East Carolinian

Issue date: 2/24/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: staff Photo

Beta Theta Pi was founded in 1839, and has since became recognized at a national social fraternity. Since forming on campus in 2003, Beta Theta Pi has created a welcoming and giving community for ECU students.

"This organization opened my eyes to a very close group of guys that I hope to remain friends with long after graduation," said Preston Stanford, junior finance major and president of Beta Theta Pi.

The vision of Beta Theta Pi promotes an exemplary standard for men of principle.

Their vision includes points such as acclaimed respect in the academic community, universal recognition as friends, gentlemen and scholars and to be in high demand by leaders of business, government and professionals.

"Beta Theta Pi is a great source of networking," Stanford said. "I went to a dinner in Charlotte one year and met the CEO's of both Wachovia and Bank of America."

Beta Theta Pi is also no stranger to community service projects.

"We require each member to perform a minimum of 10 community service hours per semester," Stanford said.

Along with those service hours, Beta Theta Pi also completes a variety of community service throughout the year.

"We set up a haunted house every year at the Boys and Girls Club. We also do several can food drives, especially around Thanksgiving," Stanford said.

An upcoming event is Beta Bowling. The fraternity members collect donations from family, friends and Greenville businesses. They then bowl for hours and donate the proceeds to the Children's Hospital in Greenville, which coincides with the Children's Network.

"Last year we raised $4,500 [and] this year we want to raise $5,000," Stanford said.

Beta Theta Pi has also had the highest fraternity GPA for the last three years. Most members of this fraternity are also members of Student Government and Teaching Fellows.

Here on ECU's campus, Beta Theta Pi offers students a chance to develop a resourceful network of lifelong friends and a chance to give back to the surrounding community.

"Since joining Beta Theta Pi, I've definitely grown as a person and have been offered more leadership opportunities," Stanford said, "but mostly I've developed a tight group of close friends."

Currently, there are 28 active Beta Theta Pi members at ECU.



This writer can be contacted at features@theeastcarolinian.com

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools