sale. Brothers took turns walking the track throughout the 18-hour event and raised more than $1,000 in the fight against cancer.Though tired from the previous week's festivities, the colony held its final chapter meeting of the semester on April 26, a time when underclassmen could address those who were graduating, thanking them for their service to the colony and sharing special memories.
At the semi-annual Scholarship Banquet on April 29, Beta Theta Pi was recognized again for holding the highest fraternity GPA. Six brothers were also recognized for their individual efforts in earning the highest GPAs in the fraternity.
Order of Omega inducted three Betas - Doug Gault '09, Jurell Sison '10, and Andrew Vogel '11 - into the membership of the Upsilon Rho chapter during an induction ceremony on April 29.
Immediately following the Scholarship Banquet and Order of Omega Induction, Greek Week Chairs Ryan Schoonmaker '09 and Kate Glass '09 presented the 2009 Greek Week Awards. In addition to the events Beta won during the week, it also received awards for best atrium banner, scholarship, and brotherhood. Junior Jurell Sison was named as the Interfraternal Emerging Leader of the Year. Beta Theta Pi also convincingly took away the title of Greek Week Champions.
Immediately after the Greek Week Awards on April 29, the brothers offered a serenade to fellow lip sync winners, Gamma Phi Beta. Gamma Phi even baked cookies to share with Beta after their performance!
In a role reversal from the last chapter meeting of the year a few days prior, members of the Class of 2009 were able to address the rest of the membership, offering their own memories and parting words of wisdom during a very emotional Senior Send-Off at the home of Chapter Counselor Ric Eickhoff on May 1.
Doug Gault and Matt Wooters were announced as winners of the 2009 Outstanding Student Leader Award on May 13 during the Senior Celebration on the Goodtime III. Gault and Wooters were two of only five seniors to receive this recognition.
A good number of Beta underclassmen came back to campus to watchwith pride as eight undergraduate members received their degrees during Commencement Exercises held on the Quad on Sunday, May 17.J.J. Kuczynski '10, Kurt Hauber '10, and Jamie Ott '10 all received Beta Theta Pi Merit Scholarships, totaling $3,200.
Several Betas applied and interviewed during the spring semester and will take on significant leadership roles on campus beginning this summer. Craig Thomas '11 will be a part of this summer's New Student Orientation staff, Brian Pestotnik '12 and Jurell Sison '10 will be resident assistants starting in the fall, and Andy Lane '12, Nick Skiviat '12, and Greg Sloat '12 are the university's newest tour guides.
Five Betas are slated to attend various summer Leadership Development Opportunities offered by the General Fraternity. Andy Lane '12, Bill Worms '12, Steve Fedyk '12, and Brian Pestotnik '12 will take part in the Wooden Institute for Men of Principle, while Nick Skiviat '12 will attend Leadership College in Phoenix, AZ during the 170th General Convention. President J.J. Kuczynski will serve as the colony's delegate to the Convention.