On April 21 and 22, the fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha (A Phi A, Greek letters ΑΦΑ) celebrated its 40th anniversary on Union’s campus. A Phi A was founded at Cornell University on December 4, 1906, as a historically African American fraternity to support black men on Cornell’s campus. The fraternity began with 7 “jewels,” or founders, then expanded to other campuses to accumulate over 900 chapters and 290,000 members to date.
In 1983, several black members of Union’s football team decided to found a historically African American fraternity. Union’s Pi Pi chapter of A Phi A was founded on May 29, 1983 by 8 “mini jewels,” or chapter founders, on Union’s campus. At the time, there were two black professors on campus (both were members of the fraternity), who encouraged the students to create a chapter. Union’s Interfraternity council recognized the chapter in 1985, and the chapter has fluctuated in membership over the years, ranging from 0 members to 8. Alpha Phi Alpha is currently a part of Union’s Multicultural Greek Council.
Fraternity brothers celebrated the anniversary of the chapter’s founding through a networking event on April 21, a campus tour, and Black & Gold Gala on April 22. The Gala featured several alumni speakers, who expressed their enthusiasm about Union’s improvement over the years, and how the fraternity has persisted despite setbacks. “Engrained in every member of Alpha Phi Alpha is the spirit of Alpha,” Brother Jaques Etienne, Spring ‘90 said.
“This fraternity means everything to me,” Marty Glades ‘86, first President of the Pi Pi chapter said. “Many brothers that have joined and flourished and been successful. Coming out of this fraternity is impressive and is something that I’m very proud of.”
Current fraternity brothers presented awards to alumni for the work they have done for the fraternity. The chapter also has a scholarship fund, the Mohammad A. Omar scholarship, for students participating in community service internships. Ava Dieden ‘23, the current recipient of the scholarship, gave a speech on how the fund has benefitted her service to the Schenectady community.
The event ended with current fraternity brothers performing a Step & Stroll routine to songs from the 1980s to the current day.
“I was born in Haiti… I consider much of myself earlier on as an immigrant. I had to do and learn a lot. And being in this organization, I was able to learn from others that knew more than I did.” Sherlandy Dieu ‘23 and Vice President of the Pi Pi chapter said. “Being in a black fraternity, it means a lot to me because there’s a lot of issues that we face currently in society and being of mixed race can oftentimes tangle with that. But representing yourself in a black organization has always been something that empowered me even more because I am carrying the history of many of these brothers and those people that have gone before me.”
Current fraternity brothers plan to host an informational session later this term for interested new members. Interested students can learn more about the fraternity by visiting @unionalphas on Instagram or reaching out to Union’s Greek Life Office via email at [email protected]. Students with sophomore standing and above, over a 2.5 GPA, and less than 5 disciplinary points are eligible to go through the Greek recruitment process. Members of Greek organizations also have to pay dues varying by chapter, but financial support is available through Union’s Fraternity and Sorority Life Opportunity Fund.
This article was originally published in the print edition of Concordiensis on April 27, 2023.
