Fifty years ago, a few men in the Stamford area who had become 

brothers of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity during their undergraduate

years brought themselves together with the idea of keeping the

Fraternal bond they had formed as undergraduates intact on the

graduate level.

In 1964, Brother Leroy Ellis met with the brothers of

Rho Upsilon Chapter in Bridgeport to present the idea of

establishing a graduate chapter of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

in the Stamford area.  The brothers of Rho Upsilon responded

to this idea with enthusiasm, rendering support and sponsorship

of this movement.  After getting all the requirements needed,

the birth of Alpha Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity was

realized in the Fall of 1965 bearing the names of the following

brothers as Charter Members:

Brother Leroy Ellis, Basileus
Brother Clarence Brodnax, Vice Basileus
Brother James B. James, Keeper of Records and Seal
Brother William Cowell, Keeper of Finance
Brother Michael DuBissette
Brother Charles Sargent

During the chartering process, two men were placed into the

pledge process for Omega Psi Phi with the assistance of the

sponsoring chapter,  Rho Upsilon.  These men were subsequently

initiated into the Fraternity during the same ceremonial session of chartering the chapter.  These brothers are:

Brother Kenneth Childs, and

Brother Tom James.

They are known as the Charter Line.  

The first traditional line to be initiated into the Fraternity through Alpha Nu occurred

in December of 1973. This line consisted of:

Brother Richard Fuller, Sr., School Teacher;
Brother Jacque Meyers IV,  Director, Carver Center;

Brother Edward White, Director, Yerwood Center

Several years went by and Alpha Nu was active, but with a very low profile.  They were carrying out International mandates but nothing beyond what was expected.  In the early eighties, a young energized, talented brother was transferred to the Stamford area, namely, Brother Colone Pearson.

 

Under Brother Pearson’s his leadership the chapter began to grow in membership and became more active in the community. Alpha Nu set models for other chapters within the first district to measure up to and to follow.  Many scholarships were given to high school and college students, the chapter became a partner with the George Washington Carver Center in Norwalk with the goals being to help uplift the community.  That partnership still remains with the Carver Center through our Entrepreneurial Development Workshop Series (EDWS);  Our Mentoring Program with young men who are connected to the center through other activities.  Emphasis is placed on the characteristics of manhood and perseverance.  Under the leadership of Brother Pearson, in 1987 a trip was planned and many brothers of the chapter toured West Africa.

Alpha Nu is proud of its brothers and the accomplishments that they have made at the International and District levels of our beloved fraternity.   For fifty years the Alpha Nu Chapter has made a significant and positive difference in its communities and in the lives of the people residing in those communities.  

 

Members of the Alpha Nu Chapter have been involved in a variety of leadership positions on the district and national levels of our beloved fraternity.  The following are just a few of the men who have distinguished themselves as leaders over the past fifty years:

 

• Brother James Avery served the fraternity as Grand Basileus

• Brother Al Rosier served the fraternity as Grand Keeper of Finance

• Brother Colone Pearson served the fraternity as District Counselor and was a candidate for  Grand Counselor

• Brother DeNorris Crosby served the fraternity on its International Scholarship

• Commission.  Also, the First District has named its District Junior Scholar, Scholarship in his honor, known as the Dr. DeNorris D. Crosby Junior Scholarship.

• Brother James B. James served the fraternity as the District Representative for the First District.

• Brother Leroy Ellis served the fraternity as the Chaplain for the First District.

• Brother Greg Burnett served the fraternity as the Keeper of Records and Seal for
  the First District. Brother Burnett was also recognized by the Fraternity with the Superior Service Award.  Brother Burnett is currently the International Community/Civic Affairs Chairman for the Fraternity.

• Brother Michaels Charles has served the fraternity as Keeper of Finance for the First District and is currently the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the First District.

• Brother Malvern Ngoh was the International Scholar of the Year in 2007.

• Brothers  Joseph Mann and Donald Thomas have each served as the Chairmen of the First District Fatherhood Initiative and as members of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity National Fatherhood Committee.

 

 

The Alpha Nu Chapter was selected as the Chapter of the Year for the First District in 2012.

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The Chapter has hosted several First District Conferences.  Most recently, we have established a Father’s Day Luncheon, on the Saturday prior to father’s day, to honor father and father figures throughout our communities.  The event is in keeping with the President’s fatherhood initiative, of which we are partners, and has become our signature event and has been extremely well received throughout the communities that we serve.  We will be hosting our Sixth Annual luncheon in 2017.

 

These fifty years have been memorable years with some ups and some downs but our
main goal has been to persevere and to see it through.

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