Alpha Psi Omega

All you want to know about Alpha Psi Omega

Alpha Psi Omega - ΑΨΩ

The Pin of Alpha Psi Omega

Motto:

Seek a life useful

Established:

August 12, 1925

Type:

Honorary

Location:

Ada, Oklahoma, USA

Colors:

moonlight blue and bastard amber

Alpha Psi Omega (ΑΨΩ) is an American recognition honor society recognizing participants in collegiate theatre. The Alpha cast (Alpha Psi Omega's designation for "chapter") was founded at Fairmont State College (now Fairmont State University) on August 12, 1925 by professor Paul F. Opp. There are currently 977 casts nationwide, including inactives.

Membership is open to those who are active in their college theatre. Most casts/chapters use a "point system" for determining eligibility of membership, with a certain number of points being dealt to a certain task in theatre. With some chapters there is a rush and pledge process, while other chapters choose members solely on merit, where the theatre experience is considered the pledge process.

1 Current National Officers
2 Facts About Alpha Psi Omega
3 Famous Alpha Psi Omega Members
4 External links

Current National Officers

National President - Dr. E. Teresa Choate, Kean University
National Vice-President - Frankie Day, North Carolina A & T University
National Business Manager - Dr. Bret Jones, Witchita State University

Delta Psi Omega Representative - Lisa Coulter, Murray State College

Regional Representatives
Region I - Brian Reed, Whittier College
Region II - Jack Garrison, University of Nebraska at Kearney
Region III - Dr. Ardenicia Hall-Karambe, Community College of Philadelphia
Region IV - John Bald, Converse College
Region V - Matthew E. Ellis, University of Oklahoma

National Webmaster - Joel Lord (alumnus, RPI)

Facts About Alpha Psi Omega

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (October 2007)

Delta Psi Omega, Alpha Psi Omega's "Sister Society," was founded in 1929 as the official junior-college division of Alpha Psi Omega. Both societies are governed by the same National Officers. Delta Psi Omega is mainly founded at two-year institutions (junior colleges/community colleges), while Alpha Psi Omega is founded at four-year institutions (colleges or universities).

Dr. Paul F. Opp and Alpha Psi Omega were also instrumental in helping to organize the International Thespian Society, the national theatre honor society for high school students. With a grant of $500, the society able to help organize I.T.S. and help publish the first issues of the I.T.S. magazine, Dramatics. The International Thespian Society has since been assimulated into the Educational Theatre Association, but the influences can been seen in the similarities of both organizations' colors and initiation ceremonies.

Together, Alpha Psi Omega and Delta Psi Omega make up over 1000 chapters nationwide, both active and inactive, making Alpha Psi Omega/Delta Psi Omega the largest Greek Letter Organization in the United States.

Members are commonly referred to as "APO's." However, due to some confusion with members of the national service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega, some campuses refer to their members as "Alpha Psi's."

At the founding, Alpha Psi Omega was called "Alpha Psi Omega National Dramatic Honors Fraternity" and used dramatic terminology to refer to their society's officers and workings. Examples are:
President/National President - Director / Grand Director
Vice-President/National Vice-President - Stage Manager / Grand Stage Manager
Secretary-Treasurer/ National Secretary-Treasurer - Business Manager / Grand Business Manager
Chapter - Cast
Pledges/Probationary Members - Understudies
National Officers - Grand Cast
National Convention - Grand Rehearsal
In 1997, the National Officers decided, upon pressure from anti-fraternity sentiments nationwide, to update the public titles of the society. This changed the official name of the society from "Alpha Psi Omega National Dramatic Honors Fraternity" to "Alpha Psi Omega National Theatre Honor Society."

The open motto of Alpha Psi Omega, written in ancient Greek upon their coat-of-arms, is "Seek a Life Useful." A secret motto is used during the Initiation ceremony.