November 15, 2016
Rachel Librach
Alpha Phi Omega has existed for about four years at UCCS as a social and service co-ed fraternity that looks to improve the community through service.
Although the UCCS chapter is nationally recognized, the organization has not yet been chartered through the university.
The chapter is considered a petitioning group. Kayla Prior, service chair of the fraternity, said that campus recognition would classify APO as a service fraternity.
Right now, there are 18 members in APO, but at least 25 members are required to charter.
To be recognized by the university, the organization is trying to secure the last few people it needs to meet basic requirements, according to Prior. The paperwork for this process is due this week.
“If we do not charter for this semester, we will most likely charter maybe in the fall semester of next year. We wanted to get it done just so we could be UCCS recognized before the fraternity’s national convention in December,” she said.
Members of the fraternity take part in leadership classes such as APO’s national convention, as well as other events that help them grow professionally.
The campus fraternity also hosts social and service events that benefit the community, said Prior.
“We have to make sure we have experience and events in each of our three main focuses: leadership, fellowship and service. We have to make sure we have enough members to sustain our chapter on campus, and make sure our bylaws are in order and that we fully understand them,” said Prior.
Prior said that the biggest advantage of being officially recognized by UCCS as a service fraternity will be the opportunity to present APO as a different Greek organization that is neither social nor academic, but something in between.
“People get us confused with the other social or professional Greek organizations on campus, and we want to establish ourselves as sort of our own thing,” she said.
“To have that recognition from the school so other people know they have that option open to them is very important to us.”
Prior said that the fraternity’s most successful service event this year was pumpkin carving at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo during the Boo at the Zoo event.
She said that when most people think of community service, they think of boring or laborious events, but that is not the case.
“There are fun service events to do locally to help better the community. People just have to look for them and be willing to put in the effort,” she said.
“I schedule events throughout the year that everyone will find interesting and fun and will be willing to contribute to. These make events that (are) much more successful, and people think of them less as chores but more of enjoying doing hobbies they love while benefiting their community,” Prior said.
For more information about the fraternity, students are welcome to contact Prior at [email protected].