The Xi chapter of Alpha Kappa Lambda has a long history on the campus of Truman State University.  Now considered one of the "big four" fraternities on campus, with a membership of almost 80 members, Alpha Kappa Lambda was founded in 1953 by only five men.  In the past 50 years, the Xi chapter of AKL has seen over a thousand brothers come and go and has established an unrivaled tradition of excellence on campus while fostering a strong sense of brotherhood amongst its members.  This Brotherhood is the driving force behind the Fraternity today, and is the primary reason for the involvement of many of its members. On campus, the members of Alpha Kappa Lambda are involved in an amazing variety of activities including athletic teams, service organizations, music groups, research groups, honorary societies, student activities board, campus radio and academic societies. This variety of activities is a direct result of the incredible diversity among its members. The members come from all walks of life and in joining Alpha Kappa Lambda do not lose their individuality, but share it. Off campus, Alpha Kappa Lambda participates in many social and non-social events. Social events include mixers with all of the other fraternities and sororities on campus and other major events such as Greek Week, and Homecoming. We also have annual celebrations such as  Don Ho, Triple T (TTT or Tribute to Travolta), and the Semester Formals(Fall-Homecoming, Spring-Valentine). Despite being so socially active, our chapter has maintained the highest G.P.A. above all men's average on campus. Non-social events include philanthropies that are held yearly to support one organization in particular, American Cancer Society for Leukemia.  In other instances the chapter has helped with local services, such as providing funds to the Police and Fire Departments and having a Formal Dance with Seniors at Twin Pines Care Center.  In the last two years the Haunted House has been the main fundraiser for the fall and the chapter is continuing the tradition of the Teeter Totter.  The chapter is currently striving to keep up with the lack of rush participants in recent rushes.  In the year of 2003 we had our 50th Anniversary that was celebrated on April 25 and 26, 2003.

Click on Founding Fathers to visit our National Homepage.

National History
     Los Amigos was born out of need--the need of Christian men for a place to live and study that was within their means.  Several students attending the University of California at Berkeley in 1906 discussed the possibility of forming a house club where they might live together as men and brothers, helping each other, encouraging each other, and perhaps living more economically than they could separately. The earthquake that devastated San Francisco that year delayed the formation of the club for a time, but in 1907 the idea was brought up again among Charles Booth, Harry Osborne, Joseph Taylor, and Gail Cleland while they were attending a YMCA Conference together at Pacific Grove, California.  There they made plans to begin Los Amigos, a house club named from the Spanish translation of "The Friends."  These men were joined in 1907 by William Barnum, Harold Savage, Oscar Perrine, Herman Bergh, Leonard Day, Allen Kimball, and Ludwig Rehfuess.  Seven years later, in response to the suggestion of Benjamin Ide Wheeler, the President of the University of California, the Founders of Los Amigos organized the former house club as a national fraternity of one chapter.  The founders of Los Amigos quickly became the  Founders of Alpha Kappa Lambda.  Professor Charles Mills Gayley and Professor James T. Allen suggested the name "Alpha Kappa Lambda" and the motto "Alethia Kai Logos," which in classical Greek means "The Truth and the Word."  Shortly thereafter, the colors purple and gold were adopted along with the Fraternity's badge and coat of arms. On April 22, 1914, a formation banquet was held in the Hotel Shattuck in Berkeley, with members of the new Fraternity and many guests from the community of the University of California in attendance.  Alpha Kappa Lambda became the first Fraternity to be founded on the West Coast.  The goals and current events of the newest organization in the fraternity world were recorded and reported in The Diamond, the first national publication of Alpha Kappa Lambda.  The Diamond first appeared in January, 1915.  The Diamond made five appearances, the last issue published in May 1919.   Upon discovering that another fraternity had laid prior claim to the name The Diamond, William B. Herms, then the first Grand President of the Fraternity, suggested the name THE LOGOS.  The new name was officially adopted at the second National Conclave in 1922.  The logos has been  continually published since that time.   From this time forward Alpha Kappa Lambda continued to grow, not only in California, but throughout the nation.  The Fraternity now consists of 74 chartered chapters in every region of the United States.  The Fraternity also has several "colonies," or forming chapters scattered throughout the nation. The executive offices of the Fraternity of Alpha Kappa Lambda are now located in the Levey Mansion in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Local History
     Judeo-Christian Principles, Leadership, Scholarship, Loyalty, and Self-Support----these are the Ideals which Xi chapter has continually endeavored to achieve since receiving our charter on April 26, 1953.  What started with only five men -- Beck, Bryant, Campbell, Crawford, and Van Gels -- has grown into a brotherhood that is not only one of the best on campus, but in the nation. 
     Xi has established itself as one of the premier chapters in the nation.  This excellence has been recognized in numerous awards over the years: 

Rush Award -- 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1998
Alumni Relations Award -- 1989, 1993, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2002
Campus Involvement Award -- 1989, 1993
Community Service Award -- 1988, 1989, 1990
AKL Chapter Newsletter Award -- 1993
Ideal Chapter Award -- 1987
Founders Award -- 1989

     In addition to these, Xi was the home of the 1991 Holmes Award Recipient, Edward A. Job. 
     Throughout the years on the Truman State University campus, Xi has outgrown several chapter houses.  Xi currently resides at 918 S. Osteopathy St.  The old house was first built in 1908 and then rebuilt in 1911 after a devastating fire.  The house served the chapter well since 1969, but the time came to move on.  So we got a new one. While many alumni have generously contributed to this effort, continued fundraising is necessary. If you would like to help in our efforts to fund raise please visit our homepage and click on make a donation.