APCAA Readies Second Century Scholarship Campaign For Morehouse College Students With Endorsement Collab With Rev. Bro. Otis Moss Jr. [Fall 1955]

Chapter Brothers From 1970-1980s Assembled In Cleveland, Ohio To Package Historical Perspectives And The Campaign Challenge To Our Brotherhood Issued By Legendary Alpha Rho Chapter Alum Rev. Bro. Otis Moss Jr.

APCAA Staff

On Saturday, June 21, 2025, the Alpha Rho Chapter Alumni Association (APCAA) convened a pivotal gathering of chapter leaders and supporters at Cleveland’s historic Olivet Institutional Baptist Church. Hosted in honor of APCAA member and civil rights icon Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr. — who pastored Olivet from 1975 to 2008 — the event marked the formal prelude to the chapter’s Second Century Scholarship Campaign, a bold fundraising initiative to support Morehouse College students in light of widespread reductions in federal and institutional pathways to funding at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The setting of Olivet, where Dr. Moss preached social justice for more than three decades, served as both a tribute and a call to action. In addition to APCAA's existing scholarship programs (BOLD Scholarship Program and Alpha Rho Chapter Endowment), the association's upcoming Second Century Brotherhood appeal will provide for gap and last-mile scholar awards at a most challenging time for college financial aid programs.

Set to officially launch on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, the Second Century Scholarship Campaign aims to fortify the academic futures of young men at Morehouse College, the birthplace of Alpha Rho Chapter and one of the nation’s preeminent HBCUs. In the spirit of Morehouse excellence and fraternity brotherhood, the campaign seeks to mobilize alumni, philanthropic partners, and community stakeholders to close the growing scholarship gap. As federal programs like the 1890 National Scholars Program and TRIO face increasing uncertainty, APCAA is taking decisive action to ensure the next generation of Morehouse Men can thrive — financially supported and mission-driven.

Chapter delegates from the 1970s and 1980s to the Cleveland prelude with Rev. Dr. Moss included:

• Bro. Earl Norman Caldwell II I Infallible 14 I Fall 1982 I APID No. 847

• Bro. Scott Reynolds Ellison I Surreptitious 20 I Fall 1989 I APID No. 949

• Bro. Harry E. Gillespie I Reviviscent 9 I Spring 1982 I APID No. 839

• Bro. Audley Maurice Mackel III I Arrogant 8 I Fall 1974 I APID No. 694

• Bro. Sean Michael Moss I Auspicious 13 I Fall 1980 I APID No. 811

• Bro. Bro. BMaynard Scarborough I Auspicious 13 I Fall 1980 I APID No. 815

• Bro. Michael D. Williams I Unpredictable 13 I Fall 1976 I APID No. 730

Under the current presidential administration, decreased scholarship support for HBCUs like Morehouse College could significantly disrupt both student success and institutional stability. Additionally, proposed cuts to federal aid programs — including Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG), Federal Work‑Study, and TRIO programs — could immediately harm Morehouse’s largely Pell-dependent student body. In past budget proposals, SEOG was eliminated entirely and work-study funding slashed, potentially cutting off thousands of students from vital financial resources. For Morehouse, with its focus on developing scholars across disciplines, these proposed funding losses could weaken academic programming, reduce research output, and diminish national competitiveness among its graduates.

"APCAA's scholarship funding directly to incoming or currently enrolled students has proven itself to be a determining factor in whether attending Morehouse is a yes, or no," stated APCAA President & Founder Bro. BMaynard Scarborough I Fall 1980 I APID No. 815. He added, "And with the approaching complexities headed toward HBCU enrollments, the confidence of walking up to the cashier's office with a check in hand will be the ultimate flex."

Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Jr. [Fall 1955 I APID No. 358] is a distinguished Morehouse College alumnus and nationally revered pastor, theologian, civil‑rights activist, and community leader. After serving congregations in Georgia and Ohio and co‑pastoring Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church with Rev. Martin Luther King Sr., he led Cleveland’s Olivet Institutional Baptist Church from 1974 until his retirement in 2008. A trusted advisor to Presidents Carter, Clinton, and Obama, he also served as a regional director for the SCLC, marched alongside Dr. King in Selma, and held leadership roles with the MLK Center, Morehouse College, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. With numerous honorary degrees and civic awards — including induction into the Civil Rights Walk of Fame — his legacy bridges faith, justice, and service.

As part of the fraternity's "Brother's Keeper" outreach program, APCAA’s most senior living member at 99 years, Bro. Herman Edward Gregory [Fall 1949 I APID No. 199], also attended the June 21st chapter gathering. Bro. Gregory was escorted by his family, son Edward Gregory and daughter Viveca Williams (see above five images).

Since APCAA was founded in 2014, donations to educational purposes connected Morehouse College by way of a variety of official channels have topped $2.8 million. Those funding channels include the BOLD Scholarship Fund, Alpha Rho Endowment Fund, APCAA Campaign for MLKJr. International Chapel ("Chairishing Campaign"), and 18 individually named endowed funds by, or in memory of, Alpha Rho Chapter Members.

The afternoon's historic gathering was documented by Morehouse College legacy student Thaddeus Warren Ellison, a rising Junior Chemistry + Psychology Double Major | Pre-Medicine | and Howard Thurman Honors Scholar. He is the son of Alpha Rho Bro. Scott R. Ellison and Tasheaya L. Warren Ellison, Esq. of Cincinnati, Ohio.

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