Xavier alumni carry on legacy of paying it forward

By Christine Bordelon
Clarion Herald

When Xavier University of Louisiana’s alumni and Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity brothers reflected recently on the positive impact both organizations had on their professional, personal and faith lives, they knew it was their time to reciprocate.

On March 29, approximately 60 Xavier graduates and Beta Tau Alpha chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha members joined forces to establish the nonprofit Beta Tau Alumni Association (BTAA).

“We were fully aware that we are in various professions and have developed a level of equity and financial resources and experiences that we wanted to give back to Xavier,” said Dr. John Jackson, chairman of the BTAA, a Xavier graduate and trustee and director of the Schott Foundation in Boston.

“We understood that we were a group of men who came through the Beta Tau chapter at Xavier University and our experiences in the chapter enriched our college life and gave us preparation for dealing with organizations, negotiating with one another and building brotherhood.”

Jackson said being a graduate of Xavier – the only Historically Black Catholic University in the western hemisphere – “instilled in us a level of faith.” Interfaith chaplain Mitchell Stevens advises the Beta Tau undergraduate chapter on campus today.

Named after members
The group initially committed to an endowment of $500,000 – half of the money will be earmarked to award five annual $12,500 scholarships to deserving students; and the other half will support student internships, a speaker series, events surrounding Xavier’s annual homecoming and student organizations.

Each scholarship is named after a prominent Alpha Phi Alpha member and supporters of the Beta Tau Alpha chapter. For example, there are scholarships named after U.S. District Court Judge Ivan Lemelle; former mayors of New Orleans Dutch and Marc Morial; former Cook County Commissioner John Stroger; Harry Johnson, the former Beta Tau chapter president and general president of Alpha Phi Alpha and president of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Fund; and long-time Xavier University Dean of Students Joseph K. Byrd.

The first scholarship will be awarded in 2025 – when Xavier University of Louisiana celebrates its centennial. This gives the association time to endow the scholarship.

“There are so many young males who need the opportunity to attend Xavier University, and one of those barriers is financial resources,” Jackson said.

History of philanthropy
The BTAA chose the 85th anniversary of the fraternity’s Beta Tau Alpha chapter at Xavier as its founding date. A core group filed the legal papers to establish the charity and conducted Zoom information sessions for six weeks to give their brothers – who include doctors, pharmacists, engineers, teachers, lawyers, judges and a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient –  an opportunity to hear what the association was planning.

“Most importantly to us, we have a large number of fathers and leaders in the community,” Jackson said. “They want to continue to find a way to use their talent and treasure to uplift the next generation of Xavierites.”

The BTAA’s main objectives include strengthening the Beta Tau network and the alumni network at Xavier University; and strengthening support for education and social programming (especially with lectures and homecoming events) led by the fraternity at Xavier University.

Jackson said the executive board worked with Xavier’s Office of Alumni Affairs to inform them of its plan to better connect the Beta Tau alumni network and its power to “positively impact the university. We were aware that there were some brothers connected with the (fraternity) network but not connected to Xavier. We felt this was a good way to better connect that bridge.

“We want to acknowledge what Xavier University has given us and Alpha Phi Alpha has given us,” he said. “Our experience is through Beta Tau. Now, through Beta Tau, we have the  opportunity to impact so many more students.”

To donate to the BTAA endowment and program initiatives, visit bit.ly/328jdpO or call Xavier’s associate vice president for institutional advancement, Kimberly Reese, at [email protected]. For details about BTAA or membership, visit www.btaax.org.