SENIOR SPOTLIGHT
presents His creations on the largest canvas in the world, the skies before us. And every day I get to see the wonder, the beauty, and the joy of life unfold with each sunset. Never the same, always a new gift, always a new creation to marvel at.” BEYOND HIGHER EDUCATION Brother Coates has always been deeply involved in the fraternity since crossing the burning sands in 1966. He served as a Student Chapter Advisor at West Georgia College and, after arriving at Miami, he assisted Bill Madison (Beta Eta 1958), who was the Chapter Advi- sor for the school’s Kappa Delta Chapter. Coates took over the role of Student and Faculty Advisor for Kappa Delta in 2019. Following his passion, he embarked on a journey to research the history of Kappa Alpha Psi’s senior members while starting two Facebook video series titled, History of Cincin- nati Alumni Chapter and History of East Central Province . As Historian for both, he has documented the lives of more than 10 senior brothers and produced fifteen videos that have collectively amassed over 55,000 views
Coates (third from right) attends a Gamma Upsilon and East St. Louis Alumni Chapter Meeting in 1967.
“ A DEDICATED KAPPA MAN, EDUCATOR, AND MENTOR, RODNEY COATES’ LEGACY IS ONE OF TRANSFORMATION ”
since their inception. “I am constantly amazed at the legends that are all around us. Within the fraternity, they are every- where. I used my training as an ethnomethodologist to begin to record these stories. I wanted to do more than have some words on paper, filtered through the recorder, but to record these giants telling in their own words their own stories. I have many more to do, but they have already overwhelmed
the thousands who have viewed them.” To strengthen The Bond of Phi Nu Pi, Coates fre- quently opens his home to host fellowships for Nupes in the Cincinnati area. He believes this is a great way for brothers of all ages to connect, re-connect, and build bridges. Additionally, Brother Coates turned his inter- est for photography into philanthropy. In 2015, he began photographing sunsets from his backyard
and gifting them to others. This simple act of generos- ity helped support the Hope Scholarship Fund, where his auctioned photographs raised over $60,000 to support students in need. A dedicated Kappa man, educator, and mentor, Rodney Coates’ legacy is one of transformation— both in the classroom and beyond. His impact on students, institutions, and communities continues to inspire the next generation of leaders. ♦
24 THE JOURNAL ♦ FALL 2025
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