Alpha Phi Omega, Zeta Kappa Chapter records

Collection

Identifier: MS-1199

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Scope and Contents

The Alpha Phi Omega Zeta Kappa Chapter collection is comprised primarily of scrapbooks, newsletters, awards, and correspondences. Multiple scrapbooks found in the collection contain many photographs from service and fellowship events along with news clippings and correspondence from the year. Loose photographs are also included depicting more fraternity events. Strength of the collection comes in the various newsletters from both the chapter and the national office. These contain messages from the president, past events, along with upcoming ones. The plaques and awards received by the chapter and donated to the Archives were photographed and those images included in the collection, while the originals were returned to chapter officers.

The main weaknesses of the collection include the lack of minutes and bylaws which leaves out information on the official business of the fraternity. Only one annual report from the historian is contained in the collection and is the only document which lists all of the events and members from the entire year.

Dates

Creation: 1950-2014

Extent

3.34 Cubic Feet (5 legal archival boxes and 6 volumes)

Creator

Alpha Phi Omega. Zeta Kappa Chapter (Bowling Green, Ohio) (Organization)

Biographical / Historical

Alpha Phi Omega is a National Service Fraternity founded in 1925 at Lafayette College by Frank Reed Horton. Along with 13 other men, Horton founded the fraternity based on the ideals of the Boy Scouts of American and the three ideas of leadership, friendship, and service. Women pushed to join the fraternity, beginning organizations such as the National Service Sorority, Omega Phi Alpha. It was not until 1976 that the fraternity became completely co-ed. In 1995 the fraternity began to move towards international schools such as in the Philippines. Alpha Phi Omega participates in National Service Week, Spring Youth Service Day, along with APO LEADS Leadership courses. There are currently 400,000 members on over 300 college campuses.

The Zeta Kappa chapter of Bowling Green State University is a part of region 56 and section 5 of the national fraternity. This chapter was chartered in 1948 and has been a large service organization on campus since then. While not technically a Greek organization on campus, Alpha Phi Omega spent a few years in the 2000s affiliated with Greek Affairs and the IFC. Members have worked on service projects such as the yearly Rock-A-Thon, along with fellowship activities like movie nights. One of the biggest contributions that the Zeta Kappa Chapter has had on the BGSU campus is the creation of the mascot, Freddie Falcon.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The records of the Alpha Phi Omega collection were donated to the Center for Archival Collections through the cooperation of the Zeta Kappa Chapter on April 18, 2014.