Tau Beta Pi

The Engineering Honor Society

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Tau Beta Pi September 2025 Officer eNotes

These eNotes contain important and up-to-date information and links to help you and your chapter as the new academic year begins. A summary is at the top of the page with links to more detailed information and references. If you have questions about the information provided, contact Headquarters at 865-546-4578 or by email.

BUT FIRST, WHY DOES THIS MATTER?:

Take advantage of the below opportunities we provide to you for FREE! Employers are searching for the leaders within the university community. Tau Beta Pi provides the activities and experiences to give you something to talk to future employers about when you are sitting in front of them; you have to prove that you are "value-add" to merit employment. Our programming supports your development as a leader - now get to work!

CHAPTER OPERATIONS - Want to prove to employers that you can handle all aspects of day-to-day operations? Tackle these:

UPCOMING EVENTS - Up your game (COST: $0):

ASSOCIATION NEWS - Learn what you can achieve with Tau Beta Pi from our members' achievements:

Chapter Resources

Headquarters has prepared tools to support collegiate chapters in both in-person and virtual settings. Officer resources are available here. Membership and chapter reports, with an overview of each, can be found here. For general questions, contact tbp.chapters@tbp.org. For time-sensitive items, contact Kelly Caro.

Membership Process, Initiations, and Virtual Resources

Chapters must use the interactive, electronic reporting system on the web for all undergraduate membership reports. Your chapter has only one user name and password; if you do not have or remember your login or password, please contact HQ at tbp.chapters@tbp.org to have your credentials reset. Details on how to submit the membership and chapter reports are available here online. You are strongly encouraged to review the model Membership Process Schedule when planning your chapter's activities.

  • Free image materials are available, including posters and brochures to place around campus to showcase TBP; order here.
  • Send professional membership invitation or email; sample electee invitations are here and sample electee materials are here.
  • Work with the dean's office to send a letter to candidates and their parents; sample student letter and sample parent's letter.
  • Discuss TBP member benefits during meetings with eligible candidates; a list of benefits is here.

Your Report of Eligibility is due at HQ within the first five weeks after the start of your school term. Bylaw III requires that a fine be levied if the report is not received. Your chapter may submit its Report of Eligibility using an Excel spreadsheet. Instructions are available here.

Your report must list the entire top-fifth of the senior class and the entire top-eighth of the junior class, (including those who are already members) even if some names are below a GPA cutoff set by your chapter. If your chapter has one, indicate the GPA minimum on the Report of Eligibility. Round any fraction up to the next whole number. For example, 1/8 of 100 is 12.5, so you would list the top 13 students. Also, if a tie exists you must list all students with the same GPA in the last position. It's okay to exceed the total number of eligible students in this case.

After contacting your eligible candidates, the chapter members must vote on those candidates and submit to HQ as the Report of Election. This report must be submitted with each electee's online catalog card (which should be completed by the electee) and APPROVAL RECEIVED BEFORE you hold your initiation. Contact Kelly Caro if you have not received approval at least two days in advance. DO NOT HOLD AN UNAPPROVED INITIATION as your chapter could be fined and placed on probation. Online catalog cards must be completed before membership items can be ordered. If you want keys and certificates for initiation, plan to submit at least three weeks before initiation.

New Officer Transitions

Plan a transition meeting with new and old officers and consider utilizing the official installation procedure in the Officer's Handbook. One of the most important roles of a current officer is to ensure a smooth and effective transition of chapter leadership. This includes obtaining the eligibility list, reserving rooms for initiation banquets, location of initiation kit, responsibilities of officer positions, etc. Keep good notes and pass them on to your successor as a source of institutional knowledge and continuity. Visit the Officer Resources webpage for additional information. Ensure that all advisors and new officers are acquainted.

Note: It is critical to report the election of new officers using the electronic reporting system within two weeks of the election to avoid missing important Association emails and grade deductions. If you elected new officers for this term, submit your Report of Officer and Advisor Election and an updated Officer Signatures Report as soon as possible.

Fall Information Update Due

Although your chapter may have completed a Report of Officer and Advisor Election, you must complete the Fall Information Update within two weeks after the start of the term. This informs HQ of any updates from earlier reports (in case an officer moved over the summer). The report also requests information about your dean of engineering, the president of your institution, and start dates of your school terms.

