Just fill out this short form telling us a little bit about yourself. Your information will be sent directly to our recruitment chairman and you will be contacted shortly after submission.

Potential Member Info Sheet

Alpha Gamma Rho has been a part of the UTK Fraternity system for almost 60 years.  AGR is the only UT fraternity on Fraternity Row to have paid their house note off (in 2005).  Since our chartering in 1951, 1089 men have been initiated into our chapter. Alpha Gamma Rho is a social-professional fraternity for students majoring in Agriculture, Life Sciences and related fields and interests.  Our chapter entered Spring Semester with 56 active members.  We have members from one end of Tennessee to the other as well as from out of state. 

Alpha Gamma Rho isn't like other fraternities. In AGR you'll get the opportunity to experience both a social and a professional fraternity. AGR does what you expect a social fraternity to do: socialize with other students on campus and people in the community. AGR is also like other social fraternities in that it has a strong group of members and a house you can live in during your college years. But AGR is more than just one of those strictly social fraternities; it is also a professional fraternity. All members of AGR have related career interests. AGR is for young men with agricultural interests, especially those pursuing any career related to the agriculture, food, or fiber industries and related fields. One more difference: at AGR there's no pledging. You join as an equal member. AGR does a careful review of all potential members in advance, so there's no need for a "weeding out" process.

Scholarship is important to Alpha Gamma Rho.  AGR's GPA for Spring Semester 2010 was 3.17 and 2.87 during Fall Semester 2009.  

Alpha Gamma Rho is proud to be a part of the UT Greek System. Most recently, The University of Tennessee was voted #6 on the Princeton Reviews poll of "The Top 10 Colleges Where Greeks Rule." This poll took into consideration all aspects of Greek life and is just one way that Greeks at UT continue to make history!

For more information about Alpha Gamma Rho, please contact Whit Shofner at 931-247-3874.  His email address is wshofner@utk.edu.

• What does it cost to join Alpha Gamma Rho? First semester dues for members not living in the fraternity house, including the AGR initiation fees, are $450. Dues for the second semester are $700.

• How does the cost of AGR compare to living in a university dorm?   Living in the AGR house is cheaper than university housing. Housing, nine meals per week, utilities, parking pass, and social dues for an AGR living in the house is $1800 per semester. For a student in 2009/10 on the ten meals per week plan and living in either Reese Hall or North Carrick Hall, it will cost $ 3126.00 ($1760/semester for the dorm, $1366/semester for the meal plan) plus the cost of a UT parking pass.

• When can I move into the fraternity house? Because we want all of our members to have an opportunity to live in the house, newer members have priority to live in the AGR House once space becomes available. Our house sleeps 30 brothers, two per room with all the modern amenities, including cable TV and wireless internet. 

• What kind of time commitment does AGR require? New members participate in an initial educational program (~1 hour per week). Also, new members and all members living in the house will be expected to complete two house duties per week (~1 hour per week). After the initial education process, you're expected to be an active member. AGR is no different than any other organization. How much time you commit to AGR depends on you.  

• What about grades? AGR has mandatory study hours two nights per week for all new members and all members whose GPA is below the Fraternity average. AGR stresses academics and as we understand the reason a student is in college, to earn a degree and prepare oneself for life. AGR never loses sight of why you're in college in the first place...to graduate and get a job. And to graduate, you need to do well academically. It's easy to have peer study groups or find someone who has taken the same classes.

• What about Pledging and Hazing? AGR is a non-hazing, non-pledging fraternity. Our membership development program changed in 1991 when the brotherhood program was amended in our National Constitution. Following this amendment, all forms of "pledging" and the typical associated hazing were eliminated. AGR's mission is to make better men, not tear them down and build them up. We believe we can achieve a strong brotherhood without the physical and mental rigors of pledging. All members have the same rights and privileges. If you are offered a bid, initiation is 72 hours later. 

• What if I am not a student in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources? No problem. Our members' majors outside of CASNR include history, business, and engineering.

• I am interested in joining a fraternity, but do I have to make a commitment Fall Semester, or at the beginning of the semester? AGR has open Rush. If you are undecided about joining when you first arrive at UT, and think you might want to join later in the semester or in Winter Semester, that’s OK. Joining a fraternity is a big decision. In April, three guys joined AGR who had been coming by the house all year. 

• What social activities does AGR offer during the Semester? AGR has an active social calendar for its members. One of the highlights of Fall Semester is Homecoming. AGR participates with a women’s sorority each fall in UT Homecoming, this year with Sigma Kappa. AGR has won UT Homecoming for the last five years. In addition to Homecoming, we have mixers with sororities, band parties, and intramural sports, to mention just a few activities we are involved in on Campus. 

• What if I want to become involved in other UT campus activities? AGR encourages its members to become involved in UT organizations outside the fraternity. In fact, our Constitution makes involvement outside of the fraternity manditory. Members are involved in activities on both the Hill and Ag Campus. In recent years, active members have served on All-Campus Events, the UT Daily Beacon newspaper, the Inter-Fraternity Council, and many more. AGRs are in leadership positions across campus.

• What does AGR have to offer me that another organization can not offer to me? AGR will take your personal and professional development broader and deeper. The workplace is not a once-a-month world. Other organizations only take place once a month. AGR is a continuous process of preparing young men to achieve success.

• What resources are available to me after I graduate? As a member, you can utilize these great networking systems to accelerate your career. Our organization has tens of thousands of alumni across the country in all vocations. AGR can give you head start in your career by its series of networking, alumni associations, and business connections.