Alpha Zeta (ΑΖ) is an honorary professional fraternity for students and industry professionals in agricultural and natural resources fields.[1][2] It was founded in 1897 at Ohio State University and was the first collegiate society for agriculture.[1]
Alpha Zeta | |
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ΑΖ | |
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Founded | November 4, 1897 Ohio State University |
Type | Professional and Honorary |
Affiliation | PFA |
Former Affiliation | PIC |
Status | Active |
Emphasis | Agriculture, natural resources |
Scope | National |
Colors | Mode (Old gold) and Sky Blue |
Flower | Pink Carnation |
Publication | Alpha Zeta News |
Chapters | 31 active; 74 total |
Members | 1,000 collegiate 125,000 lifetime |
Headquarters | Paducah, Kentucky 42002 United States |
Website | www |
History
editCharles W. Burkett and John F. Cunningham, roommates and students at the College of Agriculture at Ohio State University, founded the Alpha Zeta fraternity on November 4, 1897.[2] Three years prior, Burkett and Cunnigham had the idea of forming an organization to support agricultural students, create fellowship, and promote agriculture.[3] They recruited ten other agriculture students who became the fraternity's charter members, including [3]
- Arthur G. Abbott
- Charles Burkett
- Clarence Clawson
- John Cunningham
- Vernon H. Davis
- Donnelley H. Duncan
- Oscar Erf
- Marion Imes
- Arthur G. McCall
- Carl J. Miller
- Charles B. Stewart
- Leonard C. Warden
Alpha Zeta formed as a professional fraternity but became an honorary fraternity in 1936.[4] Its chapters were limited to land-grant institutions until 1951.[5]
At the fraternity's 1940 Conclave, a proposal was presented to open membership to non-white males.[3] This was presented at each Conclave for twelve years, finally passing in 1952.[6] Also in 1952, a proposal to admit women was defeated with a tied vote.[3] The fraternity's constitution was amended in 1972, allowing its chapters to initiate women.[3]
The fraternity was headquartered in Washington, D.C. in the 1960s.[6] It was located in Lafayette, Indiana from 1974 to 1994, when it moved to St. Louis, Missouri.[7] Its headquarters is currently located in Paducah, Kentucky. As of 2023, Alpha Zeta has chartered 74 chapters.[1]
Its print publication was the Quarterly of Alpha Zeta, first published in the early 20th century.[8][9][6] AZ News is now its primary publication.[2]
Symbols
editThe fraternity's badge is a monogram of the letter Α on top of the letter Ζ, with a small star at the center of the Α.[6][2] Its key is the shape of two overlapping circles in gold and black.[6][2] Its colors are old gold (mode) and sky blue.[6][2] Its flower is the pink carnation.[10]
Charitable activities
editIn 1942, Alpha Zeta began issuing scholarships to a select number of members for graduate studies.[6] The Washington, D.C. Alumni Association helped form the National Alpha Zeta Foundation of America, Inc. in 1960, allowing the expansion of the scholarship program.[11][6] The foundation accepts and manages donations for "scientific, educational and charitable purposes which best advance agriculture for the public good."[11]
The Alpha Zeta Foundation, Inc. was formed in Indiana on April 4, 1984, to oversee the fraternity's national scholarship program and to support its leadership development program.[11]
Governance
editThe fraternity is overseen by a seven-member High Council that is elected by student representatives of each chapter at Biennial Conclaves held on odd calendar years.[2] The council includes the High Chancellor, High Censor, High Scribe, High Treasurer, High Chronicler, Alumni Representative, and student representative.[2] Alpha Zeta also has staff who oversee the fraternity's operations and communications.[2]
Membership
editTo be eligible for membership in Alpha Zeta, students must be majoring in agriculture or a related field, must have completed one year of study, and must be in the upper two-fifths of their class.[2] Prospective members are also evaluated for character and leadership.[2]
As of 2023, Alpha Zeta has initiated 125,000 members and has 1,000 active members.[1] Its membership types are student, alumni, associate, and honorary.[6] Honorary members can be nominated by chapters every ten years after their Charter date.[12]
Membership was limited to white males for the fraternity's first 55 years but became open to any male in 1952.[3] Membership was made open to women starting in 1972.[3]
Chapters
editFollowing is a list of Alpha Zeta chapters.[13][5][14][6] Active chapters are indicated in bold. Inactive chapters are in italics. Chapters are named in some way concerning agriculture or after the locality of the chapter.
- ^ Chapter was named for Norton Townshend, professor, and trustee of Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College (now Ohio State).
- ^ Chapter was named after George E. Morrow, the first dean of the University of Illinois College of Agriculture.
- ^ Chapter formed from the Berkshire Club (local). It joined Alpha Zeta with the assistance of Dr. C. P. Bull. The chapter was named to recognize Bull's leadership in The Grange, a progressive farm organization.
- ^ Chapter was named in honor of James Wilson, the first professor of agriculture and the first director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at the Iowa Agricultural College. He was also a U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.
- ^ Chapter named for Dr. Steven Babcock who developed a ground-breaking butterfat test while teaching at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
- ^ a b This chapter went defunct when the agriculture program was moved to another branch of the University of California system.
