Spotlight on Alpha Phi Omega

Of the many student groups at Stevens, one organization is particularly turning heads both on and off campus. The Stevens chapter of Alpha Phi Omega is a very large and growing fraternity, attracting highly motivated students. The term "fraternity," can be misleading, since APO falls into a category of its own. The coeducational, alcohol-free organization is not considered a "social" fraternity. Instead, the group is devoted to serving the community.

Every Sunday night, nearly a hundred brothers come together to further their program of leadership, friendship, and service. Students can attend weekly trips to the local soup kitchen, Cub Scout meetings, and sandwich making sessions. The group also plans frequent day trips to volunteer at special events, including beach cleaning, charity walks, and book readings for children. This way, students can work service into their own schedules.

APO is not limited to community service. The fraternity includes fellowship events in its program to promote friendship and strengthen bonds. In fact, many brothers find their life-long best friends in the organization. Additionally, the nature of the student-run organization builds leadership qualities and cooperation.

Anyone is welcome to become a new member of APO, and the new member process is fair and friendly. New members have their own meetings, mimicking the brothers' meetings. As a group, they plan a service event and a fellowship event. In the past, some of these projects included visiting a nursing home, painting a mural at a children's hospital, and hosting a middle school at Stevens for a field trip. Individually, new members are asked to interview brothers, contribute 15 hours of community service, and complete 10 hours of fellowship. All new members get their own Big Brothers to help them finish their requirements and to welcome them into the fraternity. Nationally and locally, the fraternity bans hazing of any kind.

Becoming a member of APO is embarking on a journey of personal growth. Freshmen often enjoy finding friends on campus and meeting supportive upperclassmen. Many don't even realize how mature they become during their new member semesters. Students are welcome to join any semester, so look out for the rush events this Fall.