Order Chapter Image Materials for the semester!

Headquarters provides chapter supplies, including: two poster options, information and decision brochures and a brochure holder, invitation to orientation sessions, and invitation to membership cards, envelope, and reply cards. Samples of these and more will be available at the 2025 Convention. Many supplies are available for order from the TBP Store.

Host an Engineering Futures Session on Your Campus

Engineering Futures (EF) is TBP's award-winning professional development program. The EF web page allows members to learn more about the program, view the upcoming online sessions, submit their interest in becoming a facilitator, and allows chapters to request an in-person session!

Request a Campus EF Session: TBP chapters may submit requests to host an in-person EF session for your own members and/or as a service or outreach activity for your campus or community. Go here to learn more and to request a session.

Important: The sessions are open to the public, so they are not limited to TBP members only. You also must have 15 people pre-registered two weeks before the requested session is scheduled. Contact Hope Gamble if you have questions about scheduling an EF session.

Convention Information

The 2025 Tau Beta Pi Convention is scheduled for October 30-November 1 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at the Albuquerque Convention Center, and is hosted by the New Mexico Beta Chapter at the University of New Mexico and the Albuquerque Alumni chapter.

Convention registration is open; you can access the system here. This portal provides the opportunity for you to select your role at Convention, submit a travel request, secure a hotel reservation, indicate special food requirements or allergies, and more.

The Association expects each collegiate and alumni chapter to send a delegate to this year's Convention. You should plan to arrive by the evening of Wednesday, October 29, in order to attend the Thursday morning Business Meeting, and plan to depart on the morning of Sunday, November 2.

Convention credentials were due June 1. If your chapter has not already submitted voting delegate credentials, please submit them immediately in the electronic reporting system. This is a graded report towards a Chapter Excellence Award. Please be sure to verify prior to submitting. This information is used to verify the registration site details (registration site provided below).

Tau Beta Pi pays the full travel and on-site expenses of one voting delegate and 20 percent of airfare expenses (up to $200) for one non-voting delegate from your chapter. For reimbursement, please complete the registration process and the online expense report by contacting Roxanne Bachert via email by September 15. Also, contact Roxanne if you need an extension to submit your reimbursement.

  • 147 chapters have yet to complete the registration process! If your chapter's voting delegate has not registered, please have them do so today.
  • To ensure that you will have a hotel room, you must be registered by Monday, September 15.
  • If your chapter does not plan to send someone or your chapter's voting delegate has changed, please contact Andrea Dake at a.dake@tbp.org immediately.

A detailed Convention email from Tau Beta Pi Headquarters was sent on June 11 that contained all Convention information including registration, travel, lodging, schedule, committee options, etc. This year's event will cover a variety of business, District & NICE meetings, professional development sessions, and recognition of Laureates, Distinguished Alumni, McDonald Mentor, and Outstanding Advisor.

Convention Professional Development sessions provide opportunities for you to learn about subjects such as: personal financial management, resume writing, the professional engineering accreditation process, etc. More info is expected to be published by September 10-12 regarding these sessions.

Please note that you now must be REAL ID compliant to travel domestically by air. If you're planning to attend the Convention, please make sure you have a REAL ID or other acceptable identification (such as a U.S. passport). You can find more information here and here.

If you have any questions, please email tbp.convention@tbp.org for additional information or assistance.

Pre-Convention Information Sessions

Please join your fellow Convention attendees in a pre-Convention information session to be held on Wednesday, October 1. Hear about what you can expect and how to prepare while having a chance to ask questions and meet others who also plan to attend. Please register for one of the sessions at 6 pm (ET) or 8 pm (ET)

Virtual and In-Person Recruiting Fairs

Tau Beta Pi will hold a virtual recruiting fair on October 16 for all members and an in-person fair on October 30 during Convention. The event will include recruiters representing companies and many of the top engineering graduate programs in the country. You can find a partial list of recruiters here, updated regularly. There is no charge for members to attend the in-person recruiting fair. The virtual fair app and webpage will launch on September 18th, and attendees can begin booking meetings on October 2nd. All members of TBP seeking internships, employment, or a graduate program are invited to attend, and it's first come, first served.

Many recruiters will have access to member resumes uploaded through our website portal. To get your resume in front of the recruiters, be sure to upload it here. You can continue to upload your resume even if you don't attend the fairs, as recruiters will have access to it until April 2026.

