Beta Theta Pi - MIT

BACK BAY BETA Beta Upsilon Chapter of Beta Theta Pi at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Spring 2023 Brothers share laughs and memories during one of their monthly Zoom calls. Le to right from top: Patrick Fowler '83, Mark Bloomberg '80, Andy Levy '84, Mike Feinstein '82, Paul Rothman '80, Steve Silberberg '83, Scott Brennan '80, Mike DeWitt '82, and Ted Weaver '84. A lthough spring is in the air, I am mindful that I am in the autumn of my life. Getting older has never bothered me, as I have always been grateful for all my experiences, good and bad. The good has brought me meaningful friendships, delightful family members, and happy memories. The setbacks and disappointments in my life gave me knowledge and perspective. A very wise mentor at a venture firm where I was a partner used to say, "Good judgment is the result of experience. Unfortunately, experience is the result of bad judgment." Experiences of all kinds have helped me realize that true value lies in lasting connections. Recently, I've enjoyed reconnecting with alumni that I haven't seen or spoken with for a long time. Scott Brennan '80 hosts monthly Zoom calls where alumni from the 1970s and 1980s catch up on each other's lives and share stories. We also share some old photos that Scott is archiving. If you are interested, contact Scott at scotebrennan@yahoo.com. I hope you will join us! Not long ago, I also had dinner with a brother I hadn't seen in 40 years. It was amazing how quickly we fell back into the same pattern of friendly banter that we enjoyed in school. We've both changed after all these years, but the fundamentals of our connection remain, forged by our mutual experiences as Betas. We also marveled at how amazingly bright and strong our contemporaries were. In school, they were just our Brothers, but over the past 40 years, we've seen them achieve incredible accomplishments. There is great joy in rediscovering a connection that was lost for 40 years; however, how much better would it have been to have maintained that connection so we could have enjoyed many more of those conversations? It's no one's fault—life got in the way—but we look forward to staying in touch in the future, as we treasure these connections formed in our personal autumns. Those of you younger than me can keep those connections going and benefit from them without four lost decades. You can join Scott's Zoom calls or organize some of your own. There are many ways for you reconnect and get involved. Come to the annual euchre tournament in New Orleans each fall. Contact Alan Laves '82 at alaves@akingump.com for more info. Or, if cards aren't your thing, reach out to me to volunteer for the House Corporation Board in an alumni communication role. We are also planning some alumni events with the Chapter this spring, including a career night where local alumni share their professional experiences with the undergraduates during an informal gathering. We hope this effort particularly will show our younger Brothers the value of lifelong Beta connections. I hope to see you at one of these events soon! Yours in _kai_, Mike Feinstein '82 Beta Upsilon Association President mike_feinstein@yahoo.com Mike Feinstein '82 on the Value of Staying Connected Making Up for Lost Time Making Up for Lost Time B orn and raised in Alaska with a large family, Robert Harris '82 hoped to replicate that sense of family and community in college. A close high school friend of his graduated a year early and attended the University of Kansas, where he joined Alpha Nu Chapter of Beta Theta Pi. Realizing this could be just the group he was looking for, Robert decided to join his friend at KU when he graduated high school. When Robert decided to transfer to MIT, Beta Upsilon Chapter welcomed him as a Brother and eased the transition to a new school. Robert found the members of both chapters to be wonderful groups of men. "Even after all these years, I'm still close to my KU pledge Brothers and others in each Chapter. Beta Upsilon helped me form many great friendships that helped sustain me during my time at MIT." Through Beta, Robert found that sense of family in college while being surrounded by Brothers interested in doing something meaningful with their lives while working hard and having fun along the way. Robert has always enjoyed working collaboratively in his professional life— something he thinks the fraternity helped him learn about himself. "I didn't live in the Chapter House at MIT, but I should have paid rent for as much time as I spent there studying and hanging out." In 2011, Robert reconnected with a Beta Upsilon Brother who told him about the Chapter reunion and euchre tournament. Robert decided to attend that year, catching up with Brothers while surrounded by food, activities, and stories as they reflected on years of friendship. Robert now attends the reunion/tournament every year and attends alumni gatherings whenever possible. "My Beta Brothers are some of the best friends I've ever had and lead interesting lives," he said. "Getting to see them again is something that I look forward to all year long." Over a decade since that first invitation, Robert considers deciding to attend the reunion to be one of his best decisions and encourages all MIT Betas to attend. Robert lives in Anchorage, Alaska, after retiring from a great career in the finance and energy fields. In his free time, he enjoys remodeling his two houses, skiing, and spending as much time outdoors as possible. You can connect with Robert at robertharris@startmail.com. Robert Harris '82 Reunites with Beta Brothers Finding a Principled Brotherhood—Twice!

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