Us Alphas like we make the impossible possible what’s good everyone we’re back with you on the DCL podcast today I got the alphas at Illinois State University I allow them to introduce themselves all right what’s good everybody my name is Adrian I am the current president at the ad of to chapter Crossing spring 22 what’s good y I’m Jordan uh also cross spring 2022 and I serve as the chapter historian and
Social media what’s good y’ my name is Dominic I am at fall 21 initiate and I’m a general member what’s good y’all I’m Brandon Bell spring 23 initiate I’m the sergeant of arms for my chapter can you guys give me a brief like introduction of the alphas at Illinois State
University what you guys are about your history on campus things of those sorts so we was ched 1971 here on this campus but we do a lot of community service we hold a lot of events you’ll usually see us in the party strolling kicking it but we always about our business stuff our
Mission uh here on campus is the velop leaders promotes Brotherhood academic Excellence while also providing Serv Serv obviously for our communities you know some of our models is first of all service of all we shall transcend all and pretty much what these means is pretty much is giving back to our
Community we reaching back in one to better those provide or be an extra resource to you know students that’s here on campus and not only just students that’s here on campus but also reach other campus as well all right so what made you guys choose Alpha I’m a
Third generation Legacy so I’ve always been around Alphas my whole entire life um you know my dad he started me off seeing Alpha men when I was younger like you know my dad played baseball for a Greek Chicago League like just having me around them you know they always welcome
Me in and they just called me little brother so this is something that I knew that I wanted to do right from the day when I came down here to Illinois State I’m not going to lie that’s big so you saying you grew up around Alphas even
Though like your pops was a graduate member how would you say the like alumni presence or Life After College is for you know Alpha brother um well I mean for me you know seeing my dad you know he always gets after it you know what
I’m saying like my dad is always on time he’s never late for anything my dad is always on time one of the things that my dad is always taught me is to always be on time if you late then that’s on you but to be on time is to be on time you
Know what I’m saying to see how my dad you know he hard he’s a very hard worker he’s a manager actually and to see how he stands on his business the same way I see myself doing so this is exactly why I did what he did you know what I’m
Saying to be in the same fraternity as my father’s accomplishment and I can you know finally cross it off on my to-do list I also grew up around alas I got uncles cousins that’s also office I fell in love with HT Bros in terms of like The Way They Carried themselves on
Campus you know what I’m saying I never really seen them like into no BS for real Bros was always on top of their business they was always working holding events and honestly Alphas on on our yard they were there and they were present you know what I’m saying like
This is not saying that none of the other Greeks on campus didn’t do anything but Alphas was always there they was always on the yard doing something holding an event me personally while I became Alpha I was fortunate enough to meet uh a bro in high school
And a bro before him put him through the process and helped him pay for the everything so fortunately I was fortunate enough to have somebody do that for me and bless me but me personally why I became an alpha I would say the presence was important what I
Saw on campus and like what they were showing to the public was very important that resonated with me and the way that they were welcoming and the Bros did not judge me as a person you know so I think that was a very big accomplishment in my
Life to be able to be a part of a community that was welcoming and will always have my for the rest of my life in my case Alpha goes way back to like seventh grade that was the first time I got introduced to Alpha and it was
Mainly because of my older brother who uh crossed in Fall 2014 a u ofi so I was in seventh grade seeing his probate not to me I thought it was like the movie stumped the yard but at that time like I didn’t know anything about any other
Frats or whatsoever but even during my high school years I used to go down to the UI and go down to the Alpha House down there and Bros at that time was like treating me like I was an actual bro even though wasn’t even old enough
Yet I’m like 15 16 at this time and yeah I was just like welcoming man or what not so then when I came here on campus you know I learned that like I was more deep into that and then that my reasons for why I want to be an outa can’t like
Pretty much be based off oh my brother done paved the way after like doing a lot of more research and like into myself I start realizing and looking at the history of our fraternity that you know we got great leaders like Mar Luther King Jr and those great members
Like a lot of activists that came and like through as Alpha whatnot and in my high school I was experiencing a lot of racism you know I’m International baloria alumni and I was the only black kid in my class and I had teachers telling me that you know your reading
Writing level is not good it’s not going to be in a good college level and then when I compare my situation with Mar Luther King I seen all like the adversary and the challenges that he had faced you know to still just trying to better himself as a man and also better
