Cross & Crescent

Any discussion of the Lambda Chi chapter at Appalachian State University must begin with James F. Jones.

“I graduated from Elon University and went to work at High Point University teaching business and accounting and also coaching tennis,” Jones says. “Lambda Chi Alpha was relatively new to the campus and needed a faculty adviser. The Lambda Chis were an excellent group of young men so I agreed to accept that role and was initiated as an honorary member.

“During my second year with them, a young man by the name of Murphy Osborne (former Grand High Alpha) joined the Fraternity. After two years, I accepted a position at Appalachian State University as an accounting professor and tennis coach. When I arrived at my new school I found that there were no social organizations. Fraternities weren’t allowed, so I founded the Collegiate Civic Club (CCC), whose goal was to provide social and service opportunities in and around the university community.

“I didn’t tell anyone that I drew up the organization’s constitution and bylaws the same as the Lambda Chi Alpha chapter at High Point. It had Lambda Chi’s same high ethical standards.”

For about 10 years Jim stayed very involved with CCC, but then concentrated primarily on teaching, coaching, and eventually becoming athletic director.

Brad Adcock (1976), vice president for government affairs with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, fondly remembers those early days with Lambda Chi Alpha: “I joined the CCC which had a great group of men as members and it was service oriented on the campus. We kept dues low by selling programs at sporting events and cleaning the stadium. Several of our projects were identified for us by Jim Jones, then the Athletic Director at Appalachian State and the founder of the CCC. What no one in CCC knew was that Jim Jones had founded the CCC on the principles of Lambda Chi Alpha. If we had known that, the vote to join Lambda Chi Alpha wouldn’t have been close, but as it was, it came down to Brad Wilson casting the deciding vote.”

Brad Wilson (1976) is the current president of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and remembers back to those days of transition from CCC to Lambda Chi Alpha: “The CCC was the best fraternity on the Appalachian State campus with a very strong service component. In fact, one of my very fond memories of the fraternity was the time the brothers voted to bring the Emmett Kelly Circus to the campus. We took a major financial risk, not really sure we would break even, but we weren’t seeking a financial reward; it was all about service for us. The families and children who attended told us we had made the right decision; they loved it.

“Back then, the first national fraternity had been accepted onto the campus and we realized that times were changing and we would also have to become a member of a national organization. And yes, I cast the deciding vote to join Lambda Chi Alpha.”

Why Lambda Chi?

“Well, the members of the CCC started looking around and were courted by several groups. I remember meeting with Charlie Frick (DePauw 1973), the Director of Expansion, that summer and he did a great job explaining what Lambda Chi Alpha was all about and he was also very personable. I became convinced that, nationally, Lambda Chi Alpha was a very strong organization and also, their publications were professional in appearance. I also liked the Greek letters; they were distinctive.

“Now, it is true that I cast the deciding vote, but it wasn’t that simple. As the last president of the CCC, I had decided not to vote in selecting which fraternity to join. So, when the votes were counted, the other fraternity had one more vote. As presiding officer, I asked our faculty adviser, a graduate student, if he had voted. He confirmed that he had and that he had voted for the other fraternity. I checked our bylaws and determined that since he didn’t pay dues he was not eligible to vote. By removing that vote, we had a tie. I then cast the tie-breaking vote for Lambda Chi Alpha.”

The faculty adviser became No. 1 on the chapter roles and Wilson became the first chapter president.

Appalachian State Today

Bryan Hoffman is the current chapter president and is well versed on all of the chapter history. “We have a very diverse and active chapter. Hoffman has served as vice president of the IFC and David Welcher is currently serving as a freshmen orientation leader. Hoffman is also a member of the school’s Hospitality and Tourism Management Student Association and led a group to the international Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City. Richard Wathern is very active in working with the youth in the Watauga public school system and Welcher is a youth coach for the county Parks and Recreation Department.

“We also have a couple of traditions which the chapter observes. Yosef is the school mascot and before each football game his footprints are painted up stadium drive leading to Kidd Brewer Stadium. A new tradition began with the honorary initiation of Chancellor Kenneth Peacock. The chancellor is escorted into the football stadium by two or three brothers holding the National Championship trophies won by the football team over the past four years.”

Thirty-four years ago the local Collegiate Civic Club evolved into the Sigma-Upsilon Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha. Since that time, more than 700 brothers have been initiated into our bond. The chapter remains faithful to its original dedication to service and brotherhood.