Fraternity inducts Poshard, two others

SIU President Glenn Poshard, Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Charles A. Hartke and Illinois Soybean Association Chairman Stephen J. Scates became honorary members of the Carbondale campus chapter of Alpha Gamma Rho in a ceremony held at the chapter house Saturday morning, April 22.

The men of AGR -- Alpha Gamma Row members take time for a photograph before attending SIUC's second annual Agriculture Industry Day Saturday, April 22. Pictured (from top, left to right) are AGR alumni board president John Cox, board member Clinton Wolff, board vice president of public affairs Greg Webb, board treasurer Keith Hoskins, SIUC College of Agricultural Sciences Gary L. Minish, newly initiated honorary members Stephen J. Scates, Charles A. Hartke and SIU President Glenn Poshard, alumnus Jake Rendleman, chapter president Aaron Hendrickson and chapter members Mark Irvin and Nick Martin. Pictured (from bottom, left to right) are new member Travis Massie, chapter adviser Chet Stumpke, college recruitment and retention coordinator Lucas D. Maxwell, board fundraising chairman Scott D. Gooden, alumni Josh Gaebe and Rick Hiatt, and honorary member Gary A. Apgar.

"These people have supported us in the past, so we thought we should get on this and make them brothers," said chapter board member Scott D. Gooden.

The trio received fraternity pins and pin numbers and full "brother" status in the 101-year-old organization, which operates both as a social fraternity and as a professional association for men with careers or career interests in the agriculture, food and fiber industries. They then joined the members in attending the University's second annual Agriculture Industry Day, where Poshard delivered the keynote address.

SIUC alumnus Jake Rendlemen nominated Poshard for membership, alumnus Keith Hoskins nominated Scates and alumnus David Hartke nominated Hartke.

Alpha Gamma Rho has more than 70 chapters and 55,000 members nationwide. SIUC has had a chapter since 1970.

"We have the highest GPA on campus of all the Greeks and more community service hours than any other organization on campus," Gooden said.

"We're very active in the community and in the University."

-- K.C. Jaehnig