D6 Conference 2015 Review

Alabama Alpha (Auburn University) hosted the District 6 Conference in Auburn, AL from April 10-11th, 2015.

The conference site boasted beautiful brick buildings and blooming flowers! Friday night activities consisted of dinner, DICE, and a scavenger hunt. DICE, District Interactive Chapter Exchange, allowed students to get in groups with other chapters to discuss some solutions to common chapter issues concerning membership, leadership, activities, and image. The students then presented their findings with creative and often hilarious skits, dances, and accents!

The scavenger hunt around campus gave students the opportunity to explore the campus from the eyes of an Auburn student catching all the most common and memorable sites. Members from the TN-A team took home first prize winning a $10 gift card for each student. TN-G came in a close second winning $5 gift cards for each team member.

Saturday started off with a bit of team work as the icebreaker posed students to work together each with 1 item on a deserted island to find their way back to civilization. Afterward graduating seniors and advisors went through an Engineering Futures session with district director Ellen Styles. In this session each participant worked on speaking in public with grace.

Meanwhile, officers and non-graduating seniors went through training on reporting and the general workings of a Tau Beta Pi chapter. This necessary information can all be found in our downloads section and Tau Bates with questions are encouraged to call Headquarters if there are any problems at 1-800-TAU-BETA!

After lunch and a group photo, students presented project awards to try to earn their schools both recognition and a cash chapter credit for the project that most represented Tau Beta Pi’s goals as an organization. Congratulations are in order for the following winning presenters:

AL-D        1st Place for $300        PI Day event with NSBE

KY-A         2nd place for $200      E-Day speaker event with Story Musgrave

TN-G        2nd place for $200      The Great Move-In Day

AL-A         2nd place for $200      PI Day event with EWB

MS-B        3rd place for $100       Run for the Cure

The day came to an end and students wrapped up with expense reports and very helpful conference evaluations. Hopefully all who left the conference feel more equipped to help run their chapters and become leaders within the Tau Beta Pi organization!

All information is posted in the Downloads section of the website. If you are interested in attending next year’s district conference contact your district director! Next year’s D6 Conference will be hosted by TN-B in Nashville, TN on April 1-2, 2016. Hope to see you all there!

2014 Convention Minutes Posted!

Convention Minutes are UP!

Several documents are now available on the Convention website including:

– Convention Summary

– Convention Minutes

– Ratification Ballot

– Press Release

– C&B Amendments Presentation

Curt’s Executive Director’s report is also available on the website.

The Convention approved six changes to the Constitution and Bylaws which require ratification by the chapters (collegiate and alumni). Make sure to read page three of the ballot concerning quorum requirements and submit the ballot by April 1, 2014. The Executive Council is empowered to vote for chapters not submitting a ballot, but, the Council prefers to keep decisions like these in the hands of the students!

A big thanks to everyone who attended the 2014 Convention in Spokane, WA this year! Overall the Convention proved successful with students working together to make important decisions in Committee Meetings or learning essential soft skills in Engineer Futures sessions. ICE (Interactive Chapter Exchange) allowed students to network with other chapters and brainstorm solutions to common problems concerning Membership, Leadership, Activities, and Image. Furthermore, students learned Robert’s Rules of Order which was lovingly and accurately renamed Ron’s Real Rules by the Resolutions Committee with regards to Chairman Ron Hickling.

Fun was not lacking at this year’s Convention. Comedian Don McMillan took the stage by storm Thursday evening! His intellectually stimulating, wise-cracking had even the most somber engineers smirking! If you couldn’t attend, check out his youtube video Death by PowerPoint. Students toured the city between meetings and during downtime. D6 showed its TBP spirit by assembling into a Bent and “D6” for some great pictures! During District Meeting, attending members got up-close and personal with one another trying to defeat the Magic Carpet icebreaker – flipping the cloth without anyone stepping off!

