If you ever happen to pass through Olin at 6 p.m. on a Thursday, you just might hear a deafening chorus of voices chanting “FRIENDSHIP, LEADERSHIP, SERVICE!” Never fear – this war cry of sorts marks the beginning of every chapter meeting of Alpha Phi Omega, Southwestern’s only co-ed Greek organization.

Founded in 1925 at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, the Alpha Phi Omega national fraternity is the nation’s largest co-ed fraternity, boasting over 25,000 active members across the country and 525,000 total initiated members since its founding. APO is rooted in the values of the Boy Scouts Oath and Law and guided by its own core principles of friendship, leadership, and service.

 Here at Southwestern, the Alpha Gamma Kappa chapter (founded in 1991) is one of the largest organizations on campus, and participates enthusiastically in campus culture and events. From handing out snowcones at the annual Homecoming tailgate to hosting service opportunities across Georgetown to bringing their all to spring SING! performances, the presence and impact of APO members on our community is undeniable. 

APO is, at its core, an organization dedicated to service: service to the campus, to Georgetown, and to the nation as a whole. Recent service events include hosting supply drives for the Caring Place, collaborating with Kat Kares to provide hot meals to Georgetown’s unhoused population, making dog toys and participating in Doggy Day Out for the Williamson County Animal Shelter, trash pickups at San Gabriel Park, and conservancy efforts with Shoal Creek in Austin. This service is the core of APO, but rather than isolated service events, APO is a true community of individuals dedicated to bettering themselves and their community. This is what really makes APO stand out on campus and across the nation; according to current president Peyton Brown, “APO is a type of community that is hard to find on a college campus… [it] has given me a space where I can grow in service and in leadership, among people who are like-minded and who are going to support me all the way through.”

Although APO is primarily focused on its service efforts, its other two pillars of friendship and service are held in equally high esteem. The organization promotes leadership and civic participation through registering students to vote, hosting career talks and workshops, and collaborating with other campus organizations to maximize student leadership potential. It’s not all about work, though: APO is focused on fostering a true sense of friendship, camaraderie, and unity among its members. Its dedicated Friendship Chair is in charge of planning movie nights, shared meals, games, trivia, and outings across Georgetown and Austin; chapter activity times and institutions like honoring a bi-weekly Member at Large foster a true sense of fellowship.

A common sentiment among APO members is that the organization allowed them to meet people, gain experience, and try things outside of their comfort zones: member J’Lisa Chambers expressed that, although she’d “always been involved within [her] school and community, APO made [her] branch out, try new things, and really serve the community”. 

APO inducted its Fall 2026 pledge class on September 24, but there is excellent news for anyone still interested in joining: the organization does rolling recruitment, meaning that you can become a member even after missing the induction date! If you want to serve the campus community, branch out of your comfort zone, or just meet some new friends, APO might just be the place for you.

If you’re a student organization leader or member interested in a spotlight piece on your org, please reach out to megaphone@southwestern.edu, papasana@southwestern.edu (Augustus Papasan, Editor in Chief), or moore23@southwestern.edu (Archer Moore, Assistant Editor in Chief).