- ^ Chapter named for Cook College, a division of Rutgers.
- ^ Chapter formed from the Alpha Zeta Club (local), established in 1968.
Notable members
editSee also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d "Alpha Zeta". Louisiana Tech University. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Meet the High Council".
- ^ a b c d e f g "AZ History". Alpha Zeta. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ^ a b "Collection: Alpha Zeta Fraternity, LaGrange Chapter records | University of Minnesota Archival Collections Guides". Library of University of Minnesota. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ a b Anson, Jack and Marchesani Jr., Robert F. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities, vol. 20. Indianapolis: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc., .p V72.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Robson, John, ed. (1963). Baird's Manuel of American College Fraternities (17th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: The Collegiate Press, George Banta Company, Inc. pp. 645-656
- ^ a b "History". Alpha Zeta Morrow Chapter. 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ Zeta, Alpha (June 1916). The Quarterly of Alpha Zeta – via Google Books.
- ^ Quarterly of Alpha Zeta. 1959 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b Reveille. Mississippi State University Libraries. Mississippi State University. 1943. p. 224 – via Internet Archive.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ a b c "The Founding of the Alpha Zeta Fraternity". Student Organization Database | Iowa State University. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ a b "Alpha Zeta Picks Wallace". The Burlington Free Press. Burlington, Vermont. 1966-03-14. p. 11. Retrieved 2023-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Alpha Zeta Chapters". Alpha Zeta. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ^ Shepardshon, Francis W., ed. (1927). Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (11th ed.). Menasha, Wisconsin: George Banta Publishing Company. p. 318 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "The Wilson Chapter". Student Organization Database | Iowa State University. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "The Purdue Exponent 10 May 1908 — Purdue University Newspapers Collection". historicalnewspapers.lib.purdue.edu. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
- ^ "Texas A&M Alpha Zeta". Texas A&M Alpha Zeta. Retrieved 2023-07-10.
- ^ "Cal Epsilon Chapter at CSU-Fresno | Alumni News". Alpha Zeta. November 29, 2011. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
- ^ 1967 Sequel Yearbook, page 184
- ^ "Alpha Zeta Has Initiation Rites". The Canyon News. Canyon, Texas. 1977-03-31. p. 11. Retrieved 2023-07-11 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Who's Who in American Education. Hattiesburg, Miss.: Who's Who in American Education, 1936. p. 24.
- ^ "Robert Baker Obituary (2006) - Ithaca, NY - Ithaca Journal". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "Leon Dexter Batchelor, Horticulture: Riverside | University of California: In Memoriam". University of California, Davis Library. 1959. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Alpha Zeta Politicians". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "DR. NORMAN E. BORLAUG'S CURRICULUM VITAE". www.agbioworld.org. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "Edgar Bernard Brossard papers". Archives West. Orbis Cascade Alliance. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "Edgar Bernard Brossard". Church History Biographical Database. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "John Eliot COit" (PDF). California Avocado Society Yearbook. 48: 19–20. 1964.
- ^ "President Dwight D. Eisenhower- an Honorary Morrill Chapter Member?". Morrill Chapter of Alpha Zeta at Penn State. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "Clifford M. Hardin, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Papers". Archives & Special Collections |University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ Bailey, L. H., ed. (September 1920). RUS: A Register of the Rural Leadership in the United States and Canada (2nd ed.). Ithaca, New York: L. H. Bailey. pp. 234–235 – via Google Books.
- ^ Senator Richard G. Lugar (1932-2019)
- ^ Selected Speeches and News Releases By United States. Department of Agriculture. Office of Public Affairs (1989- )
- ^ "Marriage of Laughlin / Maeder". Star Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1928-05-06. p. 42. Retrieved 2023-07-12 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Agriculture Fraternity Holds Honors Banquet",Casper Star Tribune 1970, May 9
- ^ "Gerald Miller: Serviceman, Scholar, Hokie | VT Stories". Virginia Tech. Retrieved 2023-07-12.
- ^ https://ecommons.cornell.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/2ed5db5a-4133-46e0-be93-2224a8f6a238/content.
{{cite web}}
: Missing or empty|title=
(help) - ^ Malott, Deane (June 8, 1962). "Report of The President 1961-1962, Cornell University". Retrieved February 20, 2024.
- ^ Richard and Evelyne Rominger Receive UC Davis Medal
- ^ "National Agricultural College Establishes Research Laboratory". Albert Schatz PhD. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ Tegtmeyer, Gamber F., ed. (1924). The Badger. Junior Class of the University of Wisconsin. p. 410 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Selman A. Waksman" (PDF). Karger Publishers. p. 131. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Culver, John C.; Hyde, John (2000). American dreamer : the life and times of Henry A. Wallace. New York: Norton. p. 33. ISBN 978-0-393-04645-8 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Wilson, M. L. (Milburn Lincoln), 1885-1969". Social Networks and Archival Context. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ "Clayton K. Yeutter, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Papers". Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. Retrieved 2023-07-11.
- ^ Tribute to Dr. Clayton Yeutter