The Beginning

In the Spring semester of 2000, four individuals took upon themselves the duty of enlightening the students at Columbia University about diversity, but most importantly about Latino culture. They felt the campus as a whole was divided, in particular the Latino community. Students were not getting involved in extracurricular activities with a great concentration of these uninvolved students being men. These four men met as the semester went along to seek ideas and solve such problem. As more research was done, they found out that the uninvolved male students wanted to participate in extracurricular activities, yet they were not attracted to the options that were currently available. The small group of men felt that the only answer to get the rest of the students involved was to start a chapter of La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc.

As the summer progressed, these four men completed all the pre-requisites needed to start the chapter at Columbia. In the Fall of 2000, the group took on the LUL journey. On November 24th, 2000, the four members of the founding line of the Alpha Eta Colony became Hermanos of La Fraternidad.

Child of Gold

After becoming Hermanos, the Founders of the Colony worked hard to fulfill their original goal of getting more men involved in campus activities. In the Spring of 2001, many of the male students expressed their interest in joining La Fraternidad. On April 25th, 2001, Hemanth Venkataraman became the Beta line of Alpha Eta. With his crossing, the Colony officially became the Alpha Eta Chapter @ Columbia University in the City of New York.

The Arrival

Since its inception, the Alpha Eta Chapter has been instrumental in continuing to promote Latino culture and other under-represented groups at Columbia. Its members have spearheaded the creation and recognition of several campus groups such as SOL (Student Organization of Latinos), an organization created to unify Latino organizations and its constituents. Furthermore, the Hermanos began a campaign to create a board to serve as the governing unit for all Greeks of Color organizations. These men have contributed greatly to organizations such as GQ (Grupo Quisqueyano), SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers), Club Zamana, UPB (University Program Board), NSOP (New Student Orientation Program), CUDM (Columbia University Dance Marathon), to mention a few.

The Hermanos have built relationships with other Greek organizations, administrators, and students. Columbia's campus continues to feel the effect that La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity, Inc. brings to its community. In the years to come, the Alpha Eta Chapter hopes to distinguish itself as one of the strongest organizations on campus by promoting the goals and ideals of La Fraternidad and of its members.