ALPHA ATHLETES - The Sphinx Magazine

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74 CHAPTER NEWS Thomas were instrumental in making the events successful. The contact information compiled during the events will be used to increase membership and involvement in Chapter activities. In addition, the Chapter utilized the summer break to plan for a successful 2008-2009 fraternal year where they will hold their first bowling team competing in the Big Brothers Big Sisters “Bowl for Kids Sake” and A Voteless People is a Hopeless People campaign. ETA PI LAMBDA Pasadena, CA EPL Brothers Take Project Alpha to Largest At-Risk Population in California Under the leadership of Brother Grant Doster, Project Alpha Chair for Eta Pi Lambda, Chapter Brothers visited the Boys Republic in Chino Hills—one of the largest group homes for at-risk male youths in the state of California. More than 80 percent of the male population are men of color. EPL Chapter makes a special effort to educate and support the young men—who are just one step away from the state penal system. Eta Pi Lambda Brothers have made a special effort to direct their Project Alpha efforts away from the traditional target groups and to expose inner-city at-risk youth to the educational workshops. During the Chapter’s most recent Project Alpha presentation, they mentored and educated more than 115 young men of color. Also, in the spirit of Brother Charles H. Wesley, EPL Brothers worked in collaboration with the Iota Psi Chapter to assure that the inner-city youth had young mentors close to their own age. The activities presented during the visit included educational workshops, interactive discussions, great food and a joint Alumni-College Brother step presentation. In addition, Eta Pi Lambda has teamed up with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services—the world’s largest group home and foster care network—in its provision of community services. The partnership is recognized as a huge step forward for the county because a reported 60 percent of the Department’s caseload ends up in the penal system. Through the efforts of Eta Pi Lambda and Iota Psi Chapters perhaps they have helped to build and possibly save the lives of these young men of color. Fall • Winter 2008 The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net OMICRON TAU University of Northern Colorado Boulder, CO ESPRIT DE FRATERNITE Omicron Tau Brothers Open Lines of Communication for African American Men in Boulder Omicron Tau Brothers held the Chapter’s “50 Black Men” program in October as part of their Alpha Week celebration. The 50 Black Men program was designed to create a connection amongst African American men on the predominately white University of Northern Colorado campus. Concerning campus interaction, Chapter President and senior student Adrian Green said, “There would be as many as ten black men in your major and you would only know the names of two or three of them, which is completely unacceptable.” The program’s goal was to get 50 black men together in the same room— something that has never happened on the school’s campus—and to network, get to know one another, and have discussions. The program attracted 32 African American male students, which was short of the intended goal; however, the overall success was more than Omicron Tau Brothers expected. After everyone had arrived and had eaten, the participants were asked to introduce themselves to at least two other men who they did not know. After about ten minutes of talking with each other, the men were asked to introduce one of the other men present, whom they had not known. The Chapter then showed a YouTube video entitled, “Obama vs. Curtis”, which is a ten minute video about black men being classified as falling under two categories—being like Barack Obama and or 50 Cent. The short film sparked a dynamic discussion that lasted for about two hours. OT Brothers were able to create an environment that established a bond between the men. At the conclusion of the scheduled time for the event, the participants continued dialoguing and the next day there was nothing but exemplary comments from those who attended and from others who heard about the program. OT Brothers plan to continue the program and expand it with programs such as their “100 Men of Color” and “50 Black Men & 50 Black Women” offerings. The program filled a void that is desperately needed by African American men in Boulder. An Alpha Phi Alpha man’s attitude should not be: “How much can I derive from the Fraternity?” but “How much can I do for the Fraternity?” In proportion to what he does for his chapter and for Alpha Phi Alpha, will a member receive lasting benefit from the Fraternity to himself in the way of self development by duty well done and by the respect of Brothers well served. A member’s duties should be: 1. Prompt payment of all financial obligations, the prime requisite of successful fraternal life; 2. The doing of good scholastic work in his chosen vocation, thereby accomplishing the real end of a college course; 3. The reasonable endeavor to participate in general college activities and social service and to excel therein; 4. The proper consideration of all things with appropriate attention to the high moral standard of Alpha Phi Alpha. — Charles H. Garvin Fourth General President 1912-1914
