Nu Kappa Psi will take pledges this year as the newest men’s social club.
Shakur Smith, a junior marketing and finance major from Indianapolis, IN, will serve as the president for the Nu Kappa Psi, or Noble Kings, and said that he is excited for the club’s future and its potential pledges.
“At first we were shooting high and wanted 40 to 50 men to join,” said Smith, “but after talking with our sponsors, we decided to shoot for 20 to 30 potential pledgees.”
Thinking of the idea since the summer of 2015, Smith and other students believed a more diverse social club was needed on campus alongside the other men’s social clubs. Smith acknowledges that other clubs do equally try to reach out to minorities within the student body, but perhaps do not exemplify that as clearly as they could. By trying to attract minority students, the Noble Kings have acquired a stigma of being an exclusive, “black-men-only” club which Smith said discourages several men outside the black community. However, Smith said the club is not exclusive and he hopes for it to become a club in which men of all backgrounds can feel welcomed.
“We are not an exclusive all black club” said Smith. “We want to be open to all types of backgrounds and minorities and if our club becomes all black, then I am fine with that. We just want men who want to be part of our club and who want brotherhood.”
Brotherhood; one of the main focuses of Nu Kappa Psi mission. Smith said that he hopes to make Nu Kappa Psi less exclusive to members, but available to the community, allowing non-club members to participate in their events and activities.
“You see other fraternities at other schools that have barbeques and invite the whole student body and in turn, that makes the school look good,” said Smith. “And I hope that the Noble Kings can also exemplify that same outlook and make the school and student life look good.”
Some of the goals of Nu Kappa Psi are community both on campus and off campus, such as the Big Brother, Big Sister organizations.
Prentice Ashford, sponsor of Noble Kings and director for the office of multicultural affairs, said he is excited for the club to finally launch and be equally represented among the other social clubs on campus.
Ashford closely worked with the Noble King founders and believes that the club meets a need the ACU community should have.
“It meets a need that has not been addressed” said Ashford. “I understand the perception that people may have considering it was founded by four black men, but no, it is definitely for everybody.”
Ashford said the club is not as worried about the quantity so much as the quality of the men who choose to pledge the club.
The Noble Kings will have rushes and coffee’s for men interested in joining.
