In 2004, the GZL Educational Foundation was developed by members of the Gamma Zeta Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Since its founding in 1906, the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity has continually emphasized scholarship and the importance of education. Since its founding, the Fraternity has initiated nearly 200,000 men and currently has college and alumni chapters worldwide. The Fraternity’s “Go-to-High-School, Go-to-College” national program, established in 1922, concentrates on the importance of completing secondary and collegiate education as a road to advancement. Statistics prove the value of this extra impetus in making the difference in the success of young African-American men, given that school completion is the single best predictor of future economic success. Alpha men provide youth participants with excellent role models to emulate.

Beginning with the establishment of the Gamma Zeta Lambda Chapter in Tampa in 1945, members of the chapter began to informally help students to continue their education through recognition and scholarship awards to outstanding seniors. In 1987 the chapter began a formal program consistent with the objectives of Go-to High-School, Go-to-College to encourage students to continue their education and named it the “Men of Tomorrow” (MOT) Program. Initially the program consisted of a series of workshops to prepare outstanding high school seniors for their upcoming college years. Workshops began in January and culminated with an awards program in May. After several years, the shrinking number of eligible seniors with sufficient grade point averages made it apparent that the program should be expanded to the full academic year and should include all high school-aged young men.

Gamma Zeta Lambda Chapter was founded in Tampa in 1945 and regularly conducts activities to benefit the community and to encourage youth to further their education through our GZL Educational Foundation, a 501(c) (3) organization.