On April 12, the sound of tradition, music and chants filled Sanford Mall as seven brothers were inducted into App State’s Mu Upsilon chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. 

The new member presentation started at 4:11 p.m., marking the induction of seven new members: Jeremiah Byrdsell, Tre’von Maddox, Bryson Allen, Damien Tomczyk, Aditya Banerjee, Javon Siddle and Rodney Floyd.

Kappa Alpha Psi is an NPHC and is part of the Divine Nine, which is comprised of nine historically Black Greek organizations.

The Mu Upsilon chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi was founded on Nov. 18, 1983, and has not had any new members since Spring 2022.

Junior psychology major and president of the chapter Chelton Coley has been the sole member since 2022, due to a lack of interest in the organization. Coley said the organization is dedicated to serving the community and bettering its members.

The new member presentation included pop-out songs from each pledge, revealing their identities and celebrating the end of the pledging process. 

Each member then announced their major and year and told the story behind their line name. 

Javon Siddle, a senior accounting major, said he was given the name “Politically Correct” because he could answer every question correctly while pledging. When pledges are freed into Kappa Land, they are known by their line name. 

After the presentations, the new members stood across from their mothers and sang “Mama, Mama, Can’t You See (Kappa Alpha Psi)” by Kalvin Kosha to thank them for their support.

Siddle said the day was long-awaited, and the bond with his brothers is what makes the organization so special to him.

For alumni like Jimmy Hunt, who graduated from App State in 1997 and joined the organization in 1996, the moment was impactful. 

“Every time I come back to campus, it changes,” Hunt said. “This feels like a refreshing change to see seven guys in one line.”

Hunt explained that the seven new members show the fraternity’s high standards and values.

“It’s not easy to get in this line. You have to have strong morals, ethics and GPA,” Hunt said. “You have to be willing to do the work to make sure the chapter is solid and established.”

The legacy dates back over four decades. Malcolm Sanders, who attended App State from 1980 to 1985 and pledged in the fall of 1983, was a part of the first line to establish the chapter. 

“It feels great to see it become established,” Sanders said. “Every year I come back because of brotherhood.”

He said throughout the years, they continue to share their love for each other.

Joe Dixon, also a member of the fraternity’s first line at App State, said it was meaningful to witness the impact of what they started more than 40 years ago. 

“To see what we started means a lot because our legacy continues on App State’s campus,” Dixon said. 

For Carl Harris, another member of the first line, watching the growth of the Merciless Mu Upsilon chapter is touching. 

“To see these students carrying on what we started in 1983 means a lot,” Harris said.