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TRAINING FOR LEADERSHIP

Under the theme, Training for Leadership, Kappa Alpha Psi promotes a style of intellectual and aesthetic evaluation for more than 90,000 college men. In all directions, Kappa men hold fast to the sustaining principle of achievement.

To unite college men of culture, patriotism, and honor in a Bond of fraternity.

To encourage honorable achievement in every field of human endeavor.

To promote the spiritual, social, intellectual and moral welfare of members.

To assist the aims and purposes of colleges and universities.

To inspire service in the public interest.

Bloomington/Normal in the news... Pantagraph Jan. 7th 2003 Harrison named person of year

BLOOMINGTON -- Mike Harrison Sr. has won the person of the year award from the Bloomington-Normal chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Harrison, regional manager for Illinois Power Co., is president of the local Boys and Girls Club, a board member of the Tri-County Urban League, co-chairman of the McLean County Urban League advisory board, Bloomington Youth Council, NAACP legal redress committee, a coach for the Bloomington-Normal Girls Softball Association and is a member of the Marc Center's fundraising team. He and his wife, Nicola, have three children.

Bloomington/Normal's Rick Lewis in the news... Vidette February 11th 2003 Lewis earns full-time role By Brandon Feldt

The Office of Intercultural Programs and Services has appointed the man who held the position on an interim basis since the fall of 2002 as its new director. Rick Lewis, the new director of OIPS, will continue his work with underrepresented student organizations and undergraduate studies, Helen Marmachez, vice-president of student affairs, said. Since being asked by Marmachez to act as interim director, Lewis has headed various programs and services for underrepresented students. One program Lewis has been running since he took office in the fall is a first year student mentor program. It is a program in which OIPS partnered with University College and the Minority Student Academic Center and hired more than 20 upper-class students who were paired with more than 40 first year students to assist in their transition to ISU,” Lewis said. Among the various functions Lewis oversaw during his short run as interim director was a reception during orientation for students of color. This year’s reception attracted more than 75 students of color welcoming them to the university,” he added. Lewis said an OIPS advisory committee, made up of underrepresented groups of students, faculty and staff, was coordinated to provide feedback on the budget, programs and services of the department. Marmachez said that as a part of being the director, Lewis has developed a liaison relationship with the Multi-Ethnic Cultural and Co-Curricular Programming Advisory Committee. This past fall, MECCPAC provided more than $11,000 co-sponsorship funding to various academic departments, units and student organizations in order to support diversity programming during a very tight budget year, Lewis said. MECCPAC also developed the Cultural Calendar, which lists diversity programs occurring on the ISU campus during targeted months, he added. Under Lewis’ direction, OIPS has developed a new website to reflect the goals, programs and services of the department. Before beginning his work for OIPS, Lewis worked for 10 years at University Housing Services, Marmachez said. Lewis said he worked various positions for UHS from graduate assistant to assistant director to associate director. Even though the department [OIPS] is smaller than the housing office it still has the same amount of opportunities,” he said. Marmachez said she feels that Lewis saw working with OIPS as an interesting and challenging opportunity for himself to further his interests.

News Bloomington-Normal, Illinois Wednesday, February 19, 2003 Networking key for minorities in B-N By Kelly Josephsen Pantagraph staff

NORMAL -- Margarita Alvarez missed authentic Mexican food. Tony Jones put hundreds of miles on his car each weekend as he searched for the social life he wanted. They were just two of the panelists at Illinois State University who shared what it's like to be a minority in Bloomington-Normal. The Tuesday presentation was part of "Bridging the GAPS," which seeks to improve recruitment and retention of minority employees at ISU. "Bloomington-Normal doesn't have the same options for entertainment and socializing as I was used to," said Jones, who is from Richmond, Va. "Every weekend, I would drive to a different city -- Indianapolis, Chicago -- seeking the things I was missing in Bloomington." Jones wasn't a minority in Richmond -- when he left in 1985 to work at State Farm Insurance, Richmond was 57 percent black. Bloomington, on the other hand, wasn't. But Jones considers himself lucky. "On my second day here, I stumbled across someone from Virginia who had lived here for three years. It gave me an instant network of friends." Networking is the best way for minorities to feel welcome in the Twin Cities, panelists said. When Nilesh Shah came to ISU in 1986, his sister lived in town and the McLean County East Indian Association already existed. "I didn't have to look too hard to find people like me, who spoke my language," said Shah, who stayed to work at State Farm. "But most people don't have that." Networking isn't only a must for a social life, Alvarez said. When she started at State Farm in 1990, "One thing that wasn't present was a fellow Hispanic to gravitate to; who could teach me the do's and don'ts of corporate America." Informal networking built a group of Hispanic workers who helped each other climb the ladder. David Bentlin, an ISU employee and a founder of the Advocacy Council for Human Rights, agreed support groups help people fit in. He said the local chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays informs gay and non-gay members of the community about tolerance. Panelists admitted problems can come up. Language barriers are the top example, and several said Bloomington-Normal remains very conservative. But Jones said minorities just need to build the right relationships. "I know some people, the whole time they were here, they were thinking of ways to get out of this community," he said. "People who don't have a network are the ones who have trouble." GAPS will hold four more discussion sessions this semester, said organizer Elaine Graybill. The group will present recommendations this summer to ISU, Bloomington and Normal.

Kappa Alpha Psi is a fraternity that emphasizes personal achievement. This is evident as our founders accomplished feats many African Americans had never dreamed possible at the time. Of our TEN FOUNDERS there were three doctors, a dentist, a military leader,an educator with a school named in his honor, and several entrepreneurs. To this day, the members still ACHIEVE IN EVERY FIELD OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR. This is evident as 12% of Ebonymagazines "100 Most Influential Black Americans" are members of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. The following is a sample of a few famous members of the fraternity.