From the Desk of the Noble Ruler
My name is Jay Skaar, and have grown up on a farm near Hayward, Minnesota, where we raise Holstein steers, corn, soybeans, and hay. Through my years, my passion for agriculture and desire to be a leader continued to strengthen through my involvement in FFA and Boy Scouts. I partake in multiple activities here at SDSU such as being on the rock-climbing club and hunting. While working 2 jobs at a local taxidermist and a Student Manager at our Student Union, you can find me on a motorcycle on warm days. I look forward to the upcoming 2019 calendar year as Noble Ruler as we continue to progress forward as an organization and continue to make better men!
Spring Update: With 48 brothers in the fraternity and our house mother, Donna Robinson, we are looking forward to a semester with a variety of events ranging from on-campus activities such as recruitment, to off-campus events like the annual AGR Pancake Feed event that we host along with Sigma Alpha. This year, we are excited to have planned an aggressive recruitment season and look to grow the chapter with knowledgeable, passionate young men who look to make a difference in the agricultural industry. Some things within the chapter that we plan to improve throughout this next semester include getting involved more with IFC, further involvement on campus, and hopefully place AGR representatives on the Students Association. While this semester will continue to stay busy for the entire chapter, the brothers and I are excited to take our skills to enhance our chapter involvement and increase our outreach throughout the community of Brookings.
Fraternally,
Jay Skaar
Noble Ruler
Thanks to housemother Donna Robinson, Alumni Board member John Wiese and all the others that helped to give the Formal Living room, Hallway, Foyer, and Library a little face lift with a fresh coat of paint.
3rd Annual Alunmni Golf Tournament
was held Saturday August 26th 12 p.m.
Edgebrook Golf Course, Brookings SD
This was our 3rd annual golf tournament for our alumni association! The breakdown of the tournament will be the same as last year with 2 man scrambles and pin prizes. We look forward to seeing you their
Check out our new alumni page if your not already a member at
SDSU Alpha Gamma Rho-Alpha Phi Alumni Association
Also dont for get to check out the active chapter at
Check us out on Social Media
See our new alumni Facebook group at SDSU Alpha Gamma Rho-Alpha Phi Alumni Association
Support your AGR/Alpha Phi Alumni Association.....annual dues are $50
PO Box 8043, Brooking, S. Dak. 57006
Congratulations to our newly elected executive officers for 2018!
Noble Ruler - Jay Skaar
VNR Planning - Christian Netzke
VNR Finance - Nathan Powell
VNR Recruitment - Cody Lambrecht
VNR Membership Development - Keith Lent
VNR Scholastics - Andrew Wilwerding
VNR Alumni Relations - Carter VanderWal
VNR Activities - Taylor Zeltwanger
VNR Management/Operations - Tyler Schmitt
External House Manager - Bryce Evje
Co-Stewards - Luke Groos and Chase Olson
2nd Annual Golf Tournament was held
Saturday August 26th 2 p.m.
This was be our 2nd annual golf tournament for our alumni association! The breakdown of the tournament was the same as last year with 2 man scrambles and pin prizes. Thanks to all who participated
The Sigma Alpha and Alpha Gamma Rho chapters of South Dakota State University served breakfast at the Old Sanctuary on Sunday, March 19th to raise money for a worthy cause and give back to the Brookings community.
The members of the professional agricultural sorority and fraternity teamed up to host their first pancake feed. At $5 a plate pancakes, sausage, eggs and beverages were served. Proceeds went to support the South Dakota State FFA Foundation, Blue Jackets Bright Future.
This organization provides FFA jackets to youth that can’t afford to buy their own. According to the National FFA website, the corduroy jacket is an article of faith, honor and pride. The symbolic essence of the jacket, along with the pancakes, helped to make the event a success.
From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the members that volunteered served 175 community members and raised around $1250 dollars, which will sponsor 16 jackets. Not only were the members pleased to support FFA, they were happy to give back to the community.
