Beta Theta Pi - Oklahoma State University

NEWS Big Red Island Big Red Island Beta Theta Pi at Oklahoma State University / Summer 2021 STILL MARCHING ALONG WITH PRIDE & EXCELLENCE W e hope this addition of the Big Red Island (BRI) finds you safe and well. While the pandemic forced the university and Greek houses to cancel many events and altered college life in the Beta house, we carried out our missions of growing to live principled lives, building lasting bonds of friendships, and maintaining our high level of academic achievement. We are hoping to return to a "normal" year of Beta, campus activities, and excitement in 2021-22. As some of you have read, at the university level we have a new President with Burns Hargis retiring and leaving his enduring legacy. Dr. Kayse Shrum is the new President of Oklahoma State University. Also, Chad Weiberg is the new university Athletic Director. Both have a history with the Pokes. We know our alumni and students look forward to Dr. Shrum and Mr. Weiberg steering their alma mater to higher ground and bolstering all our initiatives at our brighter orange university. The chapter house report from Jonathan Buskirk '23 is included on the following page. We often headline the banner achievements of the Chapter house in the BRI. Our first look is usually at the metric of grades in academic achievement. Well turn the page and read it! You will again say wow at that GPA with 166 men in the average. Johnny tells us about the new initiates, the new pledges, the scaled back activities for the last academic year, and what the men at 1207 are looking forward to this year. We are in year 98 as a fraternity at Oklahoma State and couldn't be more proud of the contribution of our house in the Greek system and the Beta experience that we walk away with. As we collected some pictures from the chapter house and our alumni base, we asked for snapshots of just pure summer fun and activities from the first half of the summer. Take a look at lake resorts, mountaintops, the ocean, boating, hiking, golfing, fishing, Florida swamps (no alligators), and more. With many smiles, it looks like fun was had by all. THE 2014-2021 JOURNEY As many of you know, the role of our Beta Theta Pi Building Corporation (Building Corp) is to ensure our property is well managed and well maintained. In the last seven years, the Building Corp has taken on a critical and enormous mission. With the vision for a new house defined in a living room in 2014, the Building Corp identified a quality architect, hired a fundraising consulting firm who helped put our Fundraising Committee together, entered numerous contracts with building contractors and a financial institution, and decorated and furnished a new house. The end result we see is a premier new facility at 1207 W. University. The remaining piece on this major undertaking is for the Building Corp to engage a granite wall engraving contractor to build our donor wall to be installed in the Heritage room. The donor wall will prominently display the alumni base and friends of Beta that supported us at this momentous time in Gamma Lambda history. If you still have open campaign pledges for our new house, completing these commitments will be appreciated by your Beta brothers. We'd love to hear from you—your pictures of activities are welcome. Comments and updates for your contact information are appreciated. On the back page is our contact information and any messages will be circulated to undergraduates or selected alumni as appropriate. Read, look, enjoy! Sincerely and Yours in__kai__, Greg Colpitts '88 Larry Maguire '65

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