TheTri‐SerpFall2008Edition

TheTri‐Serp:Fall2008 2

GreetingstoallBetabrothersfromtheTauSigmaofBetaThetaPi!TheundergraduateshavehadagreatsummerfurtherbuildingtheIowaStatecolonyofBeta,throughamajorrecruitmentpushandavisittoDallas,TXforourfraternity’sGeneralConvention.I’mexcitedtowritetoyouaboutwhat’scomingupoverthenextacademicyear. RecruitingindividualsthatwillexcelasBetasisalwaysahighpriority,andthissummerthiswasespeciallytrueaswefinishbuildingapowerfulbaseforourcolonytogrowfrom.OurtwoprinciplerecruiterswereClintCurrieandKevinMarquardt,withbothMattStrayerandIjoiningtherecruitmentteamtohelpoutwiththemanyphonecalls,lunchmeetings,andhousetours.

AbigthankyoumustbegiventoalloftheexcellentsupportwereceivedfromalumniandfromtheBetaAdministrativeOffice,including(butdefinitelynotlimitedto!)ourrecruitmentadvisorBrentDoanefromthechapter’salumniassociation,ourformerleadershipconsultantBrettRundle,ournewleadershipconsultantRyanNewton,andourareadirectorofoperations,MattBrawner.

OneofourmostsuccessfulmethodsoffindingpotentialnewmemberswastheMenofPrincipleScholarshipprogram,sponsoredbyBetaalumni.AfterreceivinginformationfromtheuniversityonincomingfreshmenwithGPAsabovea3.00,wecreatedtwoscholarships,eachworth$500,andcontactedthesefreshmentoapplyforthescholarships.Thisprocessallowedustovetindividualapplicantsand,ifwewereinterestedinthem,explainmoreaboutBetaThetaPi.

Asofthiswritingwehave12pledgessignedforthisfall,with9pledgeslivingin‐house.With31individualslivingin‐houseandacombined43activesandpledges,thecolonyisgoingtobebusierthanever!I’mproudthatwe’vethelargestrecruitmentclasssincetheRe‐FoundingFathers,aswellasthefactthatwe’vesetthehighestnumberssincere‐colonizationforactives,pledges,andoverallmemberslivingin‐house.

Inadditiontogreatrecruitmentnews,we’vegotgreatconventionnewsaswell.Intotalwehad11actives(afullthirdofouractivemembers!)driveorflydowntoDallas,Texasforthe169thGeneralConventionofBetaThetaPi.MemberswentthroughtheexcellentLeadershipCollegeleadershipdevelopmentprogramandbroughtalotofgreatideashome,alongwiththeawardswepickedup.

AtconventionwereceivedtheExcellenceinRiskManagementawardthesecondtimeinarow,thistimereceivingmentionforournew“MeetaBrother”programintendedtostartconversationsbetweenbrothersthatmaynothangoutveryoften.WewerealsoawardedforLeadershipDevelopmentforthehighnumbersofmembersattendingleadershipdevelopmentprograms.Lastly,ourhonorablementionforOngoingCommunityService,whichwasreceivedforourserviceprojectwherememberspickupgarbagearoundtheISUcampuswhilewearingBetaletters.We’reveryproudofalltheseaccomplishments!

We’vealreadybegunlookingtothefuture,throughourestablishedgoalsfortheupcomingsemester.Theundergraduatemembershavefocusedthisfallonimprovingourrelationshipswithalumniofthechapterthroughmorefrequent,bettercommunicatedevents.We’vealsospenttimebrainstormingsometangiblemethodsofimprovinginterfraternalismbydoingmorewiththeInterfraternalCouncilandotherfraternitiesandsororities.

Inclosing,IwanttothankallofourdedicatedalumnithatdonatetheirtimeortheirmoneytoseeingtheTauSigmachapterofBetaThetaPireturntotheIowaStatecampuswithgreatsuccess,andIpromiseyouthattheundergraduatemembersaren’tgoingtoletyoudown.ThanksonceagainforyoursupportandyourinterestinseeingBetabackinabigwayatISU!

Yoursin___kai___,RyanKennedy,IowaState‘11Accounting,English,andPhilosophyPresident,TauSigmaChapterBetaThetaPiFraternitykennedy@iastate.edu

ALetterfromourPresident…

TheTri‐Serp:Fall2008 3

TableofContents

SummerRecruitment Page4

MyExperienceRacingtheIowaStateSolarCar Page5 Page4GivingBacktotheCommunity Page6 Page4

TheBetaThetaPifraternityatBidDaySororitySerenades2008.

