By Othoniel Figueroa
Contributor
Dedicating four years of my life towards the establishment of Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity at Cal State San Marcos helped me in many ways. Being a first generation student and transitioning from high school to a university was a challenge.
Nu Alpha Kappa served as the support system that I needed to stay focused in school. NAK not only enriched my college experience but also motivated me to persevere for a better education; it opened the doors for me to be exposed and embrace different cultures, and allowed me to build life-long relationships with my brothers. NAK has been the family away from home that I was looking for. I cherish every single moment I spend with my brothers. I remember we struggled when we started brainstorming for the future of the fraternity. We had no idea how to run a professional meeting, let alone how to finance the chapter. All we knew is that we needed something at Cal State San Marcos that could help motivate students not only to come to school but also to feel as though they are part of the school.
Through NAK I was able to learn how to manage a chapter and fundraise for our annual community service event, NAKLand, which is a small-scale children’s carnival for underprivileged families in North County. I am very happy to be part of a fraternity that values education, cultures and brotherhood. I know that I am leaving the chapter in good hands and I can say that every single one of its members has benefited from the fraternity in one way or another. A day that I will never forget will be the day we initiated the Alpha class. It was a big accomplishment especially because two of my personal little bros, who I mentored throughout their pledging process, crossed in that line.
Being able to see how much the fraternity has grown in the last two years makes me realize that all of my hard work and dedication is being paid off. I will miss all of you and I thank you for being part of the best years of my life. I really appreciate the unseen bond that keeps us together.
¡Si se pudo!
Othoniel Figueroa
NAK X Chapter Founding Father #5