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Beta Theta News
Sigma Nu Fraternity
Auburn University
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Shown celebrating our Hoops win over Kentucky and our historic soon-to-be #1 ranking are Otto Thom, Nick Alford, Dyar Thompson,
Commander Pete Dazzio, Cole Runyan, and Wright Conklin
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Initiation Held Sunday, January 23
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Newest Beta Theta Knights of the Legion of Honor
with the Ritual Team on the Steps of Historic Langdon Hall
Advisor Sean Thomas is Far Right
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On Sunday, January 23, we held initiation of the Fall Candidate Class. Forty-seven men of 50 candidates were initiated. This is a very high rate, reflecting maturity, focus, and leadership.
Graham Carnes, a Business major from Mobile, shown front center in the white robe is Honor Pledge. Graham is badge number 3265. Banks Griffith, also of Mobile and brother-in-law of Rob Herndon, is a Chemical Engineering major and currently holds our highest chapter number, 3312.
The ceremony was held in historic Langdon Hall following worship at Auburn United Methodist, lunch at the house with parents, alumni, and guests, addresses to the assembled group by Advisors John Burgess and Sean Thomas, past Regents Joe Gilman, Robert Durham, Lee Perrett, John Hearn, and Regent-Elect Maury D. Gaston.
Ellis Dykes of Dothan was Rush Chair for this group and Turner McLaughlin of Mobile led them as Marshal (Pledge Trainer).
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Shown here from left to right are legacies Banks Griffith with his brother-in-law Rob Herndon, Luke Thompson with his brother and grandfather Will and Bill Thompson (dad Warren was on a pledge brother trip in Mexico), Wes Haney with his father Sam, and Blake Jernigan with his brother Lyon.
Not shown is David Dixon, grandson of the late Bobby Dixon and great-nephew of Mike Dixon of Eufaula. Advisor Sean Thomas, native of Eufaula,
pinned David during the ritual ceremony.
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Undergraduate Spotlight
Lt. Commander and Plainsman Seth Shirley
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Spring 2022 Building Science Graduate, Rush Chair,
Lt. Commander, and Auburn Plainsman Seth Shirley
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Our chapter is filled with outstanding young leaders of character and integrity, and Seth Shirley is a prime example. He has served as Rush Chair and Lt. Commander and as an Auburn Plainsman. To follow is a Beta Theta News interview with Seth:
Where are you from, what’s your major, and when will you graduate?
I’m from Spanish Fort in south Alabama, majoring in Building Science, and will be graduated in May, just over two months from now.
Tell us about your job and hopes for your career.
I’ve recently accepted a job as a Construction Coordinator for a development firm based out of Daphne, Alabama. In this role, I will be responsible for overseeing the construction phase of our developments along the Gulf Coast. This includes procuring and reviewing contractor bids, project scheduling, and coordination of contractors in the field.
What attracted you to Auburn and to your major?
Auburn was always a no-brainer for me. Many of my family members have attended Auburn. My grandfather, Thomas Steele, ran track here 1948-'52, and my uncle Henry Hardy was an assistant football coach in the late '70s.
I pursued Building Science because construction interested me, and I had heard Auburn had one of the top programs in the nation. It seemed like the right decision when I graduated high school, and I’m confident four years later that it was.
What or who attracted you to Sigma Nu and why did you choose Sigma Nu?
Sam Grey and Bo Ezell pointed me to Sigma Nu, as they both graduated from Bayside Academy the year ahead of me and pledged Sigma Nu. After visiting them a few times my senior year, I didn’t have to look anywhere else. The bond they had with their brothers, the leadership in the fraternity, and the massive side yard was an easy sell for me.
What offices have you held within Sigma Nu?
During my time in Sigma Nu, I have been the Recruitment (Rush) Chairman, Judicial Honor Court Chairman overseeing local chapter issues, and Lieutenant Commander.
What organizations and leadership roles have you been involved with at Auburn outside Sigma Nu?
Outside of Sigma Nu, I have been involved in Campus Crusade and Onward Campus Ministry, Chaplain of the War Eagle Girls and Plainsmen, and Sigma Lambda Chi, the honor society for construction majors.
What’s been your most gratifying accomplishment or experience within Sigma Nu?
My favorite experience within Sigma Nu was being recruitment chairman. It was a challenging job, but one that taught me many lessons about decision-making, relationships, and intentionality. Being able to develop personal relationships throughout the summer with 53 young men who joined our chapter was an experience I do not take for granted.
