HUNTINGDON COLLEGE
News Release
June 26, 2020
For more information, contact:
Su Ofe, (334) 833-4515; news@hawks.huntingdon.edu
Phi Beta Sigma Chapter Earns Charter at Huntingdon
Montgomery, Ala.—Huntingdon College Greek Life added a chapter earlier this month as a charter was granted for the Gamma Rho Mu chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. The fraternity joins seven other national fraternities and sororities in Huntingdon’s Greek Life programming.
Chapter adviser Da’Monta Wiggins, who serves as coordinator of campus recreation and as a residence director for the Huntingdon Office of Student Affairs, said the process of developing the chapter began in fall 2018. Following permission for formation from the fraternity, an official interest meeting was held during spring 2019. Students Akeem Hunt, of Birmingham, and Hakeem Filmore, of Honolulu, Hawaii, became the first two members of the group, followed by Kelvin Bowser, of Chattanooga, Tenn.; Isaac Ritchie, of Montgomery; and Raymond Edwards, of Texas City, Texas, in the fall of 2019, reaching the five members required to begin a charter. The charter was approved June 16.
According to the fraternity’s website, brotherhood, scholarship, and service are the organization’s core values. Membership is divided into two main categories: collegiate and alumni, making the brotherhood life-long in its connections for professional success after graduation. The fraternity was founded at Howard University (Washington, D.C.) in 1914 and holds the motto, “Culture for Service and Service for Humanity.”
“Phi Beta Sigma’s core values so closely parallel Huntingdon’s hallmarks of faith, wisdom, and service, we saw the fraternity as a natural fit for our Greek Life programs,” says Fran Taylor, vice president for student affairs and dean of students. “The men who have joined to date are stellar examples of service above self, leadership, and scholarship.”
“A Sigma man gains brotherhood and connections that he will cherish wherever he travels,” says Hunt, who serves as the chapter’s first president. “In the area of scholarship, a Sigma man will always find ways to educate and further his knowledge. And most importantly, a Sigma man will always give back to his community and find ways to serve others around him.”
Chapter vice president Kelvin Bowser says the members are brothers first, and that’s what makes their alliance endure. “This brotherhood is about service to the community. [The fraternity] has emphasized this point and made it our culture. We hold every member accountable when it comes to academics as well. This past semester every member of the Gamma Rho Mu chapter earned over a 3.0 gpa for the semester—and that shows testament to how we have to get the job done in the classroom.”
“I never really imagined myself joining a fraternity,” says Ritchie, who, along with Hunt, coordinates the chapter’s social media presence. “When the chance came, I realized that I would gain brothers for the rest of my life. These men have helped me and taught me a lot of things this year. The brotherhood that I saw within them attracted me to join. I have gained great friendships and relationships that I never imagined would happen. Lastly, giving back to the community is a major part of being in this fraternity. It is good seeing men like myself help the city and give to those who are less fortunate.”
“The next step in growing the fraternity on campus is to recruit and build,” says Ritchie. “We personally talk and listen to students we believe have the values that we hold. We believe that we have the opportunity to build something great at Huntingdon College.”
Huntingdon’s seven other national Greek organizations are Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Omega, Phi Mu, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. for women; and Sigma Phi Epsilon, Sigma Nu, and Lambda Chi Alpha for men.
Huntingdon College continues a legacy of faith, wisdom, and service through a residential liberal arts academic tradition grounded in the Judeo-Christian heritage of the United Methodist Church.
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Huntingdon College is committed to a policy against legally impermissible, arbitrary, or unreasonable discriminatory practices. Therefore, the College, in accordance with applicable federal and state law and stated College policy, prohibits discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age and/or national origin.
