F.A.Q. | More Info

Frequently Asked Questions

Brief History

Q: What does Alpha Phi Omega stand for?

  • A: The Greek letters Alph Phi Omega stand for leadership, friendship, and service. These three words are the cardinal principles of Alpha Phi Omega. Many of our brothers refer to Alpha Phi Omega as A Phi O or APO.

Q: If A Phi O is a coed organization, why are members called "brothers" and A Phi O a fraternity?

  • A:When A Phi O was founded in 1925, its members included only college men. As A Phi O became a co-ed organization, the terms "brothers" and "fraternity" came to include both men and women. There have been several motions to change the terms nationally and locally, however, it has never passed.

Q: I've heard that A Phi O is a "service fraternity." Do you do other activities besides community service?

  • A: Most definitely! A Phi O was built on the principles of leadership, fellowship, and service. Though our primary goal is to provide service to the campus and community, we also plan many social events throughout each semester. Some examples of these events include movie night, ice skating, snow tubing, and formals.

Q: What service projects are A Phi O involved in?

  • A: There are projects that we do regularly each semester but ultimately it is up to the brothers to decide what service projects they would like to be involved in. Most importantly, we are always looking for a new opportunity to volunteer.
  • Examples of past service events include:
    • Blood Drive (once each semester) in conjunction with the local Red Cross chapter
    • Ronald McDonald House: cooking for families of patients at Geisinger Medical Center
    • RiverWoods Center: spending time with the residents
    • Sunnybrook Meadows: helping with therapeutic horse rides
    • Geisinger Medical Center: cleaning toys and spending time with patients
    • Haunted House: setting up a haunted house on campus for children in the area
  • Brothers can either plan a one-time project or set up an activity with a regular time commitment. Since A Phi O has over 80 active members, projects that require a handful of brothers are encouraged.
  • The VP of Service oversees all service projects and their leaders. (S)he also puts service projects together and is a good source for past projects and new project ideas.
  • Requests for service projects can come from the VP of Service, the brothers, or an outside organization.

Q: Can I be in both A Phi O and a social fraternity or sorority?

  • A: Of course! Because A Phi O is a service fraternity, members are welcome to join a social fraternity or sorority as well. Many of our brothers are currently active in Greek organizations.

Q: Are you the organization that sponsors the blood drive each semester?

  • A: Yes! A Phi O sponsors a blood drive with the local Red Cross once each semester. Brothers and pledges help greet and register potential donors, direct traffic, and hand out refreshments. These drives are most often held in Larison Dining Hall.

Q: How is A Phi O run?

  • An executive committee heads the organization and ensures that different aspects of the A Phi O experience run smoothly. The executive committee is comprised of the following:
    • The President oversees the executive committee and the chapter. (S)he runs both the chapter and executive committee meetings.
    • The VP of Membership keeps track of the fulfilled requirements of each brother and stands in for the President when necessary. (S)he is also responsible for the chapter abiding by the By-Laws, Chapter, Regional, and National.
    • The VP of Service coordinates service events. Although (s)he may lead some projects, most of the VP of Service's time is spent managing all the project leaders (any brother in the fraternity that wants to lead a specific project) and their corresponding service projects.
    • The VP of Fellowship organizes fellowship events such as roller skating and movie nights.
    • The Treasurer organizes the chapter funds - both the BSG (Bucknell Student Government) account and the dual account. (S)he ensures that there is funding for service and fellowship events, that brothers are reimbursed for items purchased for A Phi O events, and that the dues are collected, deposited, and paid to Nationals.
    • The Secretary takes minutes at both the chapter meetings and the executive committee meetings. After the meeting, (s)he emails the minutes to all of the brothers.
    • The Publicity Chair publicizes A Phi O events such as recruitment of pledges at the beginning of the semester and for events such as the blood drive.
    • The Sergeant at Arms keeps order at the chapter meetings and runs elections for executive and pledge trainer positions.
    • The Alumni Chair is responsible for putting together a newsletter highlighting important chapter events and sending it to the alumni.
    • The Pledge Trainers ensure that the pledges have an awesome time becoming brothers!

Q: What are the requirements to be in A Phi O?

  • A: The pledging process takes a semester to complete. As a pledge, you must fulfill the following requirements to become a brother:
    • 15 hours of service
    • 2 fellowship events
    • Attend all pledge meetings
    • Attend 4 brother meetings
    • Complete a pledge service project
    • Attend initiation and activation

Q: I'm a first-year student. Can I still join?

  • A: Yes! Any student who is enrolled at Bucknell can join A Phi O. The policy of Alpha Phi Omega is that any student who is "duly enrolled on the campus where a chapter exists" may pledge the fraternity.

Q: So how do I join?

  • A: At the beginning of each semester, A Phi O initiates a new pledge class. There are two interest meetings held within the first few weeks of the semester. These meetings are publicized through campus email and flyers. If you are interested in joining, you can come to one of the meetings or email the contact person about your interest.

Q: I still have some other questions. Is there someone I can contact?