Beta Theta Pi - University of Wisconsin

H aving attended the centennial celebration way back in 1973, I can say we surpassed that event by a wide margin with our sesquicentennial this past April. It was, as one of our youngest brothers remarked, "epic!" HONORING A BROTHER Our events began with the plaque unveiling for the new Pagel Recreation Facility honoring Marine Captain John "Bauca" Pagel '73, who died in 1982 in a peacetime helicopter accident off the USS Iwo Jima. A highlight of our presentation to his wife, Holly, was the fact that she brought ten friends and relatives to the dedication. Several folks remarked they were surprised we remembered Bauca 41 years after his passing. We were surprised they thought we'd forgotten. FRIDAY FESTIVITIES Following the memorial, we started the rest of the evening with our Friday night beer supper, reminiscent of the great sorority mixers at Alpha Pi. Brothers and guests feasted on a buffet of gourmet salads and sandwiches. The food certainly beat the old staple of beer suppers from back in the day: the dreaded tuna noodle casserole. We counted 250 attendees at our Friday event. Alumni were blown away by the improvements and upgrades the Beta Building Association had been able to make with the money raised through our successful fundraising efforts led by Campaign Chairman Bart Kocha '80. SATURDAY'S GATHERING The main event of the weekend was dinner at the Madison Doubletree, owned by brother Dave Lenz '71. Dave provided the brothers staying there with the "friends and family" rate. A mind-boggling 220 alumni, members of the active chapter, and guests made it to the reception and following buffet dinner. Speeches were made by BBA President Max Lord '07, Chapter President Mikey McGuire '25, and General Fraternity President Tom Cassady, Cincinnati '76. "The energy that filled the room—one of excitement, reminiscence, and real enjoyment of one another's company—was palpable," noted McGuire. "Being able to meet so many people that came through the same place at different times and in different ways, yet still finding genuine connections at the drop of a hat, just left a smile on my face," he added. "We've initiated about 450 Alpha Pis in the last 20 years," remarked Lord. "More than half that number has been initiated in the last five, and several recent graduates came back to celebrate. You could see how impressed older alumni were with the chapter's substantial growth." "For me, the greatest moment was seeing all the 'fraternal fifties' alumni take the stage at the end of the evening," noted Bart Kocha. We were blessed to have more than three dozen brothers with 50 or more years in Alpha Pi over the weekend. On a personal note, I had forgotten how funny John Evans '70 was. I woke up in the morning and couldn't figure out why my sides hurt so badly, then it hit me—Evie!" FINANCIAL OBSTACLES A challenge facing the sesquicentennial committee was funding active members for this event without punching a hole in the chapter's social budget or charging alumni a much higher fee for the weekend. Kudos to Fred Goetzke '92 for stepping in and volunteering to pay the cost of dinners for the 100+ active members attending. Fred was recognized by the Dias several times, with each mention of his name bringing wild cheers from the room. As the evening ended, our guests walked back to their rooms or to the buses going back to the house. The remaining folks hanging back by the hotel bar remarked that we did this so well, we ought to do it again. So we will! THE HOUSE CENTENNIAL In 2026, we will gather at 622 Mendota Court to celebrate the centennial of the house. Everyone involved in planning the 150th is sure we can top ourselves for the occasion; this time, weather permitting, with some outdoor activities for guests. As we look toward our 151st year at the University of Wisconsin, we would be remiss if we didn't engage in a little chest pounding: • We are the oldest Greek organization in continual operation at UW. • We are the largest chapter in the Big Ten and eighth largest in the entire fraternity. • We are the only Beta chapter on lakefront property. • Our brothers have held every political office the state has: governor, state legislature, U.S House of Representatives, and the U.S. Senate. • We have five brothers in the UW Athletics Hall of Fame. What else is to come for Alpha Pi? Only time will tell! Yours in _kai_, Roderick Taylor, #1448, UW 1972 ALPHA PILOT Alpha Pi Chapter of Beta Theta Pi at the University of Wisconsin FALL 2023 THE Another Fall with Alpha Pi • p.2 | Saving Lives and Raising Awareness • p.3 | Chapter Officers • p.3 New Members • p.3 | Sights from the 150th Celebration • p.4 | Never Too Late to Make a Difference • p.5 Inside: ALPHA PI HOSTS EPIC 150TH RECONNECT A TIME TO

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