Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, is the largest historically Black fraternity in the nation, yet senior marketing major Jaden Hatcher is the sole member on App State’s campus.
President, secretary, treasurer, recruitment chair and more are all roles members of Greek organizations can choose to step into. Hatcher became all of those positions for the Pi Nu chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, following his crossing on March 26, 2024.
“Being a solo in my chapter is hard, because you feel isolated, especially at a PWI too, and in Boone as well,” Hatcher said. “You just keep getting more and more isolated by category and section.”
Tyler Allen, an Alpha who graduated from App State in Spring 2024, said the reason Hatcher is a solo is because he was the only interest at the time.
Growing up, Hatcher was familiar with Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and other Divine Nine organizations, as his father is a member of the fraternity and his mother is a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. His twin sister and his older sister are also a part of Alpha Kappa Alpha.
“Everything was surrounded with black and gold and pink and green,” Hatcher said.
His parents never forced him to join the fraternity. Instead, he said they opened doors for him.
“Alpha was always the main choice,” Hatcher said.
Through his research, he resonated with many of the fraternity’s areas of focus in academic excellence and community service. He said he dreams of opening a soup kitchen for the less fortunate, and Alpha Phi Alpha aligns with those goals.
Allen said one quality he sees in Hatcher that reflects the fraternity is his drive to help others, especially minorities and “those who look like him,” as well as those who are in need.
“That’s what we always look for in brothers, in people and also young men who have outstanding academic qualities,” Allen said. “And those who could be a role model.”
Hatcher said as a minority at a predominantly white institution, one can stand out, which is why it is important to “put yourself in a position to succeed, and a lot of that is done through your academics.”
Alpha Phi Alpha, he said, also pushes forth the standard of supporting one another to become the best versions of oneself.
“I put forth my best foot forward and show that I am smart, intelligent, capable just like anybody else, and just because I look different than you shouldn’t demean my qualities like that,” Hatcher said.
