Lambda Alpha Upsilon
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| Latino America Unida, Lambda Alpha Upsilon Fraternity Inc. | |
|---|---|
| ΛΑΥ | |
 | |
| Founded | December 10th, 1985 State University of New York at Buffalo |
| Type | Social |
| Scope | National |
| Motto | "¡Venceremos porque Nacimos para Triunfar!" |
| Colors | Red, Yellow, White and Black |
| Chapters | 14 undergraduate, 4 colonies, 3 alumni chapters, 1 alumni association |
| Fraternal Guardian | Andean Condor |
| Headquarters | 1162 St. Georges Avenue Suite #258 Avenel, New Jersey 07001 USA |
| Website | www |
Latino America Unida, Lambda Alpha Upsilon Fraternity, Inc. (ΛΑΥ or LAU, also known as "Lambdas" and Condors) is a Latino oriented Greek letter intercollegiate fraternity founded on December 10, 1985 at the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Founding fathers
Lambda Alpha Upsilon was founded on December 10th, 1985 at the State University of New York at Buffalo. The sixteen founding fathers had a dream of uniting the Latino community and raising the awareness of Latino culture on their campus. Since then, Lambda Alpha Upsilon has continued to work hard to keep that dream alive. Through community service, educational and entertaining functions, Lambda Alpha Upsilon strives to perpetuate its Latino-oriented culture at the University of Buffalo and abroad.
The founding fathers represented various ethnic backgrounds, demonstrating the diversity of the Latin American community. In the fall of 1985 at the University at Buffalo, sixteen young men decided to form a support group that would provide a social and cultural outlet for students of Latin American descent. The university's Greek system lacked an organization dedicated to the needs of the Latino community. To meet those needs, the group chose to pursue recognition as the first Latino-oriented Greek-letter organization on campus.
The interest group searched for a reputable organization with which to affiliate, but did not find one to suit its needs. They then decided to create a unique fraternity, with its own principles and philosophies. The founding fathers knew that strength of character, and a common purpose are the foundation of successful institutions. This led them to create a fraternity based upon the principles of brotherhood, scholarship and service to the community.
The founding fathers developed a set of goals, known as the Metas, based upon said principles. The Metas were meant to be guidelines to direct how the fraternity serves its community, and how Hermanos are to conduct themselves. The Rituals were designed to instill upon candidates the values, principles, and purpose of the brotherhood. Symbols were chosen to represent the strength and character of the fraternity. Moreover, the founding fathers were laying the foundation for the future of the fraternity, as it expanded to other colleges and universities.
The unity realized by these men became the foundation upon which the fraternity was established.
The founding fathers were:
- Antonio Adorno
- José Betances
- Miguel Buitrago
- Manuel Cáceres
- José Chiu
- Ronald Ellín
- Daniel Figueroa III
- Victor Gutiérrez
- Justo León
- Julio Martínez Jr.
- José Núñez
- Antonio Rodríguez
- Daryl Salas
- Manny Sánchez
- José Soto
- Simón Vélez
Metas (goals)
Lambda Alpha Upsilon was founded upon the principles of brotherhood, scholarship and community service. These principles are the guidelines by which the fraternity supports their mission within the community. These are expressed in the fraternity's Metas, or goals, which are the following:
- To unite the Latino community
- To provide a strong and solid base for Latino culture
- To support each other personally and academically
- To establish a network of professionals
- To expand our brotherhood to an international level
- To insure that the numbers of Latinos in education is ever increasing
- To enrich our environment with Latino pride and spirit
Lambda Alpha Upsilon believes that high standards, strength of character and a common vision promote the success of the brotherhood. That belief must be carried out through each member's personal and professional lives in constant pursuit of the realization of the Metas. It is the Metas that provide the path to success as the fraternity and its members continues to excel in every field of human endeavor.
Principles and purpose
"As Lambda Alpha Upsilon continues to develop, it has maintained its principles and purpose, for these are what distinguish the brotherhood and guide its members through their personal and professional endeavors. All these things can be combined to express one common belief. No matter what obstacles or difficulties stand in our way; '¡Venceremos Porque Nacimos Para Triunfar!' (We will overcome because we were born to triumph!) We are all given the opportunity to live a significant life and as such, it is our responsibility to leave our mark on society."[1]
Undergraduate chapters
Lambda Alpha Upsilon reserves the Lambda[2] chapter designation for deceased Hermanos. Iterations beginning with the letter Lambda are reserved for alumni chapters as described below.
The Beta Chapter of Lambda Alpha Upsilon was chartered on April 17th, 1993 when five outstanding Latino students from the Rochester Institute of Technology were inducted into the fraternity. These five men were Carlos Belen, Yankel Fernandez, Juan Flores, Rudy Rodriguez, and Jesus Ruiz. These Hermanos were initiated under the Alpha Chapter of Lambda Alpha Upsilon. Through their journey, they formed a bond within themselves, as well as within the fraternity, that would prove to be the foundation of a new brotherhood existing within the campus of the Rochester Institute of Technology.
| Chapter | School | Established |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha | State University of New York at Buffalo | 1985 |
| Beta | Rochester Institute of Technology | 1993 |
| Gamma | St. John's University | 1994 |
| Delta | State University of New York at Oswego | 1996 |
| Epsilon | New York City Technical College | 1996 |
| Zeta | State University of New York at Delhi | 1997 |
| Eta | State University of New York at Old Westbury | 1998 |
| Theta | Southern Connecticut State University | 1999 |
| Iota | University of Florida | 2001 |
| Kappa | University of New Haven | 2004 |
| Mu | University of Wisconsin-Whitewater | 2005 |
| Nu | West Chester University of Pennsylvania | 2007 |
| Xi | University of Connecticut | 2008 |
| Omicron | Central Connecticut State University | 2009 |
| Pi | Syracuse University | 2014 |
| SUNY Binghamton Colony | SUNY Binghamton | 2016 |
| SUNY Oneonta Colony | SUNY Oneonta | 2016 |
Alumni chapters
The alumni chapters of Lambda Alpha Upsilon consist of professional individuals, whom were inducted as undergraduate members and are established in the workforce or continuing their education while deciding to remain active within the fraternity. Lambda Alpha Upsilon officially recognizes the following alumni chapters:
| Chapter | Region | Established |
|---|---|---|
| Lambda Alpha | Connecticut | 2005 |
| Lambda Beta | New York City Metro | 2005 |
| Lambda Gamma | Washington, DC Metro | 2010 |
Affiliations
The fraternity is a founding member of the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO).