As the fall semester unfolds and spring semester is slowly approaching, Kent State’s fraternities and sororities open their doors to new students, fostering community and tradition on campus. One organization eager to begin this is Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Founded in 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has an extensive history of developing leaders dedicated to impacting their communities, and it was the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity founded for African-American men.  

Now, to invite new students who share these ideals, the fraternity has a recruitment process in place that makes sure each new member is prepared to carry on the organization’s rich history. 

Greg Simpson, vice president of Alpha Phi Alpha, said being a part of the fraternity has been a rewarding learning experience.

“Joining Alpha is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life,” Simpson said. “The skills and lessons I learned while joining Alpha are constantly implemented in my day-to-day life and have overall made me a better man. This is something my brothers feel as well and something I think new members would get a sense of, too.” 

In order for members to be accepted, a specific set of standards of the fraternity must be fulfilled. This includes maintaining a minimum GPA of 2.5 and staying dedicated to academics.

Alpha Phi Alpha also emphasizes high moral standards and a sense of civic duty in addition to their intellectual qualifications. Placing a strong focus on engaged citizenry, all eligible voters who are members must register to vote. 

In order to guarantee that new members are mentored and assisted during their journey, Alpha Phi Alpha has a distinctive recruitment process that requires each candidate to be sponsored by an active member in good standing. 

An informational meeting is the initial step toward expressing interest in the fraternity with a purpose of properly educating potential members about the standards and principles. During meetings, fraternity members explain the do’s and don’ts of the recruitment process, membership requirements, the application procedure and how long the recruitment process will take. 

Isaac Britten, treasurer of Alpha Phi Alpha, gave some insight on future events regarding recruitment.  

“I encourage people to take a look at all options before you make a final choice,” Britten said. “If one is interested in Alpha Phi Alpha, our informational is coming soon. Be sure to follow @kentstatealphas on Instagram to see future events. We are excited to see everyone!”  

Courtney Simpson is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].