FRATERNITY’S FIRST CAUCASIAN BROTHER LEAVES LEGACY AFTER FOUR-DECADE CAREER AT USC Brother Bernard Levin, a prosthodontics pioneer who taught at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry for more than 40 years and who was the first Caucasian Brother inducted into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, entered Omega Chapter on May 28, 2008. He was age 84. Brother Levin was a 1947 graduate of the University of Illinois School of Dentistry and practiced in Chicago and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Interested in specializing, he went to the USC School of Dentistry in 1962 to enroll in Frank Lott’s two-year program in prosthodontics. Following graduation, he returned to his practice in New Mexico but his stay there was brief. In early 1966, he received an unexpected call from the dean at USC, stating that Frank Lott was preparing to retire and inquiring if Brother Levin would be interested in returning to USC to teach. Brother Levin said, “Yes,” and fol- lowed in his mentor’s footsteps as chair of Removable Prosthodontics, which took him through a remarkable four-decade educational journey that helped shape the lives and professional careers of countless students and faculty. As a member of the faculty, Brother Levin thrived on helping develop and improve techniques for dentures and other dental prosthetics. He published three books, four teaching manuals and more than 50 articles. He won numerous teaching awards. In 1997, the restorative dentistry faculty created the Bernard Levin Removable Prosthodontics Award in his honor. The award is given to a senior who has demonstrated outstanding achievement in partial and complete removable prosthodontics. He retired from full-time teaching in 1997 but stayed on part time through 2007. Brother Levin was a 22-year-old Chicagoan studying dentistry at the University of Illinois when he was initiated into Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity through Theta Chapter in 1946. The history-making initiation marked the first time that a white member was initiated into any of America’s black Greek-letter organizations. However, the initiation of Brother Levin into Alpha Phi Alpha was no smooth procedure. First a change in the national Constitution had to be made. This was accomplished at the Fraternity’s National Convention held the prior December in Chicago when delegates voted to remove the word “Negro” from the clause defining eligibility. Prior to his initiation, Brother Levin had done wide reading on the racial problem in America and had formed strong convictions. He believed the racial problem could only be solved through a “close association between white people and Negro people, particularly on the social plane.” Brother Levin is survived by his wife Kinuyo Levin, two children and two grandchildren. The Sphinx: www.APA1906.net Fall • Winter 2008 75
Page 1 and 2: OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST BROTHER JESSE
Page 3 and 4: ALPHA ATHLETE: ALL AMERICAN PENN ST
Page 5 and 6: Above: Brother John Woodruff. Photo
Page 7 and 8: onships while attending Seton Hall
Page 9 and 10: citizens home, known as Brookline,
Page 11 and 12: gave remarks and presented certific
Page 13 and 14: Louis community. The mission of CTO
Page 15 and 16: NU MU LAMBDA Decatur, GA Mentoring
Page 17: the Dallas Morning News and feature
Page 21 and 22: Editor’s Note: Thirty-second Gene
Page 23 and 24: “ I am told that this group of me
Page 25 and 26: “ America knows we are here. Amer
Page 27 and 28: CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS 3 4 8 9 8 Bro
Page 29 and 30: 102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION NBC’
Page 31 and 32: 102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION G.P. D
Page 33 and 34: 102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION Brothe
Page 35 and 36: 102ND ANNIVERSARY CONVENTION Army C
Page 37 and 38: GOING WHERE WE SHOULD BE Editor’s
Page 39 and 40: What scientists will also tell you
Page 41 and 42: Board, was applauded by the March o
Page 43 and 44: need for cash. The first test of fi
Page 45 and 46: Success by Instinct: What Animals A
Page 47: members to be supportive of other t
Page 50 and 51: OMEGA CHAPTER Brother Kermit H. Bos
Page 52 and 53: OMEGA CHAPTER tice in Portsmouth in
Page 54 and 55: CORPORATE DIRECTORY 110 The Seven J
Page 56 and 57: LEADERSHIP DIRECTORY ALPHA PHI ALPH
Page 58: NEW ORLEANS COME BACK TO THE BIG EA

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