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, and 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
brother 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.