One Louisiana State University fraternity is home to three former presidents.
Three members of Phi Iota Alpha fraternity went on to become presidents of Latin American countries.
Although LSU’s Phi Iota Alpha has a long history at LSU, it doesn’t have a corresponding physical presence. If these former presidents were current University students, they would make up a sizeable chunk of the chapter’s membership, which stands at 10 active members.
Carlos Roberto Flores, president of Honduras from 1998 to 2002; Eric Arturo Delvalle, president of Panama from 1985 to 1988; and Mariano Ospina Pérez, president of Colombia from 1946 to 1950 were members of Phi Iota Alpha’s LSU chapter.
The fraternity’s purpose is developing Pan-Americanism and promoting and preserving Latin culture and history.
LSU’s ties to the Latin-American Greek organization stretches further back than Phi Iota. Pérez was initially a member of Sigma Iota in 1913 while studying at LSU. Sigma Iota was originally established on the Baton Rouge campus in 1904. It merged with Phi Lambda Alpha to create Phi Iota Alpha, according to the fraternity’s website.
LSU’s Alpha Alpha chapter of Phi Iota was officially established in 1931 – the same year the national organization formed. More than 40 years later, LSU’s chapter would graduate its last active member and fade from existence on campus.
In 2010, Marlon Boutin and others re-established Phi Iota Alpha on campus. Boutin, Phi Iota Alpha’s southeast regional director, said LSU’s history with the organization played a huge role in the fraternity’s re-colonization.
“To come back on campus, you have to present to your Greek council and school,” Boutin said. “You basically have to sell yourself, with the student interest and [Phi Iota Alpha] history that sealed the deal. This is why we were able to have the successes we did on campus. That’s something we are very proud of.”
Only a few publicized LSU notable graduates and attendees have reached the same political stature as Flores, Delvalle and Pérez. One such person is Hubert Humphrey, 38th Vice President of the United States, who got his master’s degree from LSU in 1942, according to LSU Office of Communications and University Relations.
Kinesiology senior David Hoang is the current president of the Alpha Alpha chapter. He and Boutin have both been working to piece together the chapter’s history and connect with older brothers. Hoang said connecting with alumni is difficult but important because former members had a lasting impact.
In 2000, Flores delivered the commencement address at LSU’s spring graduation, but LSU’s Phi Iota Alpha chapter was still inactive.
“Obviously there is something they know that we don’t know for them to have that spark to go back to their countries and become presidents,” Hoang said.
LSU’s chapter of Phi Iota Alpha is different than the organization from 1931. Phi Iota has roots in Latin culture, but the fraternity accepts all ethnicities. However, that wasn’t always the case.
“If you were to be a member of Phi Iota Alpha, you had to be born in a Latin American country, we changed everything around,” Boutin said, adding that the fraternity started accepting all nationalities in the early ’80s.
Phi Iota is a member of LSU’s Interfraternity Council. Of the council’s current fraternities, the Phi Iota chapter has some of the most politically influential members. However, the Alpha Alpha chapter focuses more on the chapter’s relationship than notable brothers.
“We are really small and things like that so we know pretty much everybody in the fraternity,” Hoang said. “Superficially, other Greek organizations, big organizations I’m pretty sure they don’t know every member in their fraternity.”
The Alpha Alpha chapter is young compared to other Greek organizations, but Hoang said he hopes to see the organization grow and continue to impact the University.