Himself as a community so in my case that when I passed those classes and got my certificate and everything it was like me Paving away and like letting step know that like you know I could overcome my challenges as well you know I could fight against that adversary and
That racism as well I was also in the IB program it was something it was something man one common thing I he is like the alpha presence even coming from childhood and like just seeing the impact that it’s had on you guys and I think that’s definitely important for
Fraternity is not for only four over years you have like a Brotherhood but beyond those four years like a Brotherhood that last past college so I definitely think that presence is is definitely something that’s really big for you guys and then also the presence on campus because I’m not going to lie
You know me from an outside perspective you hear the top fraternity uh Divine n alpha alpha year Alpha on top you always hear about Alpha events going on you anytime you guys have anything like everyone hears about it so definitely that Alpha presence on campus is definitely respectable thank you thank
You apprciate appreciate it so can you guys highlight what makes the alpha fraternity stand out on campus when we do stuff we want to make sure it’s done the right way we want to make sure it’s out alha quality and Alpha quality is you ding all your eyes you Crossing all
Your te’s and just the events we put on WE some of the most creative Bros or creative fraternities on the yard right now it’s a lot of people that’s not doing the type of stuff we doing we giving out free haircuts we holding mental health events yes sir we doing
Powderpuff every year we doing Str like Alpha every year like we are bringing together different people and we letting our presence be known in a in a great way yeah another thing I want to touch on about that is like these events that we throw on campus is like these not
Events like for us these events for the community so most of our events we try to gear towards and mainly like cater to the community as well and that’s actually why our president is really being known is because we listen to what the community wants and whatever the
Community wants is what we’re going to give I also think that it’s important that we’re doing something like that especially at a predominantly white institution because there’s a lot of black students here as well and they need to feel like they have a safe space where they can go and be themselves and
Not be judged that’s what’s Alpha’s about creating a safe place for the black students and people of color one new event that we threw was Speed network you know what I’m saying Speed network and that event was a phenomenal event we had Bros from our alumni chapter come down shout out new Lambda
By the way for sure and there was kids that came in there with their resumes and you know they were getting their resumes looked at by professionals because I mean ultimately we can help them out but when you can have a professional do it too like it just
Makes it look way better you guys share any like key Milestones or achievement your fraternity has accomplished over the years at our district and Regional conferences we have been winning the Charles H Wes award this is a Brotherhood award this award pretty much exemplifies about us as as college men
In the college chapter collabing with our gr and alumni chapter as well big shout out to new sou Lambda on that so we done like a lot of events like that just one of those words editions and Prem much just highlighting like the collab events that we did like talking
To the kids at the high school or doing community service we were actually wind up getting the street adopted uh after Alpha fight Alpha uh the Ada of talk chapter here on campus it’s right there on Main Street right there by the McDonald’s we are also have won step
Shows in the past also be on the lookout in the spring next semester there will be a step show coming for that title by the way we are coming for that title y’all heard it here first y’all heard it here first so be Lookout sometime around
March or April so yeah we have also one like step shows as well what personal stories or experiences uh have you had in Alpha that you think really uh shows its you know values and who you guys are we have a chief Dean named brother Brandon Cathy personally me I was going
Through some my grandfather had passed away and he took me in he let me come into his family dinner we was eating catfish spaghetti him welcoming me into his home just shows like what type of fraternity we are and what we’re about that was my personal story that I like
It resonated with me and like made me understand that these my brothers and we locked in for Life shout out PF though for real for real for real he always make sure he come coming through for us at all times it might be times if we might not have enough money to cover
Something he’ll go go into his person pockets and get that to us you feel me so that just really shows the type of people that Alpha men are and the type of people that you’ll meet throughout Cy has done the same thing for me as well
Even my like Bros and like my M Pro fights and my Dean as well you know I don’t have recently had some talks with him and like Bros just like provide like that guidance for me personally even uh me just being as Alpha my life has got
Like a lot more crazier compared to beforehand or what not but even though it gots more crazier it also motived me to become a lot more better at time management and like just being more punctual and you know just being more disciplined and determined on a lot of
Things and stuff like that at those times like you know Bros had came in and like continue like push me and like motivate me like we used to have Brotherhood events uh a year ago when I it was just me and my ships and we just bowling just playing pool and that right
