Alpha Gamma Rho (), commonly known as AGR, is a social/professional, agriculture

fraternity A fraternity (from Latin language, Latin ''wiktionary:frater, frater'': "brother (Christian), brother"; whence, "wiktionary:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal ...

in the United States, currently with 71 collegiate chapters.

Founding

The fraternity considers the

Morrill Act of 1862 The Morrill Land-Grant Acts are United States statutes that allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges in U.S. states using the proceeds from sales of federally-owned land, often obtained from indigenous tribes through treaty, cession, or ...

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 The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best publ ...

(Alpha Gamma Rho, founded 1904) and 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 ...

(Delta Rho Sigma, founded in 1906) met at an International Livestock Competition in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. Sixteen men originally signed the fraternity's charter at the Claypool Hotel in

Indianapolis Indianapolis (), colloquially known as Indy, is the state capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Indiana and the seat of Marion County. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the consolidated population of Indianapolis and Marion ...

on April 4, 1908. Expansion increased dramatically over the next three decades to almost all

land-grant universities A land-grant university (also called land-grant college or land-grant institution) is an institution of higher education in the United States designated by a state to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890. Signed by Abraha ...

in the country. The first chapter at a non-land-grant university was chartered in 1958 at

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...

. The first non-state (private) associated chapter (Beta Psi) was at

Delaware Valley University Delaware Valley University (DelVal) is a private university in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1896, it enrolls approximately 1,900 students on its suburban, 570-acre campus. DelVal offers more than 28 undergraduate majors, seven master's p ...

in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The four pillars of Alpha Gamma Rho are recruitment, commitment, education, and recognition. These four pillars, built upon a firm foundation, support and maintain the integrity of our brotherhood. One of AGR’s earliest Grand President’s, S.K. Bjoronson (North Dakota) said, "I want her men to be leaders of the future, not because they are my Fraternity Brothers, but because I believe them to be the strongest of character and the most honorable and resolute of the times. I want each of them, by their deeds and actions, to justify the existence of Alpha Gamma Rho." The Brotherhood Covenant pillars make up the principles that Alpha Gamma Rho brothers are expected to live by. Once initiated, each member is required to sign the Covenant.

Notable alumni

Chapters

Hazing and controversies

In 2015, the chapter at

Fresno State University California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California. It is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers bache ...

was suspended after an investigation of property damage with a firearm uncovered evidence of hazing and underage drinking. They were fully recognized again by the university in late 2017. In 2016, the chapter at

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering co ...

was suspended following multiple hazing and harassment violations dating back to 2012. The chapter can apply for reinstatement in 2021. In 2018, the chapter at

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 ...

was suspended after one of its members, Dylan Fulton, was found dead following a night of drinking. After an investigation, it was determined Fulton had died of alcohol poisoning.

References

External links