Philanthropy and service are both important aspects of Sigma Alpha and Alpha Gamma Rho and giving back to the Brookings community by being able to put on an event and serve them gives the members more public outreach.
Thank-you to all that attended and made the event a success!
New sign out front of the Alpha Gamma Rho house
A special thanks to alumni board members Keith Goehring and John Wiese for finding these rocks perfect for carving and for helping get them to their new home
2016 Inaugural Alumni Golf Tournament
was held August 20th at 1:00 pm at
Edgebrook Golf Course, Brookings, South Dakota
It was a fun afternoon of golf fellowship and food.
There were 16 two man teams that participated in the golf tournament
The funds raised will be used to cover remodeling costs of current house
In future years, funds will be directed towards a new house
Special Thanks to the following for helping to put the golf tournament together
Noble Ruler, Tyler Pierson
VNR Alumni Relations, Tom Harris
Asst. VNR Recruitment, Andrew Heine
Alumni President, John Wiese
2016 Alpha Gamma Rho National Convention
Brothers Fliehe, Groos and Bregel to attend the 64th AGR National Convention in Omaha, Nebraska with Faculty Adviser, brother Brad Blaha. We have been very fortunate these last 2 years to have one of our own, brother Cal Willemssen serve on our Fraternity's National Board of Directors as Grand President. The men attended attended a dinner at the Strategic Air Command and Aerospace museum. Fun fact: Brother Willemssen insisted on taking a picture in front of the "Lucky Lady" because his father flew this type of plane during World War 2. We thank brother Willemssen for his dedicated service to not only the Alpha Phi chapter, but to Alpha Gamma Rho on the national level, we wish him nothing but the best as his term as Grand President comes to an end.
The men of The Alpha Phi Chapter took the Milk Can home with a convincing 21-5 victory over FarmHouse in a game of softball
2016 National Leadership Conference
The alpha phi men attended with their sister sorority Sigma Alpha
52nd Pink Rose
Guest Speakers both AGR Alumni
Tim Nichols- Dean of Honors College at SDSU Scott VanderWal National Vice President of Farm Bureau
Congratulations to Alpha Phi Alumni Scott VanderWal for being elected National Vice President of Farm Bureau.
VanderWal, president of the South Dakota Farm Bureau, is the first ever from the organization to serve at the executive level of the national organization.
Scott has been the South Dakota Farm Bureau president since June 2004 and served on the national board for 10 years. He says he's ready to put his leadership experience to work to accomplish the organization's goals and become an even more effective voice for American agriculture. He farms with his family in Volga, SD. VanderWal says agriculture faces many political challenges in the year ahead, especially with the prospect of a new administration.
He will serve with newly elected President Zippy Duvall of Georgia.
Congratulations to brother Adam Krause ,#1018, and his family for being honored with the South Dakota Pork Producers 2015 Family of the Year Award.
The Krause family of Clear Lake is along time contributor to the pork industry.
From left are Tiffany, Adam, Jolene, Laron and Brent and Lyndy Krause.
Willemssen Reception
A reception was held Saturday September 12th, to honor our National Grand President and Alpha Phi alumnus, Cal Willemssen and his wife Lynne, from 12:00 to 2:00pm at the chapter house. A pulled pork dinner was served. We had a good turn out and all the alumni that came had a great time getting to see old friends. Brad Garrison the Director of Development from the national office was able to join us in this celebration.
The water softener in the chapter house has quit working, it has been out for over a year. We sought out bids and received bids to have it replaced from three different companies. There are two types of systems we could replace it with a twin softener or a single.
Ekern Plumbing and heating Ecowater
$3375 twin system $3432 twin system
$2300 single system $1918 single system
Courtesy Plumbing
$4250
The board has tabled the subject of replacing it for now until funds are secured.
If you would like to donate towards this project of replacing it or know of someone else to get a bid from please contact
President John Wiese 605-997-3468
