# Alpha Epsilon

Alpha Epsilon (ΑΕ) is a scholastic honor society recognizing academic achievement among students in the fields of agricultural, food, and biological engineering. It has thirty active chapters across the United States and a total membership of more than 8,200.

## History

Alpha Epsilon Honor Society was founded at the University of Missouri on May 14, 1959, to recognize academic achievement among students in the field of Agricultural Engineering. The purpose of the society, as outlined in 1959 is:
   To promote the high ideals of the engineering profession, to give recognition to those agricultural engineers who manifest worthy qualities of character, scholarship, and professional attainment, and to encourage and support such improvements in the agricultural engineering profession to make it an instrument of greater service to mankind.
It began steady expansion immediately, adding chapters at the University of Illinois, University of Minnesota, University of Arkansas, Purdue University and Virginia Tech. The first six chapters met to formally adopt a national constitution and bylaws four years after its founding, on December 11, 1963. While the Society's initial focus was Agricultural Engineering, this was later expanded to include Food Engineering, and Biological Engineering.
Alpha Epsilon was admitted as an associate member of the Association of College Honor Societies in 1968, with full membership achieved in 1970. By 2012, it had 17 active chapters, 148 active members, and 8,144 total initiates.
The society meets annually in conjunction with the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE). The two organizations cooperate but are managed by two separate executive boards. They share a website and physical mailing address.

## Symbols

Alpha Epsilon's crest is in the form of a shield with a banner displaying the name of the society, "Alpha Epsilon," The shield is further decorated with three symbols, the Horn of Plenty, a plow, and a T-square and a compass. These symbols represent the place of agricultural engineering in the production of food and fiber. At the top of the shield is the center portion of the key with the Greek letters Α and Ε.
Alpha Epsilon's colors are black and gold. Its badge is a key, etched in the back with the name of the owner, the name of the chapter, and the year of the member's initiation. The motto of the society is not public.

## Governance

Chapters are fairly autonomous and allowed to manage their activity broadly. One commonality that is shared by many groups is the provision of tutoring services to students in the Agricultural sciences.

## Membership

Membership is open to upperclassmen and graduate students of agricultural and biological engineering. Membership selection is based on character, leadership, and scholarship. Prospective members are juniors in the upper quarter of their class, seniors in the upper third of their class, or graduate students who met eligibility as an undergraduate or who have at least a 3.25 GPA after completing seven hours.
Alpha Epsilon has three types of members, active, alumni, and honorary.

## Chapters

This is a list of Alpha Epsilon chapters, with active chapters indicated in bold and inactive chapters in italics.
| Number | Chapter | Charter date and range | Institution | Location | Status |
| 1. | Missouri Alpha | 1959 | University of Missouri | Columbia, Missouri | Active |
| | Beta | | | | Unassigned |
| 2. | Minnesota Gamma | 1960 | University of Minnesota | St. Paul, Minnesota | Active |
| 3. | Illinois Delta | 1960 | University of Illinois | Urbana, Illinois | Active |
| 4. | Arkansas Epsilon | 1961 | University of Arkansas | Fayetteville, Arkansas | Active |
| 5. | Indiana Zeta | 1962 | Purdue University | West Lafayette, Indiana | Active |
| 6. | Virginia Eta | 1963 | Virginia Tech | Blacksburg, Virginia | Active |
| 7. | North Dakota Theta | 1964 | North Dakota State University | Fargo, North Dakota | Active |
| 8. | Ohio Iota | 1965 | Ohio State University | Columbus, Ohio | Active |
| 9. | South Dakota Kappa | 1966 | South Dakota State University | Brookings, South Dakota | Active |
| 10. | Nebraska Lambda | 1966 | University of Nebraska | Lincoln, Nebraska | Active |
| 11. | North Carolina Mu | 1966 | North Carolina State University | Raleigh, North Carolina | Active |
| 12. | Colorado Nu | 1969 | Colorado State University | Fort Collins, Colorado | Active |
| 13. | Texas Xi | 1969–xxxx ? | University of Texas | Austin, Texas | Inactive |
| 14. | Pennsylvania Omicron | 1970 | Penn State University | State College, Pennsylvania | Active |
| 15. | Iowa Pi | 1971 | Iowa State University | Ames, Iowa | Active |
| 16. | West Virginia Rho | 1971–xxxx ? | West Virginia University | Morgantown, West Virginia | Inactive |
| 17. | Michigan Sigma | 1973 | Michigan State University | East Lansing, Michigan | Active |
| 18. | Wisconsin Tau | 1974 | University of Wisconsin | Madison, Wisconsin | Active |
| 19. | Oregon Upsilon | 1976 | Oregon State University | Corvallis, Oregon | Active |
| 20. | Texas (A&M) Phi | 1976 | Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas | Active |
| 21. | California (Davis) Chi | 1976 | University of California, Davis | Davis, California | Active |
| 22. | Maryland Psi | 1977 | University of Maryland | College Park, Maryland | Active |
| 23. | Kentucky Omega | 1977 | University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | Active |
| X. | Alpha Beta | | | | Unassigned |
| X. | Beta Beta | | | | Unassigned |
| 24. | Florida Gamma Beta | 1979 | University of Florida | Gainesville, Florida | Active |
| 25. | Alabama Delta Beta | 1980 | Auburn University | Auburn, Alabama | Active |
| 26. | Oklahoma Epsilon Beta | 1981 | Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Active |
| 27. | Kansas Zeta Beta | 1983 | Kansas State University | Manhattan, Kansas | Active |
| 28. | Arizona Eta Beta | 1986 | University of Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | Active |
| 29. | North Carolina Theta Beta | 1996 | North Carolina A&T State University | Greensboro, North Carolina | Active |
| 30. | New York Iota Beta | 1998 | Cornell University | Ithaca, New York | Active |
| 31. | Florida (A&M) Kappa Beta | 19xx ? | Florida A&M University | Tallahassee, Florida | Active |
* ↑ Neither Baird's nor the online chapter list notes the use of a Beta chapter designation.
* ↑ Neither Baird's nor the online chapter list notes the use of an Alpha Beta chapter designation
* ↑ Neither Baird's nor the online chapter list notes the use of a Beta Beta chapter designation