TheTri‐Serp:Fall2008 4

Overthesummer,threeTauSigmaBetasworkedonrecruitingournextpledgeclass.MattStrayer,ClintCurrie,andIspentourentiresummercallingpotentialnewmembers,usingthe“DelphiList”providedtousbyIowaState.ThelisthadtheeverynameofeverymalestudentwhowaspotentiallycomingtoISUandincluded6,000names.UndertheirnamesincludedtheirGPA,hometown,major,andtheirinterestlevelinfraternities.

Ourcurrentpledgeclasswasrecruitedthroughthreemainmethods.OurfirstmethodwastheMenofPrinciplescholarshipthatwasgivenout.Therearetwoofthesescholarships;eachwas$500.Wemailedout2,500oftheMenofPrincipleapplicationsandendedupwith100goodinterviews.Fromthese100interviewswewereabletogivethemhousetours.Ifoneofthemwasinterested,wewouldgivethemahousetourandapacketofinformationonBeta.Thesecondmethodthatweusedwasreferralsfromundergrads,friendsandalumni.ThefinalmethodisusingtheDelphiListandwiththesethreewayswewereabletorecruitourpledgeclass.

Weaccomplishedalotthissummerandareproudtohaveapledgeclassof12.Wearealwaysrecruiting,andalwaystryingtoexpandournumbers.Wearelookingforwardtoourupcomingspringclass,andareexcitedbecausewehavequiteafewleads.

MeettheBetasofFall2008

TedAngusJimmyBeardsworthMaxFellerTimothyFoxJoshGaughanPatrickMcManusMarkSamuelsonBrandtSchumacherEthanStantonMattStockmanMarkTisignerCamVens

SummerRecruitmentByKevinMarquardt

TheFall2008PledgeClass

TheTri‐Serp:Fall2008 5

Overthepasttwoyears,IhavehadthefortunateexperienceofbeingapartofTeamPrISUm,IowaState’ssolarcarteam.Ijoinedasafreshmanandhavebeenworkingonourcurrentcaroverthepasttwoyearsinpreparationforthissummer’scompetition.WeenteredtheNorthAmericanSolarChallenge(NASC),atranscontinentalrace,whichtakesplaceeverytwoyears.TeamsfromleadinguniversitiesallovertheworldtraveltocompeteinNASC,includingGermanyandEngland,withatotalof25teamsoriginallyenteredtorace. IknewofthesolarcarteambeforestartingcollegeandwasinterestedinjoiningbecauseIwassoimpressedbytheobviouslystellarengineeringinvolved.ThesolarcarofferedexperiencesIknewIwouldnothaveintheclassroomandsoIjumpedonboard.Ilearnedalotwhileontheteam.Ilearnedhowtousecomputerstodesigncomponentsandmodelforces.Ilearnedmechanicalandelectricalskills.And,Ilearnedmuchaboutteamwork. Thisyear’sracestartedinPlano,TXandwent2300milestoCalgary,AB.Beforebeingallowedtorace,however,wehadtopassqualifyinginspectionstoensurethatourvehicleswouldbesafeontheroad.Qualifiersnarrowedthefieldto15,andwewereluckytobeoneofthoseteams.Duetocomplications,whichcausedustofallbehindschedule,wehadaveryhardtimecompletingourcarintimefortherace.Manyofus,includingmyself,wentmostoftheweekwithlessthantwohoursofsleepanight.Itwasveryexhausting,butworthitintheend. Thedayoftherace,alltheteamslineduponthedewsoakedfieldforagroupphoto.Wethenhurriedtoourstartingpositions.Ourstarttimewas9:12becausewehadthe13thpollposition.Teamsbegineachlegaminuteaparttoavoidcongestion.Italsoallowsleadandchasevehiclestogetintoposition,whicharerequiredelementsoftheracecaravan. ThatdayweweretoreachMcAlester,OK,acheckpoint,andthenmakeitascloseaswecouldtoNeosho,MO,thefirststagestop.TheraceisexecutedmuchliketheTourdeFranceis.Checkpointsserveas30minutereststops,whicharerequiredbutnotfactoredintothetime.Then,therearestagestopsalongtheway,whichareplacesforteamstoregroupandrest.Thetotalracetimeisthesumofeachstagetime.

Igotthreehoursofsleepthenightbeforetherace.So,asyoucanimagine,afterabouttwohoursinthewarmsolarcartomypeacefulself,Iwasstartingtogetsleepy.ThankGodIjoinedBeta!IsangroundafterroundofmyBetafavorites:MarchingAlong,ITookMyGirlOutWalking,WooglintothePledge,andthePartingSong.IwasabletofinishmylegeasilyandwewereinMcAlesterbynoon.Thedaywasgoingverywell.

