WHAT IS ALPHA PHI OMEGA?

Alpha Phi Omega is considered the largest service fraternity in the United States. Our organization was founded in 1925 by Frank Reed Horton on the campus of Lafayette College as a fraternity. The inspiration of Alpha Phi Omega was Horton's experience as a scoutmaster. The principles exhibited by the scouts, their oath and laws, their tolerance towards those who were different, and their camaraderie inspired Horton to establish a college level organization with the same ideals. To this day every brother of Alpha Phi Omega holds these principles dear.

While the organization was originally founded as a fraternity, with time came change and with change came our female brothers. In 1976 Alpha Phi Omega decided to officially accept women as full members into the fraternity. Before this resolution passed several chapters had snuck women into their organization by using initials or simply not reporting membership. Laws passed in 1972 excluding funding for organizations restricting access was one catalyst for including females as full members. Both Alpha Phi Omega and our sister sorority Gamma Sigma Sigma were in danger of losing charters because of our status as male or female only. The debate on allowing women began before 1970 but proved to be one of the best decisions made by the National Fraternity.

What started as a single local fraternity on the campus of Lafayette college soon exploded into a National organization with over 700 chapters on various campuses. Today there are approximately 350 active chapters. Frank Reed Horton wanted to expand his organization worldwide and today there are hopes of that becoming reality. While there are chapters in all 50 states we also exist in the Philippines, Canada, and Australia.