THETA CHI, BETA KAPPA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER

SPRING 2011

ΘΧ ΒΚ
Greetings from Beta Kappa Words from Alumni
Relations Chairman Joe
to a! of our invaluable alumnus members Muchlinski
From a homecoming reunion
prompting reminiscence of years
past to a bowling-turned-billiards
salvaged get-together, this
semester has seen a number of
memorable and constructive
alumni events. I consider myself
fortunate to act as the
coordinator of these activities,
and I am moreover appreciative
that I have been reappointed to
continue doing so for the next
year. This semester’s initiation
was marked by record-high alumni
attendance, and was closely
preceded by two occasions
wherein new members had the
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS BY NYLES BREECHER opportunity to meet alumni—the
When you think back on Theta Chi, what do you think of ? You may Night Out, and the Candle Hunt.
remember fun events or experience you gained, but more than likely you As always, I am excited to
remember your brothers the most. Great stories with them or times a compile the new issue of our
particular brother was there for you probably come to mind. In chapter’s newsletter; I hope you
different ways every member contributes to our brotherhood. The find this semester’s edition
individuals may change, but the brothers are always Theta Chi. amusing and enlightening. Enjoy,
As I look forward to this year, as Beta Kappa’s new President, I and I’ll see you at Red Carnation
see the strength of every brother. I am always astounded by what we do. on April 16th! (p.5 for details)
When Beta Kappa needs to get something done it gets it done. jmuchlinski01@hamlineuniversity.edu
Whether we rally to perform massive amounts of fundraising or work (715) 781 - 8103
together on a great philanthropy event, we always go above and beyond.
There are always ways for us to improve, both as a chapter and as
individuals, but I know that we will succeed because of each other.
Theta Chi is for life. Beyond all the experience that you may get
or the fun you might have, there is an inherent power in our
brotherhood. Nothing replaces knowing that somebody is always there
for you and always will be. It amazes me how much we accomplish
together as brothers, and we are what make Theta Chi strong.
Never forget that Theta Chi is for life, and never forget that
your brothers, new and old, are always there for you. -Joseph D. Muchlinski
Nyles Breecher 612-396-2840 nbreecher@gmail.com

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 THETA CHI, BETA KAPPA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER SPRING 2011

EXTENDING THE HELPING HAND – PHILANTHROPY CHAIRMAN MITCH KNAJDEK

Brothers in Beta Kappa have been busy

assisting the Hamline community and those around
them. The semester started with raising money for
the Susan G Komen Foundation for breast cancer
research. The brothers raised money by auctioning
off their hair for Shave-A-Chi. The students bid for
the chance to shave facial hair, wax legs, and carve
letters into chest hair. During homecoming,
eleven brothers sold Marti Grau beads for the
Komen foundation. Between the two events, five
hundred dollars were raised. Both events were
successful and will be repeated next semester!
During Halloween, five brothers and two new
members, Grant and Caleb, went door to door and
asked for donations for Hancock Elementary
School’s food shelf. In an hour, two full carts of
groceries were gathered!
Help has also been extended in packing meals
for Eagan’s Feed My Starving Children, ushering at
the United Methodist Church, helping freshman
move in, volunteering at the Jules Thompson
Benefit, and helping at the Red Cross. There are
more events planned to end the semester, including
packing more meals at Feed My Starving Children
and picking up trash on Energy Park Drive. As part of being in the fraternity, brothers are
required to perform 10 hours of unpaid service per
Brothers are planning to participate in Relay for
semester. This helps us extend the helping hand to
Life. Each team raises roughly a thousand dollars
the community around us, and gives brothers the
for cancer research. This will be the first year that
chance to learn how to serve. I am very proud of
Theta Chi has had a team of brothers! We hope to
what we have done this semester and I am looking
establish a great tradition and participate in future
forward to more next year!
years.

OFFICER REPORT BY DAN
SHUMAN, ASSISTANT
TREASURER
2010 was an eventful
year for Theta Chi’s Chapter
House, which saw many major
upgrades and the implementing
of plans for several more. Chief
among them is the new fire
escape which was installed,
thanks to our Alumni
Corporation. Also, thanks to a
stellar Fall 2010 fundraising
season, the chapter earned
enough money to significantly
upgrade our information
technology infrastructure by
installing our own internet
server! This exciting
development was joined by a
new plan to create a digital
catalog of the House Library,
which will allow us to finally
organize and keep track of the
vast amount of material we have
available for the Chapter’s use.
We also purchased new, high-
quality couches for the living
room, and an outdoor bike rack
to improve security. These plans
are just a few of the ones that
Beta Kappa brainstormed over
the course of this year, and we
have many more that we would
like to implement in the future!
If any alumni are interested in
assisting, please contact us! Help
in the form of alumni resources
is always greatly appreciated!

