The Beta Stars

Brothers,

My name is Patrick Cadigan and I am serving as the Chapter President for the 2026 calendar year. I am a second-year Chemical Engineering student and am involved in on-campus research. Prior to being President, I served as the Vice President of Education during the 2025 calendar year. Combining this experience with my attendance to the John and Nellie Wooden Institute of Men of Principle the summer of the same year, I decided to run for the position of Chapter President. The chapter has been working extremely hard and we are committed to becoming the best that we can.

You can contact me at: ptc39@case.edu or (908) 803-0900

Yours in _kai_,
Patrick Cadigan '28, LK-B #1443

"Our pledge class was a close group of Brothers, but most went to the 4-winds after graduation and it was difficult to remain in touch. We decided to hold a reunion in 2018, the 50th year of our graduation. That one was at Nemacolin Woodlands in western Pennsylvania, and 17 Beta Brothers and 8 or 9 spouses attended. We had such a good time — that eventually led to the 2nd reunion in New Orleans. Richard Derbes arranged the dinner at Antoine's." — Hank Vernon CIT '68, LK #813

Brother Hank Vernon recently shared with us photos from a reunion of 12 members of his pledge class of the original 23, nearly 60 years after the conclusion of their college days in the famous Rex Room at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans — one of the oldest family-run restaurants in the country, and birthplace of countless famous dishes such as Oysters Rockefeller!

A huge thank you to Brother Vernon for sharing his story and these photos! If you find yourself inspired, the Beta Banquet on April 25th is a great place to reconnect with Brothers you haven't seen in years.

Richard Derbes, a former CWRU board member and his wife, Kathy seated in front of a Baked Alaska dessert prior to being flambeed.

Introducing our newest Big Little pairs!

• Joud Hanna and Luca Boyd #1445
• Miguel Dominguez and Ronaldo Martinez-Lens #1435
• Derrell Jefferson and Carson Asbury #1448
• Gabriel Ogaz and Allen Studer #1446
• Michael Sagerman and Nicholas Salamone #1440
• Ansh Ambatkar and Aadit Chadha #1444
• Jacob Kelly and Ben Smith #1439

Joud Hanna & Luca Boyd #1445

Miguel Dominguez & Ronaldo Martinez-Lens #1435

Derrell Jefferson & Carson Asbury #1448

Gabriel Ogaz & Allen Studer #1446

Michael Sagerman & Nicholas Salamone #1440

Ansh Ambatkar & Aadit Chadha #1444

Jacob Kelly & Ben Smith #1439

Giortaste is the annual award ceremony hosted by the Interfraternity Congress (IFC) and Panhellenic Council (PHC) for the Greek life organizations on campus.

Our Chapter was the recipient of the Best Siblinghood Event Award for our Initiation Retreat to Oxford. Our main philanthropy partner, Empower Sports, received the Outstanding Community Partner Award. Brother President Patrick Cadigan LK-B #1443 received the IFC Emerging Leader Award, and former IFC President Brother Nafeh Ahsan LK-B #1434 received the IFC Howard Shelley Fraternal Leadership Award.

In total, our chapter accumulated four awards over the course of the night! A special congratulations to Patrick and Nafeh for winning the top two most prestigious individual awards of the evening!

Patrick Cadigan — IFC Emerging Leader Award

Nafeh Ahsan — IFC Howard Shelley Award

Group photo — all four award winners

Spring break couldn't have come any sooner — many Brothers escaped the deceptive Cleveland false spring and traveled to warmer places for a well deserved rest.

On March 22nd, the Betas headed over to the Delta Gamma chapter room to serenade the Sisters with: I Took My Girl Out Walking, Until I Found You, and Beta Rose. Afterwards, New Member Ansh Ambatkar gifted a beautiful bouquet of flowers to Sister Michaela Mahoney.

Welcoming our New Brother class of Spring '26! Special thanks to predecessor Brother Adam Aly LK-B #1417 for joining us. Our Chapter currently has a total of seven family lines:

• Oldest Active: Nafeh Ahsan #1434 — Largest family line in the Chapter, with 9 members!
• Oldest Active: Liam French #1429 — All members have served on the Executive Board or a Chair position!
• Oldest Active: Ronaldo Martinez-Lens #1435 — Our only family line whose newest member is also its tallest!
• Oldest Active: Ben Smith #1439 — The members of this family line are as tight as PB&J!
• Oldest Active: Pieter Verbeek #1427 — Only line with at least one member from each of the past 4 initiated classes!
• Oldest Active: Steve Kim #1432 — All members have under 5 letters in their first name!
• Oldest Active: Nathan Smith #1424 — All members are engineers!