There was just taking a break from like life in general or whatnot was separates uh average fraternity from fraternity with value I think really is it Brotherhood that you have around you in the culture that you guys create because there are a lot of fraternities where
You really don’t feel at own or you really don’t feel like these guys at your back or some people just join some fraternities just for their own benefit when you have an environment where you guys like actually care about each other and you guys actually are for the
Well-being of your brothers and you have you know older brothers younger brothers everyone that is looking out for you I think that is very important to have what does brotherhood mean you know what I mean Alpha what role does brotherhood play something that I’ve always loved
Since we got in chapter is at the end of each chapter mean we do good and wellness you saying something good that’s happening in your life but you also telling Bros some bad that’s happening in your life you feel me like I was going through some mental
Struggles and stuff like that and I told Bros about that and Bros was like man make sure you get that help make sure you come and talk to us we got your back you feel me like even if that’s just coming over to play the game oh you
Hungry all right I got you like he Bros ain’t got no money in their pocket and they be like hey hey I got some some EBT for you what you need you feel me like it’s real that’s real we College stud we college students you know what I’m
Saying it’s very hard out here and we just all make sure we have each other’s backs Bros do not play about Bros at the end of the day especially after a long tough summer like we lost our assistant Dean he passed away RP Rob we lost
Another one of our Pro fights uh Jeff Long Live Jeff Long Live Rob and and we came together it was tough for for for a lot of our Bros to have to deal with so much loss but brotherhood is just coming together to pick up that 80 or that 90%
That one of us can’t hold no for real you know what I’m saying I believe that it’s important that as people and even as brothers that we looking at after each other and checking on each other and that’s something in Alpha that’s never been a problem it’s crazy they
Won’t leave me alone okay I love that about y’all and that that’s what separates us from the valued fraternity and the fraternity that’s just out there doing stuff you feel me there’s really nothing better than brother like this for real because there was a lot of
Things that I had going on like mental things and honestly whether that be if I had one bro gr up or if I hit them all up they all still have my back at the end of the day like you know class you know I’m pretty sure some people
Struggle with classes and everything know I’m saying but you tell Bros like hey I ain’t going to lie like you know like I I need to do some school work or I need to do this all right bro lock in like do what you got to do you know what
I’m saying like Bros motivate you to do what you have to do at the end of the day so that that way you don’t have to struggle to find that motivation in between yourself kind like touching on Mental Health like I know like having a Brotherhood that’s Strong having guys
That you can count on having guys you can come to with these mental health issues is very important because I mean otherwise if we D like we really what else we going to do we just going keep B we put up a shield we always are defensive and we’re not able to be
Humble enough to come to somebody and say we need help we get angry we get mad at the world I’m blessed to have a good group of friends in my life before Alpha but really before College in general I wasn’t the type to really just talk
About my problems for real for real like that but then like when you with people almost every single day seeing each other for event seeing each other go to Library see each other play the game these are people that you can depend on them for anything that you might need it
Kind of breaks down that barrier of yeah all right bet all right let me go talk to bro real quick let me slide on him and we going to kick it and we going we going to drink or we going we going to play the game you know what I’m saying
Like that’s a lot of stuff that that’s a blessing you know what I’m saying yeah even if it’s not though like I got to talk to him it’s still having that presence having your voice just knowing hey I can go over and play the game like sometimes playing the game that that
Really can solve the problems you Tak out you feel me literally that’s all they do if it’s not 2K it’s Madden play 2K Madden lit it’s not Madden we playing GTA Moral Kombat UFC FanDuel like like like I’m not going to lie bro we be bonding we be bonding over Cindy parlays
Back and forth in the group chat lit Brandon Ingram is on the no bet list for me like after that performance last night I’m not betting on bro no like for real so how would you say being an alpha prepares you for life beyond College like professional opportunities or even
Just like the uh Brotherhood beond I mean definitely I will say one thing for me is it’s definitely networking you know I’m a spring 23 inititive but I mean I’m already learning how to network with other frates and sororities you know what I’m saying they’re hitting us
Up for collab events you know what I’m saying we hanging out with them to see you know like okay like they cool like maybe we can consider this you know what I’m saying like being a Neil and learning how to network early is always a good thing because when you Lear how
To network so early on you know what I’m saying that carries on way past college you know what I’m saying like learning how to network was definitely one of the things I wanted to learn and I’m not going to lie ala most definitely taught me how to network so I’m just going to
