When choosing what to pledge, Corcoles saw Iota as a good fit for him.
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“I had overcome many obstacles along the way and have been building my legacy in the process.” “I realized that I was building something from scratch as a single father and being the first male in my family to attend college,” Corcoles said. “I think it only goes up from here, I think it really does help bring opportunities to not only all students but to particularly our African American students.”Īurtro Corcoles was one of the three inductees. “We’re really looking forward to these men really helping build something that is sustainable, so they can move forward for a long time here at APSU,” Dominy said. Iota Phi Theta is the third Greek organization introduced to campus this semester after Kappa Sigma Fraternity and Sigma Kappa Sorority. “It shows a culture shift in dynamics particularly related to diversity, I also think it speaks volumes to the African-American community about the ability to come together and create a community that is unlike anything else across the state,” Dominy said. The introduction of this chapter represents diversity, Dominy said. We have been working to really help get them off the ground so they can begin to thrive and be successful here on this campus,” Dominy said. “I have been in conversations since I arrived almost four years ago. I am glad to finally see it come to fruition.”Īlong with Baugus, Dominy has been working for several years to get an Iota chapter at APSU. “It has been a little more challenging than I anticipated. “It was one of my goals when I arrived here, that we would have all nine,” Stephen Dominy, Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, said. APSU and University of Tennessee at Knoxville currently have all nine. “We have all the Divine Nine here now, and that is very big for a campus like this one,” Baugus said.įew predominantly white institutions in Tennessee have all nine NPHC organizations. Members of all nine NPHC organizations were there. The room was full of APSU students and the Clarksville community. The fraternity’s official introduction was Friday night in the Clement auditorium. “This is so special to me because we actually get to showcase Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. “It is a long time coming, because I came out here solo,” Baugus said.
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Things changed five years ago when Tez Baugus, a member of Iota began working to establish a chapter for APSU. Until recently, APSU has had only eight of the nine represented on campus. The Divine Nine are the nine historically black fraternities and sororities that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The Fraternity's purpose is, "The development and perpetuation of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Fidelity, and Brotherhood among Men.Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc., the last of the Divine Nine, has officially introduced itself to the APSU community with three new members.
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It was this perspective from which they established the Fraternity's purpose, "The development and perpetuation of Scholarship, Leadership, Citizenship, Fidelity, and Brotherhood among Men." Additionally, they conceived the Fraternity's motto, "Building a Tradition, Not Resting Upon One!" Based upon their ages, heightened responsibilities, and increased level of maturity, this group had a slightly different perspective than the norm for college students.
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The Honorable founders of Iota Phi Theta were: Albert Hicks, Lonnie Spruill, Jr., Charles Briscoe, Frank Coakley, John Slade, Barron Willis, Webster Lewis, Charles Brown, Louis Hudnell, Charles Gregory, Elias Dorsey, Jr., and Michael Williams. On September 19, 1963, at Morgan State College (now Morgan State University), 12 students founded what is now the nation's fifth-largest, predominately African-American social service fraternity: The Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Incorporated.