Nu Alpha Kappa was formed from a meeting that took place on February 26, 1988 at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Fifteen good friends gathered, of which eleven would eventually become Founding Fathers. These friends called themselves 'Nacos' - a sometimes derisive term, but at its heart referring to those who give unselfishly and are friendly to all.

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These Nacos wanted to demonstrate that they were an important part of the Cal Poly student body. They were enthusiastic about starting a club to help Latino students overcome the culture shock experienced when arriving at a predominantly Anglo university. As their excitement grew, they sought to create structure for their ideas. They decided to form a fraternal cultural organization.

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Adapting the term Naco to the university fraternity system, the group officially became Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity, or NAK for short. Although choosing to adopt the formalized structure of the fraternity system, NAK was and remains determined to distinguish itself from traditional fraternities by maintaining a commitment to the ideals of academic excellence, cultural knowledge, and true brotherhood.

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The pressures of being the first Latino-based fraternity at Cal Poly were significant. Despite having many supporters on campus, there were also many detractors who anticipated NAK's demise. With steadfast determination, the brothers of NAK persevered. Nu Alpha Kappa Fraternity honors its traditions, which are designed to achieve three goals. These include academic excellence and academic support among the brotherhood, retention of cultures through campus and community service projects and strengthening and maintaining the bond of brotherhood.