Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity founded for African-American men, will host its 2nd Annual Black Excellence Academic Celebration at West Virginia University tonight (Feb. 21) at 7 p.m. in the Mountaineer Room.
The purpose of this event is to highlight and celebrate the achievements of high-achieving West Virginia University students, that identify as African-American. A student must be a Freshman or Sophomore and have achieved a 3.0 GPA or higher in the Fall 2018 semester to be invited to this event. The Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha hope that the celebration of these students will encourage them to continue prospering, increase the likelihood of them remaining at West Virginia University, and provide them the opportunity to network with faculty/administrators and other high-achieving students.
To be held in the Mountaineer Room of Mountainlair Student Union, the event will feature representatives of various student organizations, including the Black Student Union, African Students Association, National Pan-Hellenic Fraternities and Sororities, and the NAACP. They will have the opportunity to network with the high achieving students being celebrated. Last year, the event was attended by President E. Gordon Gee and Dean of Students Corey Farris. When invited to return to this year’s celebration, Dean Farris said, “WVU’s primary purpose is to prepare students to do great things after graduation. Therefore, it’s important to recognize outstanding classroom performance. I always enjoy celebrating the academic successes of our students and am looking forward to this year’s Celebration.”
A new addition to this year’s celebration will be a Book Award for a student who demonstrates high academic merit. The Brothers are using their 2018 PartyWalk Stroll Competition profit as the source of funding for the Book Award. When asked about the importance of implementing a Book Award, Bro. Christian Brown, Chapter Vice President and Co-Chair for the event, said, “the Book Award incentivizes more students to not only do well in the classroom, but also serves as a way for us to turn our social event into something impactful for the student body.”
The Men of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. are excited to host the 2nd Annual Black Excellence Celebration and hope that it continues to grow for years to come.
About Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was founded on December 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by seven college men who recognized the need for a strong bond of brotherhood among African descendants in this country. Alpha Phi Alpha has long stood at the forefront of the African-American community's fight for civil rights through leaders such as W.E.B. DuBois, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., Edward Brooke, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, Andrew Young, William Gray, Paul Robeson, and many others. True to its form as the “first of firsts,” Alpha Phi Alpha has been interracial since 1945. Their mission is to develop leaders, promote brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for their communities.