Beta Theta Pi - Kansas State University

Gamma epSilon A s a small-town Kansas boy attending KSU, Larry Bramlage, DVM '73 had no idea what to expect from his first exposure to fraternity life. A high school friend and football teammate invited Larry to a recruitment party, and Gamma Epsilon's remarkable emphasis on camaraderie left a great first impression. Little did he know, Larry was joining a brotherhood that would become a major part of his life. • Building a Foundation Larry made great memories in Gamma Epsilon and still recalls lining up with pledge brothers to receive word of their initiation. He learned to study hard while enjoying time with brothers, and Larry hopes today's members can keep the same company of high achievers. "I have been fortunate and had success in my career, and I think it all started with my time at the Beta House." Larry gained leadership experience through Gamma Epsilon, serving for two years as intramural chairman and eventually a semester as chapter president. His work ethic and positive role models like Dr. Dan Upson '52 and Dr. Russ Fry '52 helped Larry stay on track and start his career. • Life Beyond the Beta House After college, Larry interned at Colorado State University before spending 13 years on staff at The Ohio State University. He moved to Lexington, Kentucky, where Larry is currently an equine orthopedic surgeon at a new horse- exclusive veterinary hospital. "I have practiced on all breeds of horses but currently work almost exclusively on thoroughbred racehorses because of my location in central Kentucky. I am an emeritus partner in the Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and still practice full time." Decades after college, Larry is glad to return to the Beta house on a yearly basis. His class recently celebrated their 50th anniversary of arriving at 500 Sunset, gifting a bronze dragon to the house to commemorate five decades. • Supporting Today's Members While the emphasis on modern Greek life in college has shifted, Larry is glad to know that Beta Theta Pi continues to excel. In honor of his own remarkable pledge experience, Larry contributed to 500 Sunset: Building on the Legacy. "On the surface, Beta Theta Pi excels as much as we ever did in the Greek community. But my impression is fraternity life has lost the deep meaning we gained from our involvement. We started with 24 pledges; eight quit during pledge training. Fifteen of us lived in the house all four years. That is a testament to the bond we felt. Our pledge training was hard, it was physical, it was stressful, and it was demanding, but it was never demeaning or disrespectful. We lost sleep, we worked hard, and we were met with strong demands that bonded us. We were never required to drink alcohol or subjected to servitude. I was disappointed to find that very few juniors and seniors live in the house. Our interaction with the juniors and seniors was a big influence on us as pledges and as younger actives. I think that weakens the house as we knew it." My decision to support the expansion of the house is rooted in my gratitude for those four years, but also in a sliver of hope that those four years could be enjoyed again by another small-town kid like me. Larry is grateful for the brotherhood that shaped him to become the man he is today. He is a husband and father, married for 49 years to his college sweetheart, Marilyn Burns Bramlage. Their daughter, Joey Marie, is an attorney and a mother to 8-year-old triplets. Their son, Matt, is an engineer. Larry enjoys his small farm where the family sometimes races their own racehorses. Larry has been long considered as one of, if not, the top equine veterinarians in the world for developing, applying, and improving advanced surgery techniques. You can connect with Larry and share your Beta bond at lbramlage@roodandriddle.com. G amma Epsilon opened the year with construction of new dining and study areas. We have continued to strive for excellence— even with all the noise and construction going on at 500 Sunset. The chapter also welcomed its first spring pledge class in recent years, with new members moving in during both the fall and spring terms. This year, we are confident we lived Beta's five core values of mutual assistance, responsible conduct, intellectual growth, integrity, and trust well, with examples below: • The K-State Interfraternity Council gave Gamma Epsilon a gold rating, the highest you can get, for our community service involvement, philanthropy events, and advisement. • For community service, we participated in Apps in Aggieville, where we helped a company set up a children's carnival. • During our philanthropy week, we held a car wash, a sorority flag football tournament, and Beta Boo, where we turned 500 Sunset into a haunted house for the Manhattan community. We raised almost $7,000 for the American Diabetes Association. • For advisement, there must be three different types of advisors, including the house director. Mom Beth Kershner, new for this year, has been a huge help and a big reason why we have achieved this gold rating! • We performed well academically and achieved a GPA of 3.38, which was the most recent GPA reported by the IFC at Kansas State. This summer, we are busy with internships, summer jobs, and vacations as we get ready for another great school year. We are so thankful and grateful for the alumni who have supported our campaign so far. We are thrilled to move into the renovated house in the fall, and we're especially excited about using the new study room addition to achieve even more academically. If you have any questions or concerns or are going to be in Manhattan and would like a tour, don't hesitate to reach out to either of us to set something up. See you soon! Yours in ___kai___, Nik Petterson '26, npetterson24@gmail.com Grant Sesler '26, grant.sesler@gmail.com The Gold Standard BROTHERS FOCUS ON ACADEMICS AND PHILANTHROPY Proud to Be a Beta Why Larry Bramlage '73 Continues to Support Gamma Epsilon Gamma Epsilon brothers with Kansas State Basketball Coach Jermoe Tang and members of the Wildcat basketball team.

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