Amidst the constant changing environment of Greek life at Butler, Delta Tau Delta remains a shining example

of brotherhood and collegiate excellence on campus. Our academic success continues to soar, recruitment is at an all-time high, the Shelter stands out on Greek Row, and our alumni are excelling in their careers and with their commitment to the chapter.

Speaking of excellence, Beta Zeta Chapter finished the fall semester with a GPA of 3.499, which was the highest of all fraternities on campus (also higher than many sororities). The undergraduates take their academic responsibility seriously and this achievement is a testament to the dedication Academic Advisor Patrick Gibbons, University of Cincinnati ’84 has invested week after week throughout the years. Pat served as chapter advisor from 1994-2001 and academic advisor from 2001-2016. He not only played a major role in the recolonization effort that brought Beta Zeta Chapter back to Butler’s campus, but also helped guide the chapter to the best all-fraternity GPA on numerous occasions. In his honor, the Gibbons Scholar Award is awarded each year to

seniors: the brother with the highest cumulative grade point average and the brother who has increased his overall grade point average the most since becoming a member. The 2017 Gibbons Scholar Award was awarded to Lucas Morgan ’17, Carl Sanders ’17, and Tanka Mapondera ’17.

Continuing in the spirit of recognition, during Homecoming 2017, the chapter will present awards to four committed and distinguished alumni. Any alumnus in good standing with the chapter can provide a nomination for a fellow alumnus that deserves to be recognized for his career achievement or commitment to Beta Zeta.

JAMES B. CURTIS 1880 ALUMNI SERVICE AWARD

• Alumnus of less than 15 years with committed service to the chapter (or National Fraternity)

• Alumnus of greater than 15 years with committed service to the chapter (or National Fraternity)

WINSTON “BUD” SELLICK ’44 ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

• Alumnus of less than 15 years with early career achievement • Alumnus of greater than 15 years with distinguished

career

Please contact Greg Budney ’07 at gbudney@gmail.com or Chad Miller ’09 at chad.jarred.miller@gmail.com before August 1, 2017, with your nomination and description of how your candidate’s actions have made him deserving of the award. We appreciate your support and involvement to help us begin to formally recognize our dedicated and influential alumni.

Finally, as we continue living the Delt Creed, may it serve as a reminder of our past, an understanding of our present, and a vision for our future. We hope you enjoy reading these alumni newsletters as much as we do. As always, it’s a great day to be a Beta Zeta Delt!

Fraternally, Alumni Advising Team and House Corporation

DTDBeta Zeta Chapter I Delta Tau Delta Fraternity I Butler University I Spring 2017

INSIDE:2

BROTHERS OUTPERFORM

BUTLER FRATERNITIES

2WELCOME 2017 NEW MEMBERS

3-4SPOTLIGHTS

ON TYLER GOODRICK ’19,ANDY WIERSMA ’12, AND BLAKE

GEHRING ’10

4SUBMIT YOUR

BRICK OR PAVER INSCRIPTION

Beta Zeta ShelterThe

WE BELIEVE IN DELTA TAU DELTABright Future Ahead of Beta Zeta

2017 Gibbons Scholars Lucas Morgan ’17, Carl Sanders ’17, and Tanka Mapondera ’17 with Patrick Gibbons, University of Cincinnati ’84.

Beta Zeta proudly received its fourth consecutive and 14th overall Hugh Shields Award for chapter excellence.

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The 2017 pledge class after their pledge ceremony. Brothers were initiated into Beta Zeta on March 18.

The new pledge class won first place among all Butler fraternities in the annual First Year Skits event at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Beta Zeta brothers with Eli Dollens, the guest speaker at Delt Taucos on March 1. Eli and his mother spoke at our event to raise awareness of diabetes.

Brothers Outperform Butler Fraternities Chapter Earns Top Results in Academics, Membership, and Campus Involvement

Midway through Beta Zeta’s 138th year on Butler’s campus, it is a great time to reflect on the chapter’s accomplishments and

future vision—testaments to our sustainability, strong brotherhood, and continued pursuit of excellence. Few ΔΤΔ chapters, or Greek chapters for that matter, have such a rich history as we do here at Beta Zeta. From attaining the top fraternity GPA this past fall, raising $36,299 at TRIKE and $8,331 during Delt Dunk (all proceeds benefiting the Matt White Cure ALS Foundation), and a successful initiation of 42 new members, Beta Zeta has much to celebrate.

BROTHERS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN BUTLER ORGANIZATIONS

This spring, Beta Zeta has been heavily involved in attending and raising awareness for Butler University Dance Marathon, Polar Plunge, Week of Service, and Relay for Life. As a chapter, we require our new members to be involved in at least one organization before they are initiated. For this requirement, we are proud to say that we have 100 percent of our new members in some sort of on-campus organization. Not including the new pledge class, Beta Zeta has 96 actives brothers, and of these, 69 hold campus leadership positions.

