Omega Psi Phi Registered As the University of Colorado’s First Black Fraternity

A historically black fraternity is now a part of the University of Colorado’s campus culture.

Omega Psi Phi was first established on the campus in the 90s and officially came back in November 2022, Black Enterprise reported.

Thanks to Joshua Jynes, a former football player and member of current coach Deion Sanders‘s staff, the fraternity was able to make a presence, CBS Colorado reported.

“I didn’t look into it because I assumed every college had, you know, fraternities. So, Black fraternities and sororities,” Jynes said. “When I got on campus, I was looking for it, and they was like, they didn’t have it.”

Jynes’ father and uncle were members of the fraternity, which encouraged him to pledge. Jynes’ uncle, De’Ron Jasper, the assistant athletic director and assistant services and operations at CU, helped in the process. 

“He was like, ‘Oh, I wanted to be an Omega,’ but he didn’t know at the time that Omegas were even around,” Jasper said. “And I had the opportunity to already kind of gauge him, and I was like, I can see him fitting in. How he could help.”

Along with another frat member, TJ Labree, the three men were able to secure provisional status on campus through fraternity and sorority life. It took a year to make it happen, and was officially finalized in November 2022.

“I think it’s important to just have that representation so that they can say, ‘Hey, I have the opportunity. I see it’s there, and if I want to strive to be in that, then I have the opportunity to do that,’” Jasper said.

According to the University of Colorado, Omega Psi Phi is the first of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, comprised of nine historically black fraternities and sororities, to be registered as a Greek organization on campus. As part of the campus’ Recognized Social Greek Organization (RSGO), the Ques will be able to “recruit on campus, access campus resources for programs,  and partner with other Greek life and campus groups.”