Beta Theta Pi - Oklahoma State University

NEWS Big Red Island Beta Theta Pi at Oklahoma State University / Spring 2018 Think Back. Think Big. Think Beta. Campaign Reaches $3.45 Million Raised IT IS TIME! A pproximately, four years ago I sat before a small but committed group of brothers, those charged with the thankless, but self- rewarding job of the Beta Theta Pi Building Corporation. I placed in front of me a placard with a picture of a prestigious red brink fraternity house which read "IT IS TIME". It was time to replace the aging and dilapidated Beta Houses at 1207 and 1215 W. University. Before me sat Brad Black '77, Toni Borelli '08, Rick Smith '85, and Mike Colvin '86. They each knew the score… the subtle, but obvious trend in Stillwater was to replace the aging and derelict fraternity houses. To succeed would require the motivation of over 1,200 Beta brothers to raise more than $5 million and build a state of the art Beta House. To fail to act or the failure to succeed would mean that the Betas at Oklahoma State would no longer be competitive as freshmen and young men would begin making choices based upon quality housing and the Betas would ultimately slide into obscurity. The decision was unanimous…It Is Time to build a new Beta House. The first step was to retain a campaign management company. It was not that we did not have the experience and knowledge of raising money as many of us had been through this before with Beta and other charities, but the process of identifying donors of time and money plus organizing and motivating the alumni is a monumental and time consuming task. In October 2014, Pennington & Company was retained as a campaign management company. Over the next year, a feasibility study was completed, a Capital Campaign Committee was selected, and the Capital Campaign was launched. During the years 2015, 2016, and 2017, the Capital Campaign Committee quietly and then publicly raised the funds necessary to build a New Beta House. Krittenbrink Architects was selected as our architect, financial projections were created, architectural designs were crafted, and many presentations were made. The highs and lows through those seemingly endless years cannot be understated as the Capital Campaign Committee pushed this project toward the campaign goal—for they also were all too aware of the score. Through the perseverance of the Capital Campaign Committee and the commitment of over 275 alumni, the Betas of Gamma Lambda came together and to date have raised over $3.45 million; an impressive dent on the goal of $4 million. Additionally, commitments for financing were obtained to fund the $6.4 million construction project. Finally, in November 2017, the Capital Campaign Committee and the Building Corporation came to the unanimous decision … It Is Time to build a new Beta House. (Continued on page 2) Chapter Brothers' Continued Excellence House GPA – 3.45 (173 men) 4.0 GPAs – 50 Greek All-Sports Trophy – First Freshman Follies – First Varsity Revue – First Spring Sing – Second New 2018 Brothers – 38 Freshman GPA – 3.6 Leadership Training Institutes See full story on page 10.

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