Disaster!Weswitcheddriversatthecheckpoint.Iwasnowdrivingleadand15minutesintothenextlegourbreakswentout.Inoticedinmyrearviewmirrorthatthesolarcarwasgettingveryclosebehindme.NormallyIwouldbespeedinguptomakeroombecauseitisnotgoodforthesolarcartouseitsbreaksandloseefficiency,butwewerealreadytailgatingU.ofKentuckyandIhadnowheretogo.Iwatchedwithwideeyesasthesolarcarcollidedwiththebackofourleadvehicle.Everythinghappenedveryfastafterthat.Thedriversustainedcontrolofthecarandeventuallybroughtthecartoastopusingtheparkingbreak.Wewereallveryshakenup.

Westoppedforthedaythenandbeganinvestigatingwhatwentwrong.Asitturnedout,wehadreplacedourbrakepadsthatmorningwithaverysimilar,butsofterpad.Nooneknewofthisdifferencebeforehand.Weswitchedbacktothefirmerpads,whichweregraciouslydonatedtousbyanotherteam,andwedidn’thaveanytroublestherestoftherace.

Thingswentrathersmoothlyafterthat.WeeventuallymadeittoCalgarywithanelapsedtimeof91hours,12minutes,and59seconds.Theentireteamranacrossthefinishlinetogetherwavingtothecrowdofcheeringpeople.Wefinished8th!

Ilookbackontheracewithgreatpride.Welearnedmuchaboutengineering,hadanexcellenttime,andmademanyfriendsalongtheway.Iwillrememberthose20daysforever!

MyExperienceRacingtheIowaStateSolarCarByMattMartin

TheTri‐Serp:Fall2008 6

Fortheyearof2008,asphilanthropychairIorganizedourchapter’sinvolvementinthelocalcommunity.Toestablishcommunityserviceevents,Iselectedtwolocalorganizations/programsinspringof2008.TheselectedweretheVeteransofForeignWarsandKeepIowaStateBeautiful.KeepIowaStateBeautifulhadjustbegun,soIfeltTauSigmaofBetaThetaPimencouldcontributealottothisproject.Thisprojectwasaweeklyeventtofocusonkeepingouruniversitycampuscleaned.ThetimecommitmentforthisprojectconsistedofanhouradayfromTuesdaythroughFridayonaweeklyoccurrence.Wewereoneofthefirstorganizationstobeapartoftheproject,whichwasgiventhenameof“AdopttheCampusprogram.” WiththeestablishmentofourongoingcommunityserviceIbegantocontacttheVFWforacommunityserviceprojectthatwecoulddoinconjunctionwiththem.ThefirstprojectwascalledLiteaTike.TheVFW’smissionforthisprojectwastomakethelocalkidsofStoryCountyawareaboutbikesafetyandsupplythemwitheverythingtheyneedtobecomenoticeableontheroadatnight.Forexample,theVFWandtheMenoftheTauSigmaChaptersuppliedthesekidswithreflectivematerialfortheirhelmets,backpacks,andbicycles.Inadditionthesekidswerealsotaughtthebasicsofbicyclesafety.WewillcontinuetoworkwiththeVFWeveryfallandspringinthefuture.

WhytheVFW?AlloftheMenhereandIbelievethatBetaThetaPifocusesonthesuperioraspectofleadershipandwefeelthattheMenofVFWhaveandcontinuetohaveleadership.OnNovember7thand8thofthisyear,wewillbehelpingtheVFWpassoutPoppiesatselectedlocationswithinthecityofAmes.MembersoftheVFWhaveappreciatedourhelpandlookforwardforourhelpandleadershipinthecomingyears. EveryfallwehavehadourannualphilanthropyandthisyearthephilanthropywasthesecondannualBetaBurgersandBands.Themoneyraisedwasdonatedtothe10,000HoursShow.Thisorganizationhelpsandencouragesstudentstogointothelocalcommunityandvolunteertheirtime.Whilethephilanthropyisstillnew,inthefuturemanymenherehavethoughtofmanynewsuggestionstoimproveourphilanthropyfurther,whetherthatisatotallynewphilanthropyorimprovingthecurrentphilanthropyevenfurther. Again,IfocusedongettingtheTauSigmaChapteroutintothecommunitytogetmorethanenoughcommunityservicehours.AtotalofsixhundredandfourteenhourswereaccomplishedintheAmes,IAcommunity,ournation,anddailyserviceduringthespringsemesterof2008.ThisdailyserviceconsistsofcertainMenatourchapterparticipatinginourcommunitybyhelpingoutacertaingroupofpeopledaily.Thesetotalhoursweredividedbythirty‐oneactivemembers,whichcametoatotalaverageoftwentyhoursperman.Today,asofrightnowtheactiveshaveatotalnumberoftwohundredandtwenty‐sixhourscompleted.

