Purpose/Foundation for this Award
The purpose of this award is to recognize the Top Guns of Alpha Chapter (i.e., the Best of the Best) based on standards our Founders established 100 years ago. Specifically, as we celebrate our 100th anniversary, this award is presented to those Brothers who are stellar examples of and have consistently displayed any of our Cardinal Principles of Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance and Uplift or exemplify our motto of Friendship is Essential to the Soul ongoing throughout their life towards others.
Since its founding, Alpha Chapter has initiated over 1,400 Brothers into Omega. Many of these Brothers have made great contributions to the community, society, their profession and the Fraternity. As we celebrate our 100th birthday, it is apropos to acknowledge the contribution of the top 100 as we celebrate our 100th.
Nomination/Submission Process
All Brothers who were either:
- initiated into Omega through Alpha Chapter;
- transferred to Howard University and were members/part of Alpha Chapter or
- worked with the Brothers on campus to help build a strong Chapter
are eligible to be nominated for this award. Any Brother can nominate another Brother, living or in Omega Chapter, as long as he meets the eligibility requirement. Also, a Brother can nominate as many Brothers as he sees fit so long as they meet the eligibility requirement. A Brother should nominate another Brother if he feels that the Brother:
- demonstrated throughout his life one of the Cardinals in such a manner that it made a demonstrative impact and/or example in his local community, profession, society at large or Fraternity.
- Or truly demonstrates and lives in a superior manner, through his deeds and actions to others (Brothers and non-Fraternity members alike), the motto of Friendship is Essential to the Soul.
Nominees for this award can represent professional achievement (scholarship and perseverance), fraternal contribution (uplift and friendship), community involvement (manhood and uplift) and societal contributions (manhood, perseverance and uplift), a combination of these items or something else that maybe omitted but definitely worth honoring.
The nominating Brother need to present the following information:
- The nominating Brother’s name and line signature
- The name and line signature of the nominee they are nominating
- A 1-2 brief paragraph write up on why the nominee is deserving of receiving one of the awards
- Any supporting information (articles, web links, etc) that the Brother wishes to be included to support their case for the nominee to receive an award
Brothers are open to nominate themselves. As part of the research performed on the history of Alpha Chapter, a list of Brothers initiated prior to 1950 that deserve to receive this award (e.g., Z. Alexander Looby, Oliver White Hill, and William Stuart Nelson) will be assembled and submitted for consideration by the History Committee.
Selection Criteria & Process
A select panel of several Brothers will make up the Awards Committee for this prestigious honor. Members of this committee will be selected by Brothers who currently serve and are active on the Alpha Chapter Centennial Committee.
This committee will be responsible for developing a submission form for the Bros to complete, solicit names from the Brotherhood, receiving submissions, evaluate and select Brothers to receive this award based on a predetermined timetable.
All Alpha Chapter Brothers and those Brothers affiliated with Alpha Chapter will be asked to submit/nominate qualified Bros who meet the standards of the award. A form will be provided for the Brother to complete. One member of the committee will serve as the submission contact and receive all submissions. This Brother will also send to the committee, in batches, nomination forms submitted by the Brothers. At select designated times, the committee will meet to review submissions and make decisions as to the merit of the nominee receiving the award. The committee will take into account the following in making their decision:
- Brothers who exhibit exceptional contribution and display any of our Cardinal Principles to their local community, profession, society at large and/or Fraternity. The standard is our Cardinal Principles which were defined in a speech by one of our Founders, Bishop Edgar A. Love, as:
- Manhood: “means character; one who dares to do all that doth become a man”
- Scholarship: “there is a place for mediocrity in our society but not in Omega. We want men whose minds are at least above average, that they can make a contribution to the life of an institution and to the world.”
- Perseverance: “we want men who will realize that they have a responsibility to stand by any project that they may begin and see it through.”
- Uplift: “which puts man in connection with the community in which he lives and lets him realize that he has a responsibility to those who are less fortunate than himself.”
- Brothers who display, on a consistent basis, friendship to both Brothers and others in what Bro. Love defines as “the strongest attachment that can exist between an individual or groups of individuals.”
Other attributes such as the scale of service or contribution and impact/significance of efforts can be taken into account as well as any other determining factor deemed appropriate collectively by the committee.
Brothers on the committee will vote on each nominee with a majority serving as the mark for receiving the award. No more than 100 Brothers will be selected for this award. If the committee fails to receive an adequate number of submissions or the 100 awardees are not reached then the committee will serve as a body of one and nominate/determine Brothers who are worthy to receive this honor up to the targeted 100 Brothers. All Brothers receiving an award will be notified at one designated time determined by the committee (see below for timing). No correspondence will be sent to the Brotherhood announcing the award recipients prior to Alpha Chapter’s Centennial weekend.
Any Brother on the committee who is either nominated or submits a Brother’s name must recue himself from the selection process on that particular Brother.
Recognition
Brothers who are selected to receive the Centurion Award will receive them in a special ceremony during the Charter Day Celebration on Saturday, December 15, 2012. All living Brothers receiving awards will be asked to:
- Attend the 2012 Charter Day Celebration
- Submit a photo and jpeg
- Submit a bio (if the nominating Brother has not done so already)
Brothers who are in Omega Chapter receiving awards will be celebrated and honored as well during the ceremony. It will be the responsibility of the nominating Brother to provide a picture and bio of the deceased Brother.
Additionally, a special unique multi-plate plaque will be on display at the Frat House commemorating the 100 Brothers selected for this honor.
Other Information
Please complete and submit the Nomination Form by October 27, 2012 to alphachaptercentennial@gmail.com. Additionally, please use that email address to contact Bro. Keltric Goff (8-00-A) if you have any questions or comments.