We would like to recognize a few students for their active role in leadership on their committees:

Kayla Reid, AL-A (Resolutions Committee) – Co-Chair

Colin Wattigney, MS-B (Convention Site Committee) – Secretary

Secretary’s Commendations:

AL-E

KY-A

 

Membership Awards:

AL-E

TN-E

 

MindSET Grants:

AL-G

TN-A

TN-G

 

Chapter Performance Scholarships ($500) for 3 consecutive Project Awards:

AL-E

KY-A

 

Outstanding Chapter Honorable Mention

AL-E – University of South Alabama

We hope everyone enjoyed Convention and we look forward to seeing you during our chapter visits and at District Conference April 10-11th in Auburn, AL!

 

2013 Convention Minutes Posted

Want to know exactly what goes on at Convention? Take a look at the Convention Minutes for Ames, Iowa this past October! http://www.tbp.org/conv/2013/2013-Convention-Summary.pdf

D6 Directors would like to acknowledge all D6 delegates who played an active leadership role at Convention:

• Charles Jenkins, MS-B (Chapter  and  Association  Financial  Affairs  Committee)–Chair
• Jason Hyder, TN-G (Chapter and Association Financial Affairs Committee) — Subcommittee Chair
• Timothy Battle, AL-E (Convention Site Committee)–Chair
• Wouter de Wet, TN-A (MindSET Committee)–Co-Chair

2013 Tau Beta Pi Outstanding Advisor

Dr. Bruce Walcott – Kentucky Alpha

2013  J.D.  Froula  Most  Improved  Membership  Award

Kentucky Alpha

2013 R.H. Nagel Most Improved Chapter Award

Kentucky Alpha

2013 R.C. Matthew’s Outstanding Chapter Award

Kentucky Alpha

R.C. Matthew’s Honorable Mention
Alabama Epsilon

Secretary’s Commendations:

• Alabama Alpha
• Alabama Epsilon
• Kentucky Alpha

Membership Award – Initiate “One More”:

• Alabama Delta
• Alabama Epsilon
• Kentucky Alpha

Chapter Project Awards:

• Kentucky Alpha
• Tennessee Gamma
• Alabama Epsilon

Chapter Performance Scholarship: ($500 to chapter for 3 consecutive Chapter Project Awards)

• Alabama Epsilon

MindSET Grants:

• Alabama Gamma
• Tennessee Alpha

Beech Bend Event by WKU Tau Bates!

Props to our KY G Tau Bates for putting together a cancer benefit at Beech Bend Park! Current and former TBP presidents worked together to organize this event in response to two WKU department of engineering members recently being diagnosed with cancer. Read the full article here:

http://wkuherald.com/news/article_d9033ebe-1b3f-11e3-b977-001a4bcf6878.html

The Passing of Dr. Merl Baker, Distinguished Alumnus

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Dr. Merl Baker (KY A ’45). In 2010, he was honored by Tau Beta Pi with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, earned by his abundant achievements and contributions to the profession and society in the spirit of liberal culture so strongly ingrained in Tau Beta Pi.

Click to read Article: Former Chancellor Merl Baker dies at age 89

Dr. Baker graced us with his attendance at the 2012 District 6 Conference in Lexington, KY, where his would-be award acceptance speech was read. His delightful wit and humor were known to many students at the University of Kentucky. He passed along much advice as well:

“Although engineers, especially members of TBP, are well prepared for a diversity of career challenges, all of us can expect having to confront the hangover from disappointing events and perhaps a few mistakes. Accept these as a wake-up call; don’t allow road bumps to reverse your enthusiasm for setting positive and rewarding goals for the future.”

Click to read Dr. Baker’s Distinguished Award Press Release

May you rest in peace, Merl.

Tau Beta Pi Association News, June 2013

Congratulations to our very own Dr. Bruce Walcott for his outstanding achievements, earning him the award of 2013 TBP Outstanding Advisor Award! Way to go KY-Alpha on the nomination and bringing yet another award home to District 6!

