Fraternity & Sorority Life Member of the Month

Ontonio Jackson-Lucas is a senior in psychology and chapter president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

By Ontonio Jackson-Lucas
Chapter president, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

Since joining Alpha Phi Alpha in April 2016, I have experienced a noticeable difference in my experience here at UIC and in my personal life.

Aside from the social boost that comes with Greek Life, joining a fraternity introduced me to a network of like-minded individuals who want to excel in their respective fields as much as I do. This sense of community is a facet of college life that is extremely integral in not only my success, but the success of all students, especially racial and ethnic minorities. Seeing others making a difference on campus and in the surrounding communities has given me the inspiration to step up and be the change I wanted to see.

The most important benefit I’ve experienced in Greek Life is the undying support of my brothers, D9 orgs, and all of Fraternity & Sorority Life on campus.

In my eight-month stint as chapter president of Alpha Phi Alpha and co-president of National Pan-Hellenic Council, I am grateful to have had a number of accomplishments and successes. To kick-off the semester in January, I had the chance to organize and act as a site leader for UIC’s MLK Day of Service at Lincoln Park Community Shelter. We prepared and served pizza to more than 25 homeless residents and made birthday cards for residents. This event was a huge success with more than 40 student volunteers supporting Dr. King’s mission.

I hope to continue this type of work through my new intern position at GG+A — a company that provides nonprofit and philanthropy consulting — where I’ll be working closely with the Obama Foundation to build a presidential library on Chicago’s South Side.

Dedication to manly deeds, scholarship and love for all mankind — the aims of Alpha Phi Alpha — led me to win both Outstanding College Brother of the Year and Outstanding Neophyte of the Year at Alpha Phi Alpha’s 2017 Illinois District Conference. While this award is specific to my fraternity, it signifies the opportunities for excellence that come from being a part of a Greek organization.

Although I feel personally responsible for my work, I would like to credit a huge portion of my individual success over the past year to my involvement in Alpha Phi Alpha and NPHC.

All Greek organizations share a similar goal in uplifting humanity through service and brotherhood/sisterhood.

While individual success in Fraternity & Sorority Life is possible, it is even more rewarding to be a part of a group effort to uplift those around you.