Betas Receive Two Awards of Distinction

Representing more than 6,000 collegiate chapters and 250,000 fraternity members globally, each year the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) recognizes young men, advisors and chapters who exemplify leadership, service and fraternal values with the Awards of Distinction. Celebrating the success and interfraternal impact — individually within campus communities and collectively as the Fraternity’s chapters — emphasizes the value of Beta Theta Pi and the fraternity experience in shaping the lives of young men during their college years and beyond.

For the seventh time in eight years, Beta Theta Pi has been among the fraternities noted among the annual list. This year also marks the sixth time in the same stretch that Beta received two or more Awards of Distinction.

Dr. Eric Buller, Miami ’19

“My journey with Beta started here at Miami, so it’s apropos to be receiving it this year,” Brother Buller said, upon receiving the award at the 185th General Convention.

Eric has been a steadfast advisor at the Alpha Chapter for over a decade. His tenure started as a faculty advisor before transitioning to chapter counselor in 2016. A graduate of West Point, he first advised the chapter as a Friend of Beta. In 2019, the chapter welcomed him as a brother, initiating him into the chapter and penning him as No. 2886 on the official roll.

“What I had learned is that, when fraternity is done right, it’s incredibly powerful, and the research I had done at the time was that Beta does it right.”

His nominators said, “Eric’s extensive leadership development background and experience was instrumental in the successful return of our Alpha Chapter to Miami’s campus as once again one of the top fraternities on Miami’s campus.”

Brother Buller has shown what it means to earn his badge every day. Following his time as director of leadership and education at Beta’s Administrative Office, Eric continued to provide guidance to collegiate brothers across the domain by volunteering to facilitate at Keystone Leadership Conference and, most recently, at the John and Nellie Wooden Institute for Men of Principle.

“Award ceremonies aren’t really about the individual,” Brother Buller went on to say in his remarks. “We appreciate the work that they do, but award ceremonies are more about the organization because the organization has to stand up and recognize its own excellence within itself.”

The NIC to only named seven advisors among over 6,000 fraternity chapters across North America to receive the Advisor of Distinction Award in 2024.

Beta Omicron Chapter at The University of Texas at Austin

The Chapter of Distinction Award recognizes exceptional fraternity collegiate chapters demonstrating excellence in operations, involvement in their campus community and a commitment to a positive fraternity experience. The Texas chapter is one of only seven internationally to receive this award — among the 6,000 recognized by the NIC — and the 10th chapter of Beta Theta Pi to be recognized with an award of Distinction since 2004.

The Beta Omicron Chapter is well-recognized as a community builder. Within the city of Austin, the chapter has a tutoring partnership with Garza Independence High School. In terms of community health advocacy, it collaborated with NMDP (formerly Be The Match), Movember and “Texas 4000” in the fight against cancer. The 119 brothers in the chapter are quite active across campus activities, as well, including IFC, student government and more.

The brothers are highly engaged with the General Fraternity, some 40 have attended Beta’s leadership programs over the last three years including 11 graduates of the 2024 Wooden Institute. The chapter’s commitment to leadership culminated in two brothers named collegiate commissioners over the last two years: Max Gauger ’23, and Chris Cardenas ’24. Not to mention, the chapter received two consecutive Knox and Sisson Awards — and anticipate a third at the 185th General Convention.