What’s been your most gratifying accomplishment or experience at Auburn outside Sigma Nu?
Auburn has offered me so many incredible experiences it’s hard to choose only one, so I will share two.
In November 2021, I had the opportunity to travel to the United Kingdom and compete in an international construction competition. My team and I were fortunate to win first place. That was an extremely gratifying experience, as we competed against teams from all over the world.
In March 2019, I went to Costa Rica with Filter of Hope and passed out water filters while sharing the gospel with the locals. It was an incredible experience. Not only did God use us to provide clean water to families, we also were blessed to see people come to faith in Christ.
Having done all this, and knowing what you know now, what advice would you offer yourself if you were a high school senior about to come to college?
One of my favorite sayings is, “Be where your feet are.” I would tell myself this four years ago, and I would tell this to any freshman coming to Auburn. If I’ve learned anything in college, I’ve learned the importance of being present wherever you are. College doesn’t last forever, but the memories and bonds formed with your friends do, so always be present with them whenever you have the opportunity.
Thanks, Seth, and best wishes. We look forward to your future leadership within Sigma Nu.
To read an article about Seth in Bill Boldt's Onward Ministry update, click here.
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Spring Baseball Tailgate February 26 |
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Alumni Chair Cole Runyan announces a Spring Tailgate event for the Yale baseball game on campus Saturday, February 26. The Brothers will grill out for visiting alumni and families.
You are welcome to bring your sons, grandsons, nephews, and your favorite rushee in town. It’s a great opportunity to show them the value of Fraternity life and relationships and for them to meet some collegians in a less-crowded environment. Wives and daughters and your children's friends are welcome, too. We will be inviting parents of actives as well. You are welcome to set up a tent on our spacious lawn if you'd like. If you have questions, contact Cole at ccr0049@auburn.edu and 256-252-2828.
This is a welcome spring semester activity for all our chapter and alumni to enjoy.
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Josh Harris Plays in Pro Bowl |
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Josh Harris and past Commander Myles Maxwell on the sidelines of a recent NFL game. Josh and Myles grew up together in Carrollton
and both were strong leaders with character and integrity
in our chapter as collegians and continue to be as alumni.
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Josh Harris, Beta Theta 2699, Sigma Nu national Athlete of the Year in 2011, Carrollton, Georgia native, and deep snapper for the national championship Auburn Tigers and now for the Atlanta Falcons, played in the NFL Pro Bowl on February 6. Josh lives the Auburn Creed with his devotion to work, hard work, loyalty, and more. Check out this informative article including some video and Tweets.
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Jeff Struecker Speaks at Chapter |
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Jeff Struecker, decorated Army Ranger, combat veteran, and member of the Ranger Hall of Fame is an inspiring speaker who prepares his audiences for eternity.
Jeff spoke to our chapter on Wednesday, February 9. It was well attended, inspiring, and you can see from the photo how well he captured our collegians’ attention.
Our thanks to Brother Will Ramburg and Will's father who had a relationship with Mr. Struecker to make this exceptional opportunity possible.
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Beta Theta Receives Certificate for Third Rock Award |
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Shown recently receiving chapter awards recognized at 2021 Grand Chapter are
Lt. Commander Will VonEschenbach, past Lt. Commander Seth Shirley,
Regent-Elect Gaston, Commander Pete Dazzio, and Treasurer Jack Parnell.
These certificates represent Excellence in All-Chapter LEAD, Manpower, Rock, Operational Excellence, and Excellence in Values-Based Leadership.
Advisors Sean Thomas and John Burgess
were unable to attend this brief December 4 event.
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You know there are lots of good things happening when the third consecutive Rock Award is the sixth article in the newsletter, and the previous newsletter was only a month ago.
That’s right, as previously announced following Grand Chapter in July, Beta Theta earned our third consecutive Rock Award and four additional recognitions.
Rock is a metrics-based, objective measurement of chapter strength and something to be very proud of. Among other things, it measures finances, academics, Brotherhood, campus leadership, alumni engagement, philanthropy, recruitment (rush), candidate development (pledgeship), and more. Consistent high performance year-over-year is required. It’s not a top-ten or top-anything – it’s an objective, metrics-based rating.
You should be very proud of this accomplishment and our collegians’ enthusiasm for it. Their satisfaction is evident in the photo. It's surely a chapter-wide effort and result, but special thanks go to 2021 Commander Harrison Rudd and to Lt. Commander Seth Shirley, shown above, who compiled the extensive report.
It was work, hard work; and worth it.
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