History of AEN
History of Alpha Phi Omega
since 1925
By Frank Reed Horton, Founder Alpha Phi Omega
During the first world war, I served as an ensign in the United States Navy aboard a minesweeper in the North Sea. Our ship and its partner exploded more than 1,000 magnetic mines. My law school background at Boston University led to my appointment to try court martial cases in our Division. When we reached ports some of the sailors ran wild. Many court martial cases resulted. I saw young boys in their teens getting into trouble.
Because of these experiences, I made a firm resolution within myself that if I returned alive, I would try to do two things and do them with all my power. First, do my best to help young people get the right start in life by holding up before them a "standard of manhood" that would withstand the test of time! Second and just as important, try to help the nations of the world settle their disputes in a more sensible and legal manner than by war.
After the war, I became a student at Lafayette College, Easton, Pennsylvania. One evening, while attending an American Legion banquet during my sophomore year, I sat next to an inspiring man named Herbert G. Horton. We were not related but we became fast friends. He, too, had been a naval officer but was now serving as the local Scout Executive. He helped me to become a Deputy Scout Commissioner. One of the troops needed a leader, so I became a Scoutmaster as well.
Through these experiences, I found that the Scout Oath and Law were what I had been seeking - a standard of
manhood that would withstand the test of time and a code of ideals created and accepted by some of the greatest
leaders the world has ever known.
The summer of my junior year was spent as an Associate Camp Director at the Easton Scout Reservation. Here I was impressed with the religious tolerance in the hearts of the boys. This I have not found so easily among older people. Scouts of the Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant faiths worked together in everything at camp, and everyone had an opportunity to worship on his Sabbath in his own way.
My Brothers in the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity house, where I lived, who were outstanding for high ideals and clean living, were all former Scouts. I felt a college organization should be formed that would strengthen men in these ideals, and give them an opportunity for Leadership experience and for Service to others.
As a senior at Lafayette College, I talked to some of the men with a Scouting background and the response was good. These men would join an organization based on the ideals of Scouting. I created the name Alpha Phi Omega, the motto and the Greek words and their meaning and wrote the Ritual. Everett W. Probst designed the pin and drew the Coat-of-Arms. Thane S. Cooley suggested the handclasp. Ellsworth S. Dobson and Gordon M. Looney helped write the Constitution and Bylaws.
Fourteen undergraduates signed as charter Members. Scouting advisors were Dr. Ray O. Wyland and Herbert G.
Horton.
The Lafayette College Faculty approved the petition for recognition. On December 16, 1925, I conducted the Ritual Initiation at Brainerd Hall, second floor, and Alpha Phi Omega was born.
My purpose was to make Alpha Phi Omega an organization for college men who cooperated with all youth movements, especially Scouting. I also anticipated that our Service program would expand to help people in need everywhere and to do service on the campus of each Chapter.
As Scouting is worldwide, so should Alpha Phi Omega be worldwide, gradually in the colleges and universities of all
the nations. Alpha Phi Omega can help bring about, through the future statesmen of the world, that standard of
manhood and international understanding and friendship that will lead to a better, more peaceful world in which to live and in which to make a living and a life.
History of Alpha Epsilon Nu
since 2001
Revised by Loree Tabigne, 2009-2010 AEN Administrative VP
Alpha Phi Omega’s Alpha Epsilon Nu Chapter at the University of San Francisco was officially established in the Spring semester of 2001. Marcy Ronan, one of our founding fathers, had many friends from San Francisco State University’s Mu Zeta Chapter that encouraged her to start a chapter at the University of San Francisco. Marcy, along with ten others (Abigail Eugenio, Anna Crisostomo, Erica Hooper, Fatima Sheikh, Jennifer Escobar, Lindsay Notario, Melveen Longboy, Michelle Kadotani, Soury Boualuang, and Uyenchi Ho), began chartering in the Fall of 2000, and with the help of their advisors—Angie Karino and Scott Heinecke—and the members of the Mu Zeta Chapter, Alpha Epsilon Nu solidified.
After much effort by Lawson Wong, the pledge master and trainer for the first class, and many other members of Mu Zeta, the first pledge class of AEN, along with the pledge class of Mu Zeta crossed over at Cathedral Hill Hotel in May of 2001. Today, AEN has successfully crossed over a total of fifteen pledge classes, totaling over 270 members.
Since our founding, we have accomplished a lot, despite our chapter being fairly young. Here at USF, AEN had won the Greek of the Year award in the Spring of 2006. We have also been recognized by other chapters in our section; In the Spring 2004 Sectionals held at California State University Hayward (now CSU East Bay), AEN won the coveted Fellowship Award. In the Spring 2007 Sectionals at UC Davis, AEN won the Ernie Manfredini Chapter Resilience Award, signifying our growth in the eyes of our section. Of course, we cannot overlook our victory in the Miss A Phi O Pageant that one of our astounding brothers successfully (and courageously) won for our Chapter in the same year. In the Spring 2008 Sectionals held at Stanford University, four brothers of AEN were recognized and awarded the Bright Spot Award, an award signifying outstanding work in their chapter; Tracey Landrito, Reuben Macapinlac, Christopher Vo, and Christopher Guinto. AEN was also awarded the Service Gold Pan Award, a coveted award symbolizing exceptional work in the field of service in Region 10, Section 4.
In addition, AEN was awarded the Overall Gold Pan Award at Spring Sectionals 2009 and the H. Roe Bartle Award in 2009.
AEN’s history----our history---is still, and will continue to be written, as each year passes.