Last December, we previewed the plan. Here’s the result: 19 new brothers in the Beta Iota pledge class, bringing the chapter from 29 to 48, the second consecutive year of effectively doubling in size.
Twenty bids went out on bid day. Twenty were accepted. That number is the headline, but it’s not the most interesting part of the year.
What’s more telling is who Beta Iota is. We were deliberate 
about recruiting across types: athletes, engineers, musicians, orientation leaders, weightlifters, and a couple of guys who don’t fit a single category. Too many fraternities at UVA carry a fixed reputation; we’re building one that doesn’t. The class went on to post a 3.6 GPA average during pledging (higher than the chapter average), and several of them organized study groups that pulled multiple 100% exam scores across the semester. They’re already running for committee seats and shaping where the chapter goes next.
Two factors carried us this year. The first was the house. Walking PNMs through a renovated, professional 125 Chancellor was a recruiting tool we didn’t have two years ago, and several new members cited it directly when accepting bids. The second was the alumni speeches at the third-round dinner. Five Delta alumni traveled in to address PNMs over a plated meal, and the feedback from new members afterward was specific and unprompted. The voice of an alumnus carries weight that a 21-year-old recruitment chair cannot replicate. Thank you to the five of you who showed up.
Planning for the class of 2030 is already underway. Active brothers and rush chairs are working summer leads now. If you know a UVA first-year who would be a good fit for ATΩ, please contact our rush chairs Richard Perry (Col class of ’29) at richardperry20062006@gmail.com and Oliver Hayden (Com class of ’29) at oferd37@gmail.com. A name and a phone number are enough.
Tucker Meeks (Engr class of ’27)
Worthy Master