History
Alpha Kappa Psi is the oldest and largest
co-ed business fraternity in the United States. In 1900, New York
University began offering degrees in the fields of Commerce, Accounts,
and Finance.
Prior to NYU's announcement, only three
other universities had schools for business. Therefore, the
announcement of such a degree was met with much doubt. The need for
student loyalty was essential in the success of this business school
and was, in part, the reason Alpha Kappa Psi was formed.
The entering class of 1900 included four
very special men from Brooklyn: Mr. Howard M. Jefferson, Mr. Frederick
R. Leach, Mr. Nathan Lane Jr., and Mr. George L. Bergen. They developed
such a strong spirit of brotherhood, that they decided to invite more
students to join this group of elite leaders. Six more men were
recruited, and the first official meeting was held on October 5, 1904.
The meeting consisted of the Brooklyn Four, Mr. Irving L. Camp, Mr.
Robert S. Douglas, Mr. Daniel V. Duff, Mr. Morris S. Rachmil, Mr.
William O. Tremaine, and Mr. Herbert M. Wright.
On March 20, 1905, the Ten Founding Fathers
applied to the State of New York to grant a charter to their
organization, Alpha Kappa Psi. The application was approved exactly two
months later. Thus began the tradition of enhancing the education of
thousands of business students nationwide. Nearly a century later,
Alpha Kappa Psi has grown to a membership exceeding 175,000 in 260
chapters within the United States, Canada and United Kingdom.