Most of you have seen them around campus going to and from class, attending parties or even participating in a community service event. No matter where, you have seen the guys in the black and gold.

“Alpha Phi Alpha is the first black intercollegiate organization in the world,” senior mechanical engineering major Ayodeji “DJ” Daramola said. Daramola is the current president of the Epsilon Sigma Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Inc.

The fraternity was the first multiracial chapter founded in 1964 at St. Mary’s University, while the original chapter was founded in 1906 at Cornell University.

The Epsilon Sigma Chapter consists of seven male students from UTSA: Daramola, senior marketing major Jason Yancey, senior business major Bobby Chukwu, senior biology major Terry Johnson, senior electrical engineering major Anthony Idi, junior criminal justice major Julian Barker and junior pre-med Joseph Grunt.

Like most fraternities, the Alphas are most known for throwing huge parties and stepping and strolling, an art form that is a mix of dancing and stepping uniformely.
But the Epsilon Sigma chapter also prides itself on community service.

“A lot of times people forget and look over the fact that we are a service organization and we do a lot of community service in and around UTSA. We just do not get the support and recognition for it,” Daramola said.

This year alone, the Alphas have had a food drive, a clothing drive and took donations for the Red Cross to help the victims of the Haiti disaster.

Year round, the Alphas volunteer for the Boys and Girls club, help with the Big Brother, Big Sister program and help with voter deputizing.

The Alphas also have study groups monthly around UTSA so students can come and study and get tutoring from fellow students.

 In addition to their various service initiatives, the Alphas also hold a scholarship pageant. March 7 was the 2nd annual Miss Black and Gold Scholarship Pageant in the UC Ballroom. The original pageant was started in Atlanta in 1976, but it was brought here last year.

The scholarship pageant had six contestants this year, all from UTSA: junior communication major Tracy Akinade, junior business major Megan Vliet, and sophomores psychology major Kiara Gradney, finance major Amber Harris, biology major Camille Solomon and communications major Danielle Washington.

While most of the ladies said they wanted to do the pageant to improve their public speaking, meet new people and ultimately to win, Solomon said,  “I attended last year and I wanted to be a part of something that did not just showcase beauty, but also intelligence.”

The tickets said the pageant started at 7p.m., but to many attendants surprise, it did not start till 8:05 pm. Like any other pageant, there was an opening dance number before the ladies had to state their names, majors and platforms.

The platforms varied from binge drinking among college students to homelessness, but all were held in high regard to the contestants.

After the swimsuit, talent and formal wear portions had taken place, it was time for the 2009 Miss Black and Gold, junior English major Ciera Young to give her farewell address, and so, she gracefully did.

Then came the moment that everyone was waiting on: the announcement of the 2010 Miss Black and Gold. But first, they announced the runner-ups, which were Akinade and Solomon.

“I’m not mad at all about not being Miss Black and Gold. This experience was great,” Akinade said.

 After a slightly slow drum roll the 2010 Miss Black and Gold was announced: Miss Kiara Gradney “It feels great to win the Black and Gold Pageant because now that it is over, I can focus on how to get my platform, which was binge drinking among college students, to a place where it can grab the attention of college students everywhere,” said  Gradney.
“To my fellow pageant ladies, I will miss them. They are great women," Gradney said.
Gradney now has the chance to compete regionally for the title among other women that have won at their respective schools.