The Class of 2012

The next batch of Beta Beta Brothers will be pulled from a very elite pool of candidates:

The university received 7,970 applications--a university record--and accepted 2,522 students (32 percent). Of students admitted, 790 enrolled (31 percent). Among first-year students, more than half who submitted high school class rank were in the top 10 percent.

The Class of 2012 is a dynamic group of students who have dedicated themselves to humanitarian relief, wildlife preservation and serving in the U.S. Army. Some also have overcome tremendous odds, such as fleeing Afghanistan to escape the Taliban. Others assumed leadership roles in their high schools and communities and demonstrated extraordinary academic achievement. The first-year class includes 19 valedictorians, 68 student government and class presidents, 53 members of state champion athletic teams, 52 editors of school publications and 16 Eagle and Girl Scout Award winners.

In addition to an Army veteran, the first-year class includes: a student who worked as a translator for the German Embassy in Kabul and later worked with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID); a student who worked as a Congressional intern; and a student who served as the president of a group for Hispanic girls.

The university’s first-year students come from 42 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and 34 countries. Forty percent hail from the Mid-Atlantic, with 16 percent from Virginia. Seven percent are from outside of the United States. Domestic students of color make up 12 percent of the first-year class, and 15 percent are first-generation college students.

Among all these valedictorians and class presidents, I have no doubt that a future Derelict of the Week is just waiting to be found.

Finished Product

This will complete our summer photo series, Lodge At Rest. The next images you see of the old Lady should include teeming masses of undergraduates. Enjoy the new accommodations, boys.
Just don't fall off the railing.

Innocence Lost

In 1993, Bill Clinton took the Oval Office, Jurassic Park topped the box office, and Vinny Lim donned a wig. An eyewitness account from Allan Young '93:

The movement to "wacky" photos [began that year]. We tried to work out a compromise since the brotherhood was split. I remember offering the solution to take two photos so we could have a serious and crazy composite. However, it was going to cost another ten bucks so we decided to buy a case of the beast instead.

This first attempt at composite humor is akin to the pilot episode of the best sitcoms: not quite as funny as the later years, but lays the groundwork for what's to come.

And so, I submit the following 7 for The Best of 1993:


7. Matt Drudge, the college years


6. Bandannas never had it so good.


5. The jacket's great. But WTF is eating his shoulder?


4. A lesser jacket. But the edge goes to the popped collar.


3. Dead Serious Gaze + Pipe = Pure Comedy


2. The timeless classic: beer goggles.


1. The Beginning of the End

A Word From Our President

From the April 30, 1965 Collegian:

The Kappa Sigs have been spending their week busily recuperating from their big Stardust Weekend. Brother Storino broke a new record during the weekend, sharing his date with over 3/4 of the Brotherhood. "After all," quoted Brother Storino, "if you can't trust a Brother, who can you trust?"

The Nineties Gap

By most measures, last year's Homecoming was a great success for Beta Beta alumni. Nearly 70 brothers returned to campus for an alumni happy hour, a fantastic tailgate, a Spider victory over Villanova, and a dinner reception overlooking Westhampton Lake. However, in one respect, 2007 was also a complete failure.

The above chart shows paid attendees for last year's Homecoming, according to their year of initiation (we don't have accurate years of graduation for everyone). A quick look shows that fellowship is strong among the brothers from the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s. Every pledge class from 1960 to 1984 (except '62 and '67) had at least one representative in attendance last year.

This chart also reveals a dramatic drop-off in attendance beyond 1984. For lack of a better term, this is what I call "The Nineties Gap". I don't think this gap is the result of apathy. From what I know about the chapter of 15-20 years ago, these were some of our strongest years on campus. I also don't think it 's a matter of being too young or too busy with our job or families. From what I've seen on Facebook just the last few days, there are plenty of guys in their 30s and early 40s looking to reconnect with each other.

To help close this gap, I'm looking for anyone post-1984 that can help recruit other brothers back to campus for this year's Homecoming. Someone that can organize a golf foursome with their pledge brothers. Or convince a few former roommates to make the trip back to Richmond to smell that lodge smell once again. Drop me an email at mark.railsback@gmail.com if you're interested in helping recruit.

90 Million Facebookers Can't Be Wrong

I am an absolute Facebook amateur. I don't have 400+ friends like that notorious social butterfly, Phil Bellini '00. I don't really get the 'poke' concept. I have trouble reading my own Wall. But I do realize this is where everyone connects with everyone else. So I figured lets leverage what's already out there in order to get brothers connected. Click here, or the link to the right, to join our Beta Beta Brothers group on Facebook. And feel free to poke Pledge Educator Bellini anytime, day or night.

