alpha gamma rho

Welcome to the blog of the Alpha Gamma Rho chapter of Alpha Phi Omega. This blog is dedicated to the brothers at Florida Tech to connect with chapters, students & alumni world wide. If you have any questions regarding Alpha Gamma Rho, specifically, please contact us at [email protected].

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Nikole

Two Words: Candy Fight. But I will get back to that!

  My first semester of college didn't go exactly how I wanted to. Being in a long distance relationship at the time took all of my time away. I had a great friend group that I found. They were really fun people.

  Unfortunately, my ex boyfriend never let me have a social life... always wanting me to be a recluse in my room on Skype. The next semester... after I lost that friend group... I only had a friend or two. My mother told me I needed to join a club and find something that fit me.

  The beginning of the spring semester I tried really hard to find a group I could fit in with. I listened to the sororities and read all about the different clubs, but nothing was really exciting me... the people weren't exciting me. When I was about to give up, I was walking through the arch at Columbia Village to go eat dinner.

  I was having a particularly lonely day. The first sound that i ever heard coming from this amazing group was the cackling, loud, hysterical, and overly addictive laugh of NONE OTHER than Rosemary.

  I peep my head in to see what everyone is laughing about and duck in surprise as some Smarties go hurling across the room. I look around in complete amusement as a bunch of dorky people are throwing all sorts of delicious sweets all over the room. The first thing that came into my head is, "THESE ARE MY PEOPLE!!"

  That is when Karolyn came into the corner, "Excuse our behavior, we aren't always being this crazy," and went on to tell me all about all the service APO did. I thought, 'THIS COULDN'T BE MORE PERFECT!'

  I was a volunteer all through high school for an elderly home, visiting lonely elders and playing the guitar for them. I finally had found what I was looking for. A family that had two of the most important values to me... never letting the kid inside die and spreading happiness by helping others who need it.

  And now I am part of one of the most amazing groups in the country. I am proud to be a brother of APO... and it all started with an addictive laugh and a candy fight.

~The End

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Andrew

Deciding on a specific time on when I met the people that I happily call brothers today is a very difficult task, mainly because it has been a series of fun times, interleaved with serious heart-to-heart moments.

  If I had to choose one specific time over all others, it would probably be one night spent at Karolyn and Brittany's apartment in Harris, helping Rosemary make garlic knots (taste-testing is hard work) and watching movies, and just talking. That moment was probably one of the bigger turning points, where I really felt like I belonged, and that I had a place there, which was only really reinforced as time went on.

In the end, it truly crystallized on one of the last service projects with Karolyn last fall, the Christmas Cards for Soldiers. It wasn't the event so much as it was relaxing with brothers, and watching through the entire Legend of Korra series in one night, after spending the first part of the day making cards and helping hanging out with brothers.

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Karolyn

College is a time for reinventing yourself, finding yourself, discovering who you really are, and a series of other platitudes about growing up and into adulthood.

  One of the most important ways I did this was by joining APO, and I couldn't have done that without first meeting my brothers.

It was the beginning of my sophomore year, and I had recently gone through my first breakup, as well as having had both my closest friends transfer out of the school.

  I'd had an accident in June, so my wrist was still in a brace, and I was living in Harris with two people I didn't know and an empty room. I needed something to do with my time, and I needed friends.

  The past year, I spent a lot of time doing volunteer work, just as I had throughout high school. The FLL Lego League, beach cleanups, art festivals, I love community service. But walking to downtown Melbourne is a bit of a hike, and being a stupid freshman, I actually had to print out a map. Don't judge me- I have no sense of direction.

On the last weekend of freshman year, one of the guys I hung out with offered me a ride so I wouldn't have to walk all the way, and suggested I join his service group. The thought had been simmering in my head all summer, and when I got back, I knew that I needed a place to belong. I remembered the name and waited until I saw a booth for recruitment.

I took the dive and signed up, not knowing who anyone was, but with the knowledge that we had at least one thing in common. I took a drive with them to the first service event, a trash pickup at Melbourne beach, nearly passed out from lack of water (having refreshments at the end was poor planning, but that was rectified for future events!).

They forgot that I was a vegetarian, and walked to the local grocery store to pick up some hummus and pita bread, seeing as burgers and hot dogs are less than veggie friendly. And throughout the fiasco, I got this sense of fun and friendship that I knew was going to lead me into APO. Three years later, it was the best decision I made in college. My brothers made my college experience worth it.

