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WELCOME TO ALPHA GAMMA RHO FRATERNITY AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY |
Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR) is a professional-social fraternity for young men pursuing careers in the food, fiber, or life sciences industry, basically any student in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources or a related major. It was established nationally in 1904 and at MSU in 1922. Today AGR boosts 66 active chapters nationwide, with a chapter at nearly every major agricultural college and Land Grant University.
Members of AGR believe in building better men through academics, excellence, and leadership. While members have established themselves as tough competitors on campus, they also maintain a relaxed atmosphere at home. The AGR house is a place to relax with friends while accepting the challenges a major university has to offer.
We hope the following will help you get a better look at college life as a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. However, we know that no amount of words on paper can show and answer everything, so feel free to write, email, call, explore our website, or stop by and see us in person. We look forward to getting to know you and showing you how AGR can help you get the most out of your years as a Spartan and a jump-start on your future.
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The following questions will be addressed below:
Q: What is a professional-social fraternity?
Q: Do you have to study agriculture to be a member of AGR?
Q: Do AGR members live in a house?
Q: Will I be able to focus on academics if I live in a Fraternity house?
Q: What sort of professional activities do AGR members participate in?
Q: So exactly what is included in the social part of AGR?
Q: How Will AGR Make Me A Leader?
Q: Are there any famous AGR alumni?
Q: What about fraternities in general though?
Q: What about all the hazing that goes on in fraternities?
Q: What if I am interested in joining Alpha Gamma Rho?
Q: What if I missed Rush Week?
Q: How can I find out more about Alpha Gamma Rho?
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| Q: What is a professional-social fraternity? |
A: A professional-social fraternity combines professionalism while allowing members to partake in activities based in a social atmosphere. By being a professional-social fraternity, Alpha Gamma Rho maintains an excellent networking system with alumni in the working world while assuring a relaxed and fun environment at home.
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| Q: Do you have to study agriculture to be a member of AGR? |
A: Because AGR is a professional-social fraternity for men in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, it is often a misleading thought that everyone studies agriculture. True, many members study programs in agriculture such as Animal Science or Agribusiness, but the college, and thus AGR, includes other majors such as Building Construction Management, Packaging, and Fisheries & Wildlife. In fact, AGR stresses diversity in its membership so there are many members in related majors such as Biology, Environmental Sciences, and Engineering.
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| Q: Do AGR members live in a house? |
A: While most members choose to live in our house after their freshmen year, it is not a requirement. The AGR house's prime location makes for a short walk to campus and downtown restaurants, bookstores, and other businesses. Despite the location near campus and downtown, it still maintains a quiet setting. A large park complete with tennis courts, baseball diamond, sand volleyball, basketball court, and large open field is just across the street from the AGR House.
Within the AGR house you'll find very satisfying accommodations. Our house is one of the cleanest and most thoroughly maintained fraternity houses on campus. All members take part in the upkeep of the house with small weekly details and monthly work nights for bigger projects. Members also enjoy more living space than they would in a residence hall.
Our full time cook prepares lunch and dinner Monday through Thursday and lunch on Fridays. The kitchen is always stocked and open for weekends and breakfast. College students are busy and prepared meals are convenient for that half hour break between class, study, and work.
Our house includes a recreation room complete with pool tables and foosball. Our downstairs formal living room, complete with a fireplace and plush couches, is great for entertaining parents, alumni, sororities, and other guests. Our upstairs living room includes stadium seating and a 53" big screen TV, perfect for everyone to gather to watch the big game, a late night movie, or to get into your favorite video game.
Although our house has plenty of amenities to entertain, the house is also a place to study. Our library/study room, complete with computer access and test files for nearly every class imaginable, is the perfect spot to escape from the distractions to study for that big exam. The house is a great place, but it is the men inside who make AGR a great college home.
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| Q: Will I be able to focus on academics if I live in a Fraternity house? |
A: The primary reason why students attend a university such as MSU is to receive a high quality education. A scholastic chairman is established each year that is responsible for maintaining a proper studying environment and to find ways to improve the chapters performance. AGR helps incoming members excel in their classes by giving them the opportunity to receive help from other members who have already taken many of the same courses and have the same or similar major. Our test files contain old exams, quizzes, and papers for many classes. These files allow students to become familiar with the professor's teaching style. Mandatory quiet hours each night during the week ensure that you'll get a good night's sleep. In the end, hard work is rewarded with annual scholarships.
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| Q: What sort of professional activities do AGR members participate in? |
A: A great way to get to know other students as well as future and current leaders in the industry is at AGR. Alumni contacts are very important at AGR. By hosting alumni dinners and homecoming tailgates, members establish valuable ties with people in the professional world. Members are also encouraged to participate in many clubs and organizations across campus such as Block and Bridle, Collegiate Farm Bureau, Student Senate, Dairy Club, and many more. Brothers are very visible and involved in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources as well as the University and the community in general.
Members also do their part to give back to the community. At our annual Hog Roast we raise money for Agrability, the Red Cross, and other charitable organizations. We also volunteer our time and/or money for Aid to the Blind, Adopt a Grandparent Program, Big Brothers of Lansing, Relay for Life, Lansing Rescue Mission Soup Kitchen, The Giving Tree, and others.
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| Q: So exactly what is included in the social part of AGR? |
A: As a group, we have many planned organized activities. Our annual Hog Roast, frequent social gatherings at the house, our annual "Pink Rose" formal, Christmas semi-formal, tailgating, Lansing Lugnut baseball outings, socials with sororities, Greek Week, Homecoming, Parents Day, Alumni Dinners, and other activities are all ways for members to have fun, socialize, relieve stress, and make friends, bonds, and contacts.
