Alpha Psi Lambda

Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc. (ΑΨΛ) is a co-educational, Latino-oriented fraternity which began in 1985 at Ohio State University. It is the first co-ed fraternity for Latino college students in the United States.[1][2] Today the Fraternity has more than 4,000 members, with 41 collegiate chapters and 8 Affiliate chapters; Its National headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois.

Alpha Psi Lambda
ΑΨΛ
FoundedFebruary 11, 1985 (February 11, 1985)
Ohio State University
TypeSocial
AffiliationNALFO
EmphasisLatino
ScopeNational
MottoTogether We Shall Seek the Noblest
Colors  Gold and   White
SymbolPalm Tree
FlowerGold Rose
MascotJaguar
PhilanthropyBoys and Girls Clubs of America
Chapters41 Collegiate Chapters (plus 9 Affiliate Chapters)
Members4,000 lifetime
HeadquartersPO Box 804835
Chicago, IL 60680
USA
WebsiteOfficial website

History

Alpha Psi Lambda was founded in May 1984, when Josue Cruz, an assistant vice provost for the Office of Minority Affairs at Ohio State University, aided a group of students in researching existing Greek Letter Organizations with the idea of forming a Latino-affinity group. Rather than join an existing group, the students decided to establish a new on-campus organization, co-educational in nature and with a Latino affinity.[3][4] The thirteen founding members were as follows:[4]

  • Diana Acevedo
  • Juan Casimiro
  • Carolyn Christian
  • James Cordero
  • Tammy Harris
  • Clara Isern
  • Marisol Lugo
  • Yolanda Natal
  • Saddy Rivera
  • Nancy Romo
  • Annette Saldivar
  • Annette Seda
  • Juan Vera

The Fraternity's founding date is celebrated as February 11, 1985, but it can trace steps made towards its formation to the year prior.[4]

By 1991, it had emerged out of the Midwest region with the establishment of a chapter at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.[3] In 1998, the Fraternity became a founding member of NALFO, a trade association of Latino fraternities and sororities, and remains a member today.[5] Growth continued and 49 chapters have been established as of 2022.[3]

Josue Cruz was recognized in 2020 as an honorary founder of Alpha Psi Lambda National, Inc. for his contributions.

Mission and purpose

At its founding, the Fraternity identified its mission: "To promote continued personal and collective growth of our membership, success and unity through education, leadership, cultural awareness, and community service."

To support this mission, the Fraternity identified an eight-fold statement of purpose as the aim of both chapters and individual members:

  1. Serve the university campus and community.
  2. Bring forth on a scholastic level, Hispanics/Latinos, and others at the university based on friendship.
  3. Provide a supplementary educational, social, and cultural experience for the mutual cultivation of its members.
  4. Advocate for the needs and concerns of Hispanic/Latino students.
  5. Promote a basis for the diversity of the Hispanic/Latino cultures.
  6. Enhance the educational experience through social and cultural activities, and assist in the development of members' leadership abilities.
  7. Promote inter-fraternity relations.
  8. Foster positive relations between the Greek system, University/College Administration, and the outside community."[6]

Chapters

Alpha Psi Lambda chapters note a "Founding Line" to recognize the initial class of chapter founders.[7] Collegiate chapters have been formed at the following schools. Active chapters are indicated in bold and inactive chapters are indicated in italic.

