Rho Xi chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi chartered

By Austin Ferguson

The Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity has found a permanent place at Rider after officially chartering a chapter exclusive to Rider’s campus.

The newest undergraduate chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi, titled Rho Xi, was officially chartered on Sept. 17 in the NJM community room of the Bart Luedeke Center.

In order to get the new chapter chartered, brothers of the Eta Delta chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi put in long hours of work. Eta Delta chapter president and senior psychology major Avery Killebrew played a major role in the official chartering of the chapter. 

“The brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi have worked diligently and overcame many obstacles in the process of chartering a new chapter on the national level, as well as formally working with their alumni chapter, Rider University’s Greek Life officials and student involvement to complete this accomplishment,” Killebrew said.

Senior sports management major Shemar Givens, a brother of the Eta Delta chapter and president of the Student Entertainment Council (SEC), also saw the strenuous process of getting a fraternity chapter chartered.

“We had to fill out a lot of applications,” Givens said. “We had to get an OK from the University before getting approval from Kappa Alpha Psi on the national level.”

The Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity was founded at Indiana University in 1911, after 10 black men wanted to bring their experiences from historically black colleges to those attending predominantly white institutions.  Brothers chartering the Rho Xi chapter are part of the Eta Delta Chapter, a metro university chapter serving schools in the Princeton area, founded in 1974. Along with Rider University’s brothers, the chapter also has brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi from The College of New Jersey and Princeton University.

The charter ceremony was attended by Rider’s brothers of the new Rho Xi chapter, including Killebrew, his brother and senior business administration major Allen Killebrew, Givens, Eta Delta vice president Quamel Parris, junior health science major and graduate student  Ameer Richmond, along with members of the Trenton alumni of Kappa Alpha Psi.

The moment came as a huge milestone for people transitioning into the Rho Xi chapter. 

“The fraternity is continuing to flourish nationwide and standing by their motto, ‘Achievement in Every Field of Human Endeavour,’” Avery Killebrew said. “Now, here at Rider University, great things are taking place.”

Givens added, “The chartering was a historical moment for my fraternity brothers and I. It’s not often people get the chance to become chartering members of a new chapter nor is it often that a new chapter is chartered.”

There was, however, a bittersweet aspect to chartering a new chapter for the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi.      “We didn’t take this moment lightly,” Givens said. “There were a lot of mixed emotions having to be split as a chapter from the The College of New Jersey and Princeton, but, then again, we will still have the support from our chapter brothers over there.”

The charter has been an exciting process for the brothers of Kappa Alpha Psi at Rider, and they look to accomplish a lot and serve the community, both on campus and locally, as an officially chartered chapter at Rider. The brothers hope that their plans to have a lasting effect on campus are coupled with the feeling of accomplishment from the brothers of Rho Xi.

“It didn’t hit me until the day [the charter] happened,” Givens said. “Wow, I’m going to be a part of Rider University’s history, forever.”

Published in the 9/26/18 edition.