Looking for a way to help people, but OSPIRG and Fraternity and Sorority Life aren’t quite what you’re looking for? An increasing number of high schools are requiring students to complete community service hours — an honorable goal. However, in college, it becomes hard to find the time, opportunities and motivation to continue these habits. Fortunately, the University of Oregon has a student service group that would make Al Gore proud.
Alpha Phi Omega, or APO, is a national coed fraternity whose goals are friendship, leadership and, most importantly, community service. Originally started in 1925 as a way for boy scouts to continue doing service in college, the fraternity became open to all students in 1976. The group is technically a fraternity because of its history and connection with the more than 375 other Alpha Phi Omega chapters across the United States, and although it shares some of the same traditions as Greek Life, such as hosting chapter meetings, the nonexclusive group has no association with FSL on campus.
President Jenna Boss, a senior mathematics major, joined APO her sophomore year and appreciates its straightforwardness. “I wasn’t finding what I needed in other groups, so I just went for it and joined APO. It’s a generally happy group of people who like to serve others. No complications,” she said.
Last Saturday, several APO members spent their Saturday afternoon putting on an event called the Community Meal. The bi-annual event provided a hot meal, sandwiches, canned food, sleeping bags, clothes and toiletries to homeless people.
Julie Collins, a junior majoring in sociology, was the Community Meal’s coordinator. Starting the first week of the term, she’s been working hard to plan the event, doing everything from getting food handlers’ permits to networking with local businesses to get food donations.
Collins, like many of the other members, enjoyed doing community service in high school and wanted a place to continue while in college.
“I really found a community of people that’s awesome to know and they enjoy doing the same things I do,” she said. “I never had met anyone who was in APO before I joined and now I’m friends with everyone.”
APO is comprised of 30-50 members per term, all from different areas of campus, making the group extremely diverse. They complete upwards of 1,000 service hours a year through events like Relay for Life and Dance Marathon, and with organizations like Books for Africa and Mount Pisgah Arboretum. Each member is required to complete 10 hours of service per term, which is easy thanks to all of the APO-organized opportunities. The group also bonds through retreats, potlucks and hanging out before and after events.
Juan Rivera, a UO junior majoring in biopsychology, joined APO because of his passion for civic duty and desire to make friends.
“I would recommend APO to anyone who wants to get involved,” Rivera said. “If you’re passionate about helping people and meeting new people — and helping yourself — then it’s truly worth it.”