Alpha Epsilon () is a scholastic

honor society In the United States, an honor society is a rank organization that recognizes excellence among peers. Numerous societies recognize various fields and circumstances. The Order of the Arrow, for example, is the National Honor Society of the Boy Sc ...

recognizing academic achievement among students in the fields of Agricultural, Food, and Biological Engineering.

History

Alpha Epsilon Honor Society was founded at the

University of Missouri The University of Missouri (Mizzou, MU, or Missouri) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Columbia, Missouri. It is Missouri's largest university and the flagship of the four-campus Universit ...

on May 14, 1959, to recognize academic achievement among students in the field of

Agricultural Engineering Agricultural engineering, also known as agricultural and biosystems engineering, is the field of study and application of engineering science and designs principles for agriculture purposes, combining the various disciplines of mechanical, civil, ...

. It began steady expansion immediately, adding chapters at the

University of Illinois The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U of I, Illinois, University of Illinois, or UIUC) is a public land-grant research university in Illinois in the twin cities of Champaign and Urbana. It is the flagship institution of the University ...

University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul, Tw ...

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...

Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and money ...

and

Virginia Tech Virginia Tech (formally the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and informally VT, or VPI) is a Public university, public Land-grant college, land-grant research university with its main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia. It also ...

. Baird's Manual is also available online here
The Baird's Manual Online Archive homepage
The first six chapters met to formally adopted a national constitution and bylaws four years after its founding, on December 11, 1963. While the Society's initial focus was Agricultural Engineering, this was later expanded to include Food Engineering, and

Biological Engineering Biological engineering or bioengineering is the application of principles of biology and the tools of engineering to create usable, tangible, economically-viable products. Biological engineering employs knowledge and expertise from a number o ...

. Alpha Epsilon was admitted to the

Association of College Honor Societies The Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) is a predominantly American, voluntary association that serves a number of functions with respect to national collegiate and post-graduate honor societies. ACHS coordinates member organizations, faci ...

in 1968, with full membership achieved in 1970. The Society meets annually, in conjunction with the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). The two organizations cooperate but are managed by two separate executive boards. They share a website and physical mailing address. Alpha Epsilon honor society has 30 active chapters across the United States, and a total membership of around 8,000. Membership is offered to those juniors who are in the upper quarter of their class, and seniors in the upper third. Prospective members must already be members of the

ASABE The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) is an international professional society devoted to Agricultural engineering, agricultural and biological engineering. It was founded in December 1907 at the University of Wisc ...

. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for collegiate membership. The society allows for three types of members: Honorary, Active, and Alumni.

Traditions

The purpose of the society, as set forth in 1959 is:

''To promote the high ideals of the engineering profession, to give recognition to those agricultural engineers who manifest worthy qualities of character, scholarship, and professional attainment, and to encourage and support such improvements in the agricultural engineering profession to make it an instrument of greater service to mankind.''

Chapters are fairly autonomous, allowed to manage their own activity broadly. One commonality that is shared by many groups is the provision of tutoring services to students in the Agricultural sciences.Chapter autonomy and member requirements ar
noted in its Constitution
p.4, accessed 27 Sept 2020. The motto of the Society is not made public. There is no official publication; member news is distributed via email or as postal letters. The colors of the society are black and gold. The badge of the society is a key, etched in back with the name of the owner, the name of the chapter and the year of the member's initiation. Alpha Epsilon's crest is in the form of a shield with a banner displaying the name of the society, "Alpha Epsilon," . The shield is further decorated with three symbols, the Horn of Plenty, a plow, and a T-square and compass. These symbols represent the place of agricultural engineering in the production of food and fiber. At the top of the shield is the center portion of the key with the letters and .

Chapters

This is a list of Alpha Epsilon chapters. Chapter names, dates and schools taken from Baird's Manual, 20th Ed., the Alpha Epsilon national website or the Alpha Epsilon master member list.Master Member list
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External links

*
ACHS Alpha Epsilon entry

Alpha Epsilon chapter list at ACHS

References

{{authority control Association of College Honor Societies Honor societies University of Missouri Student organizations established in 1959 1959 establishments in Missouri

History

Traditions

Chapters

External links

See also

References