{"id":5062361,"date":"2024-12-11T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-11T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walatinonews.com\/?p=5062361"},"modified":"2024-12-11T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-11T08:00:00","slug":"this-fraternity-is-home-away-from-home-for-university-of-washington-students","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/2024\/12\/11\/this-fraternity-is-home-away-from-home-for-university-of-washington-students\/","title":{"rendered":"This Fraternity is \u2018home away from home\u2019 for University Of Washington Students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Latino population only makes up 8% of the total student body population at the University of Washington, which leaves many Latino students feeling out of place or without a sense of belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for many of its members, Omega Delta Phi gave them an opportunity to build community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe first day that I went, I got introduced to a lot of the guys, and I felt very welcomed,\u201d said president of the fraternity, Aaron Reyes. \u201cThroughout that week, we just continued doing different events and activities, and I got to know a lot about what the fraternity was about, what they stood for, and their values.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Omega Delta Phi is part of the University of Washington\u2019s Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), founded in 2002. The MGC oversees 13 unique cultural fraternities for underrepresented individuals in Greek life \u2013 focused on community, culture, and academic excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many students join for many reasons; however, for Washington student and current member JJ Montelongo, the roots of the fraternity ran in the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy uncle was actually a founder of the fraternity here on UW\u2019s campus, which ended up being the first-ever cultural fraternity founded in the Pacific Northwest,\u201d Montelongo said. \u201cSomebody else who I also consider my uncle, who is a really close friend of the family, was also a founder, so I basically have two uncles who founded the fraternity.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first chapter was founded at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Tex. on November 25, 1987. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Washington chapter was founded on April 25, 1996, nearly nine years later. Omega Delta Phi now has 82 chapters nationwide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The front of an Omega Delta Phi member\u2019s jacket.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography: <\/strong>Danny Williams<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the Kappa Sigma fraternity \u2013 a predominantly white fraternity \u2013 was founded in 1869 at the University of Virginia and has over 300 chapters nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFor us to be going on what would be 30 years pretty soon, that means there\u2019s still a lot of time to set in stone what the fraternity is really about and what we do, and it’s always open to innovation.\u201d Montelongo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although relatively new compared to many non-cultural fraternities, Omega Delta Phi is already progressing rapidly in terms of exposure and overall membership \u2013 increasing its membership from 12 members to 30 in this past year alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe work a lot on talking to high school students,\u201d Reyes said. \u201cStudents who aren\u2019t on the track to graduate, and [we] try to motivate them and give them an idea that there are people like you in college. We do have the support. There are going to be people who look like you, who are studying the same things, who went through the same things as you that made it out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members are not required to live in a house, as the average cost for a non-cultural fraternity at the University of Washington is $3,150 per quarter, although many still choose to live together. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fraternity participates in various events including on-campus meet-ups for potential members during rush season, on-campus fundraisers, and off-campus charity and community-building events with other Latino organizations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Omega Delta Phi president Aaron Reyes in front of Savery Hall at the University of Washington.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography: <\/strong>Danny Williams<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll play some games that come from Asian or Hispanic backgrounds, and we\u2019ll open that up to the community, and we\u2019ll have a game night together,\u201d Montelongo said. \u201cWe\u2019ll come together and do street cleanups, or we\u2019ll volunteer with Special Olympics Washington for whatever events they need help with.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through every event, meeting, and study session, Omega Delta Phi believes in celebrating Latino culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe music is Spanish music. If we cook something we\u2019ll make a Spanish dish or if we have a game night we\u2019ll include a lot of the traditional games we used to play back home with our families.\u201d Reyes said. \u201cJust a big focus is being able to share our experiences with each other, and our backgrounds and being able to understand each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Members of the fraternity do not need to be Latino either, as the chapter\u2019s slogan is \u201cone culture, any race.\u201d 
\u201c[The fraternity] was Hispanic founded, but it\u2019s not exclusive to anybody,\u201d Montelongo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight now, we have people who range from Hispanic to Asian to Ethiopian \u2013 all races within the past that we\u2019ve had. Filipino people, we\u2019ve had white people. There is no Ethnic background that you have to have to join.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>
\n

Danny Williams is a junior at the University of Washington pursuing a degree in journalism and public interest communications. He is currently a sports writer for the Daily UW where he covers men\u2019s basketball and baseball.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For many of its members, Omega Delta Phi gave them an opportunity to build community. 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