TIMELINE: A LOOK BACK THROUGH THE KAPPA ALPHA PSI ® JOURNAL
GRAND POLEMARCH’S MESSAGE
Brother to Brother: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges “Operation Restoration”
B rothers, thank you for a very successful 84 th Grand Chapter Meeting in Philadelphia that will prove to be one of the most memorable and successful in our history. I also thank you for electing an outstanding group of brothers to serve you and every member of the newly elected team has hit the ground running in full stride. The brothers you elected will serve you well. I, personally, thank you for choos- ing me as the Fraternity’s 34 th Grand Polemarch. I fully understand and ap- preciate the responsibilities that attend this position and I promise to give it all the dedication, commitment and capac- ity it demands and deserves. I am ready for this job because I have had 45 years in the Fraternity to prepare for it. When I was initiated at the University of Kansas Chapter, the Mu of Kappa Alpha Psi ® , I had no plans to run this course. Nothing I have done and none of the many positions I have held were intentional preparation for my current job. But everything I have done and every position I have held have nur- tured and trained me for the next phase of this journey.
Challenges lie ahead and we are prepared to meet them. Our military brothers have influenced me to take a laser-like focus when approaching a problem by targeting missions specifi- cally and conceptually. I have charged the newly elected Board and all broth- ers, generally, to embark on “Operation Restoration.” Through a laser focus we will restore the following: • Financial integrity • Brothers’ Confidence in their lead- ership • Community Respect • Undergraduate Relationships • Belief in our Systems of Gover- nance and Membership Intake We will make “Operation Restoration” an integral part of our organizational DNA as we live the 34 th Administra- tion’s mantra of “Brother to Brother— Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges.” We will begin this next phase of trans- formational governance by strict adher- ence to the Core Values upon which the Fraternity was founded and serve as a foundation that promotes sustainable greatness. Those values are:
On location: Grand Polemarch Reuben A. Shelton III, Esq. at the Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO. Photos by Michael L. Hume.
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GRAND POLEMARCH'S MESSAGE
We will make “Operation Restoration” an integral part of our organizational DNA as we live the 34 th Administration’s mantra of “Brother to Brother: Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges.”
• Integrity • Respect • Transparency • Courage and Candor • Dialogue with all constituent groups • Sharing Information and Benefits The first step is to lay aside our dif- ferences and work together because we need every brother, in one way or another, to make this happen. Malcolm X was correct in the following quote: “We Black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice and already have enough enemies, as it is, to make the drastic mistake of attacking each other and adding more weight to an already unbearable load.” My parents were also accurate we they constantly preached that we can do any- thing we want in this world but we can’t do it alone. I am making available to all brothers my inaugural address I men- tioned at my oath ceremony in Philadel- phia. It will give you more detail about some of the transformational issues I
want to address and I urge ALL brothers to tell me what you think. Your newly elected officers and board members can’t do this alone. My re- quest is to truly have all hands on deck, pulling together, to restore Kappa to its rightful place as the greatest Greek letter organization known to God and Man. Brothers, I am excited about this next phase of our Journey together. The Journey starts right now. God Bless you all.
Reuben A. Shelton III, Esq. takes the helm as the 34 th Grand Polemarch
Yours in the Bond, Reuben A. Shelton III, Esq. Grand Polemarch
BROTHER TO BROTHER: BREAKING BARRIERS, BUILDING BRIDGES
KappaAlphaPsi1911.com
FALL 2019—POST CONCLAVE EDITION
VOLUME CIV, ISSUE 3
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Publishing achievement for 105 years
We will begin the next phase of transformational governance by strict adher- ence to the Core Values upon which the Fraternity was founded and serve as a foundation that promotes sustainable greatness. Those values are: Integ- rity, Respect, Transparency, Courage and Candor, Dialogue with all constitu- ent groups and Sharing Information and Beliefs. The first step is to lay aside our differences and work together because we need every brother, in one way or another, to make this happen. Malcolm X was correct in the follow- ing quote: 'We Black men have a hard enough time in our own struggle for justice and already have enough enemies, as it is, to make the drastic mistake of attack- ing each other and adding more weight to an already unbearable load.' — Grand Polemarch Shelton ***
JUNIOR GRAND VICE POLEMARCH'S MESSAGE
Brothers:
I bring you greetings in Phi Nu Pi. I humbly and sincerely thank you for electing me to serve in the office of Junior Grand Vice Polemarch. The honor to lead on the Grand Chap- ter level is a privilege that I do not take lightly and an opportunity that will be met with an unyielding dedication to service, unmatched passion, and a results-oriented approach. My father, a Spring 1988 initiate of the Iota Upsilon (Texas Tech) Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi ® , often tells me that my life was destined for Kappa. The ide- als of achievement and honor espoused by generations of Kappa men have been instilled in me since my own January 5 th birth date, 20 years ago. Those principles, coupled with the consistent guidance and support of my loving mother, have prepared me for this day. I now stand ready to embrace the opportunity to help shape the future of our noble fraternity.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle is cred- ited with saying, “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution.” This guiding principle will influence my decision-making process during my term in office as it mirrors my firm belief that the quest for excellence is tied to diligent intention. I will pursue perfection in order to lead this fraternity on the path to its continued greatness. The elected Grand Chapter Officers will be guided by a standard of excel- lence. We are focused on strengthen- ing broad-based connectivity amongst the collegiate demographic on a global scale. We will fortify the ties of “Brother- hood;” be advocates for one another's perpetual success; consistently make an effort to “pull each other up;” and create channels to maintain dynamic fraternal
relationships to enhance the bond that we all hold so dear. When committed to solidarity, the ties that bind us lead to greater achievement and positive impact both internally and through outreach efforts in our individual communities. Two immediate items are on our col- legiate agenda. The first item speaks directly to our goal to increase intercon- nectivity. We will implement a peer-to- peer mentorship program that enables undergraduate brothers to foster rela- tionships of accountability. This program will pair brothers of similar interests (career, hobbies, etc.) to be each other's ally and encourage their consistent communication. This program strives to promote academic and personal achievement, increase fel- lowship, and improve health (mentally, physically and spiritually). The second item on our agenda is to work with the Achievement Academy to
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6 | FALL 2019 ♦ THE JOURNAL We will fortify the ties of 'Brotherhood;" be advocates for one another's per- petual success; consistently make an effort to 'pull each other up:' and cre- ate channels to maintain dynamic fraternal relationships....—Junior Grand Vice Polemarch Jackson Excerpts from the messages of the Grand Polemarch and Junior Grand Vice Polemarch, T he Kappa Alpha Psi Journal, Fall 2019, Vol. CIV, No. 3. Publishing achievement for 105 years
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