The men of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. will host their Black and Gold Gala at 5 p.m. tomorrow in the Hayden Clark Alumni Center. This is the first event of its kind, which includes a dinner aimed at promoting and celebrating diversity on the Hilltop.
There will be singing, dancing and poetry performances. David Bozeman, vice president of Caterpillar Enterprise Group is the keynote speaker, and Interim President Stan Liberty is scheduled to speak as well.
The Black and Gold Gala is named for the colors of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Alpha Phi Alpha is a Black intercollegiate Greek Letter Organization.
The mission statement of Bradley’s Epsilon Kappa chapter is to “develop leaders, promote brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities,” according to its website.
The chapter is putting its mission statement to action with the Black and Gold Gala.
“The gala is designed to provide the Bradley University community with the foundation to increase diversity awareness, cultural sensitivity and presence on our campus,” Rasheed Habler, president of the Epsilon Kappa chapter, said.
The event functions as an opportunity for students to network with alumni and diverse professionals in the Peoria community. The chapter also invited students from Quest High School to attend the event, who are able to network with current Bradley students as part of its “Go to High School, Go to College” program.
“The ‘Go to High School, Go to College’ program, established in 1922, concentrates on the importance of completing secondary and collegiate education as a road to advancement,” senior public relations major Habler said. “Statistics prove the value of this extra impetus in making the difference in the success of young African American men, given that school completion is the single best predictor of future economic success. Through the Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College educational initiative, young men receive information and learn strategies that facilitate success.”
The “Go to High School, Go to College” program isn’t the only advocacy program at the gala. There will also be a place for students to register to vote as part of the “A Voteless People is a Hopeless People” initiative.
