About Beta Chapter
History
In the spring of 1904, a spark ignited at the University of Illinois, where Maurice L. Carr founded Eta Kappa Nu, establishing the inaugural Alpha Chapter. From this single point, HKN has grown into a powerful network of over 200 active collegiate chapters and a dozen alumni communities, fostering excellence across the landscape of electrical and computer engineering.
Just two years later, in 1906, Purdue University became home to the second HKN chapter – our very own Beta Chapter. However, this promising beginning faced an unexpected hurdle: a university-wide prohibition on fraternal organizations. Demonstrating unwavering commitment to its members, the national HKN responded by temporarily withdrawing the Beta charter, assuring its Purdue members that they would remain part of the HKN family through the "chapter at large," known as Eta Chapter. This early chapter, existing in spirit and connection, highlights the enduring bond of the HKN community.
By 1913, the value and impact of an HKN presence became clear, leading the Purdue Electrical Engineering administration to request a formal charter. Thus, Beta Chapter was joyfully reinstated, marking a significant moment in our history. Today, Beta Chapter thrives with around 200 members, over 60 of whom are actively shaping our initiatives. We proudly operate the HKN Lounge in BHEE 138, offering affordable coffee, snacks, and a central hub for our community. Beyond the lounge, we actively collaborate with other Purdue organizations and the broader ECE community to host engaging social events, impactful volunteering activities, and valuable career preparation opportunities. Our consistent recognition through multiple chapter awards stands as a testament to Beta Chapter's vibrant engagement and significant contributions to the Purdue community.
Learn more about IEEE-HKN at hkn.ieee.org
Read more about Beta Chapter's history on the timeline page
Sydney Kammerer
President
Sydney supervises all affairs for the chapter and runs meetings. He is also responsible for representing the organization both within and outside of Purdue.
Justin Nagovskiy
Vice President
Justin oversees several committees and plans the semesterly banquet
Evelyn McCarthy
Treasurer
Evelyn manages all of the money for HKN and ensures that the various committees stay withing their budgets.
Parin Timbadia
Recording Secretary
Parin is responsible for keeping record of all occurrences during meetings, maintaining a list of active members, and maintaining HKN's historical documents.
Jonathon Reilly
Events Director
Jonathon works with the events committee to plan fun events throughout the semester.
Ryan Wurtz
Facilities Director
Ryan is responsible for maintaining the lounge, the lab, and the chapter website.
Alex Khalitov
Operations Director
Alex manages the HKN Lounge, which includes restocking items, ordering drinks and coffee, and filling the POD schedule.
Tiana Lin
Public Relations Director
Tiana is responsible for interfacing with external companies, running company tech talks and visits, and managing HKN's responsibilities with HKN Nationals.
Andy Tan
Recruitment Director
Andy is responsible for coordinating the membership candidate process. She works with the potential new members to ensure they fulfill all membership requirements and integrate into the HKN community.
Veronica Cheng
Volunteer Director
Veronica coordinates all of the volunteering events for the chapter.
Asher Sprigler
Lab Director
Asher is responsible for managing HKN's lab as well as chairing the lab committee.