Eta Kappa Chapter

In the summer of 1973, three students at Millersville State College were inducted into the Lampados Club of Xi Zeta Chapter at the University of Delaware. Dean Jennings (Ω) was the sole survivor of the "Millersville Three," crossing the burning sands into Omega on November 23rd — becoming the first Omega man on the Millersville State College campus.

The following semester, Jennings contacted Kappa Omega, Millersville's sponsoring graduate chapter based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to inform them of students who were interested in joining the fraternity. Within a year, Kappa Omega inducted eight students into the Lampados Club. Shortly thereafter, it was reduced to three. Thus, the "Quadrant Three" — Ray Powell, Terrel Parris, and Dwight Williams — were initiated on May 18, 1974. On January 11, 1975, Edward Love (Ω) was initiated and, in May of that year, became the first Omega man to graduate from the college.

Jennings, Parris, Powell, Williams, and Love were determined to establish a chapter on campus but needed six members to qualify. On May 15, 1976, the proposed charter members — Dexter Davis, George B. Simpkins (Ω), Brian Perry, Jeffrey Pinkney, Al Spivey Jr., Curtis Pettaway, Warren Enoch, Keith Grear, Nathan Waters, Glenn Turner (Ω), and Hastings W. Coach — were initiated into the fraternity.

That fall, the fourteen members requested permission from Millersville's Greek Council to charter a chapter. The request was denied. The members made an appeal to the president of the college, who informed them that Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. was already established on campus and he did not see it necessary to charter another African American fraternity. This caused the brothers to enlist influential members of Kappa Omega Chapter to advocate on their behalf. After much "blood, sweat, and tears," the president relented and approved the request.

Thanks to the assistance of Kappa Omega Chapter and the determination of brothers Jennings (Ω), Parris, Powell, Williams, Love (Ω), and the new initiates, Millersville State College granted permission to charter the new chapter. The official charter date was March 12th, 1977, and it would be called: Eta Kappa. The chapter has since been known for its Annual Summer Fashion Shows, Annual Basketball Tournament, service projects on campus and in the Lancaster community, and its deep roots throughout Lancaster County and beyond.

A Legacy Renewed

After years of proud service at Millersville University, Eta Kappa Chapter became inactive in the mid-1990s due to the absence of enrolled Omega men on campus. Although several generations of Millersville students were initiated through Kappa Omega Chapter in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the Fraternity required a minimum number of undergraduate brothers for Eta Kappa to regain active status.

In 2021, a dedicated group of chapter alumni and brothers from the Lancaster area united with a shared vision to restore Eta Kappa—this time as a graduate chapter serving Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Through the perseverance and leadership of Brothers Hastings Coach, Joseph Wallace, Nathan Gadsden, Fred Dukes III, Algernon Williams, and numerous alumni brothers, the chapter’s re-establishment was approved by the International Headquarters.

Today, Eta Kappa Chapter continues to grow and thrive, carrying forward its legacy of manhood, scholarship, perseverance, and uplift. Signature initiatives include “Brother, You’re on My Mind,” Achievement Week, and community outreach efforts such as the chapter’s partnership with the Clare House Women’s Shelter.