BUTLER UNIVERSITY TOP 100 Each year, the university compiles a list of 100 students to create Butler’s Top 100 list of students. The students are graded against the core values of the program to make grading not biased toward any specific major or type of student. BZ proudly has seven active brothers listed in this year’s Top 100: Andrew Thompson ’18, Nathan Villiger ’18, Patrick Holden ’20, Timothy Ahlersmeyer ’17, Sam Thomas ’17, Clayton Taylor ’17, and Jordan Galligan ’17.

THANK YOU, ALUMNI Nothing that we do here at Beta Zeta on a daily basis would be possible without the powerful support of our alumni and families. Our alumni tirelessly invest not just their finances, but their time and talents to the Shelter we are all proud to call home. You all make what we do possible. I speak on behalf of the entire chapter when I say that we sincerely and gratefully thank you. We look forward to meeting you during your next visit to the Shelter.

Fraternally,Parker Chalmers ’19Chapter President(513) 504-7819 | pchalmer@butler.edu

Nick BantzAlec BaronNick Bentz Nathan BrunsWill Buchta Grant BuntinCody CarleySam CaskeyNick CooneyThaddeus CoulisCarter CoxMason DamaskaZach EatonJames FrielingLucas Graden

Nathan Hall Ryan HuffordJoe KillionZigmas KisieliusEthan KittBrandon LockeMike LesakOwen LoftusSpencer LybrookCole MackeyFrancis MihmSam MuellerBenjamin NickZach OkolitaAdam Owens

Justin PoythressJaret RightleyMason RinksCole SchulteTyler ScigouskyGeorge SomersChristian StewartHenry TarboxMike ThomasNick TrifelosMatt Warren Tyler Williams

Welcome, 2017 New Members

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BETA ZETA WINS 14TH HUGH SHIELDS AWARDOn February 10-12, Beta Zeta attended the Northern Division

Conference in Indianapolis, where we proudly received our fourth consecutive Hugh Shields Award for Chapter Excellence.

“The Northern Division Conference was an incredible opportunity. It was such a privilege to see the size of the fraternity—and we are just one of the regions! Seeing the success of the chapters around our region filled me with pride and made me even more proud to be a Delt.” – Tyler Thatcher ’19

“Northern was incredible. I really appreciated the opportunities for learning during the various seminars. The variety of the sessions showed just how involved, diverse, and complicated the process can be to run a successful fraternity. I felt that the seminars thoroughly equipped us with the knowledge and tools we need to continue to grow and succeed as a chapter. Following the conference, I am even more proud to be a Delt and a Beta Zeta.” – Piotr Parol ’19

Tyler Goodrick ’19 Takes Advantage

of Overseas Opportunities

It didn’t hit me when I stepped off the plane. It didn’t hit me when I

arrived at our apartment. It didn’t hit me when I completely failed at using chopsticks at a traditional Chinese restaurant. It didn’t hit me until I woke up the next morning. My jet-lagged body ached from the lack of leg room from the plane ride as I walked out onto my balcony. The city was surprisingly quiet. As I looked down from my 19th floor balcony, life was slowly stirring. An elderly man was practicing his Tai-Chi skills in the park, stray cats were scavenging for food, and few cars were making their trips down the road. As I looked up at the overcast sky (like almost every day here), clouds were nowhere to be seen. All that was visible was a dense layer of smog. It surrounded the city—engulfing everything below it. I finally thought to myself, “Wow. You’re actually in Shanghai, China.”

Overall, the trip was awesome. I ate food I never would have found in the U.S., interacted with people, and saw landmarks and structures I only would have seen on the Discovery Channel (the Great Wall was actually great). I interned at a financial service firm in the city for six weeks and worked 40 hours per week. I learned quite a bit of financial information at my internship and gained some international business experience.

Despite the trip being an awesome experience, it was also the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. There were several instances where homesickness consumed me. Since popular social media sites in the States are banned in China, it was difficult keeping in touch with family and friends back home. Fortunately, I had two fraternity brothers, Jack Boudreau ’17 and Sam Thomas ’17, to help alleviate some of that homesickness. Whenever something went wrong, I couldn’t just phone home and ask for help. Instead, I had to gain a sense of independence and solve many problems by myself. I grew up in a small town, so coming to Shanghai was quite a huge step outside of my comfort zone. Culture shock engulfed me for a while, and there were many times that I questioned my motives for coming. However, this trip was a life-altering experience—one that I’ll most likely never have the opportunity to partake in again. I wouldn’t trade this endeavor for anything, as it helped mold me into a more independent, self-reliant individual. And that’s something that a class will never teach you.

