Campus Fraternity Hosts ‘Angel Tree’ for Early Childhood Center Kids

An Alabama State University fraternity shared the true spirit of Christmas and CommUniversity by hosting an event that benefited the young children enrolled in ASU’s Zelia Stephens Early Childhood Learning Center. The members of the Beta Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., hosted the Alpha Angel Tree Project, anannual holiday event that is in its fourth year.

“The members of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., delivered over 100-plus toys to ASU’s Zelia Stephens Early Childhood Education Center recently,” said  Cahlil Mapson, ASU student and chapter president of the fraternity. “Our fraternity strives to make a significant contribution to the campus community and supports the education of our youngest Hornets.”

Alpha Phi Alpha is the first intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity established for African-American men. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by seven college men whom its homepage states “recognized the need for a strong bond of brotherhood among African descendants of men in the United States.”

According to Dr. Calvin Smith, ASU’s faculty advisor to the fraternity, the Beta Upsilon Chapter was chartered on the campus of Alabama State University on April 15, 1936, and works diligently to promote many forms of CommUniversity.

“Alpha Phi Alpha has as a goal to uplift our community and to this end, the Beta Upsilon Chapter wants every child at Zelia Stephens to feel as a part of the ASU family especially during the holiday season. We look forward to working with its leaders to make sure we continue to uplift children during this holiday and that we will continue this project again next year,” said Dr. Smith.