When the Alpha Gamma Rho National Fraternity gave out its award for best scholarship program in the nation, the Oregon State Alpha Beta Chapter was on top! Our chapter and the Minnesota chapter took home the Highest Honor Scholarship Program award. Below is an outline of our Scholarship Strategy that has proven so effective.

Implementation:

*organize study groups
*make chart of who has taken what classes
*utilize learning centers
*grade contracts for those on study tables
*scholastic speakers
*make time budgets for each man
*decrease computer game usage
*increase study tables flexibility

*goal setting, implemented and posted
*incentives for best individual on East/West competition
*let Big Brothers help scholarship Chairman in implementation
*recruit only the highest quality men
*Get 1st in grades within 1 year
*Stay in top 5 for grades every term


Objectives:
Academics are a high priority at Alpha Gamma Rho. We are constantly improving our scholarship program to meet the needs of our members and to maximize our performance. All new members and any member who receives below a 2.5 grade point average from the previous term will be on study tables; specific times set aside for study in a quiet area. The Scholarship Chairman oversees study tables for two hours each session three times per week. For those that are on study tables, they must make it to four hours each week of the term.
The Scholarship Chairman also uses this time to sit down with the individuals to find out how each class is going and get them help if they need it. All members on study tables turn in their assignments and midterms to the Scholarship Chairman as they become available. Under this system, the Scholarship Chairman can effectively advise those that most are in need of help. In addition to study tables, we have set times when we have all-house study hours. These are times during Monday through Wednesday night when the chapter house is to be used only for studying. These hours are from 7-9 pm. During Dead Week and Finals Week, our house has 24-hour quiet hour policy and all room doors must be closed. Our fraternity has been very happy with this system and it has helped improve our grades. We realize that we cannot always force people to study, but we can provide an atmosphere that is conducive to studying.
Our Scholarship Chairman does not focus merely on those members with lower GPA's. This winter Tammy Blumhardt, a Peer Success Specialist, presented to our entire membership about study skills, which will be discussed in greater detail later. All of our members benefit from attention given by our Scholarship Chairman which is why he deals with all members, not just those on study tables.
Our fraternity feels that it is very necessary to take a proactive approach to getting results. We want to improve our grades, so even though we do have punitive actions to very low grades, we reward improvements and encourage positive competition. One example would be our East/West competition. For competition purposes, we use the Pacific Crest Trail as the dividing line for the state of Oregon. We then have the two halves of the state compete against each other for top grades. At the end of each term, the GPAs of the members from each side are added up and the losing side purchases pizza and soda for the entire fraternity as a brotherhood event. On top of that, the winning side gets bragging rights for the next term. This program has been a valuable asset to our increasing scholastics over the past three years.
We also take the time to send a letter of recognition home to the parents of every member that gets above a 3.0. In addition to the letter, each member above a 3.0 gets placed on the Alpha Gamma Rho Honor Roll that is displayed in the entry of our fraternity. Also, the member and new member with the highest grades for each term receives a sweatshirt at the fraternity's expense. Each term all of the members post mid-terms and quizzes on our "A/B Board." This means that any mid-term or quiz that your get at least a "B" on you can post on the board. This lets all of the members see the good work that you are up to in your classes. We also match roommates for academic success. For example, if one of our new members is having problems with math and we have an older member who knows math very well, we will have them room together for a term so that the older member can help the new member with any questions that he may have. Every member knows that we are all brothers, and if we ever need help, especially schoolwork, we can ask our fellow members who will never hesitate to help. Since a lot of us have very similar majors, backgrounds, and interests, many of our older members have taken the same classes that other members are currently taking. This is a huge advantage of our chapter. We hold academic success as a great accomplishment (that IS why we are all here after all) and we are always recognizing and rewarding our members that do well academically. Our fraternity offers the following scholarships yearly:

E.L. "Dad" Potter Memorial Scholarship - In honor of our founder, the Alpha Beta Chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho is awarding two $750 scholarships for any incoming freshman planning to enroll    full time in either the College of Agricultural Sciences or the College of Forestry at Oregon State University for Fall Term 2008. 

FFA Scholarship $500 – This scholarship is awarded to a high school senior that is an outstanding member of FFA. Applicants are interviewed during the annual FFA State Convention. The award is then presented during the convention to the young man or woman who has shown the most leadership, involvement, and devotion to scholastics. This award is given regardless of gender.

FFA State Officer Scholarship $500 – Given each year to FFA State Officers upon joining our fraternity. The award was created to help reward these individuals for their exemplary work in service to agriculture.

Outstanding Freshman Scholarship $500 – Given each year during Mom's Weekend, this scholarship honors a freshman who has exhibited the characteristics most prized by our fraternity. The award is based mostly on scholarly achievement, university and community involvement, and leadership. Our entire membership votes on this scholarship.

Outstanding Sophomore Scholarship $500 – The sophomore in the house who shows the best scholarship, leadership, and involvement receives this award every year. Voted on by all membership, this award is given out on Mom's Weekend.

Outstanding Member Scholarship $500 – Given out during Mom's Weekend, our membership votes to recognize a member who excels in academic consistence.

Alpha Gamma Rho Foundation Scholarship $1000 – The Alumni Foundation of Alpha Gamma Rho gives two $500 scholarships to the member who they feel is contributing positively to the chapter house. The Alumni Foundation gives this award during Winter Term.

Alpha Gamma Rho Matching Funds Scholarship $1,000 – Our National Fraternity offers a matching funds opportunity for each chapter. Our chapter gives $500, and Nationals gives $500, this equals a total of $1,000 given out. Our executive council determines the member who exhibits the most academic excellence, and involvement. Financial needs as well as improvement are considered.