The Most Prestigious Fraternities in America and Best Fraternities in The US Rank Alpha Phi Alpha Among Top for Celebrity Alumni and Overall

The Most Prestigious Fraternities in America and The 15 Best Fraternities in the US – two separate polls – recognized Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. among the top for celebrity alumni and overall in 2021.

Selecting the “best” fraternity is nearly impossible so The Most Prestigious Fraternities in America surveyed how popular men’s fraternities are within the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), ranking Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. for Celebrity Alumni and other organizations for Best Leadership Program, Most Undergraduate Chapters, and The Biggest. The listing has appeared in both Men’s Health and Town & Country magazines with the Fraternity maintaining that ranking since 2017.

NIC is a trade association representing 56 inter/national men’s fraternities. NIC member organizations also represent a diverse range of fraternity men and interfraternal interests, including fraternities founded for leadership and business interests as well as faith-based, multicultural historically Black, and new or emerging fraternities.

“In popular culture, frats have an unfortunate reputation for being drunken, boorish, and sexist—but the truth is that many top fraternities provide deeply meaningful experiences and close relationships that resonate for a lifetime,” according to the article published in Men’s

Health and Town & Country. “A 2014 Gallup survey found that men who join fraternities are not only happier than their non-Greek counterparts, but are also less stressed about money, physically healthier, more engaged in the workplace, and more fulfilled in their social relationships. And with alumni reportedly including 18 US Presidents, 85 percent of Supreme Court justices since 1910, 76 percent of Senators, and 85 percent of Fortune 500 Executives, men who pledge are in top company, too.”

Famous Alpha Phi Alpha members include Martin Luther King, Jr., NAACP Founder W. E. B. DuBois, Frederick Douglass, Paul Robeson, Lionel Ritchie, Jesse Owens, Justice Thurgood Marshall, Billionaire Robert F. Smith, ESPN Sportscaster Stuart Scott, Academy Award winning Moonlight director Barry Jenkins and Actor Omari Hardwick to name a few.

Online Schools Center “The Most Prestigious Online Schools’” 15 Best Fraternities in the US ranked Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. #2 in 2021. It ranked Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity, also known as “PIKE,” an international fraternity founded at the University of Virginia in 1868, as #1. The listing considers connections, standout resumes, community involvement and volunteerism, lasting friendships, and drive for academic excellence.

Published reports contributed to this article. S

BY BROTHER ADRIAN B. STRATTON, MBA, PRP [OMICRON ZETA LAMBDA ’08]

Electing Leadership

Democratic election is one of the fairest systems created to ensure representative government. Through nomination and selection, the members decide who among them shall lead. Organizations that exist in perpetuity elect leadership at frequent intervals. Whether annually1 biennially, or quadrennially, expected changes in leadership must be planned for. Regardless of election frequency, it is always good practice and in the best interest of members to periodically review election procedures.

A nomination is the process of suggesting a candidate for an elected position. An election is the process of selecting from among qualified candidates who will fill an elected position. Bound by the beginning and conclusion of a defined time interval called a term, an officer’s service, for instance, is temporary. The office itself, however, remains until dissolved by the organization – even if temporarily vacant.2 Electing leadership is a process with many important considerations to fit unique needs. Elections may be held at any level of an organization. Delegates, board members, officers (such as president and secretary), and even committee members may be elected. As a rule, organizations may elect any office or position of their choosing so long as it is established by rule to do so.

Clarity in the rules is the foundation of successful elections. The unique electoral process in each organization is usually defined in the bylaws. Further clarifications may be adopted in an election manual and found in the parliamentary authority. Who is entitled to vote and how they are to vote are critical to identify. Elections are typically done by ballot. However, an organization may choose to vote for candidates another way. Finer details include clarity on if an individual may simultaneously hold multiple offices and conflicts of interest. The rules should also establish if an election is to be decided by a plurality (the largest number of votes cast) or a majority vote (one candidate receiving an amount greater than 50% regardless of the number of candidates). Any rules the organization wishes to impose on campaigning should be clearly described as well in addition to being enforceable and enforced.

Unforeseen events can delay the planned date of an election or interrupt one in process. The rules should state how to complete an election if it does not conclude as scheduled. A vacancy in an elected office can be filled by election or appointment based on the rules.3 The process to resolve a vacancy should be described so that the appropriate steps can take place to fill a position. Additionally, measures on how to replace an individual once elected may not be often needed but are necessary to avoid confusion if the need arises.

