Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., the first-ever Greek-letter college fraternity for African Americans in the United States, has been named the winner of the National Marrow Donor Program's (NMDP) Lt. Gen. Frank Petersen Jr. Award.

The Lt. Gen. Frank Petersen Jr. Award is presented to an individual, group or organization that has consistently shown commitment in support of the NMDP's mission by working within minority communities to promote awareness of the NMDP, education on marrow and blood cell transplantation and recruitment of donors, with a focus on the retention of minority donors.

Alpha Phi Alpha, the first African American fraternity to work with the NMDP, has continued to support the search to make life-saving transplants possible through its work with the NMDP since 1993. The fraternity is committed to educating, recruiting and retaining committed volunteer marrow and blood cell donors in Black and African American communities. The fraternity:

• Works with the NMDP at the local level -- individual Alpha Phi Alpha chapters work with NMDP donor centers and recruitment groups around the country.
• Provides the NMDP the opportunity to speak at national, regional and state conferences to raise awareness about the need to diversify the Registry.
• Provides the NMDP access to more than 175,000 of its members to promote awareness.
• Includes NMDP brochures and address update forms in many of its mailings to members around the world.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity

The fraternity, whose motto is "First of all, servants of all, we shall transcend all," has recruited thousands of African Americans to the Registry over the last 11 years.

Since its founding on Dec. 4, 1906, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. has supplied voice and vision to the struggle of African Americans and people of color around the world. While continuing to stress academic excellence among its members, Alpha Phi Alpha works to help correct the educational, economic, political and social injustices faced by African Americans. To learn more about the fraternity, visit the Alpha Phi Alpha Web site at http://www.alphaphialpha.net.