Posted on March 29, 2007
For Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., there is only one ingredient.
The president, fifth-year sociology major Trent Bosley, has been the only member of the minority-oriented fraternity since he created it in the spring of 2005. Bosley originally came to JMU in 2002 to make a mark on opposing defenders – he was a starting offensive tackle for the JMU football team until a knee injury ended his career in 2003.
Bosley founded Phi Beta Sigma through his relationships with people in the Harrisonburg community, and moved to try to bring back the defunct JMU chapter. The last members at JMU had graduated in 1998.
“He found a total other niche,” Cannie Campbell, the director of the JMU Health Center, said. “He’s just the kind of student you connect with.”
Bosley has maintained that relationship, and has worked with the Health Center on a blood drive and a free HIV/AIDS testing day.
For Bosley, who turned 24 this past Tuesday, being the only member has reached a trying point — when he graduates this spring, there will be no one to carry on the work he’s started. If he cannot find another member, the fraternity will die out, although he will be remembered for the programs he single-handedly organized and hosted.
Often prospective members fall short of the academic standards the group imposes. Bosley admits that his is not a fraternity oriented toward popularity.
“People are going for organizations that are cool and popular, not for what they do for the community,” he said.
He doesn’t hesitate to call on athletes at JMU to be more involved.
“They can do more than be in the athletic realm, I would encourage them to step outside,” he said, adding that he fell into the same category when he played football.
Phi Beta Sigma, like all minority-oriented Greek organizations, falls under the Center for Multicultural Student Services umbrella. Art Dean, director of CMSS, recognizes how hard Bosley has had to work to keep Phi Beta Sigma afloat.
“He has set the bar as far as how to put on a very elegant program on campus,” Dean said. “In the last year-and-a-half, he has sponsored programs on par with organizations with 20 to 30 people.”
One of Phi Beta Sigma’s concerns is the negative reputation JMU has among certain members of the Harrisonburg. This is something Bosley hopes to rectify with his promotional programming.
“I feel that JMU depends a lot on the community,” Bosley said. “One of our organization’s goals is to bridge the gap between the community and the school.”
Bosley’s work at JMU has included cooperation from other Greek organizations, including working with Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. at a local elementary school. Gina Harp, Alpha Kappa Alpha president, said the program went very well and that the kids enjoyed it.
She also commented on Bosley’s organization and how other people will recognize that.
“I feel like when I’ve graduated, I want to be remembered as someone who made their mark on the Greek community,” Bosley said.
“He translated his passion and leadership into student orgs,” Dean said.
Being the sole leader of Phi Beta Sigma has been a great experience Bosley and his organization. However, without new members, the organization will disappear once again.
Even if he can’t find anyone to carry the torch for him next year, the legacy he wants to leave behind is the relationships he’s formed.
“The relationships I’ve established, they’ll be here for a while,” he said. These relationships, he thinks, will help keep the organization alive even if he can’t.
