Alpha Kappa Lambda (), commonly known as AKL or Alpha Kapp, is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1914. Today, it operates 25 active chapters and has approximately 28,000 living-initiated members.
History Alpha Kappa Lambda was founded on April 22, 1914, by a group of young men attending the University of California, Berkeley. Its birth, however, dates back to 1906 when a group of friends, the Los Amigos Club, discussed the "need of Christian men for a place to live and study that was within their [financial] means." These eleven men celebrated as the fraternity's founders, were William Barnum, Herman Ritchie Bergh, Charles Junius Booth, Gail Cleland, Leonard Herington Day, Allen Holmes Kimball, Harry Levi Osborne, Charles Oscar Perrine, Ludwig Rehfuess, Harold Alonzo Savage, and Joseph Leon Taylor.
After assisting in the cleanup of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, four of the group re-addressed their desire to organize a house club during a YMCA conference in Pacific Grove, California. They formed Los Amigos in , a house club named from the Spanish translation of "The Friends." Shortly after, seven more men joined Los Amigos.
The club adopted its Greek letter name Alpha Kappa Lambda on April 22, 1914. The fraternity contemplated an early expansion program and adjusted its operational model into a more permanent fraternal association model. However, its growth was put on hiatus by World War I. After the war, active members and alumni focused on expansion, establishing Beta chapter at Stanford, followed by chapters at several Midwestern universities. The fraternity joined NIC in 1930.
The Great Depression and World War II disrupted the geographic expansion of the fraternity until 1949 when it hired its first full-time employee. Expansion resumed with an aggressive plan in 1950. Alpha Kappa Lambda became a senior member of NIC in 1954.
The fraternity has eliminated Hell Week, personal duties by pledges, and hazing.
Symbols Alpha Kappa Lambda is a non-secret order with no pledges of secrecy in the ritual, grips, passwords, or other clandestine signs. Reliance upon honor and the "members' finer feelings [are] depended upon" to safeguard the ritual and meaning of the fraternity.
The official badge of the fraternity is made of ten-carat gold. An and a rest in the background, covered with the flowers of a dogwood, representing Christian principles, and a that is raised, set with eleven whole pearls. The pearls represent the eleven founders of the Los Amigos Club. The badge is to be worn only on collared shirts, sweaters, or suit vests, and in the traditional position over the heart. It may only be worn by initiated members of the fraternity. There is also a pledge pin that is a small hollow diamond.
The fraternity's colors are purple and gold. Its motto is which means "The Truth and the Word" in Classical Greek; the motto's' initials are the same as the fraternity's abbreviated name. Its flower is the yellow rose Souvenir de Claudius Pernet. The fraternity's publications are InsideAKL and The Logos.
National service projects
These Hands Don't Hurt These Hands Don't Hurt is the fraternity's response to the sexual assault problem on college campuses and was founded in 1996 by the Beta Zeta chapter at East Tennessee State University. The project fights sexual assault through education, service, and philanthropic fundraising projects. Members fundraise through a "Promise Wall" that is displayed in a high-traffic area of campuses. Students, faculty, and members of the community are asked to add their hand to the Promise Wall for a contribution of $1. By placing their hand on the wall they make a promise that their hand will not be used to harm others. In the spirit of "growing the movement," Alpha Kappa Lambda has allowed other student organizations from around the country to use the program as a way to raise awareness about domestic violence.
Cystic Fibrosis The fraternity adopted cystic fibrosis as a national philanthropy at the 1990 National Conclave. Chapter fundraisers provide financial support to local organizations, research, and individuals. Chapters also provide manpower to help local organizations' events.
Adopt-A-School The Adopt-A-School program was endorsed by the National Executive Council during a 1994 Winter meeting. The program provides one-on-one relationships between local college students and local elementary students. It allows college students to give something back to their host communities while being positive role models for children.
Chapters
Notable members
NameChapterNotabilityBill Andring Theta All century baseball team for U. of Washington. Former professional baseball player. David L. Bassett Beta Physician and academic James Chamberlain Baker Gamma (hon) Educator, bishop, organizer, and head of the first Wesley Foundation David Booth Delta Businessman, and chairman of Dimensional Fund Advisors. Jack Cakebread Alpha Winemaker and Founder of Cakebread Cellars David Cheung Delta Educator and pastor and the former member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. Joe Coulombe Beta Founder and former CEO of Trader Joe's Ernie Cunliff Beta Runner in 1960 Olympics. Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame Irving Dilliard Gamma Journalist, editor and author. Allen Drury Beta Journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Alain Entohoven Beta American Economist, Rhodes Scholar, Asst. Secretary of Defense John P. Gillin Epsilon Anthropologist Algo Henderson Delta Former President of Antioch College, author. Bob Herwig Alpha Former professional football player and College Football Hall of Fame 1964 Arthur Hillman ] Theta Sociologist, author and educator Edward Hoebel Epsilon Author and educator Hal Holmes Jr. Gamma 1963 NCAA Tumbling Champion. Member of USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame John K. Hester Gamma Major General and Commander of 17th Airforce 1964 Sam S. Kistler Beta Inventor of aerogels and educator Tim Leavitt Eta Mayor of Vancouver, Washington Robert Leestamper Alpha Alpha Former President of SE Missouri State and Worcester State Universities Stanford Lehmberg Delta Historian, author, and educator Rian Lindell Eta Former professional football player Neal MacDonald Alpha Lambda NCAA Wrestling Champion 1965 John Henry Manley Gamma Physicist, group leader, Manhattan Project George C. Martin Theta Project engineer on the Boeing B-47 and chief project engineer of the Boeing B-52 Alvin McCoy Delta Journalist of The Kansas City Star who won the Pulitzer Prize Lloyd Morey Gamma Former President of University of Illinois system Stuart A. Queen Delta (H) Sociologist and educator Carl Rogers Eta Psychologist Marvin Rosenberry Epsilon 13th Chief Justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court Eric Schmitt Xi U.S. Senator and former Missouri Attorney General John Laurence Seymour Alpha Composer and playwright Mike Shaw Beta Phi State Representative, Alabama State House of RepresentativesHenry Shenk Delta Former head football coach at University of Kansas and player Gary Sherrer Lambda 45th Lieutenant Governor of Kansas John V. Shields Beta Businessman and former CEO of Trader Joe's Oliver P. Smith Alpha U.S. Marine four-star general, decorated combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War Charles E. Spahr Delta Youngest president, then CEO of Standard Oil of Ohio Harold Tascher Gamma Author and educator David Howard Thorton Gamma Delta Actor primarily known for his role as Art the Clown from the Terrifier franchise. Mike Uremovich Kappa Head Football Coach at Ball State University Floyd R. Watson Gamma (hon) Engineer, educator, co-founder of Acoustical Society of America Eldon Wilcox Delta Author Edmund Williamson Gamma Author and educator James Workman Alpha Gold Medalist in 1928 Olympics
See also List of social fraternities
References
External links Alpha Kappa Lambda Fraternity