BWW Blog: Looking to Join a Club? Join APO!

Odds are, if you're reading this, you're a soon-to-be college student looking for ways to get involved in the theatre community on your campus. Whether you're a theatre major or not* I've got good news for you: you should consider joining APO! APO, which stands for Alpha Psi Omega, is the international fraternity for the theatrical arts. Before you think of this fraternity as a bros-only, super competitive, flag-football kind of thing, don't. Your college may have social fraternities or sororities with that kind of atmosphere, but APO is a professional service fraternity, dedicated to encouraging dramatic production at every step in a person's academic career. If that sounds like something for you, read on!

As the current treasurer of Alpha Psi Omega, Omicron Epsilon Chapter at Butler University, here some key components and takeaways of my APO experience:

This is a great opportunity for students to lead students. Omicron Epsilon at Butler didn't have a faculty advisor for the longest time (oops), so that means that students elected leaders, initiated new members, and planned all of our meetings and events. Our chapter has a president, VP, secretary and treasurer. In addition, we have committees for all of the events we plan, giving members a chance to lead too. Clubs like Alpha Psi Omega would not be what they are without student leadership and involvement. (*our chapter allows students from outside of our department to join, an even cooler opportunity to get involved in something on your campus!)

APO also plans the coolest events! College can be stressful and make you miss home and friends. It's important to have an outlet with your new co-workers in your full-time job of being a student. Our chapter has done movie nights, freshman-only nights, weekend parties, and an end-of-year banquet. Other events we do are focused on fundraising, but still equally cool: a thrift sale, a silent auction, and more!

If this all sounds great, but your college or university doesn't have APO...start a chapter! I have helped my friends get the ball rolling on new chapters at other colleges in other theatre departments. While everything about my APO journey has made my collegiate theatre experience richer, an organization like APO is what you make it! Want to act as a liaison between your department and other colleges or other local universities? Looking for a way to bridge a gap of understanding between students and faculty? Need an organization for professional development in your department? Great! Alpha Psi Omega can be all of those things for you and your peers. Visit alphapsiomega.com to find out more about how to start your own chapter.

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