Projects generally requires committment of about 4 hrs and are usually scheduled on weekends. You have to complete certain number of projects and activities to fulfil the requirements for initiation. There can be various combinations acceptable for projects and activities and they can be found in the Candidate Guidebook. Some of the projects offered each semester include:
Shaver's Creek: There are TBP volunteer activities at Shaver's Creek Environmental Center near State College. Outings usually include a variety of indoor and outdoor projects that support community events such as pumpkin carving, cleaning held at the center.
College of Engineering Blood Drive: There is a American Red Cross blood drive held each semester in the Kunkle Lounge that happens the whole day. A project point can be earned by volunteering for 3 hrs. An activity point can also be earned by donating blood.
Adopt a Highway: Tau Beta Pi's Adopt-A-Highway program cleans up a section of a highway.
Engineering Future Series Seminars: At the Tau Beta Pi sponsored Engineering Futures Sessions, learn skills that will help you become an engineer with broader focus, thinking outside-of-the-box, personal and conversational skills, and to get to know other candidates and members alike. They take place on saturdays noon to 4:00 pm. There are usually two of them every semester.
Activities are generally smaller service activities undertaken by TBP candidates. These are less timeconsuming ways of contributing to the community or the college of engineering atmosphere. You can check the Candidate Guidebook for the activities requirement.
Bent Polishing Party: This event is organized twice a semester and allows you the opportunity to get to know your officers, and fellow candidates. Candidates will be provided with files, sandpaper, and brass polish in order to finish their personal bents. Each bent polishing party earns you an activity point.
Engineering Tours: Join TBP for tours of engineering related facilities on Campus. Tours may include the West Campus Steam and Power Plant, and the Breazeale Nuclear Reactor.
College of Engineering Blood Drive: For the College of Engineering Blood drive, you may donate blood for an activity point. If you wish to donate blood, please use this donation form and hand it in to an officer at any of the office hours. Also you can earn a project point for this event as mentioned in the projects section.
Candidate social takes place in the beginning of the semester. It is a great opportunity to know the fellow candidates and officers. It begins with some ice-breaker games and ends with a lunch. The total duration of the candidate social is about 2 hrs and it usually happes on sunday. If you are unable to attend the candidate social, inform an officer in advance and also you will have to do an extra activity as a make-up for the candidate social.
The initiation ceremony usually happens before the last week of the final exams each semester. It is mandatory for all candidates to attend the initiation ceremony in order to officially become a Tau Bate. If you are not able to attend the initiation ceremony then you can attend it next semester or when convinient but till then you will remain a candidate for Tau Beta Pi. For more information contact the president.