Members of Kappa Alpha Psi’s Pearland-Manvel-Fresno Alumni chapter, a 111-year-old historically African American fraternity group, gathered at the West Pearland Library to celebrate the 19 newest mentees added to its mentorship program May 17.
“The Kappa League is more than just a mentorship program,” member Marlon Smith told Community Impact Newspaper. “It is a national leadership development program for young males ages 12-17 to help them grow, receive and develop their leadership talents in every phase of their life.”
The mentorship program first began over 50 years ago, Smith said. The Kappa League seeks to help young men across the country achieve their personal goals and make constructive contributions to their communities.
As a part of the program, local area Kappa Leaguers participate in activities from community service projects, college tours and national leadership conferences, including the fraternity’s annual Kappa Kamp on the campus of Paul Quinn College in Dallas.
Kappa Alpha Psi first chartered the Pearland-Manvel-Fresno chapter in February 2020 when fraternity members in the region conducted a demographic survey and, based on the results, they saw African American residents in the area did not feel as connected to Pearland’s civic and social life, Smith said. The fraternity aimed to fill that need with other goals, he said.
“Ultimately, the goal of our chapter is embodied in our chapter’s memberships—a united bond of doctors, lawyers, educators, engineers, entrepreneurs and more all coming together to encourage honorable achievement in every field of human endeavor,” Smith said.
