Alpha Phi Omega
| Alpha Phi Omega | |
|---|---|
| ΑΦΩ | |
 |
|
| Founded | December 16, 1925 Lafayette College |
| Type | Service |
| Scope | International |
| Mission statement | To prepare campus and community leaders through service |
| Vision statement | To be recognized as the premier service-based leadership, development organization |
| Motto | Be a Leader, Be a Friend, Be of Service |
| Colors |
Royal blue Old glory gold |
| Symbol | Golden eagle, Sturdy Oak |
| Flower | Forget-me-not |
| Jewel | Diamond |
| Publication | Torch & Trefoil |
| Chapters | U.S. 369 Active (of 744 charters), Philippines 250, Australia 1, Canada 1, Petitioning Groups in the U.S. 13 |
| Members | United States 400,000+ collegiate |
| Cardinal principles | Leadership, friendship and service |
| Headquarters |
1441 East 104th Street Kansas City, Missouri United States |
| Homepage | www |
Alpha Phi Omega (ΑΦΩ) (commonly known as APO, but also A-Phi-O and A-Phi-Q) is the largest collegiate fraternity in the United States, with chapters at over 350 campuses, an active membership of over 25,000 students, and over 400,000 alumni members. There are also 250 chapters in the Philippines, one in Australia and one in Canada.
Alpha Phi Omega is a National co-ed service fraternity organized to provide community service, leadership development, and social opportunities for college students. The purpose of the fraternity is "to assemble college students in a National Service Fraternity in the fellowship of principles derived from the Scout Oath and Scout Law of the Boy Scouts of America; to develop Leadership, to promote Friendship, and to provide Service to humanity; and to further the freedom that is our national, educational, and intellectual heritage." Unlike many other fraternities, APO's primary focus is to provide volunteer service within four areas: service to the community, service to the campus, service to the fraternity, and service to the nation.
Being primarily a service organization, the fraternity restricts its chapters from maintaining fraternity houses to serve as residences for their members. This also encourages members of social fraternities and sororities that have houses to join APO as well.
Alpha Phi Omega was founded on December 16, 1925 at Lafayette College, on the 2nd floor of Brainerd Hall, located in Easton, Pennsylvania. APO was founded by Frank Reed Horton and 13 other students who were former Boy Scouts and scouters, as a way to continue participating in the ideals of Scouting at the college level. These founding brothers were Frank Reed Horton, Everett William Probst, Ephraim Moyer Detwiler Jr., Thane Sanford Cooley, William Taylor Wood, Lewis Burnett Blair, Gordon Minnier Looney, Donald LeRoy Terwilliger, William Weber Highberger, Robert Jefferson Green, Donald H. Fritts, Ellsworth Stewart Dobson, George Axel Olsen, and Herbert Heinrich. Six advisors were also inducted: Lafayette President John H. MacCracken, Dean Donald B. Prentice, Professors D. Arthur Hatch and Harry T. Spengler; one local Scouting official, Herbert G. Horton, and one national Scouting official, the national director of relationships for the Boy Scouts of America, Ray O. Wyland. The founders insisted that all those gaining membership must pledge to uphold the fraternity's three cardinal principles of Leadership, Friendship, and Service. Of these important founding members, a few made extremely notable and important contributions to APO that we still recognize today. Everett Probst designed the pin and coat of arms, Thane S. Cooley suggested the hand clasp during the toast song, and Elsworth Dobson & Gordon M. Looney helped write the constitution and bylaws.
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