Mission Statement
We envision to be the leading international service organization committed to the development of a world class membership that cares for the quality of life with complete complement guided by the three cardinal principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service.
Traditions
Every organization has traditions going back to their earliest days. Our traditions are important and reflect our rich history.
Toast Song
Tune: “Alma Mater”
Here’s to Alpha Phi Omega,
Loyal brothers/sisters we.
True to self and to each other,
Firm in loyalty.
Daily working, daily striving,
Ever more to be
Here’s to Alpha Phi Omega,
Our fraternity/sorority.
Brothers/Sisters clasp the hands of brothers/sisters,
Strong the circle we
Ever mindful, ever serving
All humanity.
Now we raise our grateful voices,
In our song to thee,
True to Alpha Phi Omega,
May we always be.
The Toast Song is the official fraternity song. It is usually sung at the end of all fraternity functions (meetings, ceremonies, conferences, etc.). It is provided here in three printable formats: PDF, PNG and JPEG. It is also provided in three audio formats: QuickTime audio (see note 4), WAV and MP3 (2MB). The first is an organ instrumental. The others are from a recording of the 1996 National Convention choir. An ASL (American Sign Language) QuickTime video (see note 4) version (8MB) is also available.
Notes:
1. The lyrics to the first verse of this song were created in 1925 by Dale Bartlett of APO USA Omicron chapter at The University of Iowa. The second verse was written by Robert Northwood of APO USA Epsilon Mu at the University of Maryland and were adopted as part of the Toast Song at the US National Convention in 1964.
2. The APO USA National Fraternity acknowledges the importance of Brotherhood among all people. In 1976, the APO USA National Fraternity overwhelmingly voted to include women among its Brothers as full Members.
3. The image of the sheet music for the Toast Song was generated on a Macintosh using Sincrosoft’s Amadeus Opus. It was saved as PDF using Acrobat Distiller and converted to PNG and JPEG to conserve space using Adobe Photoshop. Send comments to webmaster@apo.org.
4. The QuickTime player is available free from Apple Computer.
5. The QuickTime audio version of the Toast Song was supplied by Chito Refuerzo.
6. The MP3 recording of the 1996 APO USA National Convention choir was supplied by Hawkeye, High Lord of Chaos.
7. The QuickTime ASL video was supplied by Joe Timber Chen. The 1996 APO USA National Convention choir music was used in this production.
Symbols
In the early days of our Fraternity our Founders chose recognizable objects that would be representative symbols of the spirit of our guiding principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service. They selected items of historical and traditional value and notability. The meaning and definitions of these symbols have not changed in our lifetimes, and likely will not change in the future.
Jewel
Diamond
The most precious of all gemstones representing brilliance, luster, always increasing in value, and an expression of the greatest gift of love when given.
Flower
Forget-Me-Not
A perennial flower with royal blue blossoms. It is everlasting, always remembered.
Tree
Oak
We have all heard from a parent or mentor at least once in our lives the story of the sturdy oak tree that grew from a small acorn. The oak is stately, sturdy, and sheltering.
Colors
Blue and Gold
Our color of blue is a royal blue color. It is elegant, a sign of pure deed and thought. A color in our nation’s flag.
Our color of gold is called “old glory” gold. A color also found in the nation’s flag (fringe and tassels). It represents the high value, respect, royalty, and a sign of love.
Bird
Golden Eagle
At the 1976 USA National Convention the delegates chose another symbol to further this richness of our history and traditions. They declared the golden eagle as a new Fraternity symbol. An eagle is often found as a standard or as a part of the seal of a nation. The golden eagle symbolizes strength, gracefulness, keenness of vision, and endurance.
Insignia
Badge
This badge, worn by thousands of brothers of APO, is the “Emblem of Campus Service.” Students and faculty alike recognize and respect the activities for which it stands.
Coat of Arms
The ideals of Alpha Phi Omega are embodied in our coat-of-arms. As everyone who has passed through the ritual knows, the symbolism of the coat-of-arms stands for the very purpose of our brotherhood.
For hi-res or eps format copies of both symbols please login to Room 214.
Principles
Leadership
Realistically, leadership is a matter of development. Alpha Phi Omega develops leaders, and we are very proud of that. As we grow, we seek qualities of leadership, and throughout our lives, we pursue the development of those qualities and the development of other ‘well-rounding’ qualities. Through our leadership development program in Alpha Phi Omega, we are able to develop ourselves. And, as we aspire to greater things in life, we become aware of limiting factors - which we can’t control, the external forces that shape our destiny until we control and develop what we have inside of us. We discover our own talents and strive to better our skills. We study, we learn, we practice.
Friendship
Brotherhood is the spirit of friendship. It implies respect, honesty and dependability. It means that we overlook differences and emphasize similarities as we join together in unselfish service. It means listening to Brothers whose views on issues might differ from our own. It means working closely with people whom under other circumstances we might not choose as our friends.
Service
Our Chapter service program provides many opportunities for the development of social awareness, friendships and leadership skills. Participation in our service program helps make Alpha Phi Omega the unique organization that it is.
Motto
Be a friend.
Be a leader.
Be of service.