Alpha Gamma Rho is involved in many sports and games, from football to basketball to wrestling and everything in between. Aside from organized intramurals, members often play a friendly game of football or softball across the street at Valley Forge Park ("Theta Field"), shoot some hoops in the parking lot, or go out for an entertaining evening of bowling.
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| Q: How Will AGR Make Me A Leader? |
A: Leadership is an important skill you'll learn and develop in Alpha Gamma Rho. Our members recognize the need to develop leadership skills and take an active part in fraternity and university activities. Fraternity officer positions give you real leadership experience; you will use these skills to get involved in campus clubs, organizations or student government.
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| Q: What about fraternities in general though? |
A: In general, fraternities are viewed negatively, but did you know that...
Percent of people in fraternities:
• 63% of United States Cabinet Members since 1900
• 76% of the United States Congress
• 85% of the United States Supreme Court Justices since 1900
• 85% of Fortune 500 Executives
• 68% of Doctors Nationally
• 72% of Lawyers Nationally
• 63% of the US President's Cabinet members since 1900
• 85% of student leaders on 730 college campuses
• All but 3 United States President
• All but 3 Canadian Prime Ministers
The first general fraternity (Kappa Alpha Society) was organized in 1750.
Of North America's 50 largest corporations, 43 are headed by Fraternity men and Sorority women.
7 out of 10 people listed in "Who's Who" are in a fraternity or sorority.
Statistics show that Fraternity and Sorority members have a higher rate of graduation from college than do their non-member counterparts.
A National Conference report shows a majority of the 600 National Interfraternity Council fraternity chapters are above the All-Men's scholastic average.
A U.S. Government study shows that over 70% of all those who join a fraternity/sorority graduate, while under 50% of all non-fraternity/sorority persons graduate.
Less than 2% of an average college student's expenses go toward fraternity dues.
40 of the 47 U.S. Supreme Court Justices since 1910 have been Greek,
including the 1st woman Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor
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| Q: What about all the hazing that goes on in fraternities? |
A: While most fraternities claim not to haze, Alpha Gamma Rho has taken it one step further – in 1991 we eliminated the pledging system entirely. That's right; there is NO PLEDGING at AGR, although pledging is a system that most fraternities employ. It involves giving a prospective member an invitation to become a "pledge". As a pledge he is not awarded the same rights as the members because he is actually not yet a member. The pledge has responsibilities during this pledge period, which often, but not always, involves hazing. At the end of the pledge period (usually around 6 – 9 weeks) the members of the fraternity have the right to deny the pledge the opportunity to join.
At AGR, if a prospect is given an invitation to join (a "bid"), it is just that – an invitation to JOIN. There is no pledge period. From the moment a prospect is initiated he is an equal member, guaranteed the same rights, privileges, and responsibilities as every other member. As a new member he is paired up with an older member. This older member (called a "Big Brother") assists the new member (called a "Little Brother") in wherever possible, such as tutoring for class, answering questions about the fraternity, or just helping the new member feel welcome at AGR and at MSU. Essentially, each new member will have his own personal advisor to help whenever needed.
By living, studying, and playing together, members of Alpha Gamma Rho create bonds that cannot be explained with words, it is something that must be experienced to appreciate. The bonds that form between the members of AGR are strong, and often create friendships that last a lifetime. The bond begins for our new members during the membership development program and continues on past graduation as alumni.
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| Q: What if I am interested in joining Alpha Gamma Rho? |
A: Near the beginning of every semester, AGR holds a week-long open house, or "Rush". Potential members are encouraged to come over any or all nights and meet the members of the fraternity on a casual and relaxed basis, eat dinner, play cards, or whatever other activity is planned. After the Rush period is over, personal meetings are held. This gives members and potential members alike a chance to ask and answer questions about each other in a relaxed and private setting. It is an opportunity to see if AGR is something the potential member truly wants to be a part of. After interviews are over, an official invitation of bid may be extended to the potential member. 72 hours after acceptance of the bid, he is initiated into full membership of the fraternity.
CLICK HERE TO REQUEST INFORMATION ABOUT ALPHA GAMMA RHO
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| Q: What if I missed Rush Week? |
A: Because AGR does not have a pledge system, bids can be handed out and new members can be initiated all semester long. So, if you missed Rush week and are still interested, you can visit and see if it's right for you. There's no need to wait until next semester.
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| One-of-a-kind! |
Again, the uniqueness of AGR has much to offer. If it sounds like something you're interested in, check it out. After all, college only lasts about 4 years – Alpha Gamma Rho lasts a lifetime!
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| Q: How can I find out more about Alpha Gamma Rho? |
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A: Want a tour of the house or take advantage of a free meal? Want to see what AGR can do for you? If you want more information or have questions about AGR, Michigan State University, or college in general, feel free to contact the following people any time:
Jacob Gust
517-605-2209
gustjaco@msu.edu
or
Christopher Heck
734-497-5375
heckchr2@msu.edu
CLICK HERE TO REQUEST INFORMATION ABOUT ALPHA GAMMA RHO
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"The friendships and contacts that are gained from being a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity are priceless. I encourage you to consider a membership in this great organization and begin to pave your path for a bright future."
- Dick Posthumus
Former Michigan Lieutenant Governor
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