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MU MU LAMBDA SETS THE PACE FOR SUCCESS WITH ITS EDUCATIONAL AND MENTORING PROGRAMS By Brothers Roderick W. Pugh, JadonalE. Ford* and Roy A. Jones, Jr. •u Mu Lambda Chapter's Spring 1999 Beautillion is being remembered as the best ever by chapter members. The event was dedicated in special tribute to Brother Jadonal Earl Ford, coordinator of *the chapter's Beautillion programs, who recently entered Omega Chapter. This year's Beautillion was attended by nearly 1,600 Brothers and guests and raised nearly $160,000—the second time the event has exceeded $155,000 in charity monies. The handsome Beau Ideals and beautiful 1999 Court made the evening complete. The choreography of Ms. Maria Lanier and production talents of Brother Kevin Tindell kept the audience in awe all evening. Brother Steve Baskerville, the Weather and Feature News Anchor at Chicago's CBS Network Television affiliate (WBBM), served as master of ceremonies for the fifth consecutive year. The fifth and newest academic scholarship, a $2,000 award, was named in memory of the late Brother Jadonal Earl Ford. General President Adrian L. Wallace also took part in the program, helping General Chairperson Brother Roy A. Jones, Jr. present the Beautillion Scholarships. Seventeen Beaus participated in this year's event. Mr. Aaron Stevens was crowned Mr. Beautillion 1999, receiving the crown from Mr. David A Hawkins, now a freshman at Howard University. Mr. Jason Johnson was named First Runner-up. Mr. Russell Brown was named Second Runner-up and Mr. Richard Gardner, Jr. was named Third Runner-up. The Ray Silkman Orchestra provided music for the evening. Next year's event has been planned for May 6,2000 at the Rosemont Convention Center. Mu Mu Lambda Chapter is proving to be a pacesetter as Alpha Phi Alpha moves toward the year 2000. The phenomenal success of its educational and mentoring programs has been recognized by the national media (Jet, Aug. 18,1997). Mr. Aaron Stevens was crowned Mr. Beautillion 1999 Mu Mu Lambda was founded in 1976, seventy years after the Fraternity's historical birth at Cornell University. The original purpose of the chapter was to accommodate the needs of 21 Alumni Brothers residing in the western suburbs of Chicago. A significant number of its current 69 members (including 39 Life Members) still reside in the area; however, its ranks now represent all sectors of the Chicago metropolitan community. Chapter activities encompass and exceed the traditional social and networking functions of most Alumni chapters. Mu Mu Lambda's appeal is its agenda for the enhancement of the present and future lives of high school AfricanAmerican males and their families. Inspired by the Fraternity's traditional Go-to-High School, Go-toCollege agenda and Project Alpha, the Chapter in 1983 inaugurated two educational and mentoring initiatives, the Alpha Lite Program and the Beautillion. The programs are administered by the Chapter's Educational Foundation, separately incorporated in 1987. High school males and their parents are recruited through school counselors, church, community, and personal contacts with an eye for ensuring cross-sectional economic representation. As the reputation of these programs has grown, many parents and students on their Seventeen Beau Ideals participated in this year's Beautillion. own initiative eagerly seek participation.
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THE SPHINX™ SUMMER 199