Gamma Zeta Alpha

Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated
ΓΖΑ
Founded	December 3, 1987 (1987-12-03) California State University, Chico
Type	Latino Interest
Scope	Western United States
Motto	'Cultivating Leaders, Strengthening Communities'
Colors	Silver      Black      White
Symbol	The Iguana
Philanthropy	California Academic Decathlon, Day of Service, GANAS Scholarship and Youth Conference
Chapters	22 chapters
Pillars	Academic Excellence, Community Service, and Brotherhood
Headquarters	620 W. McCarthy Way, Suite 194 Los Angeles, California, USA
Homepage	www.gammas.org

Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (ΓΖΑ) was founded on December 3, 1987 at California State University, Chico in Chico, California. It is a Latino Interest fraternity that emphasizes Latino culture and the success of Latino males in higher education. Although Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is Latino by tradition, membership in the fraternity is open to all college males and includes members from various ethnicities including Black, Asian, Middle Eastern, White, European, and others. Following its founding principles, the fraternity encourages and creates programs that assist disadvantaged and low-income communities. Its goals are to promote scholarship for Latinos in higher education while instilling a sense of pride in Latino heritage.

History

In 1987, fifteen men came together to found what would later become Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Recognizing the difficulties facing Latinos in higher education, the founders sought to create an organization aimed at developing leadership, instilling academic scholarship, and creating an environment of support that integrated Latino heritage. After realizing that other student organizations would not be able to provide all of these to its members, the founders decided that creating a fraternity, something that was new in Latino culture, would be the best opportunity for achieving its goals. From their first meetings, the founders decided that the principles of their new organization would be academic excellence, through which they could encourage and support Latino males in higher education; community service, with which they could benefit the communities that shaped their lives; and the maintenance of Latino culture through brotherhood, by which they saw their heritage shaping their views and personal values.

Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has upheld a tradition of cultivating leaders and strengthening the Latino community for over two decades. Each chapter produces a sustainable membership that brings forth programs that benefit their collegiate institutions and the surrounding communities.

Fraternal Ideology

Mission Statement

"The mission of Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc, a not-for-profit corporation built on the foundation of respect and brotherhood, is to establish and promote a nurturing environment at the university level and beyond, through academic excellence, community service, and the celebration of the diverse Latino Culture."

Principles

Academic Excellence - Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has a 97% graduation rate with a growing number of brothers continuing onto graduate and professional degrees. Each year brothers gain admission into and receive graduate degrees from Ivy League institutions and other highly selective universities across the United States.

Community Service - As an organization, Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. not only produces graduates but community leaders as well. It believes that this is a positive avenue towards improving the educational attainment levels, especially for Latinos and people of color. It improves neighborhoods, campuses, and towns by sending leaders and influential professionals where they are needed the most. Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. accepts volunteers.

Latino Culture - Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is involved in the promotion of the Latino Heritage. By sharing their history and culture with each other and with the community in general, brothers gain a better understanding of themselves and raise awareness within the general public. Maintaining the Latino culture and acknowledging the pan-ethnic origin of the Latino community is of crucial importance to the brotherhood. For this reason, Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. promotes events that reinforce and celebrate Latino culture. Its chapters participate and organize cultural events on their campuses that include Semana de la Raza, Noche de Estrellas, Noche de Cultura, posadas and bailes.

National programming

Understanding the needs of the Latino community, Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has developed philanthropic partnerships and curriculum to assess and address the needs of each community in each of their collegiate chapters. After nearly 25 years of celebrating their philanthropic partnerships, they reviewed their efforts and decided to focus all of their community efforts on a local and national platform of their choosing. Each of their philanthropies now stem directly from one or more of the founding principles and directly impact their own communities.

California Academic Decathlon

Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is the first and only official Greek sponsor of the California State Academic Decathlon. By coordinating with local Academic Decathlon offices, all chapters facilitate county competitions. Brothers aid in event logistics and serve as speech and interview judges for the competition. Each year they are also present at their state competition every March in Sacramento as judges and guest speakers.

This philanthropic effort stems from the fraternity's founding principles of academic excellence and community service.

Day of Service

Every year, each of our collegiate chapters will host their own Day of Service. Each chapter has its own community, culture, and needs. The Day of Service is to assess the needs of each community and host a Day of Service that addresses those needs with an emphasis on highlighting the Latino culture. These Service Days may take place on or around events such as Cinco De Mayo or César Chávez Day.

This philanthropic effort stems from the fraternity's founding principles of community service and Latino culture.

Youth conference

Each of the fraternity brothers has made it to college because someone in their school or community provided some sort of aid to them. Each year the fraternity aims to provide that same aid to as many youth as possible in their communities. Each collegiate chapter hosts its own youth conference for their community. No one conference is the same; each has its own focus based on the needs of each community. Conferences have ranged in addressing topics such as healthy and unhealthy relationships, gang violence, domestic violence, efficient study habits, resume building, scholarship information, cultural competency, and information about undocumented students and their academic opportunities.

This philanthropic effort stems from the fraternity's founding principles of academic excellence, community service, Latino culture, and brotherhood.

Membership

Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is a family away from home, providing a support network for each of its members. United through Brotherhood, they support one another in their academic, social and work environments. The expectations and demands that come with being a brother is a trademark of Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Being a part of the fraternity is a lifelong commitment; Graduating from college is, by no means, the end of the members' involvement. Rather, it marks the entrance into a new phase of the brothers' hermandad, as they enter the professional world and begin to form their families. Their roles may change, but the spirit and the bond that unites them never do.

