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ALPHA TAU OMEGA
By: Tyler Hodgins
The following web page is about the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity on the campus of Washington and Jefferson College. On this page you will find information on the Fraternity, a Founding Fathers Story, and additional links to more information.
History & Background
Courtesy of W&J Website
ATO was founded at the Virginia Military Institute in 1865, by Otis Allan Glazebrook, Erskine Mayo Ross, and Alfred Marshall. ATO is not like other traditional fraternities because it was created based upon Christian - not Greek Principles. The above men founded this fraternity after the Civil War with the main purpose being: "strive to heal the wounds created by devastating war and help reunite the North and South." These men fought for the Confederates but knew that they would have to help in the healing process and by creating this organization it certainly helped to a certain magnitude. The fraternity is made up of young men ranging from freshman to seniors who unite in brotherhood.
The Alpha Pi Chapter at Washington & Jefferson is a part of the rich history of the national fraternity. Washington & Jefferson College was the first fraternity founded west of the Allegheny Mountains on March 10, 1882. However, the ATO's had to shut down in 2001, but thanks to certain individuals the fraternity was brought back onto campus in the spring of 2005. Ever since then the fraternity has seen increasing number of brothers and they have earned a lot of respect from the school and students. During the first year there were only 21 members of the frat and by April 2008 there were 40 brothers, which officially earned them a Chapter again, the Alpha Pi Charter.
The brothers of ATO are a diverse group of kids, so do not worry it is easy to fit in. They represent the following states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Florida, and Washington. Many of the brothers are a part of the athletic teams: Football, Soccer, Golf, Track, and Baketball. They have some of the best in the President's Athletic Conference, in that they are on many of the post season award teams.
The brothers have recieved multiple awards for their activities in recent times, which include:
- W&J Pan-Hellenic Class Award
- Excellence Awards in Pledge Education
- Campus Inducement, Leadership Development, Financial Management Scholarship
- Honorable Mention for Excellence in Recruitment
They have had a rich history here on the campus of Washington and Jefferson College, but in their recent history they earned multiple rewards and respect of the staff and students here on campus.
The brothers of ATO Fraternity are not only fun to be around, but they are a group of intelligent young men. In January of 2008, they were recognized for attaining the highest G.P.A of all the fraternities on W&J's Campus. They have achieved this by hosting study sessions on a weekly basis. The older brothers are always there for the younger ones when it comes to academic help.
Each week the brothers participate in an event together, in order to create a better friendship and bond between each other. These events may include:
- Watch football during weekends at the house
- Cookouts
- Video Game Tournaments
- Laser Tag
- Intramurals (football, basketball, dodgeball, etc.)
Joining the brotherhood at Alpha Tau Omega would enhance your college experience here at the college, not only in social terms, but also academically. The connections that the fraternity have are endless, which ultimately helps you later in life when the real world comes around.
Doing Good in the Local Community
The brothers of Alpha Tau Omega are heavily involved in the local community of Washington. The fraternity believes that helping out the community can only bring good things to the people of Washington. For some of the members it is a part of their weekly routine because it only takes up part of their week and helps the people around them.
The recent big event was the "Swipe for Meals" campaign during the Thanksgiving time period. The fraternity asked students to donate one swipe, where the money would be donated to the local homeless shelter in order to feed the less fortunate. This was the first year the event took place and according to the brothers it was a big hit and now they will try to do this as a yearly event.
The brothers are collectively involved in volunteer activities and others do more on top of that. Some of the different organizations and events they are involved in include:
- Big - Little Brother, at the local elementary schools
- Matthew Brown Fellowship, requires 1,000 community hours per year
- Serving "Hot Meals" at local shelters
- Relay for Life
- "Light Up Night" on W&J's Campus
- Work with Local Humane Society
These are just some of the activities Alpha Tau Omega Brothers participate in throughout the year with the citizens of Washington. The school and community are very grateful for the hard work and hours the brothers put in.
Interview with a Founding Father
The following narrative is based on an interviw with Senior Bill Winters, one of 21 Founding Fathers
Freshman year was hectic and balancing a sport with academics, did I really have time for a fraternity? The Alpha Pi Chapter here at Washington and Jefferson was kicked off campus in the spring of 2001, but in the fall of 2005 a man from ATO Nationals, named Chad came to our campus.
Chad's goal for the week was to spark interest and recruit students of the college to bring back the chapter to Alpha Tau Omega. In the beginning not many people were interested, but my best friend Jared had already signed up to be a founding father and tried to persuade me into doing it. At first I was apprehensive, but he eventually talked me into going and meeting Chad. There Chad showed me a power point and explained how joining a fraternity could help me in different ways: build friendships with different types of students around campus, responsibility, and in the long run be a good resume builder.
The meeting was persuasive and I decided to be the sixth person to sign up. Chad came back to campus a few weeks later where we now had twenty one total members which made it an "official colony" and we never looked back from this point on.
I was now considered a founding father of the Alpha Pi Chapter and had to help build this fraternity from the ground up. We did not have a house and had to go through all the steps in order to make the Alpha Tau Omega Chapter official, which happened quickly in the spring of 2006.
The fraternity has come light years from the beginning and I have been there for all of it. The friendships I have built with my brothers are impeccable and I am glad Chad talked me into bringing back the ATO's to the campus. The work we do on and off of campus has brought us all closer and turned us into better young men. I will never forget the day I met Chad and have never regretted joining Alpha Tau Omega.
Joining the Brotherhood
In the spring of 2009, the brothers of Alpha Tau Omega will be looking to expand the fraternity. The process requires you to either stop by during rush week to sign up, or you can simply email the President Mike Graysay at graysaymj@washjeff.edu. The ATO house is always open for anyone to come and hang out, so feel free to stop by anytime and meet some of the brothers!
More Information
2. Join ATO
3. W & J ATO