president's welcome

our chapter history

Rho Sigma Lambda Chapter is the 671st House of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  RSL continues to service North Central Georgia/South Metro-Atlanta communities since its founding on July 21, 2008 through the fraternity’s National Programs and Special Projects.

It all began in the Fall of 2004, when a group of six Brothers came together to discuss ways in which they could collectively make a difference in North Central Georgia area. These great Brothers, known as the Founders of the Rho Sigma Lambda Chapter, are Brother Randall Ponder, Brother William Matchett, Brother Edward Morrow, Sr., Brother George Tate, Brother Cleopatrick Lacy, Brother Aveory Allen, and Brother Rufus Johnson.

The group reached out to Brothers living in Henry, Spaulding, Fayette, Newton, Pike, Butts Lamar, and Clayton counties to gauge interest in chartering a new chapter in the area. As word begin to circulate about their efforts, the number of Brothers interested begin to grow.  Brother Rufus Johnson had been serving as leader of the group and would serve as the member who would complete the application for chartering the Alumni chapter.

Early on, the group was meeting at Union Grove High School, McDonough. The first officers were: President (Brother Rufus Johnson), Vice President (Brother Vanthony Smith), Recording Secretary (Brother William Simmons), Financial Secretary (Brother Kenneth Green), Treasurer (Brother William Matchett), Membership Intake Coordinator (Brother Perry Williams), Director of Educational activities (Brother Randall Ponder), Chaplain (Brother Cleopatrick Lacy), Historian (Brother Ken Albright), Parliamentarian (Brother Edward Morrow, Sr.), Sergeant at Arms (Brother Jerome Neal, Jr.), Editor to the Sphinx (Brother John Reynolds), and Correspondent Secretary (Brother James Gist II). The group had grown to more than 50 Brothers.

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At the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. National Convention on July 21, 2008, The Membership, Rules, and Extension Committee formally recommended to the National Organization that Brothers within the North Central Georgia area be approved for Alumni Chapter status. Shortly after that in the fall of 2008, one of the chapter founders and former Director of Educational Activities, Brother Randall Ponder, entered the Omega Chapter. In his honor the chapter established “The Randall D. Ponder Scholarship Fund” in his honor. The Rho Sigma Lambda Chapter received its charter on December 7, 2008.