Beta Theta Pi - Oklahoma State University

Think Back. Think Big. Think Beta. 7 K rittenbrink Architecture has been hired by our Building Corporation to provide the professional services to Beta in the design and development of our planned construction project. Krittenbrink provided the work for us on the pre-design floor plans for our house which we have been displaying to our brothers in our campaign. Krittenbrink services include pro- gramming, pre-design, design development, construction docu- mentation, and the coordination of consultants. Also, civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, negotiations, permitting, construc- tion administration, lead design and certifi- cation, and interior design are provided by Krittenbrink. Mark Krittenbrink, principal of Krittenbrink Architecture LLC, is especially adept at design and construction management. He has called both Colorado and Oklahoma home and is licensed in both states. Experience designing and building in several climates, including the island of St. Thomas, and survey work nationwide for Fortune 500 companies such as the Gap, give him a diverse perspective that translates into innovative, practical designs. His work on commercial and residential projects statewide and nationally has taught him design and construction management on a broader scale. He excels at phased construction such as that done on the renovation of the McSwain Theatre in Ada, Okla., and the Noble (Okla.) Public Library, which required careful planning to ensure the continued operations of the businesses during construction. On the Krittenbrink Architecture website (https://www.krittenbrinkarchitecture.com/ greek-housing-1/e), under Services and Greek Housing, there are a number of Greek housing projects displayed where the architecture work was performed by Krittenbrink and his team. Projects have been completed across numerous universities. There are many pictures available to view of the challenges and solutions that the architectural firm has tackled, and the results in these pictures are impressive. We look forward to working with Mark on our new project at 1207 W. University. Yours in _kai _, The Building Corporation The Krittenbrink Standard Gamma Lambda Announces Partnership with Krittenbrink Architecture Think Back, Thank Beta John K. Williams '68—Why I Gave M y Beta experience opened up a whole new world for me. Neither of my parents were in the Greek system so I had virtually no knowledge of fraternities and sororities. Therefore, the summer of 1964 was a magical experience for me by going through fraternity rush. Even though I was attending parties and functions like I had only dreamed of, I still did not understand the true meaning of "fraternity." By the time I finished my other visits, I knew I wanted to be a Beta if I received their bid. Four men profoundly influenced what brotherhood meant to me that summer: Jim Boatsman '66, Wilson Williams '66, Terry Kern '66 and Horace Moore '64. At that time, I could only aspire to be like them by becoming a Beta. My dreams were fulfilled the day I accepted Beta's bid. Rushing from the Student Union, over Theta Pond, and turning down University to be greeted at 1207 is still one of my most vivid memories. Unlike most Betas, I was not an exceptional student in high school, and aside from sports, I had few other outside activities. I suddenly found myself surrounded by 39 pledge brothers and a house full of members, all with diverse talents, the likes of which I had never encountered. Many of them made outstanding grades and possessed musical ability, acting skills, athletic prowess, leadership abilities, etc., all so different from my background. I saw very competitive men unified by a common purpose who, while meeting their own goals, still wanted every other brother to succeed. I realized that I needed to progress a long way to feel worthy to be among this group. Fortunately, the imposed study hall and mentoring from the members and my pledge brothers helped me start achieving academic success. However, being immature, while others thrived, I often had too much fun and stumbled in making the right decisions. Nevertheless, while my journey was slow, I was still learning with the support of the house. Those were the most influential four years of my life. Rarely do more than a few days pass without my thinking how grateful I am for the Beta experience and for the many men who were my role models. Although in college my future might not have appeared very promising to others, by the time of graduation I had learned many lessons from the brothers who inspired me. This gave me the confidence and life skills to have success in my military service and which carried over through my practice of law for the past 44 years. Several months ago, Jim Hammack '66 called on me to consider making a donation to the Gamma Lambda building campaign. I initially offered a small amount just as a gesture. He asked me to consider what Beta had done for me and get back with him. That night, my wife reminded me of how often I have told her that any success I have enjoyed was primarily because of the influence of the Beta house. We made a joint decision that we should try to pay back, in some way that was meaningful, to afford the same opportunities to other young men that I had been given in 1964 and which changed my life. This is why I decided to become involved in the Gamma Lambda building project. I thank God that I am a Beta. Yours in _kai _, John K. Williams '68 John lives in Edmond, Okla., and has been married to Beverly Dixon Williams (Chi Omega) for 46 years. He is the founder and managing partner of Williams, Boren & Associates and enjoys spending time with his children and four grandchildren. He can be reached at kerdix@aol.com.

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