Alpha Gamma Rho

This article does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (May 2009)

Alpha Gamma Rho
ΑΓΡ
Founded	October 10, 1904 (1904-10-10) (107 years ago) Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio
Type	Social-professional fraternity
Scope	United States
Motto	"To Make Better Men"
Colors	Dark Green      and Gold
Symbol	Sickle and Sheaf
Flower	Pink Rose
Chapters	75
Headquarters	Kansas City, Missouri
Homepage	http://www.alphagammarho.org

Alpha Gamma Rho (ΑΓΡ) is a social-professional fraternity in the United States, with 75 university chapters. Though primarily a social organization, its members pride themselves on their affiliations to the life sciences and agricultural sciences.

Founding

The fraternity considers the Morrill Act of 1862 to be the instrument of its inception. Having been signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, it provided land and other financial supports to establish one institution of higher learning in the agricultural and mechanical sciences within each state. Alpha Gamma Rho, referred to as "AGR", was founded when two local fraternities from Ohio State University (Alpha Gamma Rho, founded 1904) and the University of Illinois (Delta Rho Sigma, founded in 1906) met at an International Livestock Competition in Chicago. Sixteen men originally signed the fraternity's charter at the Claypool Hotel in Indianapolis on April 4, 1908. Expansion increased dramatically over the next three decades to almost all land-grant universities in the country. The first chapter at a non-land-grant university was chartered in 1958 at Arizona State University. The National Fraternity has expanded to many smaller agricultural colleges and departments in the last 45 years as a measure to increase its membership and influence in agricultural communities. Its members typically pursue agricultural careers upon completion of college, but many have gone on to have careers in other natural sciences, education, economics, law, medicine, business administration and politics. Notable AGR alumni include Orville Redenbacher, Norman Borlaug, J. C. Penney, Earl Butz and Sam Brownback.^{[citation needed]}

Purpose

To make better men, and through them a broader and better agriculture by surrounding our members with influences tending to encourage individual endeavor, resourcefulness and aggressive effort along lines making for the development of better mental, social, moral and physical qualities; to promote a wider acquaintance and a broader outlook on the part of agriculture men through fellowship in a national organization that stands for the best social, mental, and moral development.

Executive board

There are at least nine officers for every chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho on the Executive Board. The hierarchy results in a shape similar to many corporations. The board leaders are the Alumni President, Noble Ruler, and Chapter Advisor or Advisors. Several "vice noble rulers" head subdivisions of responsibility, under which are members in charge of specific areas of responsibilities.

Minor committees and offices

• Philanthropy
• Chaplain
• Public Relations
• Interfraternity Council or North-American Interfraternity Conference Representative
• Risk Management

Notable alumni

Chapters

Popular culture

• Stephen King's novel Gerald's Game references the main character's husband as belonging to an Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. King attended the University of Maine, Orono, which hosts the Psi Chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho.
• The former Alpha Pi Chapter house at the University of Arizona was used as the location of the Alpha Beta house in the 1984 movie Revenge of the Nerds. The house was also used in the 1998 issue of Playboy's Girls of the Pac-10.^[1]
• The current Gamma Chapter house at Pennsylvania State University was used in the 2004 issue of Playboy''s Girls of the Big Ten.

References

External links

• ΑΓΡ homepage