Epsilon Omega

---

Epsilon Omega is the University of Mississippi chapter of Alpha Phi Omega.

History

Epsilon Omega was chartered on May 5, 1948 as the 144th chapter of Alpha Phi Omega.

The chapter faded in the early 1980s. Little is currently known about the chapter between 1948 and 1980 aside from information found in Ole Miss yearbooks.

In 2003, two students, Jordan Taylor and Steven Griffin, were inspired by the recently chartered chapter of Omega Phi Alpha, and wanted to create additional service opportunities on campus appealing to men as well as women. As a result of their efforts, the Epsilon Omega chapter was rechartered on December 5, 2004 with 21 members. Jordan and Steven attended the 2004 National Convention in Denver as the chapter's voting delegates. In the following semesters, the chapter struggled with recruiting younger members, and despite having pledge classes each semester through Spring 2006, the chapter stopped reporting information in 2007. By 2008, all initiated members had graduated.

The chapter was revived in the 2009-10 academic year, primarily through the efforts of graduate students. Jordan Richard, Rosie Nelson, and Wendy Whitmire used the Fall 2009 semester to untangle the few records left behind and get the chapter back into good standing before recruiting additional members. The chapter had only one active member (Rosie) from September 2009 through April 2010, with anywhere from four to seven advisors. The Spring 2010 pledge class was originally composed of 10 members, 8 of whom were initiated into the fraternity on April 17, 2010.

Traditions

Toast Song

The chapter substitutes "true to" for "men of" at all chapter events. Brothers also begin shaking their hands up and down, while remaining clasped, with the line, "Now we raise our grateful voices..." This tradition was adopted from Omicron Zeta (or, at least, that's who they attribute it to).

At interchapter events, Epsilon Omega brothers will typically either sing "men of" or not sing those two words of the Toast Song out of respect to other chapters in attendance with different traditions (notably Alpha Epsilon).

The chapter sings the Toast Song after every chapter event, including but not limited to service projects, fellowships, leadership development events, and chapter meetings.

Interchapter Hat

Members of Epsilon Omega take a hat to every interchapter (IC) event they attend. During or shortly after the event, a member of the host chapter is asked to sign the hat, typically either the event chair or someone the chapter interacted with extensively. The current hat, a red felt cowboy hat, began in October 18, 2009 with a visit to an Alpha Epsilon chapter meeting. The hat was purchased at a Wal-Mart in College Station, Texas after the 2009 Region VII Conference at Texas A&M, but does not have a signature from that event.

Trivia

Rosie is one of Isaac Liao's littles from Gamma Gamma, where she was active as an undergrad. All of the current actives at Epsilon Omega come from her line. Meaning that, in a twisted way, everyone currently active in Epsilon Omega is connected to Iota Phi.

The chapter's interchapter hat was inspired by a contest held by the Gamma Gamma IC chair at the Spring 2003 Section 4 Conference hosted by Iota Phi. Attendees from Gamma Gamma were asked to have as many IC brothers as possible sign their plastic cowboy party hats.