Order of the Pyramid

The Order of the Pyramid was created in 2007 to honor brothers who have shown the highest standard of leadership to the organization, Greek Community and their own community. It brings these brothers together and creates an atmosphere where they continue to share ideas and serve as role models for the organization and the community. All inductees have played key role in the organization's history and success; they exemplify the Principles that the fraternity was founded upon. More importantly, these brothers have reached the Top of the Pyramid, yet continue to provide a helping hand to other brothers. The order of the pyramid is the fraternity's highest honor and is by far the most exclusive.

File:GZA-Order-of-the-Pyramid.jpg

The Order of the Pyramid logo

The following are current members of the Order of the Pyramid:

Inducted November 30, 2007 (San Diego, California):

• Alex Calvario
• Gustavo Camacho
• Hector Curiel
• Andres Favela
• Ernesto Govea
• Michael Martinez
• Ramon Martinez
• Gerardo Munoz
• Dr. Octavio Pimentel
• Rick Ramirez
• Jose Silva
• Harry Vacaflor
• Ray Villar
• Don Williams

Inducted December 1, 2007 (San Diego, California):

• Michael Tokuno (Alpha)
• Dr. Steve Olmos (Alpha)
• Alejandro Pineda (Alpha)
• Blas Tenorio (Alpha)
• Jose Martinez (Beta)
• Leo Cortez (Beta)
• Eloy Garcia (Beta)
• Thomas Velis (Beta)
• Felipe Martinez (Gamma)
• Abel Guillen (Gamma)
• Gene Calderon (Gamma)
• Steve Guillen (Gamma)
• Arquimides Caldera (Gamma)
• Dr. Raul Ruiz (Delta)
• Marcial Marmolejo (Epsilon)

Inducted April 6, 2013 (San Francisco, California)

• Emiliano Hernandez (Gamma)
• Gerardo "Lalo" Lopez (Delta)
• Kevin L. Banos (Delta)
• Eddie Iriqui (Zeta)
• Eddie De La Riva (Eta)
• Adrian Cid Uribe (Eta)
• Dennis Gonzalez (Theta)
• Juan Carlos Lopez (Theta)
• Jorge Madrid (Kappa)
• Jay Singh (Lambda)

Anniversary gala

Every five years, Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. hosts an anniversary gala. Brothers from all over the US come together to celebrate the rich history of the organization and its many accomplishments. Chapters and individual members are recognized for their philanthropic and professional work as well as their service to the organization. Among these accolades is the induction of five new brothers into the Order of the Pyramid.

On December 1, 2007, over a thousand brothers from 15 chapters celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. at Paradise Point Resort in San Diego, California.

Chapters

Alpha Chapter: Chico State University, founded 1987

Beta Chapter: San Jose State University, est. 1989

Gamma Chapter: University of California at Berkeley, est. 1992

Delta Chapter: California State University, Northridge, est. 1993

Epsilon Chapter: Fresno State University, est. 1997

Zeta Chapter: San Diego State University Est. 1997

Eta Chapter: University of California at Los Angeles, est. 2000

Theta Chapter: University of California at Davis, est. 2000

Iota Chapter: Stanford University, est. 2000

Kappa Chapter: University of California at Santa Barbara, est. 2000

Lambda Chapter: California State University, Monterey Bay, est. 2002

Mu Chapter: California State University, Sacramento, est. 2003

Nu Chapter: University of California at San Diego, est. 2004

Xi Chapter: California State University, Los Angeles, est. 2005

Omicron Chapter: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, est. 2005

Pi Chapter: Arizona State University, est. 2008

Rho Chapter: University of Southern California, est. 2010

Sigma Chapter: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, est. 2010

Tau Chapter: California State University, East Bay, est. 2011

Upsilon Chapter: California State University, Dominguez Hills, est. 2011

Phi Chapter: University of California, Merced, est. 2012

Chi Chapter: California State University, San Bernardino, est. 2016

Omega Chapter: reserved

NALFO

Established in 1998, the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) is an umbrella council for 21 Latino Greek letter organizations across the United States. The purpose of NALFO is to promote and foster positive interfraternal relations, communication, and development of all Latino fraternal organizations through mutual respect, leadership, honesty, professionalism and education. As a founding member, Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is proud to set a positive example for other organizations.

NALFO Awards

As a member of NALFO, Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has earned the following awards:

• Fraternity of the Year
• National Philanthropic Organization of the Year
• Undergraduate Philanthropic Chapter of the Year
• Alumnus Philanthropic Chapter of the Year
• Undergraduate Chapter of the Year
• Alumnus Chapter of the Year
• Rising Professional of the Year
• Undergraduate of the Year
• National Website of the Year

Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was recognized as the National Fraternity of the Year in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013 by the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations.

Expansion

Since its founding, Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. has expanded to include chapters at schools throughout California, and most recently in Arizona. It is the only NALFO fraternity that has never had an inactive chapter due to lack of membership. Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. strives to ensure the potential for growth for all of its chapters once they are established. By teaching prospective members organizational knowledge and valuable skill sets to run a successful chapter, Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc. sets a foundation that promotes the success of its chapters within the university and surrounding communities.

Requirements

To begin the membership education process of Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc, every prospective member must fulfill the following requirements:

• be a full-time undergraduate or graduate student at a four-year college or university
• have a minimum 2.5 cumulative grade point average

See also

• List of social fraternities and sororities

External links

• Gamma Zeta Alpha - official website of Gamma Zeta Alpha Fraternity, Inc.