On Saturday, March 18, the members of the Xi Mu Nu Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Inc., were recognized at the Seventh District Meeting in Huntsville, Alabama. The group was honored with receiving the Chapter of the Year award. The Xi Mu Nu chapter primarily consists of Georgia Southern graduates and chapter members in and around Bulloch County. The group was selected as the recipient of the award due to their local community involvement and social impact initiatives which have positively changed the local scene and beyond.
In its efforts towards receiving the award, the chapter was led to victory by the outgoing Chapter Basileus, William Garner. And Chapter Basileus Michael Shaw will lead the chapter to many more awards. To win this award, the chapter had to submit an 80+ page social action plan to the Omega Psi Phi Headquarters in Decatur, GA. Now, the chapter will advance to the international competition that will be held in July of 2023 in Nassau, Bahamas. This is the chapter’s second District of the Year recognition in three years. And now they seek to gain their second "International Chapter of the Year" award in three years.
The Omega Psi Phi fraternity was founded on November 17, 1911, at Howard University. The fraternity has historically been known as an African American fraternity. And according to its website, the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity is the first international fraternal organization founded on the campus of a historically black college.
The founding Greek phrase of the organization “Omega Psi Phi” translates literally to “friendship is essential to the soul.” This phrase was chosen by the fraternity founders to be the guiding light by which all members conduct themselves. Furthermore, the fraternity’s cardinal principles are listed as Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift. These principles, umbrellaed beneath the fraternity Greek phrase, make this organization a true force to be reckoned with in their array of humanitarian efforts.
The Xi Mu Nu’s Chapter of Omega Psi Phi’s mission is to make a difference in the Statesboro community and surrounding communities. They strive to do this through their participation in local youth mentorship programs, by presenting local scholarships to those in need, and by supporting community projects. The organization works closely with the Bulloch NAACP to assist with voter registration and attend city council meetings to enhance minority community visibility. Over the past few years, the Xi Mu Nu Chapter has also launched various community events such as annual Back-to-School book bag drives, Christmas toy giveaways, regular community blood drives, and ongoing food bank initiatives.
In speaking with the out-going Chapter Basileus, William Garner, he emphasized that their organization is a community-based organization. He explained that “the Statesboro Xi Mu Nu chapter was started in 2004. However, it dissipated shortly thereafter, as most members moved away to other cities after graduating from Georgia Southern. But eventually, in 2017, we were able to re-establish our organization. And since our re-establishment, we have made tremendous ground in the local scene through our participation with the Bulloch NAACP, through hosting various food drives, through awarding local scholarships to individuals, and by assisting local churches with special projects.”
Likewise, he expressed that the Xi Mu Nu chapter's achievement comes only by way of hard work and sacrifice. Garner stated that “everything we undertake here is accomplished by the sheer commitment and determination to uplift our community. Nobody in our organization gets paid a commission for the work we do in the community on a daily basis.”
The out-going Basileus (Garner), current Basileus (Shaw), and current Vice-Basileus (Tony Mainer) would like to thank the Xi Mu Nu chapter brothers for their dedicated time and service to the organization. They would also like to thank the Georgia Southern University administration for their continued support of their various chapter programs. They would like to thank the Bulloch NAACP, Mayor Jonathan McCollar, and City Manager Charles Penny for their continued support. They would also like to thank their partnering Greek Life organizations (such as the “Divine 9” National Pan-Hellenic Council, including the Zeta Delta Delta Chapter) and all participating community members who help make their organization a continued success.
For information on the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, please visit their website at https://oppf.org/.