I'm hoping this (together with LinkedIn) will satisfy our social & professional networking needs for now. Ultimately, we'd like to build a robust enough website that Brothers can use to connect with each other or to update their own contact info. Consider this just a start.

Before Wigs & Nipples

Take a good look at the picture above. To the best of my knowledge, it represents the last "serious" Beta Beta composite picture ever taken. Look hard. You won't see a single fake name or costume or prop anywhere. Each one of these portraits would make a mother proud.

My biggest question is why so many green jackets? Was this a nod to the Kappa Sigma colors? Or did all of these guys just win the Masters? And how come no one is dressed like Arsenio or Color Me Badd? I would expect lots of oversized jackets in garish colors. Or at least some massive Luke Perry sideburns.

Occasionally, I'll dig into the archives of the Foundation (aka the box in my attic) to survey composites of brothers past. If anyone out there has composites (especially earlier than this one), send them my way so we can all enjoy the laugh.

The Brain Trust

Left to right: Rich Johnson, Artie Bunnell , Gene Donner, Scott Stolte, Keith McGrath, Harry Hall, Donne Storino, Wayne Bradshaw, David Harrell, Jon Meredith, Jim Newins. Not pictured: Truba Cooper, Page Bradford and Mark Railsback (behind the lens).

Last Friday night, The Foundation Golf Committee gathered on President Storino’s back deck to strategize over pizza, beers & cigars. Golf Chairman Wayne Bradshaw provided the following summary of the evening:

Rich Johnson and Rodney Poole came through with 100 beautiful golf shirts (first class) with the Kappa Sigma crest on the front (oh , and their company logo on the sleeve). Wow! The first 100 golfers to sign up will each get a shirt.

Our Starter Keith McGrath let us know that he's already collected nearly $3,000 in early sign ups. He's also managed to arrange for a Ford F-150 to be the prize for our hole-in-one contest. Keith will also serve as our Event Bookkeeper, which we appreciate very much.

Brian Imburg’s work on the Program was outstanding, and while he was at the Beach on vacation, Harry Hall and I ate his pizza for him.

Gene Donner and Mark Railsback knocked out the Event Flyer which all agreed was a home run! You should have received one via email.

Jim Newins is handling food and making sure that we have any necessary tents and heaters and power for the band. Jim! What’s for lunch? Jim's also stepped up to help out Jim Massengil with tee-signs sponsorships. This is a big source for easy donations, so hopefully Jim & Jim make this happen.

Scott Stolte, Mr. 501(c)3, stole the show along with Rich! Scott has loaded the golfer Goodie Bags with towels, tees, and a whole assortment of super great items to definitley put a smile on the Brother’s faces when they open their Bag!

Truba Cooper, Page Bradford and Herbie Arnold are donating the Trophies on behalf of “The Zoo”, a snake pit they used to call home back in the '60s.

Donne and I have gathered some great Raffle Prizes (Jim Newins has donated over $1,000 worth of high tech goodies; Harry Hall contributed 2 HON Executive leather chairs! ). If the Raffle grows any more, we may need a separate tent just for prizes!

Artie Bunnell and Truba are handling the Mulligan Sales, and Artie has an idea for even more cheating. Its called string. Will 18 under bring home the Gold?

Lastly, a Designated Driver Program is in “the works” and will be firmed up soon.

All in all, this tournament looks destined for success. We'll continue to bring you more details as planning move along. In the meantime, call up your buddies, organize your foursome, and reserve your spot today.

Get LinkedIn

It may come as a surprise to learn that most Beta Betas become functioning members of society after college. Many get jobs, raise families, and pay taxes. To demonstrate this fact, we've created a group on LinkedIn exclusively for active & alumni Beta Betas. To join, click here or click the LinkedIn logo in the sidebar to the right.

For those unfamiliar, LinkedIn is a website that lets you build your own online network of professional connections. Post details of your professional experience & education, and then search out friends, family, co-workers, etc. One noted critic described it as "an older, stuffier version of MySpace". But even that noted critic has 144 connections.

There are a lot of brothers out there doing good work. This is a great way to reconnect with the ones you know, or, to introduce yourself to the ones you don't.

Roof Party

This is the first installment of our occasional series highlighting Great Moments in the History of Beta Beta. This series will feature outstanding feats of idiocy engineering, chemistry, and political science from across our 110 year history.

