Hazing Awareness Prevention Week begins today. Sigma Nu’s #40Answers campaign preceded it. I have something I am writing for Hazing Awareness Prevention Week, but it’s still in the early stages. Hopefully, it will appear later this week.
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It’s Founders’ Day for Iota Phi Theta. Founded on September 19, 1963 at Morgan State College (now University) in Baltimore, during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Its 12 founders were a little older than traditional college age students. Iota Phi Theta’s founders are Albert Hicks, Lonnie Spruill, Jr., Charles Briscoe, Frank Coakley, John Slade, Barron Willis, Webster Lewis, Charles Brown, Louis Hudnell, Charles Gregory, Elias Dorsey, Jr. and Michael Williams. The Upsilon Chapter at Southern Illinois University was founded on December 14, 1974 and it was the fraternity’s first foray into the midwest.
Iota Phi Theta has an Eternal Sweetheart, Audrey S. Brooks. An employee in the office of the Registrar at Morgan State, Brooks “was a vital resource to Iota Phi Theta and many, many times she was able to assist the Brothers in the early growth and development of the Fraternity. It is interesting to note that Ms. Brooks also had a vested interest in Iota Phi Theta’s success because her son, Bro. Wesley Jennings (4 Alpha 64), was a member of Iota Phi Theta’s first Pledge line!” She chose the yellow rose as the fraternity’s flower. During her lifetime, she attended many Iota Phi Theta events. After her death in 2003, she was honored with the title “Eternal Sweetheart.”
Audrey S. Brooks
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Alpha Phi was founded on September 18, 1872, at Syracuse University. Alpha Phi celebrates Founders’ Day on October 10. Alpha Phi was the first of the Syracuse Triad, the three NPC organizations founded there. Gamma Phi Beta followed Alpha Phi on November 11, 1874. Alpha Gamma Delta was founded on May 30, 1904.
An alumna of the Alpha Chapter of Alpha Gamma Delta, Sarah Harvey Short, Ph.D., Ed.D., R.D., was recently profiled in a Daily Orange article. I remember taking one of Dr. Short’s classes when I was a Syracuse undergraduate. Back in those dark ages, she was on the forefront using computers in her classes. They were big honking computers and we used them to take quizzes. That she is still in the classroom is an indication of how much she loves teaching. She is an #amazingsororitywoman!
Professor reflects on 50 years of entertaining students in nutrition class: http://bit.ly/2cAz9Kq
I spent the last few days being surrounded by Pi Phi Friends and Leaders for Life. It was Officers’ Workshop and it took place in St. Louis. Mari Ann Callais, Ph.D., spoke to us on Saturday morning. She had us singing, dancing, and thinking. There was much fun and laughter, too.
Dr. Mari Ann Callais
A trip to Pi Phi’s Headquarters in St. Louis took place on Saturday evening. Executive Director Juli Willeman is on the steps.
HQ tour at the Pi Beta Phi Officers Workshop
It was really our pre-party to the upcoming 150th celebration happening in St. Louis in June 2017. Could those 12 young women who founded the organization on April 28, 1867 have ever envisioned what life is like in 2017? I think not, but the sincere friendship that was so important to them in 1867 is alive and well in 2017.
© Fran Becque, www.fraternityhistory.com, 2016. All Rights Reserved. If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for updates. Also follow me on twitter @GLOHistory and Pinterest www.pinterest.com/glohistory/
