Dear Brothers and Community Partners,

 

It is my pleasure to thank you for connecting with the Montgomery County, MD Chapter (Iota Upsilon Lambda (IUL)) of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. through our website. We hope that you will find useful information that will allow you to partner with us in doing the work of Alpha in Montgomery County and beyond. 

 

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has a rich history. Founded on December 4, 1906, at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, by seven visionary men affectionately known as our “Seven Jewels,” Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is the first and oldest intercollegiate Greek-letter fraternity historically for Black men. As its mission, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for its communities. Our aims are manly deeds, scholarship, and love for all mankind. Both our mission and aims are exemplified in the lives lived and service provided by Alpha men worldwide and the following Alpha luminaries, including, but not limited to: civil rights leader Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., civil rights lawyer and first Black U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, barrier breaker and Olympian Jesse Owens,  acclaimed bass-baritone, actor, athlete, and civil rights activist Paul Robeson, current Maryland Governor Wes Moore, the first Black Montgomery County, MD County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett, and the first Black Montgomery County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Paul Vance. We remain the “first of firsts.”

 

IUL is “iconic” and lives out the vision of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. by striving to be the preeminent provider of innovative programs and services, while maintaining a staunch commitment to academic excellence, leadership development, brotherhood, and uplifting marginalized communities. To that end, in partnership with our three foundations (the Alpha Scholarship and Charitable Foundation, the Smithville School Museum and Education Center Foundation, and the Brigadier General Charles McGee Youth STEM Scholarship Foundation), we focus on the following programming:

 

• Raising funds for the March of Dimes. IUL is a nationwide fundraising leader having raised over $50,000 toward this worthy cause.

• Providing annually $15,000 in scholarships through our Paul Robeson scholarship program. To date, we have provided over $500,000 in scholarships.

• Recognizing student achievement through our annual Black Youth Achievement Awards (BYAA) program. Thousands of students have been recognized since the awards programs inception in 1978.

• Mentoring students through our mentoring program, Project Alpha program, and the Leadership Development Institute of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. In this regard, we provide various workshops and outings for Montgomery County students, including workshops relating to financial literacy, etiquette, interviewing, test-taking, and the college application process, as well as a Howard University college tour. 

• Sponsoring students to further their exposure to STEM experiences.

• Impacting the community through voter engagement, community cleanups, providing school supplies and holiday toys, and educational and Black health-related seminars.

 

It bears noting that idea for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington, DC, came from members of IUL. We are the “Monument Chapter” for this reason.

 

We hope this website meets your needs. If you are an IUL member, the “Brothers Only” section is just for you. If you are an Alpha looking to become a member of this chapter, you are welcome to do so by paying your general and chapter dues through our website and then getting involved. And if you are a community partner, we are looking forward to partnering with you. You may also contact us through our website. 

 
Onward and Upward,
 

Bro. Rev. Adrian V. Nelson, II, J.D., D.Min.

22nd President
Iota Upsilon Lambda Chapter
Alpha Phi Alpha, Fraternity, Inc.