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 THETA CHI, BETA KAPPA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER SPRING 2011

A MESSAGE FROM FORMER suspension hearings, poor don't tell them or show them is
MARSHAL AND NEWLY- communication and degenerating that, to achieve this greatness and
ELECTED VICE PRESIDENT inter-Greek relations? If yes, then receive this benefit, we must
A.J. MEULEMANS your chapter went from twelve to endure growing pains. It is the
It may seem obvious, that a forty in four years. These things strain of growing through these
chapter changes. Everything could spell doom for some groups; challenges, like a katana folded a
changes, except death and taxes. would a residence hall council thousand times to obtain its lethal
But when a small chapter at a have an eleven hour election edge, that makes us strong. The
small school, where almost meeting or a Vice Presidential perseverance of our officers and
everyone knows each other impeachment? No. They would members is that which propels us
already, triples in size in a matter buckle and throw up their hands to persevere in the future. Though
of four years, the growing pains in favor of the easy way out. Why it saddens me at times to know
are reminiscent of a fifteen year then? Why do the men of Theta that the chapter is not what it was
old boy's knees. Does your Chi, Beta Kappa Chapter deal, when I joined, I am happy to see
chapter suffer from officer failures, hold resolutely and drive on? It is that we are on a trajectory to
fifty percent attrition rates of a synergy of this chapter, an ability succeed for another one hundred
initiation classes, giant accounts to draw in people and show them years. This is not where I wanted
receivable, a plethora of the greatness of our cause and the this article to go, but I am happy
benefit of our strife. What we with were it went.

le': Nyles Breecher makes a break for the upper deck of the
laser warfare complex, and brothers enjoy a rousing game of
minigolf amidst painted waves at Grand Slam. This was one of
numerous enjoyable activities included in Fall Semester’s
Brotherhood Week.

right: Brothers radiate

excitement as they stand
outside Vasa Lutheran Church
in Welch, Minnesota, where
our chapter held Fall’s
Brotherhood Retreat (thanks
to Dahmon Romness). Cole
Hanson and Zev Nicholson engage in a
friendly spar.

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 THETA CHI, BETA KAPPA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER SPRING 2011

HISTORIAN’S CORNER – MITCH KNAJDEK 2007, 2008, and 2009), a biography of Reverend
Paul Rader, and a picture of Peter Fugina. We are
As historian, I have spent the semester looking looking for pictures of famous alumni from our
backwards into the history of our chapter, as well chapter to place in the chapter room, as well as
as preserving our accomplishments this year! Last their stories. If you have any suggestions or any
year we purchased a camera for the historian, so we memorabilia that used to decorate the chapter
can document our activities. Many of our pictures room please let us know!
are up on Facebook at the Theta Chi at Hamline
University group. We will have a yearbook by Mitch Knajdek
year’s end to add to the photo albums we already 823 Sne!ing Avenue North
have. Saint Paul MN, 55104
I was drawn to this position due to my Mknajdek01@hamlineuniversity.edu
research into fraternities and sororities at Hamline
for my Honors Project in history. Last issue, I sent
out a questionnaire for alumni about their
involvement in Theta Chi. I received many great
responses from Alumni of Theta Chi. Thank you
for all the stories! I will be sending out copies of
my research when it finishes in May. If you have
not responded, my contact information is below. I
would love to hear from you!
There have been many new (or rather old)
items that have been added to the chapter room,
including class pictures from Red Carnation (2006,

Beta Kappa History: below is an article that appeared in
the 1947 edition of the Beta Kappa Chapter of Theta Chi
Newsletter, Volume 1, Number 2. It details some of the
early chapter’s stru+les a'er the merger with Theta Chi
in 1942 as we! as reorganization a'er World War II, and
Secondly, our house was vacated during the
it reminds us of how far our Chapter has come!
Dear Brothers:
To those of you who received the first issue school for some repairs that were made on the
of Alum Time and to those who it is reaching for
the first time, we would like to state a few of the
facts that lie behind the reorganization of this
Fraternity.
Firstly, we want to re-state the situation
that ultimately led to the merging of the Beta
Kappa Fraternity with the Theta Chi Fraternity
Most of all we need your support, we need
back in 1942. In 1941 both Grand Chapters of the
two fraternities agreed on the merger of all the
Beta Kappa Chapters with Theta Chi. (Our
Chapter here was given the privilege of retaining
the Beta Kappa chapter name because it originally
was the Alpha Chapter of Beta Kappa) The actual
merging of our chapter with Theta Chi took place
May 15, 1942. The point is that this is still the
same fraternity; part of the name has been
changed, but the house is still here and the
personnel are still your brothers.
war and when we began to reorganizing the
Chapter last Fall we had a big task ahead of us. A
$2000 mortgage was contracted in 1941 with the
house. We are organizing the Chapter on a sound
financial basis, and we need the support of each of
you in order to wipe out the debt. Also, many
repairs are needed on the house; the people who
used it during the war showed very little respect
for our property.
to build up the Alumni organization. The
fraternity is made up of two groups, the Actives
and the Alums; we must work together to build
this Fraternity up to its pre-war standards.
- 1947 Newsletter

