Commitment to mentorship and the development of black youth, specifically young black males, is why I want to be a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. Alpha Phi Alpha has a massive international platform and Alpha men use this to cultivate the best young black minds, while also being living embodiments of the fraternity’s aims: Manly Deeds, Scholarship and Love for All Mankind. I have personally experienced what it means to be mentored by men of Alpha, and I can wholeheartedly say that without their impact on my life, I would not be at North Carolina A&T State University to even consider joining this great fraternity.
Both of my mentors were men of Alpha and they have been active members of my life since I was around the 8 th grade. They helped me build my résumé leading up to college applications, wrote scholarship recommendation letters and have even aided my search for jobs and summer internships. The mere fact they sacrificed so much of their personal time to help me distinguished them from the myriad of other Greek men I have known throughout my life, but what made me inquire about Alpha Phi Alpha was how my mentors helped me without ever mentioning their Greek affiliation. They helped me because they saw it as their duty to make sure my potential didn’t go to waste. They instilled the core values of Alpha Phi Alpha in me, whether I wanted to be Greek or not, because the type of man they wanted me to be isn’t defined by the letters that one wears on his chest.
Outside of this external influence, when I look at the standard that I want to uphold for my life, it directly correlates to the mission and objectives of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. Currently, I mentor students with learning disabilities at a local middle school, operate a charity initiative on my college campus and actively volunteer at my home church. Scholarship, mentorship and service are some my essential values, and with access to Alpha Phi Alpha’s incredible platform, I believe that I could maximize my network of service. I plan on leading and creating service programs throughout the rest of my collegiate career, as well as, when I relocate for graduate school. The opportunity to be included in the nexus of phenomenal men that joined this great fraternity, while having the chance to learn from my elders, will only increase my potential as a leader.
I don’t plan on being just another card-carrying member of this fraternity. If selected to embark on this process, I aspire to attain a leadership position in Beta Epsilon and in the graduate chapter wherever I choose to attend grad school. I’m striving to have the have impact that my mentors had on me, to as many black youths as possible. My life is a testament that being Greek, more specifically, being a man of Alpha, is more than just wearing colors and letters. Being a man of Alpha is about sacrifice and service, and I plan to challenge myself, and any potential fraternity brothers I may meet, to not forget to give our all to the community that we support and represent.