Follow the LeaderAlumnus Finds His Leadership

Style from Brothers

It was Beta Zeta where Andy Wiersma ’12 first discovered and honed in on his

leadership skills. The qualities he saw in the upperclassmen and Randy Claybrook ’88 and the involvement Delta Tau Delta held on campus all influenced the techniques Andy used serving as chapter president and continues to use today. “Delta Tau Delta helped me develop my leadership style. It pushed me academically and socially as well, but most importantly, it equipped me with lifelong friends. I know that I can call any of my pledge brothers and they will be there for me whenever,” he said.

When Andy first started considering fraternity life, he was looking for members who were similar to him but also a version of who he wanted to be in the future. He watched the older members of Delta Tau Delta and observed how they conducted themselves and was not only impressed, but could see himself becoming one of them.

Once joining Beta Zeta, Andy developed a great sense of pride in not only the chapter leadership, but the philanthropic success as well. All four years, the chapter exceeded expectations with their philanthropy efforts, and the ability to complete an endowment ahead of schedule. He sees the same high standards in the active chapter today. “Continue to hold each other to a high standard,” he advises. “The reputation of the Shelter is the reputation you hold. If you have a high standard chapter, then people will hold you in a high regard.”

Since graduation, Andy has stayed involved with Beta Zeta by serving on the house corporation, attending alumni events, and mentoring brothers about life and career advice. He also remains in frequent communication with members of his pledge class. “At our age, we’re in prime wedding season, so every wedding is like a small reunion,” he said. Andy is earning his MBA at Duke through a sponsorship with Eli Lilly and Company. Aside from studying, he enjoys spending his free time outdoors, traveling, or spending time with friends and family. Andy lives in Durham, N.C., and can be reached at a.wiersma@gmail.com.

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ATTENTION: This newsletter is intended for alumni, undergraduates, and parents. If your son is still attending Butler University, he will receive a copy at the Shelter. If he has graduated, please send us his permanent address to update our records. Thank you.

DTDBeta Zeta ShelterThe

Submit Your Brick or Paver

Inscription Today!Round one of the installation is complete

with round two taking place this spring. If you have yet to submit your inscription, please e-mail Derek Burns ’04 at derekburns19@yahoo.com by May 1.

BRICK INSCRIPTIONS: Each brick allows 1-3 lines of alphanumeric text with an 18 character limit per line, including spaces and punctuation.

PAVER INSCRIPTIONS: Small pavers include 6 lines of text and large pavers include 12 lines with a 36 character limit per line, including spaces and punctuation. The Delt badge is inscribed at the top of each small paver and the coat-of-arms is inscribed at the top of each large paver.

Inscriptions will be etched in black font and can include names, graduation years, pin numbers, nicknames, family members, and/or spouses. They can also be dedicated to other individuals, include quotes, or be in honor or in memory of brothers.

Maximizing PotentialChapter Presidency Prepared Blake Gehring ’10 for the Real World

During his first year at Butler, Blake Gehring ’10 met Delt brothers through classes, sporting

events, and intramural sports. He discovered Beta Zeta members were heavily involved on campus in leadership positions, and while going through recruitment, he was drawn to the character and quality of active Delt brothers. “When I joined, I felt like I was becoming part of a group that was going to challenge me to become better, live up to my potential, grow into a gentleman, and develop my character,” he said.

Throughout the years, Beta Zeta developed a positive reputation with a local company and offered several brothers internships with the firm, including Blake. As the director of finance for a fresh food manufacturing and distribution company, Blake believes his Delt membership helped him find a job in his desired field, despite graduating at the height of the 2009 recession. “My involvement with Delt gave me the ability to network more effectively, and the superb reputation of the organization spoke to employers,” he said. “Delt helped teach me the leadership, organizational, and communication skills I needed to be successful.”

Some of Blake’s favorite times as an undergraduate were competing in sorority events for charity and watching basketball games at Hinkle

Fieldhouse. He also remembers the alumni who were a part of the refounding of Beta Zeta during the early 2000s still playing a huge role during his time as an undergraduate. He’s thankful that Lee Rhea ’02, Steve Vedra ’02, Randy Claybrook ’88, Derek Burns ’04, Russell Nichols ’02, Dustin Sickinger ’05, and others were willing to put in the time to do thankless behind-the-scene jobs that created opportunities for the undergraduates. “I remember looking at the time commitment that these guys put in, and it really helped me gain an understanding of how important that time in my life was going to be,” he said. “I hope all current undergraduate members take the time to appreciate this period in their lives.”

As an alumnus, Blake enjoys returning to the Shelter for alumni cookouts and Homecoming and is glad to see how many Hugh Shield awards the chapter has won. “I think Delt inspired me to grow and develop into a better person and maximize my potential. Without my time as president at Delt, I don’t think I would have developed the skills that have allowed me to excel in my career,” he said. Blake lives in Carmel, Ind., with his wife, Megan. In his free time, he cheers on the Chicago Cubs and enjoys spending time with friends. He can be reached at blakeagehring@gmail.com.