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 THETA CHI, BETA KAPPA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER
The fo!owing two articles, composed
“It is sort of a
by Brother Kyle Lewis, are segments
in Hamline’s newspaper The Oracle
that concern our chapter. The first
quotes Brothers Wyatt Andersen and
Dan Shuman, whereas the second
mentions Beta Kappa’s involvement
in the Jules Thompson fundraising
event held recently.
Students can also receive
Fall semester has begun, but some
students have been busy
conducting academic research for
months
“In the physics
While many Hamline
students are heading back to class
as fall semester begins, others
have been hard at work for the
past several months exploring
questions and making discoveries
through academic research.
Collaborative research is
an opportunity that Hamline
students can pursue over the
Regardless of the project
summer. Research projects are
typically self-styled, but require a
great deal of time and
commitment. The program offers
a stipend and free housing, as well
as the opportunity to gain
relevant job experience.
“There is fantastic
professor-student interaction,”
junior Wyatt Andersen said. “It
speaks to the quality of professors
we have. They’re volunteering,
coming to Hamline over the
summer. They’re here all day
working with students for the
sake of the students, helping
them gain experience. We’re very
fortunate."
In some academic areas,
applying for collaborative
research may require that
students propose projects and
explain why those projects merit
research.
SPRING 2011
Red Carnation – Spring 2011
competitive process to have your
project selected,” Andersen
explained. “You want to make
sure that you have some good
sources, a good outline, a
timeline, explain your research
method, and make sure that
you’re committed to the work.”
hands-on experience assisting Date: April 16th
with the research projects of Time: 6:00 pm
faculty members. Place: The Lexington Restaurant
department, you can just talk to 1096 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN
your professors and let them (Intersection of Grand Ave and
know you’re interested in their Lexington Pky; a parking lot can
projects,” senior Dan Shuman be found behind the restaurant.)
explained. “If they can use help
over the summer, they’ll contact
the students they think will do
the best job. Collaborative
research is a really cool
experience."
or academic area, undergraduate
research opportunities are truly
collaborative processes. Students
are not assistants, but leaders and
partners in projects. The results
So Much Depends Upon a
of their work are often so
Yellow Dartboard
distinctive that students are
Thanks to the efforts of
asked to present their findings
Brothers Mitch Knajdek and
both at Hamline and at
Joe Muchlinski, our chapter
prestigious conferences around
house’s basement now sports a
the country.
new dartboard, complete with
chalkboard and necessary
accoutrements. Currently,
there is also a Nintendo 64
setup; remarks have been made
concerning a desire for billiards
and other non-electronic game
options. This appeal to
recreational entertainment is a
sign of greater emphasis on
gaming, which may eventually
lead to the addition of other
games in the basement.
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 THETA CHI, BETA KAPPA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER
SPRING 2011

SURVIVOR'S STORY such organizations as the Residence Hall

Association, Hamline University Student Congress,
Hamline Entertainment and Activities Team, Theta
Writing center director recovers from traumatic
Chi fraternity, and Delta Tau sorority volunteered to
brain injury, plans to write book to help others.
set up, staff, and assist at the event. Berkson’s band
Writing Center Director Jules Thompson
IBABA headlined the event and then turned the
shocked the Hamline Community at a celebration in
stage over to the International Reggae All Stars.
her honor, Jules Jam, by performing the lead vocals to
Thompson said she saw the event as a
“Not Dead Yet,” a song originally written by the Bad
celebration of survival and a chance for her to raise
Examples but adapted by Thompson to fit her
awareness about traumatic brain injury. As she
experience.
recovers, Thompson wants to use her experience to
Thompson was hospitalized last February
help others. She notes the numerous veterans who
after a traumatic brain injury and
have returned home with brain
spent eight months recovering.
trauma and athletes who have
At Jules Jam however, the
suffered brain trauma, as well.
audience was inspired by
“It’s like a silent
Thompson's vigor and vitality as
epidemic,” Thompson said. “But
she pumped her fist
there are more than two million
triumphantly and declared that
cases of brain trauma each year. I
she was “not dead yet!”
want to help people learn how
The benefit concert and
one’s life changes after a brain
silent auction raised money to
injury, how you can’t do all of the
support Thompson as she and
things you used to be able to, but
her husband continue to pay off
how life can also become richer
her medical debt.
and deeper."
"I’m excited by how the
Thompson added that
Jam was embraced by the
she would like to write a book
Hamline community,” professor
about her experience because most
of religion Mark Berkson said. “We had a lot of
of the memoirs regarding head trauma are written
different groups volunteering to make the event
secondhand.
successful."
“There aren’t many written from the
The Writing Center worked to print posters
perspective of the actual survivor,” she explained
and increase awareness and students representing
with a smile.

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