Brother Drew Child '80 on the phenomenon known as a Roof Party:

The roof was sort of KZ pride rock where we could survey the entire Beta Beta empire, which at the time (1977 or so), we believed to be ours. From this vantage we kept a watchful eye on new fraternity row and heckled the KAs while they wasted time washing their cars and stuff. The versatile lodge furniture had 4 wooden legs and worked well straddling the roof peak, providing a level platform to sit and enjoy our favorite malt beverages. Getting the keg up on the roof presented yet another team building exercise for pledges and ensured anyone coming to the party would make it to the top if they wanted something to drink. Also, since the roof was technically outside the lodge, holiday rules were automatic. Several people passed out on the roof because of the dangerous combination of sun and suds. To my knowledge, no one fell from the roof and the fad quickly faded with inclement weather.

However, constantly moving the furniture onto the roof, often for the evening, did take its toll and precipitated another sketchy tradition of burning the furniture in the street in front of the lodge at the end of each year. Dave Redden and Charlie Tarrisdis were largely responsible for the toxic bonfire, which pardon the pun, was hotly contested by the brotherhood faced with once again buying new furniture in the fall. A large debate ensued about whether they should be joint Derelict(s) of the Week (a weekly honor for buffoonery) or assessed a fine.

A treasure trove of Brother Child's pictures circa 1978-84 is available here, along with some shots from last year's Homecoming (thus proving that most people did in fact survive roof parties).

Homecoming 2008: The Full Schedule

The weekend of October 23-26 promises to be one of the strongest for Beta Beta alumni in a long, long time. The schedule of events for the weekend is as follows:

Thursday 10/23
Model Initiation at the Lodge, 7pm

Friday 10/24
1st Annual Beta Beta Foundation Golf Tournament
9:30am - check in
11:00am - shotgun start
6:00 pm - dinner

Saturday 10/25
Brother's Breakfast at the Lodge, 10am -noon
Tailgate, noon - 3pm
UR vs. Georgetown, 3pm
Open House at the Lodge, post-game

Sunday 10/26
Celebrate Greek Life Brunch, 11am

Tailgate will once again be hosted by Kevin "P-Bear" Hyde '77, and will cost $35/person, including a ticket to the game. Payments can be sent to the following address:

Donne Storino
7650 Idlewyld Road
Richmond, VA 23225

In the coming weeks, we'll provide more detail on each event. So check back often for news & information. For questions, or to offer help with any of the above, please contact Homecoming Chairman Scott Stolte '84.

The Treehouse

Checked in on construction yesterday. The front is pretty much finished. They were working on the benches along the side while I was there. They haven't started on the back patio yet. The full seat back on the bench makes the whole lodge look a bit more imposing from the front yard. From up on the deck itself, it's feels a bit like a treehouse crossed with a cruise ship.

The rotting railroad ties under the deck have been removed. Not sure if the plan is to put new ties in or just make it all into one big mulch bed. Might be best to put something in that offers a soft landing, since sitting up on the railing once again seems possible.

One challenge posed by the new deck: getting into the hose room. No longer accessible via stairs, one has to walk all the way around the yard to get down there. As a result, that shed outside the Brother's Room might come in more handy this year. It's just a more convenient place for one's hose.

Doctor John

Brother John Wells '98 is our blogger on the scene in London. While he earns a living in IT and web development, his free time is spent playing with light sabers, mobile clubbing, or twittering.

A post of John's from this past April:

I’m coming up on 3 years of living in London. I have two friends from Richmond that are living in Zurich for the next two years, and another friend from college who’s been in Singapore for well over a year now.

This morning my mom wrote me an email, saying:

“I totally get why you would want to stay in London (or Zurich?). I don’t have to like it, but I sure do understand. This is the new global community… my parents ate American food and stayed home. My generation learned to like authentic ethnic food and visited foreign countries. Our kids’ generation is LIVING in foreign countries.”

It’s an undeniable trend that, if you think about it, sure is happening fast. At least with things like Skype and the internet in your pocket, it’s becoming increasingly easier (and affordable) to keep in touch within this global community.

Still, nothing can replace proximity, or more importantly a hug. Just a few years ago when I was still in Richmond, my mom gave me a book titled Urban Tribes: Are Friends the New Family?, and it spoke to me on such a fundamental level: my Richmond friends really had become my extended family. Since then we’ve all jumped ship and spread our wings out into the world, and while it’s a wonderful adventure for each of us, we’re still missing each other dearly.

Whether or not you agree with Mama Wells, the fact is that since this blog went live 8 days ago, it's been visited by brothers from as far away as Argentina, Chile, Jordan, Bermuda and the UK.
Global community indeed.

And the next time someone sees John, please give him that hug.