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Daniel

I met my brothers when I went to the Rathskeller to play pool and eat pizza as was a tradition every night me or my friends: could not sleep, had nothing to do, were hungry for pizza, or were determined to procrastinate on work. (Not me of course I’m in APO I don’t procrastinate much.)

We ordered our pizza and promptly associated ourselves with another group of friends before heading to the pool tables. Then, I overhead someone scream free root beer floats! I pondered how anyone could resist such a temping offer. I would have been called insane to ignore the offer placed forth.

So without a care in the world I took my root beer float and it cost nothing but an explanation of their organization on campus which was worth all the root beer floats in the world. For no reason at all one of my friends urged me to listen.

Introduced to me was Brittany who explained to me what APO was and what they did. At first I was confused hadn’t I met all the fraternities during orientation week? Apparently I was denied ever meeting these people till since they were not considered a fraternity on campus.

APO does everything other fraternities do and more, they cost a lot less than other fraternities, and they aren’t consider a fraternity just because they are co-ed. Another tempting offer I could not refuse. Over the next few days I attended their rush events which included, but not limited to: meeting a lot of people, free food, free candy fights, and building a tower out of soda cans.

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Kelsey

I ran into my Panther Prep Leader, Albert, in the SUB at lunch one day after classes started. Albert called me over and introduced me to all his friends that were sitting at a table decorated with Alpha Phi Omega flyers and pictures from activities that they did together.

I had lunch with them and listened to them talk about how much fun APO was. I took one of their recruitment schedules and considered going to some events. I really wasn’t sure if I wanted to join, because I didn’t want to be “Greek”.

I went to the first event and played twister and other games, and got to know more people. I had such a good time at all the recruitment events, and I realized that there was no stereotypical “Greek” culture among the members. They were just accepting people that liked to have fun together and make a difference.

Now I spend every summer looking forward to coming back and going to projects again. You can find volunteer projects on your own, but it’s much more fun (and funny) to volunteer with APO!

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Ariana

The greatest thing about being a member of Alpha Phi Omega is that all of the brothers I came to know throughout my pledging I had actually met before even knowing what organization they were a part of.

It was as if these friendships naturally formed, like we were meant to become brothers. I had actually met three of the brothers a semester before I started college and it was so awesome to actually see how much of an impact they had on me not just as a brother, but a leader.

I've taken on so many leadership positions in all of my organizations at FIT and it has even made me more sociable than I could ever imagine. For someone that most of her brothers would call 'the most involved', I actually didn't attend any of the recruitment events to know - for sure - that I belonged in one of the most dynamic fraternities in the world. I can clearly say that I cannot imagine myself this happy without APhiO.

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Alissa

Before I transferred to Florida Tech I went to Indian River State College where I earned my Associates degree. At IRSC I was inducted, in the spring of 2009, into an honor society, Phi Theta Kappa. Besides being an honor society, our chapter would do community service. Beach clean-ups, food drives, and working at an annual community event handing out Thanksgiving dinner to those of lesser fortune became not a service, but a privilege.

  My Phi Theta Kappa chapter became some of my closest friends and my IRSC family. We all graduated in 2010 at the same time and it was bittersweet. We promised to stay in touch and get together as often as possible.

  When I started at Florida Tech it was a new beginning, new people, new friends. Thankfully the Physics and Space Sciences department is small and my classmates were fast friends. But I still didn't find my niche. I was able to get a work study position in my department at the Geospace Physics Lab working as an undergraduate research assistant to one of the graduate students, Eric.

  At this time I also met Andrew, a senior Astrophysics major in the Student Astronomical Society. Over the fall semester Andrew, myself and my friend and fellow space science student Beverly, would observe some nights with our schools research telescope. I would talk about PTK, my friends and the community service we did.

  As the spring semester came around Andrew got to talking about Alpha Phi Omega, the Co-Ed service fraternity on campus. He thought I'd be a wonderful member and encouraged me to come to events. School has been, and always was number one, but I still hadn't found my niche.

  Around this time I found out Eric was a brother and of course joking threats to "fire" me if I didn't join soon accompanied Andrew's pleas. So one Sunday in February, Andrew texted me to "dress nice and come to Crawford". I didn't know anyone besides Andrew, but I went. The ceremony went through its paces, but it was after all the pomp and circumstance that really made me feel that I belonged.

  I turned to meet my "Big Brother" Asha, someone I had never met, who had her arms open and welcoming. All the brothers hugged me and congratulated me. I didn't even know their names, but man, did I feel welcomed!

