From: Mike Czmiel '15,  Public Relations Chair

Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Subject: Summer 2014 Update

The newly renovated chapter house, and home of 40 Beta undergrads. 

 
Hello there! On behalf of Beta Theta Pi’s Sigma Rho chapter here at the University of Illinois, I would like to formally introduce myself to you: My name is Mike Czmiel and I will be the acting Public Relations chair for Fall 2014 semester. An Architecture major and Business minor as well as a Sigma Rho Founding Father, I will be working with our VP of Communications, Felix Boeschen ’16, as well as several other committees to ensure that I keep you up to date on our chapter’s progress, events, activities and any other related news. As this is the first official newsletter you will be receiving, I would like to recap the summer as well as offer a preliminary outlook for the upcoming semester.

Mid April, we found ourselves hosting our first official alumni event for those in the Champaign area organized with the help of Mike Langan ‘82. Naturally occurring at campus favorite Legend’s Bar and Grill, over a dozen alumni came to meet the guys, relive their memories and offer their ideas and assistance to commence our official return with vigor.  Following this success, we then held an even more successful alumni golf outing in July at the Lake Bluff Golf Club which played host to over 50 alumni.  Every decade from the 1950’s to the 2000’s was represented, and they couldn’t be more enthusiastic of returning to campus and getting involved with our return.  Finally, we could not forget about Beta’s 175th General Convention in Oxford, Ohio earlier this month where many of our members took part with chapters nationwide to connect with fellow Betas and celebrate this milestone.


In the mix of all the planning and execution of these events, progress never concluded from a Sigma Rho administration standpoint.  With President Jack Kalanik ‘16 holding three meetings in August alone, everything from recruitment and housing renovations to finalizing our educational requirements and social/philanthropic calendars has been reviewed:
 
We are proud to announce that a great number of applicants has applied for our “Men of Principle” scholarship and that our VP of Recruitment Bill Hilger ‘16 anticipates a strong, promising pledge class for the Fall of 2014.  
Our home at 202 E. Daniel Street (which has undergone several renovations including replacing 60 windows, new furniture / kitchen equipment and repainting) is ready to accept the 40+ new Betas that will be living in as well as our House Director Andy Breed, an alumnus from Kettering University. 
Our first official event back on campus will be a BBQ / tailgate on September 20th.  The official reopening of our house as well, alumni are invited to the house for tours and to meet the actives before heading to Memorial Stadium for the Illinois-Texas State game.
For philanthropic work, service chair Zain Nayani ‘16 has planned 2-3 service opportunities per week within the Champaign-Urbana community and university to ensure that everyone can get involved regardless of their busy academic schedules.   

 
 
 
Our 9 National Convention antendees posing after the opening ceremony in Oxford, Ohio.
  
Lastly, I would like to highlight our most important members: you!  While some fraternities may be exclusive of parents, we desire your help in making our initial year the best it can be.  Ways you may participate include referring potential Beta recruits to our VP of Recruitment Bill Hilger, donating basic supplies to our house (i.e. paper plates, cleaning supplies or anything you deem necessary), gifting the house with anything on our attached “wish-list,” or signing up to be a part of our upcoming parent committee.  But mainly, we want you to be involved!  If you should ever have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to contact me to share them; I will be pleased to assist you or direct you to another individual in our organization who can.  After all, you are the reason that we have had the opportunity to bring Beta Theta Pi back to campus and we wouldn’t want to disappoint you.


In conclusion, I strongly look forward to this upcoming year and what it has in store for all of us and I sincerely hope you do as well.  Although significant, our accomplishments in recolonizing last year were small feats leading up to our final test in returning to campus this year with gusto.  We have been waiting for this moment and we are ready, so let our final countdown begin! 
 
 
Four Beta alums enjoying reconnecting at the Golf Outing during the summer.  
 
 
Wish List
(Items are listed in order of most important to least)
 

• 70” TV for living room 
• Speakers/sound system for TV in living room 
• Speakers for outdoor tailgating 
• Grill for outdoor events in backyard
• 55” TV for back room
• Basketball hoop for parking lot
• Vacuum
• Bookshelves
• Pool Table
• Extra set of washer/dryer
• Bike rack

 
Items toward the top of the list will be purchased from our budget if we are not gifted them, so any help would be greatly appreciated! 

Sincerely,
Mike Czmiel ’15  –  Mczmie2@illinois.edu | 847.942.8071

Other highlighted contacts:
                  President Jack Kalanik | Jack.Kalanik@gmail.com
                  VP of Communications Felix Boeschen | Felix.Boeschen@gmail.com
                  VP of Recruitment Bill Hilger | whilger2@gmail.com