Alpha Phi Alpha hosts week of events

Events included a movie night and the Ms. Black and Gold Pageant.

By Travis Cornejo

Published April 16, 2010

Alpha Phi Alpha will conclude its week of events Saturday night at the PHInal PHrontier Party.

The theme for the week's events is "Birth of the Cool," Alpha Phi Alpha Vice President Jamal Andress said.

The theme references both the fraternity's December founding and the 1957 Miles Davis album, Birth of the Cool. Additionally, all the week's events reference the decades following the '50s.

"We're kind of the ice cold brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha," Andress said. "A lot of our events allude to cold weather."

Events held during Alpha Week include "Black is Beautiful Drive-In Movie," a '70s-themed night with a showing of "The Wiz" on Lowry Mall.

Other events are "Alphanomics," a seminar about managing finances, "The Throwback," a night of skating at Empire Roller Rink and "Godchild," a Sunday church service and brunch.

The Ms. Black and Gold Pageant is Friday, Alpha Phi Alpha Secretary Jeremy Ellis said. This year's pageant has more participants than in past years.

Winners will be selected based on how well they performed in the pageant, as well as their GPAs.

Andress said the winner of the pageant would receive a $1,000 scholarship and be able to move on to the next round of competition.

The two runners up and the winner of the Miss Congeniality title will win $500 scholarships.

Alpha Phi Alpha President Brian Hamilton said the fraternity gears its events toward the student body, such as its Sunday morning church service.

"We really try to involve the student body in general," Hamilton said. "We really just want to give students something to do."

Hamilton said Alpha Week events have had good turnouts.

"We're hoping to get more and more people to come out," Hamilton said.

Because this year's Alpha Week is in mid April, it conflicts with Greek Week, which takes place throughout the month of April.

"We participated last year," Hamilton said. "I don't foresee us being able to do that this year."

Andress said scheduling, Alpha Phi Alpha's small membership and budget concerns were all contributing factors to the fraternity not participating this year.

"Each organization in NPHC gets allotted a week throughout the school year," Hamilton said. "They typically throw a party at the end of the week."

Hamilton said the week gives alumni a chance to meet new members and catch up on what is happening with the chapter.

"It's like a homecoming for our chapter," Hamilton said. "We have a lot of alumni come back to Columbia for the weekend."

Hamilton said the Zeta Alpha chapter has eight members, and they have all been working on planning for Alpha Week since the end of last semester.

Ellis said Alpha Week is really important to him.

"It's a lot of tradition," Ellis said. "We always try to strive for the best."

Ellis said although Alpha Phi Alpha is hosting their week after all the other National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations, they always try to set the bar high for the other organizations.