Executing a transparent election encourages leadership to emerge. Having rules in place beforehand is necessary to begin the important work of conducting an election. It is important for both candidates and members to understand the rules. Communicating the rules, procedures and results in a transparent way will bolster confidence in the election results. Knowing from the rules who is entitled to vote, how nominations will be handled, how disputes will be resolved, who will preside, and who will tally the votes will allow everyone to understand their responsibilities. If a customary practice has been in place for some time and it conflicts with the rules it is best to change the rules prior to election. Failure to do so invites a challenge and if there is a conflict, the custom cannot be upheld if a point of order is raised. If it is important to the organization, it should be made a rule for clarity and transparency.

Preparing for the leadership transition will reduce unnecessary organizational disruptions post-election. The organization must move forward regardless of who the declared winner is in a particular election. Having a defined transition process demonstrates a commitment to the ongoing success of an organization. Much of the guidance will come from established rules. Defining what date an elected candidate will assume office, for what amount of time, and requirements of office are essential. Establishing by rule the information or property to be provided to the successor and the expected date of delivery will also assist in an orderly transfer of responsibilities.

Electing leadership is one of the most important functions an organization can undertake. At all levels, one of the highest forms of servant leadership is service in an elected capacity. Qualified candidates should be encouraged to serve, and leaders should be selected based on their ability to complete defined duties. Establishing a clear election process, executing a transparent election, and defining the leadership transition will help ensure each candidate enjoys a fair process regardless of outcome. By periodically refining the entire electoral process an organization can become better at the task with each election. S

Brother Adrian Stratton, MBA, PRP [Omicron Zeta Lambda ’08] is a member of Kappa Theta Lambda Chapter and serves as General Parliamentarian for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.

Notes

1. ΑΦΑ chapters elect officers annually; chapters determine limits – if any – on the number of times a candidate may run for or serve in an office.

2. When an appointment is made, the office itself is still considered an elected one, even if it is filled later by an appointment.

3. When filling a vacancy, an individual officially appointed to the elected position has all the responsibilities, privileges, duties, and obligations of the position unless restricted.

BY BROTHER ELLIOT STUBBLEFIELD [SIGMA PHI ’09]

Organ donation: Something to talk about

Organ donation is usually at the top of the list of things we never talk about. I get it: Who wants to contemplate their own death? Who wants to think about the death of a loved one? It’s unpleasant, to say the least, and even if it wasn’t, the idea of donation just isn’t at the top of most people’s minds.

Recently, the Indiana Donor Network served as a recent sponsor for the 96th General Convention and 115th Anniversary Convention, encouraging an opportunity for men of Alpha Phi Alpha to educate ourselves on what we can do to help.

Death is a tough subject, but the reality is that 20 people die each day because the organ transplant they needed didn’t become available in time. That’s more than 7,300 people a year; the equivalent capacity of more than 17 full Boeing 747 planes.

If you’re anything like me, you’re thinking, “how did I not know that?” The truth is most of us just don’t think about it until there is a personal need. But there are three reasons that we really, really should. First, in the U.S., there are more than 100,000 people waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. Second, one donor can save up to eight lives through organ donation and heal up to 75 people through tissue donation.

And finally, most of the people waiting for a transplant are people of color.

Take Dawn Arch as one example. Arch received a kidney transplant after nearly a decade on the organ transplant waiting list. If it weren’t for someone saying “yes” to donation, she may not be with us today. Most importantly, she may not be with her daughter, Darrian. “If you see me, you usually see Darrian, and I talk to her every day,” Arch says. “Since her dad died, I’m all she’s got, and she’s all I’ve got.” Arch’s story highlights the fact that donating not only saves a life but can also keep a family together.

Especially in the Black community, we often stay away from the subject of donation. It’s partially due to an earned mistrust in the medical community but also because we often just don’t know enough about it. Donation advocate William Lewis puts it like this, “There are so many in the Black community in need of organ donations, but not many of us agree to donate.” He and his wife had a conversation about donation and decided, “Let’s just do this, and then if something happens, we’ll be able to help people.”

Tragically, something did happen. Kimberly died suddenly of a stroke in 2014. William and their six children were devastated. However, donation soon became a light in a dark place for all of them.

“My kids are grieving too, but to see their mom’s name on the donor memorial wall…has really helped them,” Lewis explains. “As hard as it’s been for them – and it’s been very difficult – I can see, particularly with my older ones, how much they can see something positive in what’s happened.”

To learn more, or to sign up as an organ donor, visit DonateLife. net. S

Brother Elliott Stubblefield, a Spring 2009 initiate of the Sigma Phi Chapter and member of the Sigma Kappa Lambda Chapter in Bloomington, Indiana, is a life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Immediate Past Indiana District Director. He serves as multicultural community outreach coordinator for Indiana Donor Network. His work focuses on discussing the importance of donation and transplantation in minority communities.

BY BROTHER ERIC CHRISTOPHER WEBB, DDIV., CPLC. [NU ’89]