  Over the course of the first week as a pledge, I would walk across campus and intermittently see various brothers, all of them waving and saying "Hi Alissa!". Something clicked. As the semester continued, APO did service projects and fellowship events, where I got to know my new brothers. I was inducted into a family. A hardworking one and a close one. At the end of the semester I as a pledge had the decision to be initiated as a brother. This decision was easy. I had found my niche."-AO

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Chris

Kids let me tell you the story of how I met your brothers, it was the spring semester of 2013 and my friends and I were playing Magic the Gathering in the 2nd floor of the Student Union Building. Usually the 2nd floor is empty, but today was different. While we were playing I noticed an eccentric blonde girl talking to my friend. As I overheard their conversation I learned that he was selling his Pokémon cards to this girl. After he left I noticed the girl was struggling to carry her large binders filled with colorful cardboard. Out of the kindness of my heart I decided to offer help to her, she kindly accepted and I carried her binders. After helping her, I continued with my day and eventually my friend Ariana convinced me to join Alpha Phi Omega.  I met amazing brothers like Brittany, Andrew and Shane (Who was actually from my hometown) during recruitment and finally went to inductions, where I thought I would get a random person as my big. When we got to the part where we turn around and get introduced to our big, I was expecting a person I never met and I think the people who decided bigs thought the same. When I turned around whom do I see but an eccentric blond girl, the very same girl who I helped before I was recruited. Everyone, including my Big and I, were surprised that we actually met before and were paired as big and little. And kids that’s how I met your brother, my big, Nikole, and kids it was LEGEND…………DARY! -CP

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Brittany

Together we formed one!

I met my brothers during recruitment but i didn't realize i had found a family until halfway through pledging when we went to the premiere of the 7th Harry Potter movie. Two other pledges and myself were in sync throughout the whole movie. Laughing together, crying together sounding like one loud woman instead of three quiet ones. -BK

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Beth

Hey, this is alum Beth. I wasn't sure how you wanted us to send stories. My freshman year I was placed in Shaw Hall.

  My roommate and both my next door neighbors were pledging so I had brothers all around our dorm rooms hanging out.

  I didn't pledge that year, I was in a play and didn't think I had time. I became more involved with College Players and started meeting brothers there too. Eventually I realized most of my friends that I met elsewhere were also brothers, so it seemed inevitable that I would join.

  Finally, my second year I pledged and my neighbor from freshman year became my big. I am thankful I finally came to my senses, it was the best decision I could have made. I'm just sorry I didn't realize it sooner. -BD

[apofloridatech]

How I Met My Brothers: Rosemary

I think the question isn’t how I met my brothers, but rather how I got to know them. I first met a brother of our chapter at the organization fair held for incoming freshmen.

I saw the word service highlighted on a presentation board, and it caught my eye so I approached the table and began talking to the Vice President of Membership of the chapter, who invited me to a service project the next Saturday. I decided to go along to the Genesis house project and showed up at the dorm circle to wait for a ride.

There, I was welcomed by numerous brothers who had gotten up early to attend the project. As we worked sorting non-perishable goods and organizing them, we got to talking and laughing. I wanted to get to know the brothers even more so I showed up to initiation and to the “pledge potluck,” where everyone bonds over food, and answering questions that I had come up with ahead of time.

Listening to the brothers respond to questions like, “If you could eliminate one song from existence, which would it be?” allowed me to learn more about my brothers and finding the answers to the questions they asked gave me a chance to learn about the brotherhood.

As the semesters continue to go by, I am still learning a lot about my brothers. Between service events, spa days, fiestas, and casual lunches I have grown infinitely closer to my brothers, and I couldn’t be any happier. I’ve come to rely on my brothers for more than just laughs and service, but for the motivation to be the best person I can be. -RC

[apofloridatech]

Welcome!

Hi everyone!

This is our first post on our brand new blog as a chapter! We'll be updating this in junction with our university website - click here! - so we can connect with other chapters around the world.

So here's a little information about us:

We are the Alpha Gamma Rho chapter at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. We were chartered back in 1992 by our "big brother" chapter, Psi Omega at the University of Central Florida. For those who also don't know, we're a co-ed college fraternity in which we have both male and female active members and our founding principles are based on leadership, friendship and service. Everyone is welcome to join APO and thank you for reading our first post! We hope to update with our fellow alumni as well as our followers and brothers!

LFS!

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Just happened to be on this side of town