Beta Theta Pi - University of Kansas

8 Chelan David '94 on His 50-State Fatherhood Journey W here has your journey taken you? For Chelan David '94, his path has taken him to Alpha Nu, to all 50 states, and now to bookshelves as a published author. THE BETA EXPERIENCE "From the time I set foot in Usher Mansion, I bonded with members of my pledge class," Chelan said. He was impressed by the fraternity's history when high school friend John Gollier '93 invited Chelan to a recruitment party, and he also highly valued the emphasis on academics. Transitioning to college life was made easier with pledge brothers he knew from childhood like Matt Gowen '94, David Johnston '94, and Peter Johnston '94. Recent house renovations made for a comfortable living environment thanks to alumni support. "To this day when I meet people who attended KU—regardless of what year they graduated— and I say I was a Beta, they nod their head in respect and say something to the effect of 'you must have been pretty smart.'" Staying connected with Alpha Nu, Chelan enjoys local gatherings and occasional trips with pledge brothers. He especially enjoyed the recent alumni Turkey Pull, having a chance to visit the house and catch up with brothers. JOURNALISM AND A JOURNEY Chelan studied journalism and began working with advertising agencies after college, with some freelance writing on the side. He pivoted to advertising sales with a general manager role at Univision, and roughly a year ago, Chelan began serving as development director at Lead to Read KC. After his divorce, Chelan searched for a way to connect more with his two young daughters. With his background in writing, Chelan found the perfect opportunity to chronicle a unique adventure that brought the trio together. "In 2015, when my daughters were 6 and 8, we went on a spring break trip to the East Coast, flying into Boston and then visiting six states in seven days," Chelan shared. With 15 states visited so far, Chelan made it a goal to see all 50 states with his daughters. A PARENT'S PERSPECTIVE After visiting nearly half the states, Chelan decided to start working on a book featuring travel stories and his own self-reflection on life. Beautiful States of Mind tells Chelan's tale of planning the adventure through the years, processing his own parents' divorce, handling COVID complications during the journey, and much more. "I wrote the book to preserve the memories I built with my daughters so they can enjoy it when they are older," Chelan explained. Working on the book for five years, he was proud to see the stories and photos all recorded in print. Through all their travels and memories, Chelan is grateful for the chance to see his daughters learn more about history, culture, and the environment. Between the 50-state journey and Alpha Nu, Chelan has learned to savor life's great moments. You can connect with Chelan at chelandavid@gmail.com and learn more about Beautiful States of Mind at cdavidbooks.com. "Traveling to all 50 states with my children and being an Alpha Nu alumnus are both experiences that are hard to describe. It's kind of like visiting the Grand Canyon or ocean for the first time—words don't adequately explain the richness of the experience." PRESERVING LIFE'S FINEST MOMENTS Chelan and his daughters visiting Alaska on their 50-state journey.

• Cover