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Yikes sounds like the chapter I came from.
First some things you need to remember. With regards to your big: yeah that situation stinks having a senior (who will probably be graduating) as your sponsor but sometimes that the way things happen. APO by its nature draws more pledges than other greek lettered organizations and this places stress on the pledge system sometimes making us make choices and assign roles that should never happen.
As regards to the other things you mentioned there are a few things you could do. First, if you want to learn about the history of the Fraternity what's stopping you. Pick up your pledge manual and read what's there. Some chapters have excellent websites with good fraternity histories as well. You could always talk to your section chair if this is a real interest for you they may have a sectional historian that could help you out finding information.
The part about regarding APO as a special interest group and not a fraternity does happen. This has been debated recently I believe on this site so you could check that thread out for information. Your best bet on this one is to make people change their minds by the way you act. If you start getting into the fraternity by going to conventions, serving on sectional boards (or higher) and generally become active outside your chapter people will begin to see there is more to APO than what you do on your campus.
My final advice is be proactive. Next year run for an officer position and work to change things from that position. If that's not feasible then work on side projects that will keep your interest and help others as well. Organizing service projects is always a good way to forget about problems, as is fellowship events. What I did when this was happening to me was write a chapter book. I went back collected old ictures and minutes and comiled them into a memory book for the chapter while I also wrote a handbook for active brothers. Whatever you want to do there is a place for it in the fraternity and you just need time to figure out your place.
Oh, and for the record there is no rule saying the brothers in your chapter will be your friends in APO. You need to be civil with them and treat them as brothers should but for many (at least in my experience) the best friends you make in APO are those from other places. My chapter was predominantly women who shared none of the same interests as I did and did not have the same feelings about the organization. As such I only talk to one or two of them since I've graduated. However, I do keep in contact with several brothers from other schools in our section. Just a small thing to remember.
Hope this helps a little.
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Alpha Phi Omega
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