The Tribune

IT was a historic day on the campus of the University of The Bahamas on Saturday, as Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated chartered its first international undergraduate chapter.

After 107 years of existence, the organisation officially established its presence on a college/university campus outside of the United States through the Rho Mu Chapter.

Thomas L Battles Jr is the fraternity's "grand polemarch" and heads the organisation, which has over 700 chapters and 150,000 members worldwide.

Mr Battles as well as other executives of the divine nine fraternity were in town for the occasion.

He said, "It's great for the fraternity and I think it's great for the community and the university to have Kappa Alpha Psi on campus.

"This is history, our first international undergraduate chapter. It's a good season for us where we're stepping up to ensure undergraduates have a voice on campus, through Greek life."

University of The Bahamas finance major and Kappa Alpha Psi member Dominic Parker will head the chapter on the campus.

"It's been a long time coming and we feel great, because we worked really hard to make this a reality," the Rho Mu polemarch said.

"We have a lot we want to do in the community, from a scholarship programme to just helping to direct the younger generation of Bahamians along the path to success."

The fraternity has functioned in The Bahamas since 1973 through its Bahamas Alumni Chapter, now led by Quinton C Lightbourne, who said he's happy to see history made for the fraternity locally.

"This is most definitely one of my biggest accomplishments as a member of Kappa Alpha Psi," he said. "With the hard work, dedication and support from all of the brothers in The Bahamas we made this dream a reality. As we continue pushing ahead we plan on expanding and doing our part to make communities better throughout the Bahamas."

The fraternity celebrates achievement in every field of human endeavour and has well-known members who have made an impact globally.

Christopher Cross serves as the junior grand vice-polemarch for the organisation and flew to Nassau for the ceremony, held in UB's library.

He said, "This is great. The vision for this chapter started many decades ago and to see it finally get to here is amazing. There are a lot of great brothers here in the Bahamas and I'm glad that Kappa Alpha Psi now has an undergraduate presence in this country to be a presence among black Greek organisations on the islands."