New Brother class — chapel steps

Full chapter group photo with Beta flag

Oldest Active: Brother Nafeh Ahsan #1434 — Largest family line in the Chapter, with a total of 9 members!

Oldest Active: Brother Liam French #1429 — All members have served/are currently on the Executive Board or a Chair position!

Oldest Active: Brother Ronaldo Martinez-Lens #1435 — Our only family line whose newest member is also its tallest!

Oldest Active: Brother Ben Smith #1439 — The members of this family line are as tight as PB&J!

Oldest Active: Brother Pieter Verbeek #1427 — Only line with at least one member from each of the past 4 initiated classes!

Oldest Active: Brother Steve Kim #1432 — All members have under 5 letters in their first name!

Oldest Active: Brother Nathan Smith #1424 — All members are engineers!

On Holy Saturday, Betas headed over to the local Cleveland Botanical Gardens to volunteer for their Easter Egg Hunt event! Brothers helped to hide chocolate eggs, facilitate various games for the egg hunters, and some even dressed as the Easter Bunny himself!

From left to right: Brothers Alejandro Villar #1459, Jaden Donahue #1451, Ronaldo Martinez-Lens #1435, Aadit Chadha #1444, William Danysh #1438. Brothers Usman Nyallay #1457 and Aadi Singh #1455 also joined in.

Easter Bunny interaction with egg hunters

Usman Nyallay #1457, Aadi Singh #1455 & egg hunter with baskets

After Chapter on Easter Sunday, the Brothers enjoyed a feast featuring a variety of delectable cuisines from across the world:

• Brother Liam French #1429 presented a delectable charcuterie board of chocolates.
• Brother Usman Nyallay showed off his culinary skills with handmade curry chicken patties.
• Brothers Brian Romero #1437 and Steve Kim #1432 brought dessert.
• Brother Allen Studer #1446 took his freshly baked kabob out of the oven.
• Brother Pieter Verbeek #1427 (middle, brooding) gazed longingly at Brother Ben Smith's #1439 full plate piled high with the last of Usman's chicken patties.

Br. Liam French #1429 — charcuterie board of chocolates

Br. Usman Nyallay — handmade curry chicken patties

Br. Brian Romero #1437 & Steve Kim #1432 — dessert

Br. Allen Studer #1446 — freshly baked kabob

Br. Pieter Verbeek #1427 (middle, brooding) & group dining

Hi! My name is Michael Sagerman, and I am a first-year Electrical Engineering major from Los Angeles, California. I've been interested in embedded systems, software, and robotics as long as I can remember. I'm also a huge baseball fan (Go Dodgers!). Since coming to Case, I have really enjoyed meeting new people and getting involved through Beta.

In my free time, one of my favorite hobbies is boating. I have been doing it for about six years, and it is still something I really enjoy whenever I get the chance. It is definitely one of the hobbies I have kept up with the longest!

Yours in kai,
Michael Sagerman '29, LK-B #1468

Hello! My name is Carter Carpentieri Asbury, and I am a senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a minor in Entrepreneurship and Mechanical Design & Manufacturing. My younger brother (biological and Beta!), Carson Carpentieri Asbury, is a sophomore at CWRU double-majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Evolutionary Biology, with a minor in Biomolecular Engineering. We both proudly pledged Beta Theta Pi in the Fall of 2024 and are both currently living in the Beta Theta Pi House!

Brother Carter Asbury #1449 (left) & Brother Carson Asbury #1448 (right).

Brother Carter Asbury #1449 on the left and his younger sibling, Brother Carson Asbury #1448 on the right.

When an extra room became available next door in the Beta house, we moved both of our printers in to create our own 3D-printer room! One of my favorites was a model of the Saturn V Rocket. With the help of Brother Nicholas Salamone #1440, we submitted the model for the 2025–2026 Greek Games Banner Competition and proudly took home first place!

Another favorite is a 2-ft diameter model of a Ha'tak spaceship from the movie and TV series Stargate SG-1. If you are a fan of sci-fi, we highly recommend giving this series a watch!

The Brother Asburys show off their 3-D printed models of a Ha'tak spaceship from Stargate and a Saturn V Rocket that secured a 1st place finish in the Greek Games Banner Competition.

Warmly in kai,
Carter Carpentieri Asbury '26, LK-B #1449