Nu Pi Omega Chapter History

In January of 1980, several Alpha Kappa Alpha women were eager to make new acquaintances for the purpose of better serving the Peoria community. Beverly Johnson Thomas, Jackie Greer Buchanan, and Marlene Spotts began to identify other Alpha Kappa Alpha women within the Peoria area. National officers were contacted and names of local Alpha Kappa Alpha women were submitted with the intent to establish a graduate chapter. Over the next several months the procedures for chartering a new graduate chapter were followed and on December 14, 1980, Nu Pi Omega Chapter was chartered.

Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc. History

Write to us at:
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®
Nu Pi Omega Chapter
P.O. Box 6068
Peoria, IL 61601
Email: aka.nupiomega@gmail.com

Members of Nu Pi Omega Chapter participating in passing out food in Friendship House’s annual Thanksgiving Drive November 2023.

Bringing awareness to Heart Health by moving to the beat & highlighting Black Business, where Nu Pi Omega Chapter partnered with Studio C Fitness, an attendee won a free month of classes.

Raising funds for Scholarship within a collaboration between Nu Pi Omega Chapter and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Peoria Alumni Chapter at the annual Diamond & Pearls Scholarship Sneakerball in 2024.

Honoring Program Initiative Enhancing or Environment by planting trees in our community in working with our youth program, Youth Leadership Institute in 2023 and 2024.

Members of Nu Pi Omega chapter hosting Annual Mom & Co. Brunch to honor Mother’s and bring awareness to mental Health

Peoria Black Arts Festival in August 1981.

NOTABLE SORORS

The twenty charter members were:
Joyce Banks, Joyce Brown, Jacquelyn Greer Buchanan, Diane Edmonds, Florence Edmonds, Ruthie Hamer, Susan Hubbard, Rose Hulum Young, Darice Meadows Lindsey, Brenda Moten, Barbara Penelton, Marilyn Ragler, Mary Reed, Thea Moses Robinson, Josie Russell, Marlene Spotts, Jeanne St. Julian, Beverly Johnson Thomas, Maxine Wortham, and Linda Bingham Young.

Because of her outstanding leadership in the chartering process, Beverly Johnson Thomas was elected the first president of Nu Pi Omega Chapter.
Beverly Johnson Thomas 1980-1982
Joyce Banks 1983-1984
Irene Eskridge Bohannon 1985-1986
Joyce Brown 1987
Barbara Penelton 1988
Rose Hulum 1989-1990
Ann Watkins 1991
Wanda Higgins 1991-1993
Peggy Heath 1994-1995
Davina Sharee Frazier 1996-1997
Jocelyn Hazlewood 1997
Rose Hulum 1998-1999
Diedra McQuitery 2000-2001
Wanda Higgins 2002-2003
Shann Tunks 2004-2005
Rosalind Zanders Lowry 2006-2007
Joyce Banks 2008-2009
Tracy Gathers 2010
Angela Anderson 2011-2012
Davina Sharee Frazier 2013-2014
Wanda Higgins 2015-2016
Shann Tunks 2017-2018
Bridgette Heard 2019-2020
Elaine Gordon 2021-2022
Davina Sharee Frazier 2023
Bianca Brown 2024 - Current
1993 Alice Taylor - Education
1994 Dr. Barbara Penelton - Education
2000 Jeanne St. Julian - Education
2004 Beverly Johnson Thomas - Community Service
2004 Thea M Robinson - Business
2006 Rosalind Zanders Lowry -Community Activism
2014 Maxine Wortham – Education
2020- Bianca Brown- Member of the Year
2021 Demetra Banks- Member of the Year
2022 Tina Walton- Member of the Year
2023 Elaine Gordon – Member of the Year
2023 Central Region Conference; Nu Pi Omega Chapter- Small Chapter Uplifting our Community
2024 Davina S. Frazier- Member of the Year
2023 Rosalind Lowry – Humanitarian Award/Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity
2024 Demetra Banks and Cynthia Gilkesson- Sisterhood Legends Recipients
2024 Roshawn Johnson – PSD 150 Teacher of the Year

SIGNATURE PROGRAMS

In the early 1990s, at a time when Peoria did not sponsor entertainment that catered to the African-American demographic, Nu Pi Omega was instrumental in working with the Peoria Civic Center to bring big name musical acts and theatrical productions. In particular, the chapter sponsored two Patti LaBelle concerts which were financially successful, thus proving that these types of events were profitable. Opening the door for more major R&B, gospel, and hip-hop acts to be booked at the Peoria Civic Center in the 1990s including Luther Vandross, MC Hammer, Stephanie Mills, Boyz to Men, BeBe and CeCe Winans, just to name a few.
The chapter donated black dolls each Christmas to children with incarcerated parents and outerwear to Irving Primary School. The coat, hat and glove drive initially began to support chapter member Alice Taylor, who was a principal at the school. When she became an Ivy Beyond the Wall, the chapter continued the annual drive, as a way to honor her memory, until the school closed in 2011.
The goal of the program is to provide mentorship and guidance to fifth through eighth grade girls in the areas of social graces, etiquette, self- esteem, community involvement and personal development. It also allows participants an opportunity to raise money toward their future financial goals.
Through the years, more than $50,000 has been awarded to local high school seniors who were enrolling into a four-year university or college. The chapter established an endowed scholarship in 2006 at Illinois Central College. The chapter has also been very supportive of the Dr. Barbara Penelton Endowment Scholarship at Bradley University, which is named after one of the chapter’s charter members.