Do you have a connection that would be interested in recruiting? Help link your fellow Tau Bates with great companies and graduate programs! Contact Erin Andrews at e.andrews@tbp.org. All information for recruiters, including registration and pricing, can be found here.

How to Target Your Resume

Joey (CA U '06) and Rachel Alexander (CA U '15) will present a free Zoom seminar about crafting resumes on Sunday, September 28 at 5pm ET (2pm PT). This gives you plenty of time to perfect and upload your resume and attend the TBP recruiting fairs! Their presentation will break down a sample job description and point out how to take your resume from generic to specific, and there will be time to ask questions. The Alexanders have generously offered this popular session for several years, so try not to miss it! Register now. Contact Erin Andrews at e.andrews@tbp.org with any questions.

Joey, who has a B.S. in computer engineering from UC Davis, is the Chief Technology Officer for a pre-employment background screening company in Sacramento, CA, managing all of the technology needs for a company that screens hundreds of thousands of applicants worldwide. Rachel, who serves on Tau Beta Pi's Executive Council, has a B.S. degree in civil engineering from Cal State University, Sacramento, and works for Sacramento County Department of Airports as an Assistant Engineer, where she performs design work and project management for a variety of runway, taxiway, and roadway projects.

Tau Bate Talks Series

The Association continues to offer Tau Bate Talks, a series of monthly virtual presentations given by Tau Bates who have used their engineering background to pursue fascinating experiences. The talks are scheduled on one Sunday of each month. After a summer hiatus, the next event, "Cybersecurity," will take place on September 21 at 4 p.m. ET. This Talk will be presented by Thomas F. Schaub, Jr., NY N '93. Register here for this event and to view a list of all past presentations and videos, visit our website.

Announcing the 2025 Association Award Winners

Three members were selected to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award: Daryl R. Armentrout, Ph.D., P.E., Tennessee Alpha '65; Carl R. Ice, Kansas Gamma '79; and Cara A. Cowan Watts, Ph.D., Oklahoma Gamma '97. (Note: Dr. Cowan Watts is the 3rd recipient of the Asad M. Madni Distinguished Alumni Award named for Dr. Madni, California Epsilon '69, who made a gift to permanently endow an annual Distinguished Alumni Award.)

Cassandra M. Birrenkott, Ph.D., South Dakota Alpha '07, is this year's Outstanding Advisor.

The McDonald Mentor is Smitha M.N. Rao, Ph.D., Michigan Beta '04.

Five Laureates were named: Annaliese M. Braucht, South Dakota Alpha '25; Marjorie J. Cenese, Virginia Gamma '25; Nicholas R. Divilbiss, Kansas Gamma '25; Hunter A. Elwell, Oregon Alpha '25; and Matteo P. Sollecito, Indiana Alpha '25.

Executive Council Nominees

The Executive Council is made up of nine members with each newly elected member serving a three-year term. The terms of the following three members of the EC will end on December 31, 2025: President Marla A. Peterson, AZ A '83; Councillors Rachel K. Alexander, CA U '15; and Michael J. Hand, MI G '11. Rachel Alexander is term-limited and is ineligible to run for another term; Mike Hand chose not to seek an additional term on the EC.

In response to a call for candidates, four alumni have been nominated to serve in these three positions on the Executive Council for the 2026-28 term. The election will take place at the 2025 Convention with details being announced at a later date. The nominees include:

  • Joseph P. Blackford, DEN, DC G '95; nominated by the Kansas Gamma Chapter
  • Marla A. Peterson, AZ A '83; nominated by the Arizona Alpha Chapter
  • Steve E. Watkins, Ph.D., MO B '83; nominated by the Missouri Beta Chapter
  • Cameron H.G. Wright, Ph.D., P.E., LA G '83; nominated by the Wyoming Alpha Chapter

Biographical information on each candidate can be found here. We encourage you to share this information with the member who will be representing your chapter at Convention this year. The letter from Executive Director Gomulinski with the nominees' contact information is here.

Read the September 2025 Bulletin - coming out around the 15th

Take time to read the September 2025 Bulletin, to be published later this month, with the latest helpful ideas and resources, ideas on TBP involvement after graduation, list of member benefits, etc.