James mckinney - President | Pledged fall 2023

Hello everyone. My name is James McKinney, and I am thrilled to serve as the current President of Alpha Phi Omega. I'd like to share what makes our chapter, Eta Alpha, such a distinctive organization.

In this organization, we push ourselves and each other every step of the way, encouraging our members to constantly grow and strive for excellence. Alpha Phi Omega is a professional coeducational service fraternity that centers around the cardinal principles of Leadership, Friendship, and Service. These principles are the heart of everything we do, shaping our experiences as students and preparing us for life beyond college. 

For our Leadership tenant, our chapter believes that everyone is called to be a leader, and thus we offer an array of leadership opportunities. From board positions to professional workshops to life skills, we truly believe that leadership takes many forms, and seek to  empower our brothers’ future success, allowing them to define leadership in their own way and take these skills far beyond their four year degrees. 

For Friendship, our chapter organizes events that range from chapter-wide activities to smaller group interactions to initiate more intimate connections between brothers. We aim to create a community where brothers feel at home, offering a safe space for students through both fun activities and meaningful discussions. Eta Alpha prides itself on our ability to create a strong brotherhood that produces life-long relationships within, along with our care for the broader community.

For Service, our chapter mirrors all Alpha Phi Omega chapters across the nation. This is the most crucial tenant our organization was founded on, and we give our brothers countless opportunities to give back to the community. We categorize our community service into four crucial components; service to the community, service to the nation, service to the campus, and service to the chapter. For the community, we concentrate on San Jose and the rest of the Bay Area, helping out and working alongside our closest neighbors through events like serving at food pantries. For the nation, we expand our vision, looking to make an impact in large-scale, global challenges through events like beach cleanups. For the campus, we focus on the inside, looking to collaborate with other members of SCU through events like helping out at the Forge Garden. For the chapter, we help out our own brothers through events like writing positive letters amongst ourselves. These four pillars emphasize our commitment to making a difference at every scale.

Leadership, Friendship, and Service are all core principles that can lead us throughout our lives, no matter where we are. Alpha Phi Omega is a space where you can give back while gaining invaluable life experiences.

From a more personal standpoint, joining Alpha Phi Omega has been one of the best decisions I have made. It gave me a home on campus, countless opportunities to learn, improve and grow, and, most importantly, a community that shared the same values as me.

These connections are more than just memories; they are bonds I will carry with me for a lifetime. Alpha Phi Omega gave me a platform to learn, lead, and belong, and I hope it can do the same for you. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our chapter. If any of this aligns with your values, I strongly encourage anyone to attend an information session or reach out directly; I’d be glad to talk. 

In LFS,

James McKinney

President of Alpha Phi Omega

Richard L. Diles II Fall ‘23

president.etaalpha.scu@gmail.com