Seven Minus Four

Behold Michael Giancarlo Pacchione '00 (aka Murph): the most prolific blogger of Beta Beta. A fact that should surprise no one that knows Murph since he always had the most to say about the most random things. This former Grand Scribe has taken his ability to opine to new heights with his Seven Minus Four blog. Recommended for your daily reading. A taste:

If Superman had stayed on the planet Krypton, he would have been just another dude. I wonder how often he thinks about that.

I have no problem with people eating ice cream for breakfast. I recommend mint chocolate chip. It feels like you're brushing your teeth.

I don't like when my salad leaves are described as "fresh and young." I feel like a spinach pedophile or something

"Is there anything -- ANYTHING -- more awkward than a dance circle forming and no one venturing into the middle?"

For those unfamiliar with the mind of Brother Murph, here's a primer. For years, he refused to look straight at a camera while being photographed (always top right). He hates exclamation points. A native of Wyndmoor, PA, he's now out in Portland, Oregon teaching (!) real college students. And dressing like Magnum PI.

Oh, and why Seven Minus Four? Because three.com (his favorite number) wasn't available. Enjoy.

"Room for 40,000 Girls"

Made it up to the lodge Friday to check on progress. What a difference 5 days makes. The new deck is framed up from the front door all the way around to the back deck. From every angle, the thing looks massive. Especially looking at the new add-on along the KA side. In the words of one of the workers that greeted me, there was "room enough for 40,000 girls back here". Indeed.

The workers thought they'd have the job done by the middle of next week. So I'll make one more trip over there to capture the finished product.

Gridiron

4 weeks until the first football game of the 2008 season; 6 weeks until the first home game. Full schedule:

August 30 at Elon
September 6 at UVA
September 13 vs. Towson (Family Weekend)
September 20 vs. Maine
September 27 at Villanova
October 4 at VMI
October 11 vs JMU
October 18 at Massachusetts
October 25 vs. Georgetown (Homecoming)
November 8 at Hofstra
November 15 vs. Delaware
November 22 at William & Mary

Beta Betas will already be congregating for the Homecoming game in October. If there are alumni interested in coordinating tailgates for any of the other five home games - or any of the road games - let us know & we'll get details posted on the site. That UVA game in particular might be worth the road trip to watch the Spiders try to upset the men of 46 East Lawn.

What is the Foundation?

The Beta Beta Foundation is a group of alumni dedicated to ensuring the strength and longevity of the active and alumni brotherhoods of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity at the University of Richmond. The Foundation seeks to achieve what has long been missing from Beta Beta: strong, sustained support from alumni.

Every few years, the undergraduates commit themselves to well-intentioned efforts to reestablish ties with alumni brothers. More often than not, these efforts fail because they require long-term commitments impossible for undergraduates passing through school in just a few short years. For any such effort to be successful, the drive to reconnect alumni needed to be driven by alumni. And so the Foundation was born.

The focus areas of the Foundation are as follows:

1. To support student and alumni relations
   
2. To encourage and support alumni and student community service, charitable and philanthropic endeavors
   
3. To encourage academic excellence through scholarships
   
4. To mentor students and provide employment resources
   

The Foundation began with a small group of alumni & undergrads that met informally throughout 2006 to discuss the way forward for the brotherhood. The Foundation formally organized in 2007 and appointed a Board of Directors in early 2008. The Board represents more than 40 years of chapter history, with members from the Class of ’66 all the way to ’07. The Board collaborates with undergraduate leadership, the Alumnus Advisor, and University Administrators to ensure our collective goals are achieved.

The Foundation was a driving force behind last year’s successful Homecoming Weekend that saw nearly 70 alumni brothers find their way back to campus. This year, the Foundation Golf Tournament will kick-off Homecoming weekend. The goal is to host at least one major alumni event per year.

Money raised helps establish a sound financial foundation for the chapter: improvements to the lodge; scholarship awards for deserving undergraduates; support for community service activities . Moving forward, this financial base will be critical for ensuring the strength and longevity of the chapter. The Foundation is currently seeking 501(c)3 status, necessary in order for donations to be tax-exempt.

Sunshine in the Hose Room

This summer's big capital project is the replacement of the deck. Because the old deck had become a safety concern, the University is covering the cost of the replacement. An add-on is being funded by the undergraduates (with a small financial assist from the Foundation). The add-on will wraparound the KA side of the lodge, seamlessly connecting the front and back decks without the steep stairs of years past. Construction is expected to be completed before students return next month.

Homecoming 2008: Friday at The Crossings

This year's Homecoming weekend will kick-off with the first annual Beta Beta Foundation Golf Tournament on Friday, October 24th, at The Virginia Crossings Resort in Glen Allen. Check-in begins at 9:30am with a shotgun start at 11am. There will be a Long Drive hole and a couple of Par 3 Gambling holes. A $150 donation to the Foundation ($75 for students) gets you 18 holes, cart, lunch, dinner, and a loaded goodie bag.