Chapter Chartered/Range Founding Line Institution Location Status Reference
Alpha 1985 Los Primeros Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio Active [3]
Beta 1988 La Familia University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, Illinois Active [3]
Gamma 1989 Los Dedicados Northern Illinois University DeKalb, Illinois Active [3]
Delta 1991–20xx ? Los Originadores Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas Inactive [3][7]
Epsilon 1991 Los Predestinados Purdue University Northwest Hammond, Indiana Active [3]
Zeta 1993 Los Invincibles University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, Illinois Active [3]
Eta 1996 Los Fieles Ohio University Athens, Ohio Active [3]
Theta 1996–20xx ?, 20xx ? Los Caballeros University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio Active [3][7]
Iota 1996 Los Prestigiosos DePaul University Chicago, Illinois Active [3]
Kappa 1997–20xx ?, 20xx? Los Iluminados Kent State University Kent, Ohio Active [3][7]
Lambda 1998 Aztlán Illinois State University Normal, Illinois Active [3]
Mu 1999–20xx ?, Los Sobresalientes University of Houston Houston, Texas Inactive [3][7]
Nu 2001 Los Esperados University of Toledo Toledo, Ohio Active [3]
Xi 2001 Los Inmortales Loyola University Chicago Chicago, Illinois Active [3]
Omicron 2003 Los Iniciadores Texas A&M International University Laredo, TX Active [3]
Pi 2003–20xx ? Fuerza Texas State University San Marcos, Texas Inactive [3][7]
Rho 2005 La Lucha Northeastern Illinois University Chicago, Illinois Active [3]
Sigma 2005–20xx ? El Encendimiento University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas Inactive [3][7]
Tau 2006–20xx ? El Año De Las Luces Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas Inactive [3][7]
Upsilon 2006 Los Deseados Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, Florida Active [3]
Phi 2009–20xx ? La Devoción Prairie View A&M University Prairie View, Texas Inactive [3][7]
Chi 2012–20xx ? Dominación Lewis University Romeoville, Illinois Inactive [3][7]
Psi 2013 Los Caciques Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, Kentucky Active [3]
Omega memorial for deceased members Memorial [8]
Alpha Alpha 2013–20xx ? Patria Coastal Carolina University Conway, South Carolina Inactive [3][7]
Alpha Beta 2013 La Frontera University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Brownsville, Texas and Edinburg, Texas Active [3]
Alpha Gamma 2014 Divergencia California State University, Sacramento Sacramento, California Active [3]
Alpha Delta 2014 La Dinastia Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Edwardsville, Illinois Active [3]
Alpha Epsilon 2015 La Tormenta University of Michigan–Dearborn Dearborn, Michigan Active [3]
Alpha Zeta 2015 El Cuartelejo Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo, Colorado Active [3]
Alpha Eta 2016 Los Aliados Eastern Illinois University Charleston, Illinois Active [3]
Alpha Theta 2016 Espíritus Resilientes University of North Carolina Wilmington Wilmington, North Carolina Active [3]
Alpha Iota 2016 La Fundación Western Illinois University Macomb, Illinois Active [3]
Alpha Kappa 2017 El Reino University of St. Francis Joliet, Illinois Active [3]
Alpha Lambda 2018–20xx ? Los Chiquillos Washington State University Pullman, Washington Inactive [3][7][lower-alpha 1]
Alpha Mu 2018 Los Profundos Washington University in St. Louis St. Louis, Missouri Active [3][lower-alpha 1]
Alpha Nu 2018 Los Innovadores University of Dayton Dayton, Ohio Active [3]
Alpha Xi 2017 DAUNTLESS University of Lynchburg Lynchburg, Virginia Active [3]
Alpha Omicron 2018 La Oportunidad Lindenwood University St. Charles, Missouri Active [3]
Alpha Pi 2019 Tauro Bradley University Peoria, Illinois Active [3]
Alpha Rho 2020 Deus Ex Machina California State University, Fullerton Fullerton, California Active [3]
Alpha Sigma 2021 Legado Lamat Miami University Oxford, Ohio Active [3]
Villanova Affiliate 2015–20xx ? Tikal Villanova University Villanova, Pennsylvania Inactive [3][7]
SUNY Fredonia Affiliate 2018–20xx ? Los Rapsódicos State University of New York at Fredonia Fredonia, New York Inactive [3][7]
Sewanee Affiliate 2019 Dinámicos Sewanee: The University of the South Sewanee, Tennessee Active [3][7]
Illinois Wesleyan Affiliate 2020 La Recíedumbre Illinois Wesleyan University Bloomington, Illinois Active [3][7]
Nicholls State Affiliate 2021 R.E.I.G.N. 5 Nicholls State University Thibodaux, LA Active [3][7]
Vanderbilt Affiliate 2022 Los Luminosos Vanderbilt University Nashville, Tennessee Active [3][7]
UH Downtown Affiliate 2022 Intensidad University of Houston–Downtown Houston, Texas Active [3][7]
CU Denver Affiliate 2022 La Simetría University of Colorado Denver Denver, Colorado Active [3][7]

Notes
  1. Founded as an affiliate colony in 2006.

Alumni clubs
Club Chartered Chapter Affiliation Location Status Reference
Rho Alumni Club 2015 Rho chapter Chicago, Illinois Active [9]
Iota Alumni Club 2018 Iota chapter Chicago, Illinois Active [9]
Alpha Epsilon Alumni Club Alpha Epsilon chapter Dearborn, Michigan Active [9]
Lambda Alumni Club 2020 Lambda chapter Normal, Illinois Active [9]
Texas Alumni Club 2021 Delta, Mu, Omicron, Pi, Sigma, Tau, Phi, and Alpha Beta chapters Texas Active [9]
Upsilon Alumni Club 2021 Upsilon chapter Boca Raton, Florida Active [9]
Alpha Kappa Alumni Club 2022 Alpha Kappa chapter Joliet, Illinois Active [9]

References
  1. Torbenson, Craig LaRon; Parks, Gregory (2009). Brothers and Sisters: Diversity in College Fraternities and Sororities. Associated University Presse. ISBN 978-0-8386-4194-1.
  2. "First Hispanic Fraternity Proposed". Portsmouth Daily Times. January 12, 1985. Retrieved April 21, 2011.
  3. William Raimond Baird; Carroll Lurding (eds.). "Almanac of Fraternities and Sororities (Baird's Manual Online Archive), page showing active co-ed groups". Student Life and Culture Archives. University of Illinois: University of Illinois Archives. Retrieved 4 July 2021. The main archive URL is The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage.
  4. "Alpha Psi Lambda History - APL-Rho". sites.google.com. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  5. "NALFO History – National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations". nalfo.org. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  6. "Mission & Purposes". www.alphapsilambda.net. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  7. "Chapters". www.alphapsilambda.net. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  8. "Omega Chapter". www.alphapsilambda.net. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  9. "Alumni Clubs". www.alphapsilambda.net. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
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