Pi Kappa Alpha - University of Texas

6 www.texaspikes.com The Beta Mu Review Anderson Price '03 and his wife, Royale, recently concluded a year-long trip around the world. This has been one of their goals since meeting as undergraduates in 2004. Pikes can view the trials and tribulations of planning, budgeting and executing a round-the-world trip at www.travel-cowboys.com. E-mail: andersonprice@gmail.com Robert T. Auers '09 is a process engineer at Western Refining Corporation and lives in El Paso, Texas. E-mail: robertauers@yahoo.com (Continued from page 5) aluMni upDate Q & A with New Pike President Tyler "TJ" Weido '12 T yler "TJ" Weido '12 is a junior from Houston. He is a finance major interested in corporate finance and investments. He was elected Pike president by his peers in November 2014 and will serve for one year. TJ is also a member of U.T.'s oldest honorary service organization, Texas Cowboys. Beta Mu Review: Tell us about where you grew up, about your family and life before attending U.T. Where did your nickname come from? TJ: I was born in Houston and grew up in the northern Houston suburbs in the Spring/Klein area. I went to Klein High School where I was a member of National Honor Society and a two- year varsity football letterman. I graduated as number 18 in my class of 776. I am a product of a great, caring family. My parents, Kevin and Michelle Weido, have been a great inspiration. My dad is a lawyer with Shell Oil and mom is a registered nurse and real estate agent. I have one older brother who graduated from Notre Dame in 2012. "TJ" stands for Tyler James, my first and middle names. BMR: What attracted you to Pike? When did you pledge? TJ: I joined Pike after attending rush events at orientation and a few rush parties in Austin the summer before my freshman year. Pikes seemed to be a group of very tightly knit guys that knew how to have a good time but were also academically driven. I was a member of the fall 2012 pledge class. For me, it was a great decision to join Pike. BMR: You've been a visible, consistently active leader in the chapter. What offices have you held? TJ: Pledge class president, academic chairman, fall 2013 pledge educator, summer 2014 co-rush chairman, and chapter president. BMR: What vision or goals do you have as president? TJ: I'm fortunately joined by seven other officers who compose the executive committee and inherited a solid operation. A large focus for us is on house maintenance and renovations. We plan to have the interior of the house repainted and perhaps, with the help of alumni and parents, to refurnish the common areas. The house has served the chapter very well for 60+ years but requires a lot of TLC. We are eager to work with alumni on planning for a new house expansion in 2015-16. We are grateful that those discussions are ongoing and appreciate our expanding alumni relations. Pike of course has a very busy social calendar already planned for the remaining 2014-15 school year. Continuing Pike traditions are important. Last fall's SWAMP party was, we believe, its 63rd year, and we hold a winter- themed party now called Pikes Peak right after returning from the holidays, as well as a destination spring formal in San Antonio. Academics are also of extremely high importance and our executive committee will work closely with the new academic chairman and new honors council to improve chapter grades. We have an overall chapter GPA of 3.1 but want to increase it. Risk awareness is also something we take seriously. Focusing on the pledges, academics and safety are my top priorities. Finally, we are excited to launch a parents club in 2015. Not only will our parents get to know one another and share in the brotherhood, but we welcome their involvement and association into the organization that is the centerpiece of their sons' lives throughout college and beyond. BMR: What are you studying? Do you have a career path identified or specific industry in mind to join? TJ: I am a finance major. Last summer I interned at Hart Intercivic, an Austin technology company led by two Pike alumni (Philip Braithwaite '87 and Steven Sockwell '87), where I was a marketing/sales intern. For summer 2015, I look forward to working for Ford Motor Company as a finance intern in Dearborn, Michigan. I am contemplating, but undecided, about pursuing graduate school. BMR: Tell our readers about your hobbies and interests. TJ: I'm an avid Longhorns football fan and try to attend most games, home and away. I enjoy watching professional football as well and support my hometown team, the Houston Texans. I was invited to join the Texas Cowboys service organization in fall 2014 and spend a good portion of my time attending various meetings and volunteer/charity events through that organization. Last semester I volunteered once a week at Rosedale Elementary School, a school for special needs children. The Weido family are huge Longhorn fans. TJ and his parents, Kevin and Michelle, enjoy a 2014 Pike Texas Longhorn football tailgate together. TJ Weido '12 (foreground) following the presentation of his chaps at Texas Cowboys initiation in late 2014. Other Pike Cowboys include (standing, from left) Chris Roman '12, Cannon Crew member Kyle Shaffer '11, Dalton Hardy '11 and Matthew Lillard '11.

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