Alpha Kappa Lambda

Alpha Kappa Lambda (ΑΚΛ) is a national collegiate fraternity founded at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1914.

Alpha Kappa Lambda's ideals are centered around its five cornerstones:

• Judeo-Christian Principles
• Leadership
• Scholarship
• Loyalty
• Self-Support.

Alpha Kappa Lambda teaches men that the commitments outlined in the Fraternity's Ritual are not merely remote ideals, but areas of discipline for daily life. AKΛs support, and in turn have the support of, their brothers in living these principles. Through Alpha Kappa Lambda, men with different backgrounds but similar ideals unite with a common purpose: to foster excellence in scholarship, leadership, individual growth, and involvement in community service. AKΛ is dedicated to Men of Character, Committed to Making A Difference.

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 discussed the "need of Christian men for a place to live and study that was within their (financial) means."

After assisting in the cleanup of the Great 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, four students re-addressed their desire to organize a house club during a YMCA conference in Pacific Grove, California. It was decided to form "Los Amigos" in 1907, which was a house club named from the Spanish translation of "The Friends." Shortly after, seven more men joined Los Amigos.

Reverend Gail Cleland, one of the original eleven members of Los Amigos, recalled, "When we organized Los Amigos as a house club...house clubs and fraternities were dime a dozen. They came, they lived for a few months or a few years, then they went out of existence again. But Los Amigos did not go out of existence."

He continues, "And seven years later...in response to the suggestion of Benjamin Ide Wheeler, the president of the University of California, we organized our house club as a national fraternity of one chapter."

The founders of Los Amigos were a diverse group, but they shared a common desire for studious living in a college environment and continued integrity after their formal education concluded.

The original founding fathers of the Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity were William Floyd Barnum, Herman "Richie" "Dickie" Bergh, Charles Junius "Charlie" Booth,"Serious Minded" Gail Cleland, Leonard Harrington Day, Alan Holmes Kimball, Harry Levi Osborn, Charles Oscar "Oscar" Perrine, Ludwig Rehfuess, Harold Alonzo Hal Savage, Joseph Leon "Joe" Taylor.

Shortly thereafter, in 1921, Alpha Kappa Lambda spread to the Midwest, opening Gamma chapter at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana. Gamma is the oldest continuously active chapter.

The motto of the fraternity is "Alethia Kai Logos," which in Classical Greek means "The Truth and the Word". Former National President William B. Herms explains, "The motto is a symbolic statement of our Ideals. We are seekers after Truth, the highest Truth, if you please . . . And the Word, which again lends itself to interpretation."

In addition, Herms continues, "Somebody has said, 'This is the Logos of Alpha Kappa Lambda--Service.' Or fully stated, our motto means 'Devotion to God through Service to Man.' It is abstract enough for any philosopher, and is meaningful to us all."

Gail Cleland, one of the founders of Los Amigos and also Past National President, said, "What is the signifigance of our motto . . ? As Plato suggested, an Ideal is permanent thing, but as Aristotle supplemented, (an Ideal) is effective in the actual world of reality only as it becomes embodied in a concrete expression in the life of a man or an institution. As we (explained) to President Wheeler, 'We don't want to preach Christianity, we want to live it'."

I believe in the Five Ideals of Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity and subscribe to an emphasis on Judeo-Christian Principles, Leadership, Scholarship, Loyalty, and Self-Support.

I believe in brotherhood as friendship of the highest calling.

I accept membership in Alpha Kappa Lambda as an affiliation that is binding for life.

I pledge myself to treat others as I would have them treat me.

I shall respect the opinion of others.

I shall commit myself to a style of membership in Alpha Kappa Lambda that is an educationally and socially maturing process. The goal of this process is achieving a wholeness of manhood that is prepared to assume leadership responsibility in fulfilling the obligations of life.

The official badge of the fraternity is made of ten carat gold. An alpha and a lambda rest in the background (covered with the flowers of a dogwood, representing Christian Principles) and the Kappa is raised, set with eleven whole pearls. The eleven pearls represent the original 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. The badge may only be worn by initiated members of the Fraternity.

The Souvenir de Claudis Pernet, described as a tantalizing yellow rose, was adopted as the Fraternity's Official Flower at the 6th National Conclave in 1927, because "it was not expensive, and its deep golden color matched well with the colors of AKΛ." The flower was a popular rose in early 1900s. While the Souvenir de Claudis Pernet itself is no longer widely grown, it has many hybridized descendants. The rose was originally bred by a famous French rose-breeder, Joseph Pernet-Ducher, who named the rose after one of his sons who died in World War I.

Alpha Kappa Lambda realizes that sexual assault is a serious problem on college campuses and believes that it can be fought through education, service, and philanthropic projects. The philanthropic fundraising aspect is the most visible of the three. The fundraising is performed via a “Promise Wall.” The Promise Wall is displayed prominently in a high traffic area of campus. 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.

The fraternity adopted cystic fibrosis as a national philanthropy at the 1990 National Conclave. Chapters support the fight against Cystic Fibrosis in many ways. Chapter fundraisers provide financial support to local organizations, research, and individuals. Chapters provide manpower to help local organizations' events. Members can have holiday or birthday parties for children suffering from CF. There are countless ways to touch the lives of CF sufferers and their families.

The Adopt-A-School program was endorsed by the National Executive Council during their 1994 Winter meeting. The goal of the program is to provide for the formation of one-on-one relationships between local college students and local elementary students. This program provides an opportunity for college students to give something back to their host communities while devoting time and energy to be a role model for young children.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items.

• Gamma Chapter - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Eta Chapter - Washington State University
• Kappa Chapter - Purdue University
• Lambda Colony - Emporia State University
• Xi Chapter - Truman State University
• Tau Chapter - Pennsylvania State University
• Upsilon Chapter - University of Northern Colorado
• Chi Chapter - California University of Pennsylvania
• Psi Chapter - Iowa State University
• Alpha Zeta Chapter - Northwest Missouri State University
• Alpha Kappa Colony - Colorado State University
• Alpha Lambda Chapter - Northern Illinois University
• Alpha Rho Chapter - University of Texas at El Paso
• Alpha Phi Chapter - University of Idaho
• Beta Nu Chapter - Virginia Commonwealth University
• Beta Omicron Chapter - James Madison University
• Beta Tau Chapter - Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
• Beta Phi Chapter - Auburn University
• Beta Psi Chapter - Missouri State University
• Gamma Alpha Chapter - University of Missouri
• Gamma Beta Chapter - University of Alabama
• Gamma Gamma Chapter - Rutgers University
• Gamma Kappa Chapter - Fairleigh Dickinson University
• Gamma Delta Chapter - University of Montevallo
• Gamma Zeta Chapter - University of Georgia
• Gamma Theta Chapter - Boise State University
• Gamma Iota Chapter] - Eastern Michigan University
• Pennsylvania Delta Colony - Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
• Pennsylvania Epsilon - Temple University

This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (June 2007)

• The founder's of Alpha Kappa Lambda intended for the fraternity to grow no larger than 100 chapters.^{[citation needed]} The intention was to establish only two chapters of AKL in each state; one chapter at the most prestigious public university and another chapter at the most prestigious private university.^{[citation needed]} Therefore, the first chapter was established at the University of California-Berkeley and the second chapter was established at Stanford University.
• Alpha Kappa Lambda has the distinction of being the first fraternity founded on the West Coast.^{[citation needed]}

• Alpha Kappa Lambda Fraternity