[9742] in APO-L
First Service Fraternity to be Organized at ERAU (CROSSPOST)
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Dave BeachBum Bujak)
Thu Oct 13 07:49:29 1994
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 1994 00:08:25 -0400
Reply-To: Dave BeachBum Bujak <dave@DB.ERAU.EDU>
From: Dave BeachBum Bujak <dave@DB.ERAU.EDU>
To: Multiple recipients of list APO-L <APO-L%PURCCVM.BITNET@mitvma.mit.edu>
AVION, Embry-Riddle Aernautical University Newspaper
[IMAGE] Robert S. Ward /AVION
Alpha Phi Omega members rear, left to right, Dean Schimpf, Lisa Kemon,
John Kennedy, Dave Madlinger, front, B. Wilson, P.J. Tunder, D. Bujak
and Mike Gowen.
First service fraternity to be organized at ERAU
Robert S. Ward
Staff Reporter
_________________________________________________________________
Embry-Riddle may soon see another fraternity on campus. However, it
will be the first of its kind. Unlike the social and occupational
fraternities already on campus, the central theme for Alpha Phi Omega
is service. Consider it more of an honor society for community
service.
Alpha Phi Omega is a National Service Fraternity, founded December 16,
1925 at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. There are currently
over 300 active chapters at colleges and universities across the
United States of America. The National Bylaws state their purpose: The
purpose of this fraternity shall be to assemble college students in a
National Service Fraternity in the fellowship of the principles of the
Boy Scouts of America as embodied in its Scout Oath and Law, to
develop leadership, to promote friendship and provide service to
humanity; and to further the freedom that is our national, educational
and intellectual heritage.
The fraternity has undergone many changes since its formation in 1925.
It has since been detached from the Boy Scouts, and membership in the
Boys Scouts is no longer a prerequisite for joining. Another major
change is that fraternity is now co-ed. It is estimated that females
make up over fifty percent of the active membership nationwide.
The group at Embry-Riddle was formed by aerospace engineering
sophomore David Bujak. Bujak had heard of the fraternity before from
his scouting experience. When he came to Embry-Riddle, he pursued more
information on the fraternity through the Internet. Through various
mail conferences, E-mail, Internet Relay Chart (IRC), and the World
Wide Web, Bujak was able to gain enough information needed to begin
forming a new chapter here. Since that time, the group has grown to
about fifteen members. Each person is actively working on organizing a
project or establishing a connection with local community
organizations.
The group is currently trying to obtain an SGA charter allowing them
to be an organization on campus. Once that is obtained, the main goal
of the group is to organize and carry out service projects. Creating a
solid service plan is the key element toward obtaining a charter from
the National Fraternity. Some of the projects the interest group has
planned include working for Habit For Humanity, helping the Boy Scouts
in their annual Scouting for Food program, and volunteering to help
Our Lady of Hope church with their fall festival.
Now is the best time to get involved with the Alpha Phi Omega interest
group. Since the group just started, there is no pledging process. One
only needs to pledge their support and become active in working on th
service projects. Once a few minimum requirements are met, one can be
honored to hold the title of being a "founding brother."
Alpha Phi Omega is also seeking the resources of faculty members.
Alpha Phi Omega would like to invite faculty to share their talents
with the fraternity by becoming members of the Advisory Committee.
Advisors are encouraged to become actively involved in the service
program.
With the amount of support Alpha Phi Omega is expecting to receive
from those who join and that of faculty volunteers, it is very likely
that the group will become a fully chartered chapter some time next
fall.
If you are interested in receiving information, you can attend the
open chapter meeting to be held this Sunday at 8:00 p.m. in the
Student Center Conference Room. Besides the normal agenda, a good deal
of the meeting will be dedicated to informing those interested about
the fraternity and answering their questions. Refreshments will be
served. More information can also be obtained by calling 760-0387 or
sending E-mail to apo@db.erau.edu. The group also maintains a World
Wide Web site at: http://erau.db.erau.edu/~dave/aphio.html, which has
all available information about what the group is doing at
Embry-Riddle, in addition to links to other APO chapters.
