Nationals Visits Mizzou

By Chris Godfrey

National Advisor

My journey to the University of Missouri started off the week of the 2011 World Series; the St. Louis Cardinals were about to join the Texas Rangers in an epic battle of baseball.  So after landing in St. Louis I then rented my first car and was on my way through vast cornfields and miles of roads that would lead me to the great city of Columbia where Mizzou calls home. 

When I got there, I enjoyed a great dinner at an Italian restaurant in downtown Columbia with the officer corps.  The officers of the chapter are stand-up men that really strive to follow after the Lord and see the fraternity do great things on campus.  This semester the chapter has seen its largest pledge class come through pledgeship but they aren’t focused on numbers but quality.  Matt Allen, the pledge captain, has poured in to the rush system at Mizzou making sure to get together with a good table spot with Greek life, taking out people in town, flyers, posters, DVDs, etc.  I was encouraged to when I got to meet up with some of the pledges over the course of the week and got to hear their heart for BYX. 

After our officer dinner, we went straight to the chapter meeting.  It was a non-stop day but filled with greatness because the men in the chapter are so encouraging.  At chapter there were a couple of officer speeches left so I got to hear the brothers’ hearts for BYX and what God is doing there.  That night was election night so I got to meet up with not only the old officers but all of the new guys as well.  The week of my visit was also when rumor had gone around about Mizzou joining the SEC.  I was thrilled to then invite them to join the best conference you can be a part of and got to get their reaction of the change. 

The chapter’s vice-president, Caleb Barron, led me on one of his famous campus tours Monday morning.  Treasurer Dustin Steller also came along for the fun.  It was a beautiful morning in Columbia and it was fun getting to see one of our men in action being an active part of campus life.  Secretary Andrew White (also the new chaplain) is in a band called Somewhere South of Perfect and he has enjoyed touring with them.  I got to meet with Andrew and talk with him about the current officer corps’ work as well as the new position he has in the chapter.  The rest of Monday afternoon I continued to meet with the current officers.

Monday night, the men had an intramural soccer game.  Of course a cold front blew through on the day I arrived that brought some rain with it, so we were out there in 40-degree weather with strong winds and rain!  BUT, the men pulled off a victory and showed me a thing or two about soccer.  After the soccer game we had a victory party at Andy’s Frozen Custard. Yes, frozen.  We had ice-cream standing outside in 40-degree weather, and it was fantastic.  We stood outside in the cold for an hour or so having great conversation.  They really are excited about where they are as a chapter and where they are going. 

Tuesday was filled with meeting the new officers.  What a great team has shaped up that will get to guide the chapter for the next year.  I left Missouri after eating with new member Daniel Bristow.  We had a great discussion about how college life has been so different than living at home and how BYX has encouraged personal growth in his life.  I left Mizzou after lunch Tuesday and got to see the Gateway Arch on my way back to the airport.  World Series merchandise was already everywhere as the next day began the World Series home opener.  The Mizzou chapter of BYX has continued to excel and do things well as they continue to grow and create their identity on campus!