Campus is welcoming a new fraternity to campus. The 81st chapter of Lambda Sigma Upsilon (LSU) was recently established on Oct 26, 2022. The new Latino-orientated Greek organization was founded by Stevens students David Rocha ’24 from Roselle Park, NJ, Juan David Valencia Ayala ’24 from Union City, NJ, and Steven Aponte ’24 from Paterson, NJ.
Lambda Sigma Upsilon was built around four main virtues. These goals are academic excellence, cultural awareness and diversity, being role models to the community, and brotherhood. Additionally, the LSU national philanthropy is to fundraise for HIV and AIDS research and awareness.
The process to get the chapter started was no easy task. Representatives of LSU’s expansion program aided the students in their endeavor to establish a chapter on campus. The founders also received a lot of local support from the local chapters at New Jersey City University and Seton Hall University.
Much like their LSU predecessors, these students felt that the campus had underrepresented ethnic minority groups that were not getting the support or services necessary to promote their academic achievement at school and personal growth. They established Lambda Sigma Upsilon to serve as a family away from home and as a support network for minorities. One of the founders, Valencia, never intended to join a fraternity let alone create one. But, as a Latino in a predominately white institution, he felt there weren’t enough choices of groups to bond and share interests with.
The members of the new chapter just a week after their creation held their first community service event. The members are committed to upholding their values and increasing their presence on campus. The members are diving right into things with a week-long series of events called “Upsilon Week” from November 28 to December 2., our week of events is called “Upsilon Week”. Here are the events that will be held for that week: Monday will be a round-table discussion about navigating through a predominately white institution and the experiences people of different cultures have lived throughout their time at Stevens.Tuesday, will be a co-op panel of students giving their insight on the program and other tips that students may find useful. Wednesday will be a community service held at the Hoboken Shelter to serve dinner to the homeless. Thursday is World AIDS Day so in honor of LSU’s national philanthropy, this event will go over the history of the philanthropy and why it is so important.
Like Valencia said, they are going to show “what LSU is about—really establish LSU—we need to put in that heart that we’ve already shown”.
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