Pi Chi Omega at Purdue 2019

Pi Chi Omega always enjoys coming “home” to Purdue where our organization was first created by a group of young, inspiring entomologists! Pi Chi Omega was especially excited to recognize long-standing member, Gary Bennett, who has been involved in planning 50 of the last 87 Purdue Pest Management Conferences with the Pi Chi Omega Award of Achievement! Gary’s long career as a professor and the Director of the Urban Pest Management Center has had an impact on numerous students, the urban pest management industry, and as one of our fraternity’s most engaged members, he has certainly had an impact on Pi Chi Omega. Congratulations Dr. Bennett and thank you for years of service and dedication.

Always looking to bring fresh content and ideas to the Purdue Conference, Gary worked with Pi Chi Omega to develop the Avengers of IPM: Why Techs are so Important. This session kicked off the conference sessions and featured four industry heroes, Arnold Ramsey, as Sargent Safety, Dini Miller, aka Ms. Habit Hero and Mark Sheperdigian, aka Mr. Perfect Practices. The session highlighted the role of technicians in pest management including safety, importance of techs in protecting health, property and food.

Pi Chi Omega was on a roll at Purdue! More than a dozen members met at the Union Rack and Roll for the Pi Chi Omega Rolling Stones event. Stones music blasted while members threw (bowling) stones down the alley at those stubborn pins. Prizes were given for each strike and gutter ball and for the highest and lowest overall score. We won’t name names but will say everyone was a winner that night!   

The fun continued throughout the conference at the Pi Chi Omega booth and at the Hospitality Suite where members and students gathered to watch the Clemson & Alabama game and catch up with one another. Congratulations to ecstatic Orange Crush fan, Dr. Kathleen Heinsohn! Thank you to JT Eaton, Trece, and Rockwell Labs for providing a fun evening!

The good times culminated at the Pi Chi Omega membership meeting where Dean Stephen Cameron shared information about the establishment and funding of the Osmun Endowed Professorship and the pending search for candidates to fill that position. Members were updated on the fraternity during the business meeting and the winner of the 50/50 raffle was drawn. Congratulations to Bobby Corrigan! Pi Chi Omega’s first ever scholarship recipient took home the unexpected winnings of $800. The other half of the pot goes to support the Pi Chi Omega Scholarship Fund! Thanks to everyone who purchased tickets.