After golf, there will be a full-on Southern Bar-B-Q Pulled Pork dinner with all the trimmings, plus live entertainment. Everyone is invited - including non-golfers and their families - but reservations are a must, since folks are expected from all over the country. For the non-golfers, a $50 donation ($20 for students) gets you dinner, drinks & a full night of entertainment.

Payments for golf or dinner should be sent to the following:

Donne Storino
7650 Idlewyld Road
Richmond, VA 23225

For questions, please call or email:

Foundation President Donne Storino at 804-323-7179
Golf Chairman Wayne Bradshaw at 310-543-9393
Golf Starter Keith McGrath at 804-370-9070

Homecoming 2010: Return to Campus

The City of Richmond approved the plans for the on-campus football stadium earlier today:

The University of Richmond has received the necessary approvals from the City of Richmond to move forward with its plans to expand First Market Stadium on the campus of the university. The City Council voted July 28 at its scheduled council meeting to pass the ordinance granting a special use permit to the university, allowing it to develop and operate a multi-use outdoor stadium for up to 8,700 spectators.

The project calls for the expansion of First Market Stadium into a state-of-the-art multipurpose athletic facility, which will serve as the home of the Richmond football, soccer, lacrosse, and track and field teams, as well as community events such as the Virginia Special Olympics. Architectural design has been progressing over the summer, and work on the stadium is expected to begin early in the spring semester. Approval by the City Council allows the project to remain on schedule to open for the 2010 football season.

This means Homecoming 2010 could be the first ever where we gather at the lodge for pre-game and then simply walk across the street to the game. Can't wait.

The Beta Beta Record

The Beta Beta Record was a website built ahead of the chapter centennial in 1998. The site surveyed 100 years of chapter history, through words and images of the brothers that lived it. Though it's a little out of date 10 years later, it's still worth a scroll down memory lane.

Update. According to Brother Wayne Bradshaw '69, the above picture was taken by him, sometime in 1969, and shows Herbie Arnold '70 and Randy Walters '69.

The Link

The Summer 2008 edition of The Link is now available online. Highlights this issue include an update from Foundation President Donne Storino '66, information on the upcoming Foundation Golf Tournament, and alumni updates from John Crews '36, Julien Picit '47, Buck Cavedo '45, Charles Webber '48 , Gus Linardos '55, Paul Duffy '80, and Greg Adams '84.

To be notified when the next issue is available, update your contact information at upcnewsletters.com.

Rodney Poole Profiled in UR Alumni Magazine

Brother Poole '69 was profiled in the Summer 2008 issue of the Richmond Alumni Magazine:

Rodney Poole performs an amazing balancing act. He is one of the foremost adoption attorneys in the nation. He also serves as senior vice president and general counsel of The Wilton Companies, a firm that owns and develops apartments, office buildings, industrial properties, and shopping centers in central Virginia.

“My time is supposed to be split 50/50,” he says. “I like to say that means 50 hours a week on each.”

Adoption law is personal for Poole, the father of two adopted children, a biological daughter, and a stepson. He inherited his passion for helping adoptive families from his late father, Travis, an attorney and former foster child who was dedicated to placing children in permanent homes. Poole grew up knowing he wanted to follow his father’s example. After graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law, he joined the elder Poole in establishing Poole & Poole in Richmond.

Approximately 3,000 cases later, he is a leader in the field. Poole is a past president of the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. He also served for nine years as liaison between the academy and the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC), helping to build relationships that make it easier to adopt children across state lines.

He is a recipient of the AAICPC’s Mitchell Wendell Jurist Award in recognition of “extraordinary accomplishment on behalf of children,” as well as the Angel in Adoption Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute.

In 2002, Poole joined Henry L. Wilton and UR Trustee Rich Johnson, B’73, in the acquisition of The Wilton Companies. In five years, they have quadrupled the value of the company’s real estate portfolio.

Poole’s family, which includes wife Lauree and mother Helen, is actively involved with UR. Each year a deserving student benefits from an accounting scholarship the family has established in memory of Poole’s two late brothers, Travis Jr., B’73, and Craig, B’73.

Rainy Day on the Row

Pictures of the lodge from May of 2008.

Welcome

Welcome to the online home of The Beta Beta Foundation. Through this site, we hope to better communicate the activities of the Foundation, the undergrads, and alumni brothers the world over. We invite you to visit often and welcome your comments along the way.