Beta Theta Pi - University of Minnesota

A PublicAtion of the betA thetA Pi Society of MinneSotA And the betA Pi chAPter the betA Piper FALL 2021 J oshua Knudson '04 remembers his time as an active brother with admiration. Beta Theta Pi instilled Joshua with lifelong memories and leadership development through courses that he was a part of, such as The Men of Principle Initiative. One of his favorite memories was reading ritual in the library of the administrative office in Oxford when he was president and preparing for initiation. He also enjoyed his time bonding and growing his relationships with his brothers. "My favorite chapter memory was winning the local chapter of the year award." Joshua shared. "Singing on the porch together afterward with the award was pure joy." An important part of being a brother means giving back to the chapter. Beta Pi provided many students, like Joshua, with a place to be their home away from home, and he is forever grateful for that. A Brother Through and Through How Joshua Knudson '04 Became a Man of Principle (Continued on page 2) B eta Pi Chapter had an exhilarating start to the semester and stayed busy with recruitment, Homecoming, and getting back into the swing of things. This fall, we were able to recruit 12 pledges from all different walks of life and majors ranging from CDES to Carlson to CSE. Post-recruitment, we quickly went into Homecoming week where we were paired with Alpha Epsilon Pi, Alpha Tau Omega, and Alpha Phi to build Greek relations through a karaoke night, a grill out, and the infamous lip-sync dance at the end of the week. It was a well-put-together week thanks to brothers Carter Volk '22, Ryan Ballot '24, and Carter Ridl '21, who helped facilitate communication between the groups and prepare each event. Moreover, with in-person classes, intramurals are also back. The brothers of Beta Pi were quick to sign up for volleyball, cornhole, softball, and football. In October, brothers were able to enjoy a nice getaway from the hustle and bustle of campus life during a trip up to Alexandria, Minnesota. Thanks to brother Jon Riley '21 and his family, we were able to stay in multiple cabins. During the weekend, brothers could be seen playing disc golf, golf, and the semesterly football game. When we weren't testing our athletic abilities, we were playing various card and board games that showed our mental prowess in strategy. The other highlight of the weekend was, of course, the Golden Gophers beating the Boilermakers 20-13. Between recruitment and Homecoming week, we were able to have alumni come to the house and speak to the active chapter about their lives and professional development. Todd Myers '00 supplied insights on how to convey your skills during interviews, gave incredible financial advice for when we step out of the college setting, and talked about his personal journey. We were also fortunate to have Sam Orth '21, Joel Nielson '21, and Jack Zutter '21 talk about their undergraduate experience. These recent alumni elaborated on what they benefited from during their four years, what they found to be important, and what we shouldn't let distract us. It was an impeccable experience with words of wisdom that are applicable to everyone—no matter their age. Working with brother Peter Gontarski '22, I am hoping to have one or two more of these events with alumni in the area who can come to the house and have conversations with the active chapter. If you have interest in participating in this or in ritual, please feel free to reach out to Brother Gontarski at gonta004@umn.edu or (678) 365-6839. Yours in __kai__, Ethan Pickering '21 Chapter President (224) 203-1240 picke202@umn.edu MOVING FORWARD Undergraduates Thrive as Activities Return to Campus Alumnus Todd Myers '00 provides tips regarding interviews and professional life to actives in the Greiner room. Brothers spend their Sunday in the basement watching TV. Betas and friends watch the Homecoming parade from the comfort of the porch.

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