Alpha Gamma Rho is a national agriculture fraternity. In 1911 C. E. Alfred, business manager of the U.T. Farmer, contacted the national fraternity about establishing a chapter at UT. A group was ready to petition for membership, but on-campus opposition developed, and while the group continued to be in contact with the national fraternity, establishment of a UT chapter lay dormant until January 1950, when a group of interested students met with Alpha Gamma Rho alumni and established an Alpha Gamma Rho Club. The club purchased a house at 1613 West Clinch.
The Alpha Gamma Rho Club petitioned for a charter, and on January 27, 1951, Alpha Kappa Chapter was installed at UT as the 34th chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho. When Fraternity Park was developed, Alpha Gamma Rho was one of the original fraternities building a house, into which it moved in fall 1967. In 2005 it was the first fraternity to have paid off its Fraternity Park house.
In 1992 Alpha Gamma Rho eliminated pledging and replaced it with a new Brotherhood Program, eliminating both pledging and hazing. Since 1976 Alpha Gamma Rho members have served as trainers and handlers for Tennessee’s mascot, Smokey.
Alpha Gamma Rho was founded at Ohio State University in 1904. The colors of the fraternity are dark green and gold, and the flower is the pink rose. Among its notable alumni are Orville Redenbacher, Dan Wheeler, Julius Johnson, and Ken Givens.