This semester has been one big party for this week’s House of the Week, Kappa Alpha Psi.

NIU’s chapter of the fraternity is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Kappa Alpha Psi at NIU was founded on April 28, 1968 by several members of other chapters of the fraternity.

The national chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi was founded by 10 undergraduate students at Indiana University at Bloomington on Jan. 5, 1911.

To begin the celebration, the fraternity hosted a Bustin‘ Out Weekend, which was a step show to preview the weekend ahead.

The party continues with a chapter reunion party from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. tonight in the Regency Room of the Holmes Student Center.

Former members of NIU’s chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi were invited back.

Members from other chapters of the fraternity, such as Eastern Illinois University, Western Illinois University and University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana, also will attend the party to demonstrate their support.

To end the weekend with a bang, Kappa Alpha Psi is hosting a Sweetheart Ball which is to take place from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Saturday in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center.

The music for both events will be provided by Pharris Thomas, a popular D.J. from Chicago.

The celebration weekend is expected to attract many people, according to Marcus Chapman, Kappa Alpha Psi member.

“We are expecting over 500 people,” he said.

Chapman said he suspects the reason for this is because there is much anticipation for the event, which has not taken place since 1988.

“Our chapter was re-established in 1990,” he said. “Since then, we’ve been rebuilding our chapter. The ball is the first big event we’ve had.”

The anniversary celebration is just the beginning of the reconstruction of the fraternity.

“It’s the beginning of the future of the chapter,” Chapman said.

Kappa Alpha Psi is not only a fraternity that knows how to have a good time. The 20 members of the fraternity work hard to do their share of charity work.

The fraternity has held canned food drives for the poor of the community, has helped at the homeless shelters around DeKalb and donates money to groups such as the United Negro College Fund.

Chapman said there are several other advantages to being a member of the fraternity.

“I get a lot out of trying to do work for the fraternity, rather than waiting for them to do something for me,” he said.

One other plus of being a member of the fraternity is the experiences with other people.

“Networking within the fraternity, having connections with people, are big advantages,” Chapman said.

Being a member of Kappa Alpha Psi also offers brotherhood among the members that will last a lifetime.

“The brotherhood, the bond itself, the relationships with people you can depend on is what it’s all about,” Chapman said.

Nairobi Evans, Kappa Alpha Psi member, agrees with Chapman about the brotherhood.

“The most important element is our great bond of brotherhood,” Evans said. “It’s more of a family-type brotherhood than it is an organization.”

The members of the Kappa Alpha Psi agree the biggest goal of the fraternity is achievement.

“We pride ourselves on personal and fraternity achievement,” Evans said.

“The purpose of our fraternity is to achieve any endeavor in life,” Chapman said.

The memories and good times of being a member of Kappa Alpha Psi are important parts to the fraternity.

“My most memorable experience is the feelings I got when I first became a member,” Evans said. “I met a lot of people and felt a strong sense of brotherhood.”

According to Evans, just being with other members on weekends is a good time, even if there is not much to do.

“Basically, we just come together, socialize and hang out,” he said. “It doesn’t matter, as long as we’re together.”