{"id":33362,"date":"2017-05-03T16:03:51","date_gmt":"2017-05-03T20:03:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/?p=33362"},"modified":"2017-06-21T08:09:23","modified_gmt":"2017-06-21T12:09:23","slug":"three-emu-students-make-commitment-service-achievement-kappa-alpha-psi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2017\/three-emu-students-make-commitment-service-achievement-kappa-alpha-psi\/","title":{"rendered":"Three EMU students make commitment to service and achievement with Kappa Alpha Psi"},"content":{"rendered":"

Holding a short crimson and cream cane, Azariah Cox was still profoundly moved by what had happened the day before at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU).<\/p>\n

Cox couldn’t quite wrap his head around how EMU history was made: he, fellow senior Kennedy Okereke and junior Clinton Ugboaja had successfully become members of Kappa Alpha Psi<\/a>, the third oldest of the \u201cDivine Nine\u201d black fraternities and sororities in the United States.<\/p>\n

The cane is just one outward symbol of membership; Kappa gentlemen began carrying them in the early 1950s as a sign of mannerly sophistication. It\u2019s the inward change that Cox marvels at.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis doesn\u2019t change you, but it brings out what is already in you,\u201d said Cox, whose cousin and uncle both belong to the fraternity. \u201cThe motto of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Incorporated, is \u2018achievement in all fields of human endeavor.\u2019 It\u2019s important that we continue to live up to that motto. In everything we do, we want to make sure EMU has a good name.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kappa Alpha Psi has more than 150,000 members in chapters located across the United States and in nine other countries. The fraternity is open to men of all races or ethnicities.<\/p>\n

The three students began exploring the idea of this fraternity on campus more than a year ago. With the guidance of Multicultural Student Services<\/a> co-director Celeste Thomas<\/a>, they navigated administrative channels and protocols at EMU, with the national fraternal organization and with their sponsoring chapter at Virginia University Lynchburg.<\/p>\n

Cox, a photography major who earned Cords of Distinction honors<\/a>, sees a spiritual dimension among the challenges. \u201cI felt like God wanted us to do this here at the university we belong to and we\u2019re going to graduate from,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are a Christian university like no other, so let\u2019s be that, and now we are that. We are the first Kappas at any Mennonite college. That is a big deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why a fraternity at EMU?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The addition of a fraternity at EMU may seem contrary to EMU\u2019s values, given the reputation that fraternities often have as social party scene organizations. They also single out one group for special status, which may seem incongruent with EMU\u2019s emphasis on community.<\/p>\n

Thomas, who joined the sorority Delta Sigma Theta as a student at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, speaks from experience about how such organizations differ from campus clubs such as Black Student Union and Latino Student Alliance.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Azariah Cox ’17, front left, wears a Kappa Alpha Psi stole at the “Donning of the Kente” ceremony in late April. Multicultural Student Services co-advisor Celeste Thomas (front row, second from right) hosted the ceremony and is wearing her Delta Sigma Theta sorority stole. (Photo by Ivan Harris)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe kind of network that many Mennonite students or local students have with alumni and the community is not an advantage many of our students of color have,\u201d Thomas said. \u201cWe\u2019re building connections with alumni of color here at EMU, but that continues to be a work in progress. Membership in this organization provides instant positive connections and a network for our students. It\u2019s an equitable alternative.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas also emphasizes the roles and responsibilities that the new Kappa members have committed to. \u201cJoining this organization comes with high expectations for behavior, service and academic achievement,\u201d she said. \u201cThe national organization does not allow you to join unless they see a long-term commitment. The expectation is that these new members will grow and build and serve together here at EMU, not just now but in the coming years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cox agrees. He graduated April 30 with a degree in photography<\/a> and a minor in digital media communication<\/a>. After a summer internship with the Anacostia Community Museum (with the Washington Community\u00a0 Scholars’ Center<\/a>) in Washington D.C., he will return to Harrisonburg through next year to help provide a strong foundation for the fraternity\u2019s growth. \u201cI\u2019m excited about building on what we\u2019ve started here. There is more to come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kappa members and several other EMU male students of color are starting a summer mentorship program for male students of color at Skyline Middle School, with the support of Deanna Reed, mayor of Harrisonburg and executive director of the nonprofit youth-oriented On The Road Collaborative<\/a>. Like Thomas, Reed is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.<\/p>\n

The probate show<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The “line” of Kappa initiates performed their probate show in front of about 100 spectators, including community members, at EMU. With them are three Virginia University Lynchburg Kappa members, one dean of pledges and two assistant deans of pledges. (Photo by Dylan Buchanan)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A diverse crowd of more than 100 students, faculty, staff and guests gathered at Thomas Plaza for the first-ever fraternity probate show. For many, the ritual was a new experience.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was refreshing,\u201d said first-year Ariel Barbosa,\u201d to see such a key part of black college campus culture expressed so openly on our campus. Also such a wide variety of persons from a variety of ethnicities came to watch, feel and try to understand.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new members wore costumes and performed with masks. Cadences, movements and words were choreographed and practiced during their membership intake process, with help from Kappa\u2019s dean and assistant dean of pledges, according to Cox. \u201cThe words were muffled on purpose because it was a private, personal experience,\u201d he explained. But the content committed to memory lists prayer, founding members, organization goals and purpose.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis certainly did look different than other things we often see on campus,\u201d admits Cox. \u201cI was really happy with the group that came to watch and learn, and all the questions people have asked me.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is literally a \u201cnew chapter\u201d for EMU, says Jim Smucker<\/a>, vice president for student life. \u201cOur student body is diverse and we are exploring all kinds of programming that will be meaningful to people of all backgrounds and fit with our values. This addition to campus life fits that bill well. I am grateful to Celeste Thomas for helping to make it happen, our first courageous students, and EMU for taking this new bold step.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Holding a short crimson and cream cane, Azariah Cox was still profoundly moved by what had happened the day before at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU). Cox couldn’t quite wrap his ... read more about Three EMU students make commitment to service and achievement with Kappa Alpha Psi<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33364,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5583,14715,17562,4513,14139],"tags":[],"feature":[17241],"class_list":["post-33362","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-community","category-campus-life","category-digest","category-student-life","category-student-profiles","feature-news-feature"],"yoast_head":"\nThree EMU students make commitment to service and achievement with Kappa Alpha Psi - EMU News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/emu.edu\/now\/news\/2017\/three-emu-students-make-commitment-service-achievement-kappa-alpha-psi\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Three EMU students make commitment to service and achievement with Kappa Alpha Psi - EMU News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Holding a short crimson and cream cane, Azariah Cox was still profoundly moved by what had happened the day before at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU). 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