Eta Nu Nu, one of Columbus’s two graduate chapters of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., is an award-winning chapter not for the things fraternities are typically albeit stereotypically associated with but because of its commitment to improving lives and uplifting communities. Founded in November 2020, the men of Eta Nu Nu are intentional about the programs they create and the populations they target. A sample of the issues Eta Nu Nu has tackled includes breast cancer among Black women, diabetes, prostate cancer among Black men, and an assault on literacy among school-age children. The men of Eta Nu Nu are also serious about making a college education a reality for youth that attend high school in the Greater Columbus Metropolitan Area. In an age when the cost of a college education is becoming cost prohibitive for many families, in the five and a half years Eta Nu Nu has been in existence, it has awarded nearly $600,000 in scholarships to more than 150 college bound students.
Every year, the men of Eta Nu Nu attend the 4th District meeting, an annual gathering of all the fraternity’s chapters and its members in the states of Ohio and West Virginia. This year the meeting was held at the Doubletree Hotel from April 16-19 in Canton, Ohio, home of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Scheduled throughout the four-day affair were workshops, plenaries, luncheons and keynotes. Saturday night’s banquet has always been one of the highlights of the event. This year was no exception. It is at this formal affair that the awards ceremony occurs. Both individual and chapter awards are given out.
On this night Eta Nu Nu’s star shined brightly for the fourth year in a row winning several individual and chapter awards. They are: Large Chapter of the Year, Social Action Chapter of the Year, Basileus of the Year (Matthew Coleman), James A. Elam Lifetime Award (Matthew Coleman), Founders Lifetime Achievement Award (Reginald Henry) and the Superior Service Award (Cliff Jones).
While public acknowledgement and recognition are much appreciated, the men of Eta Nu Nu do not covet awards nor are they driven by acclaim and notoriety. The work carried out by the men of Eta Nu Nu is guided by the organization’s four cardinal principles: Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift, as well as a deep sense of humanity. Under the leadership of former Basileus Matthew Coleman, a retired US Army Colonel and former Vice Basileus Antonio Caffey and 30-year veteran of the social service industry, for the past four years Eta Nu Nu’s commitment to those in need has been steadfast, unwavering and consistent, the awards are simply a byproduct of that dedication.
Judson L. Jeffries, PhD, MPH, is Professor of African American and African Studies at The Ohio State University.