Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
AZ
Alpha Zeta Fraternity
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
On February 25, 1924, the South Dakota Chapter of Alpha Zeta at South Dakota State College was officially chartered with 19 founding members, as announced by Harry Potter, General Secretary of Alpha Zeta. This milestone followed an initial inquiry sent by S.D.S.C. President Willis E. Johnson on December 24, 1919. During the application process, the group—consisting of approximately 25 men—was known as the Hopkins Club. After three unsuccessful attempts, the chapter was successfully established under the leadership of S.D.S.C. President C.W. Pugsley, himself a member of Alpha Zeta, along with many other faculty members who were also affiliated with the fraternity.
Alpha Zeta, the oldest fraternal society in agriculture, was founded on November 4, 1897, at Ohio State University. Today, it is a global network of diverse professionals in agriculture and natural resources dedicated to recognizing, developing, and promoting leaders grounded in common values and integrity. The fraternity’s mission is to advance agriculture in its broadest sense, fostering leadership, fellowship, service, and a spirit of love and fraternity among its members.
As of 2016, the South Dakota Chapter of Alpha Zeta remains an honorary fraternity for the top students in the College of Agriculture and Biological Sciences at South Dakota State University. The chapter actively participates in numerous campus activities, including the Career Fair and Ag Day. Its community engagement includes mentoring youth, visiting nursing homes, fence-mending, and invasive weed eradication at the Girl Scouts’ Camp Wildwood, as well as fundraising for local service projects such as the Harvest Table and the Food Pantry.