Say it now like whether it’s just between alfha or any other fraternity like learn how to network when y’all first get put on bro like learn how to network bro to network is very important especially post College it’s about who you know it’s not about what you know
Actually that resonates with me be because it’s like I’m public health and I’m occupational pre-occupational therapy so I got to like after school I have to talk on LinkedIn to so many doctors to get Shadow hours to go to hospitals or like there’s home carees
And stuff so there’s Bros that are in in this field and I can search up on LinkedIn and they be right there so even seeing them at events I met a bro that’s a PT he was like yeah I have my own practice you can come come over the
Summer and come get some hours so that’s very important to network people in Greek life in general all all was good bro you got a you got AIA on what’s good oh I’m a c from this school I’m a c from this school everybody’s going to look
Out for you in any way I’ve gotten opportunities from Deltas from Zetas from Capal Q’s like everywhere like it’s all over there to your original question is It prepares you to put that work in like being on campus every day having to do events having to host events having
To work on your public speaking having to shoot podcast like this this just prepares you for when we multi-millionaires and we got to speak on panels and we got to talk manifestation like prayers prayers yeah literally remember started off here they be watching this like 5 10 years definitely has made me get
Comfortable with being uncomfortable for sure it definitely has made me step out my comfort zone and I and I like that cuz D once I do that like I’m more adaptable now no matter what kind of curve barall that comes my way or that life throws at me like I’mma always
Bounce back for show so I can say like that’s definitely like how alpha like pretty much Embrace like that kind of characteristic and that kind of skill that I have it’s been days now like even just being present of my chapter or what not you know just telling to somebody
Like man like this is the event this is how it’s going to go you know get straight to the tell they look at me and be like yeah that’s kind of possible how you going to get it done but it’s kind of crazy and like I still don’t even
Have an answer to it but for some way somehow I don’t know as Alphas like we make the impossible possible what challenges have you guys faced over the past few years and like how you guys overcame that trying to figure out like what I’m going to do after school right
So I came in as a bio major for two years was doing well but I was like I’m not a robot like I don’t want to just go to exams and study study study cram my brain and just take those exams I so I chose public health because I was able
To articulate myself as a man and as a person who promotes his own health and the health of others that’s something I that I struggled with like trying to find what I want to do for the next 20 30 years of my life you know a lot of
People don’t even say it but a lot of people struggle with that a lot of people are like dang like what am I going to do after school that was a milestone that Alpha helped me overcome because it was like it’s okay to not know right now just try to make a little
Plan take it day by day you feel me lock in that’s all for me it’s probably just learning to deal with being overwhelmed and learning how to deal with that stress you going to have two projects to do you going to have an event to run tomorrow you going have another event
After that you’re going to have to deal with that stress regardless so that’s just uh one of the difficulties I had to get over that hump of cuz now it’s like don’t nothing really be bothering me no more I be like all right whatever let me
Goe and do this real quick it is what it is it is what it is if it’s something about your control it is what it is but go and handle go and handle your business for whatever you do have to handle what can we do about it you hear
Me Nathan Nath Nathaniel bird some of the challenges I have face at least coming from a president perspective was keep the chapter together you know and keep Brothers together cuz you know at the end of day we all brothers and like all families like you know we all have
Our squabbles and our fights and whatnot but even though it’s my job I still have to lead my brothers and you know my brothers look at me to like continue to lead and do the best that I can or what not so I would say like that is like
Kind of one major challenge for sure like just even facing and also like you know just um keeping people accountable you know sometimes like a lot of people don’t like to take accountability you know for whatever they uh reasons may be but it’s just the fact that like just
Just being accountable you know will just solve like a lot of problems you know and I think that’s like really like a main thing that you know I just don’t face for show just far as like speaking on CH just wi shout out to my ship
Adrian cuz Not only was he the youngest on our line but he was the youngest in chapter and he took on that role to be president so shout out to you sh appreciate you my brother as a sophomore by the way appreciate y’all man you guys got any
Last words for the audience whatever you do love what you’re doing do not let nobody deter you from whatever you want to do whether that’s making music making art being a teacher business analyst accountant whatever the case may be always love what you’re doing grind hard ignore all the distractions ignore all
The energy just stay focused hey hey hey welcome to HTV manv live H hey thank you for having Us
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