FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (3/06)
Contact: Chris Lavan, Chapter President, 318-869-5652 or clavan@centenary.edu; Lynn Stewart or Kelsey Johnson, Centenary News Service, 318-841-7265

Centenary Recognizes Black Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, on April 8

SHREVEPORT, LA — Centenary College and President Kenneth L. Schwab will welcome the Tau Beta Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity as one of the college’s first predominately black Greek-lettered organization Saturday, April 8, at 7 p.m. in Brown Chapel on Centenary's campus. Delegates from Alpha Phi Alpha’s national headquarters and fraternity inductees will be in attendance. This event is open to the public.

“I am proud that Centenary will now have a chapter of this fine fraternity on our campus,” said President Schwab. “Opportunities like these are truly valuable— even essential—for our growth as a college devoted to training leaders who implement creative problem-solving across our globe.”

Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, is the oldest black fraternity in the nation. The mission of the fraternity is “manly deeds, scholarship, and love for all mankind.” The Tau Beta chapter will continue the fraternity’s mission while joining in Centenary’s tradition of working together to build a community focused on ethical and intellectual development, said Chapter President Chris Lavan, who is also president of Centenary's Student Government Association.

“This is historical and unprecedented: the establishment of the oldest black Greek-lettered fraternity at the oldest college in the South (west of the Mississippi River),’’ said state representative and Alpha’s Alumni Chapter President Roy Burrell. “I believe this will attract more minority students for recruitment in having such a fine organization as Alpha at Centenary.”

Members of Alpha Phi Alpha include Patrick Patterson of Shreveport, La.; Stephen McGee of Plain Dealing, La.; Chris Lavan of Lake Charles, La.; Josh Thibodeaux of Eunice, La.; the late Chad Maclies of Kingwood, Texas; and Sebastien Edwards of Dallas, Texas.

For more information, contact Chapter Parlimentarian Sebastian Edwards at 972-467-8902 or AlphaPeace1906@hotmail.com.

- 30 -