Alpha Phi Alpha: Omicron Phi Chapter
In a sea of fraternity chapters on IMVU, there’s an organization for everyone to feel accepted. When it comes to the Greek life, many people test the waters, feeling that their ideas can help to improve a particular organization along with pointing out what’s unacceptable. Utilizing IMVU allows those individuals to be their own person and start something fresh that reflects their point of view. One such individual, JeromeLamont, did just that.
Jerome was a member of one of the many chapters of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, however, he decided to leave them as there were certain things he felt, and wanted to be different. He had the desire to lead and with the support he had, he ventured out to create a new APA Chapter, Omicron Phi. He chose not to create a new one from scratch, as he likes what they stand for; the love for all mankind, scholarship, and manly deeds. The fact that they are a real fraternity also made it more appealing to him. Although he founded his chapter on May 16, 2016, APA, itself, was originally founded on December 4, 1906 by the Seven Jewels.
Jerome's main goals were to be able to share his knowledge of Greek life while allowing his brothers to feel like they were a part of a true brotherhood. Jerome said that, when he pledged to other frats in the past, he felt lost whenever they spoke about the different aspects of the Divine 9 organizations. Moving forward from past experiences, he now plans for all brothers and pledges to gain knowledge of APA whole heartedly, as well as learning about others who are part of the D9. He believes that although they are different organizations, they all struggle and strive for the same things; to better the community. He also understands how it feels when people speak a lot of other organizations, with very little knowledge of them. He refuses for his pledges to be in that dumbfounded place.
Brotherhood is very important to Jerome. He believes a good brotherhood starts within the fraternity having solid unity amongst one another, with principles and goals set. Thereafter, it is about extending out to the community to help build others. He stated, “If you can't have that amongst yourselves, how can you expect to really promote others in your community to have it?” For Jerome’s Omicron Phi chapter, the goals aren’t too far off from the original Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, which include: stimulating the ambition of its members, preparing them for the greatest usefulness in the causes of humanity, freedom, and dignity of the individual, encouraging the highest and noblest form of manhood, and aiding downtrodden humanity in its efforts to achieve higher social economic and intellectual statuses.
Within IMVU’s Greek community, there are two types of organizations. There are the chapters based on a real life Greek organization and there are those that are purely original. Each type has its own pros and cons, appealing to people in different ways. In Jerome’s case, creating his own chapter of the real APA fraternity benefited him greatly because it allowed him to utilize guidelines that were already set in place.
If you do decide to join the Greek community, be sure to think it through before committing yourself to it. The organizations typically begin with a pledge process, which can last up to a few weeks and puts you to the test to see if you have what it takes to stick it out. It’s at this stage that many people choose to drop out. For fraternities, this process not only helps to shape the young men that are trying to join, but it helps the founders as well. When asked how the process helped Jerome, he stated, “Honestly, one main point was [learning] how to deal with disappointing times. That has shaped me because I had to learn how to get back up right with it and not give up. You know [that] to pursue your goals, you might go through tough times, [and] without them, you wouldn’t be able to grow.” He, also, noted that he couldn’t do it alone. Jerome expressed that he has an amazing support system that keeps him grounded through the good times as well as the bad.
Jerome is a person who decided to take initiative on making changes when he saw things that he disliked or that needed some work. He has created something that he and his frat brothers are proud of and I urge anyone who is looking for a Greek home to check out the Omicron Phi chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. If you would like further information, whether it’s in regards to Jerome’s Omicron Phi chapter or just information in general about any of the other Divine 9 organizations, contact JeromeLamont@IMVU.