Atthe169thGeneralConvention,wewereawardedHonorableMentionoftheJohnHoltDuncan:OngoingServiceAward.Ifeelhonoredtobeapartofsuchagreatchapterthathasmanygoalsforitselfandweeithercomeclosetothemorsurpassthembyaheftymargin.

Yoursin___kai___,DerekJensenTauSigma1758PhilanthropyChair

GivingBacktotheCommunityByDerekJensen

TheTri‐Serp:Fall2008 7

TheWoodenInstitute,WrittenbyClintCurrie

ThiswasaneventthatchangedthewayIthinkaboutBetaThetaPi.ThiswasagreatexperienceandIhopetoevengobacknextsummerasanintern.Thisexperiencegavemeachancetohavea3hourritualbreakdownreviewinthehallofchapters,andreallyhelpedmedissecttheritualofBetaThetaPi.ThisissomethingthatIwillbespearheadingoncethefallpledgeclassisinitiatedisadeeper,morethoroughritualreviewwiththepledgesandtheactiveswiththehelp

ofsomeofthematerialthatwasdistributedattheInstitute.BesidesjustlearningaboutBeta,oneofthemostamazingthingswasbondingwithmyfellowBetasfromacrossNorthAmerica,includingoneguyfromtheTorontoChapter.Imadesomereallygreatfriendsthere,andevengotthechancetohangoutwithoneoftheguysfrommysmallgroupatthegeneralconvention.OverallthiswasagreatexperiencethatreallymademeabetterBeta,anditgavemealotofideastobringbacktothechapter.

FuturesQuest,WrittenbyMatthewCavner

AsmyfirstLeadershipDevelopmentprogram,Iwasnotsurewhattoexpector

whatIwouldgetoutoftheprogram.ThemainreasonIregisteredwastosatisfy

thecharteringstandardsweneededtoachieveasacolony.WhatIgotoutofit

howeverwereideasIwouldnothaveoriginallythoughtoforissuesthatIoriginally

hadlittleinterestin.Future’sQuesttookawaythestereotypethatFraternitiesare

“blood‐enemies”orthattwodifferenthousescouldnevergetalong.

AtFuture’sQuest,wewereshownthroughexercisesandpersonaldiscussionthat

althoughsomeofusweardifferentletters,intheendweallstriveforthesame

thing.LeavingFuture’sQuest,ItookfromitarenewedprideinbeingaBetaand

beingaGreekstudent.IfIhadnevergonetoFuture’sQuest,itisunlikelyIwould

beBeta’sIFCRepresentativeorhaveasstrongofaninterestinattemptingto

createaformalrecruitmentsystemforISU.IhopethatbyhelpingtheISUGreek

systembecomestronger,thatIcanmakeBetastrongertoo.

BetaThetaPi:AFraternityTrainingTomorrow’sLeaders

TheTri‐Serp:Fall2008 8

LeadershipCollegeatConvention,WrittenbyMattStrayer

BrotherBetas,ThissummerIhadthepleasureofattendingmysecondBetaConventionatthe169thGeneralConventioninDallas,TX.LastsummerIattendedasachapterdelegateandhadtofocusmoreonthebusinesssideofthegeneralfraternity.ThisyearIalsohadauniqueexperiencewhenIwasgiventheopportunityofservingasasmallgroupfacilitatoratLeadershipCollege.LeadershipCollegewasjustrevampedwithawonderfulnewprogrambasedonStephenCovey's"SevenHabitsofHighlyEffectivePeople."Facilitatingwasanawesomeexperienceworkingwith

theGeneralFraternitystaffandtheotherfacilitatorsfromacrossU.S.andCanada.FacilitatingatconventiongavemetheopportunitytothoroughlylearnStephenCovey'sprogram,meetnewBeta'sandFriendsofBeta,seeallmyoldfriendsfromacrossNorthAmerica,andcometorealizeonceagainwhyIjoinedourgreatandgoodfraternity.ThankGodI'maBeta,andIcanspeakonbehalfofallthecurrentundergraduatesatTauSigma,IhopetoseeallofyouthissummerinPhoenixforre‐chartering!___kai___,MattStrayerTS1736SeniorinEconomicsandMathematicsmatt7756@iastate.edu

Recruit Information: Our recruitment chairmen would be grateful to obtain the names and contact information of any possible recruits. If you know someone who is attending or plans to attend Iowa State University and would make a great Beta, please fill out the following information and return it to the Tau Sigma chapter via mail or e-mail. Thanks! Name _____________________________________________________________ Address ___________________________________________________________ Telephone # ( )___________________________________________________ E-mail_____________________________________________________________

BetaThetaPi‐TauSigmaColony2120LincolnWayAmes,Iowa50014www.isubeta.com

Questions?PleaseContact:MatthewCavnerAlumniRelationsIFCRepresentativeEditorofTheTri‐Serpmmcavner@iastate.edu