The Official Blog of Tau Beta Pi

Tau Beta Pi has announced that Bruce L. Walcott, Ph.D. (IN A ‘81), has been chosen as the 2013 Outstanding Advisor. Dr. Walcott is currently an alumni professor at the University of Kentucky where he is also chief advisor to the Kentucky Alpha Chapter of Tau Beta Pi. Here is an excerpt from the press release:
Dr. Walcott is known as a dedicated educator evidenced by his receipt of 17 professional and teaching awards, including most recently the University Student Organization 2012 Advisor of the Year. He also makes time to be active in other campus activities. He is the founder and director of the new UK Center for Visualization and Virtual Environments.

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Russell E. Drummond, CO A 2013, was recently named as a Capital One Academic All-America® Division II Track & Field/Cross Country First Team selection. Drummond is a senior at the…

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D6 Conference is Coming! REGISTER TODAY!

Fellow D6 Tau Bates,

It’s that time of year again! The District 6 Spring Conference will be held in Cookeville, Tennessee on April 19th and 20th.  We try to make this a really fun weekend so please plan to bring as many old and new officers as you can! Visit the D6 Con 2013 page under the District Conference tab for more information, and don’t forget to register each attendee individually!

Convention Minutes are OUT!

Want to know exactly what goes on at Convention? Take a look at the formal meeting minutes taken in Lexington, Kentucky this past September! Perhaps your chapter delegate got the “second!”

D6 Directors would like to acknowledge all D6 delegates who played an active leadership role at Convention:

• Charles Jenkins, MS-B (Petitions Committee)–Chair
• Melody Burkhart, KY-A (Convention Site Committee)–Chair
• H Li, MS-A (Convention Site Committee)–subcommittee Chair
• Kevin Wieman, KY-A/Bluegrass Alumni Chapter (Alumnus Chapters Committee)–Chair

2012 R.H. Nagel Most Improved Chapter Award
Kentucky Gamma

R.C. Matthew’s Honorable Mention
Alabama Epsilon

Secretary’s Commendations:

• Alabama Epsilon
• Kentucky Alpha
• Kentucky Beta
• Tennessee Gamma

Initiate “One More”:

• Kentucky Beta
• Tennessee Alpha

Chapter Project Awards:

• Alabama Beta
• Kentucky Alpha
• Kentucky Gamma
• Alabama Epsilon

MindSET Grants:

• Alabama Gamma
• Tennessee Alpha

Convention 2012 in Lexington!

Are you ready? Be sure to read up on your committee materials and finish registering for meals! It’s time for TBP National Convention in District 6’s own Lexington, Kentucky!

For more information, please visit the Convention Information page.

Calling All D6 Alumni

You are invited to attend a gathering of Tau Beta Pi alumni on Sunday, August 19, at 6:30 p.m.

The event will be held at Ramsey’s Diner on High Street, 496 E High Street, in Lexington.

Tau Beta Pi Executive Director Curt Gomulinski will present an update on the organization, and a representative from the local Bluegrass Alumnus Chapter will talk about their activities and the upcoming national convention to be held in September in Lexington. This is an excellent networking opportunity! Please consider attending.

**** Please RSVP to teg@tbp.org by Friday, August 10.

The cost will be $10 per person for dinner. (Pie may be added at your own cost.)

If you are no longer in the area, please let me know your new physical mailing address, and I will update it at Headquarters for you.

More information about alumni involvement can be found at http://www.tbp.org/alumni/.

You can find Tau Beta Pi on social media sites:

• Like “Tau Beta Pi: The BENT” on Facebook
• Join the “Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society” group on LinkedIn
• Connect with other Tau Bates on TBPConnect: https://tbp.affinitycircles.com/tbp/auth/login

Thank you for your time, and we look forward to seeing you on Sunday, August 19!

Tricia Gomulinski, SD A ‘98
TBP Alumni Volunteer
teg@tbp.org