Beta Phi Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha at Purdue University
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1533736
Spring 2025 CANDLELIGHT BETA PHI CHAPTER OF PI KAPPA ALPHA • PURDUE UNIVERSITY Published by the Beta Phi Foundation Published by the Beta Phi Foundation A Foundation Focused on the Future STAYING CONNECTED AND BETA PHI FUNDING T he Beta Phi Foundation remains busy in our pursuit of being the best possible stewards for our generous alumni, and we have exciting news to share with you. Chapter Communications _________________________________________ We officially welcomed Joe Gurzema '92 to the Foundation board. Joe brings experience in working with social media that will help us move forward in communication with our alumni electronically. With that in mind, the Foundation has been working to update and expand our use of the Chapter LinkedIn page, linkedin.com/company/purduepike. We welcome any alumni to share any stories or articles you feel would be interesting and fun. Over the next several months, we will be posting a "composite of the month." Look to see if your composite is the one chosen. They truly bring back great memories of our time living in the Chapter House. Helping the House _______________________________________________ We are excited to update you on our current fundraising campaign for the chapter house maintenance fund. The money contributed to this fund will eventually go into an endowment that will assist in paying for yearly maintenance and high-cost depreciable items like the roof, boiler, and kitchen appliances. To date, we have collected $37,000 and growing with your generous support. As a reminder, the Foundation already has six fully endowed $1,200 scholarships and a fully endowed tutoring program. Two scholarships are administered through the Purdue Bursar's Office and four scholarships are awarded by the Foundation each fall during our reunion. This year's reunion will be on Saturday, October 4 (vs. Illinois). Our goal, as always, is to make Beta Phi a place where young men want to join and our alumni remain proud. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in October. Fraternally, Joe Conti '85, President (Emeritus) SUPPORTING BETA PHI FOUNDATION T hank you for your support of Beta Phi Chapter and our Beta Phi Foundation. All gifts to the Beta Phi Foundation are 100% tax deductible and directly impact our Chapter and its initiatives. TO GIVE ONLINE: Scan the QR code or visit pikapurdue.causevox.com. TO GIVE BY MAIL: Make your check payable to Beta Phi Foundation and mail to: Pi Kappa Alpha – Purdue University Payment Processing PO Box 2187 Columbus, GA 31902-2187 Remember that Beta Phi Foundation is its own 501(c)(3) separate from PIKE Foundation. We at Beta Phi Foundation appreciate your support and ask that all donations for Beta Phi Chapter come through us. A tax receipt will be provided. D E C A D E S O F D U T I F U L S E RV I C E Tom Maddox '71 on Fraternity Life and Home Association Involvement A s a young man at Purdue in the '60s, Tom Maddox '71 was interested in PIKE for its excellent location on campus and impressive house and brotherhood. He enjoyed a formative Chapter House experience that lasted through three years and his senior year, and Tom has remained engaged with Beta Phi Chapter across 50 years of Home Association involvement. BETA PHI MEMBERSHIP Tom has fond memories with Pikes during his undergraduate years. He enjoyed spring break in Fort Lauderdale with roommate Bill Berg '71, road tripping to Indiana with Dick Duncan '69 to visit his house in Elkhart, and spending two weeks on a west coast trip to California with Bill Stanton '71. Beyond the fun times, Tom also learned about serving the brotherhood as Beta Phi's social chairman. "That's about as high as I got on the executive board level, but we had a good time. In fact, I met my wife, of 52 years, Sue Sellers then at a Halloween event—she was a DG little sister at the time. She helped me decorate, and with the first kiss, we fell in love." LIFE BEYOND COLLEGE After graduation, Tom was drafted and served in the Army Reserves. His big brother, Jim Little '69, helped him carve out a career by landing him a job at Continental Bank in Chicago. "Had it not been for Jim, I'm not sure where I would be." (Continued on page 2)