Meet RPA’s Undergraduate Advisors: Brothers Bennie Harrison and Elwood Shannon

By March 22, 2019Features

Undergraduate chapter advisors of Kappa Alpha Psi provide general advice to undergraduate chapters and their members on both personal and fraternal matters. The role is challenging and is one of the most unsung, yet critical, responsibilities within any alumni chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.

As the alumni chapter responsible of advising the undergraduate chapters at Zeta Upsilon (University of North Texas) and Eta Phi (Texas A&M-Commerce), the Richardson-Plano (TX) Alumni Chapter recognizes the two brothers who are solely responsible for advising these particular chapters.

Meet Brother Bennie Harrison and Brother Elwood Shannon.

Brother Bennie Harrison

Brother Bennie Harrison was initiated into the University of Missouri (MO), Delta Omega Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi on April 5, 1984. He currently serves on the Richardson-Plano (TX) Alumni Chapter board of directors and as an advisor for the Texas A&M University at Commerce, Eta Phi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi (TX).

More about Brother Harrison in his own words: “I started my Kappa journey at the University of Missouri-Columbia. My alumni journey started at Kansas City Alumni in the early nineties where I was the Lt. Strategus and Strategus. I moved to Plano in 1993 and remembered going to my first Richardson-Plano meeting at the Willie B. Johnson Recreation Center in Dallas.

“I’ve been an active member of Richardson-Plano Alumni for over 20 years. I have had the opportunity to be Keeper of Exchequer, a member of the board of directors, and Polemarch of Richardson-Plano Alumni. Currently, I have the privilege of advising the Eta Phi chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi. I enjoy seeing these young men mature over the years with Richardson-Plano support.

“I would like to recognize my support team over the years, Kevin Burnett, Steve Ellis, Elwood Shannon, Kenneth Metoyer, Thomas McCaleb and Eta Phi undergrads for the last eight years. Thank you Richardson-Plano Alumni for allowing me to be part of this amazing alumni chapter. “

A quality engineer for a U.S. defense contractor, Brother Harrison also has a couple of cousins (Brothers Frank Harrison and Ivan Harrison) who are members of Kappa Alpha Psi. In addition to being a Kansas City Chiefs fan, Brother Harrison enjoys tutoring and dog training.

Below is a composite of Brother Harrison work for Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.
• Southwestern Province Undergraduate Sponsorship Committee — 2010 -2008
• Richardson-Plano (TX) Alumni Polemarch — 2008-2010
• Eta Phi (TX) Advisor — 2010 — Present

Brother Elwood Shannon, Jr.

Brother Elwood Shannon, Jr. was initiated into the Eta Phi of Kappa Alpha Psi at East Texas State University (now Texas A&M-Commerce) in December 1976. He became a Life Member of the fraternity in 1988 and since 2003 has served as an advisor to the Zeta Upsilon of Kappa Alpha Psi at the University of North Texas in Denton.

He’s been the C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference chairman for the Southwestern Province under past Province Polemarchs Randy Bates and Chuck Carr Brown and served as the co-chairman of the national C. Rodger Wilson Leadership Conference during Grand Polemarch Dwayne Murray’s administration.

Brother Shannon served 17 years with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as a reservist before changing careers to be employed with Spectrum Communications. His interests include art, painting, event planning, and jazz.

“My Kappa journey began as a member of Kappa League in the Texarkana (TX) Alumni Chapter while in junior high school where I attended Conclaves in Houston, Miami Beach, Las Vegas, and New Orleans,” Brother Shannon stated. “I have served in every position of a chapter while a member of the Eta Phi and Zeta Upsilon undergraduate and the Denton-Lewisville (TX) and Richardson-Plano (TX) Alumni Chapters.”

Other family members who are members of Kappa Alpha Psi include Elwood Shannon, Sr. (Chapter Invisible), Milton Shannon (brother), Beaumont (TX) Alumni, James Cousar (cousin), Los Angeles (CA) Alumni, and Kyle Ellison (cousin), Wichita (KS) Alumni.