Alpha Gamma Rho - Penn State University

2 Gamma Crescent Agriculture at Gamma When I joined ΑΓΡ in the fall of 1996, I don't know that I was looking for anything more meaningful than a non-stop, beer-fueled party, but instead I found unexpected, truly meaningful lessons and experiences while living with my brothers. I found that it is impossible to dislike almost anyone once you truly get to know them, that you don't need to agree with a person to respect their opinion, and that for every superficial difference that one can use to divide people into groups, there are a dozen deeper and more meaningful ways in which we are all similar. ΑΓΡ made my college years truly meaningful and I am without a doubt a richer person for the experience. Today, I am an independent consulting arborist living in Hillsborough, New Jersey. I advise tree owners and property managers regarding how to best maintain the health and safety of their trees. You can see my company on the web by visiting www.treedoctor.net. Christian Plunkett '96 (Continued from page 1) Pink Rose Member ($1,000 and up) Thomas W. Scott '50 (Γ612) Common Bond Member ($500 to $999) Friends of Gamma Member ($100 to $499) Alvin G. Leidel '48 (Γ555) Howard R. Swavely '49 (Γ594) Boyd Wolff '50 (Γ626) Robert C. Antram '53 (Γ668) G. Richard Olmstead '56 (Γ715) Richard Dommel '57 (Γ736) Richard C. McDonald '58 (Γ746) Wyatt W. Gosnell '61 (Γ806) Stephen Witmer '61 (Γ812) Joseph Strite '65 (Γ889) Timothy L. Strickler '66 (Γ894) Edward H. Maguire '66 (Γ910) George E. Myatich '69 (Γ965) Rick G. Steinmeyer '69 (Γ968) John P. Palmieri '71 (Γ995) Gerald T. Mathews '77 (Γ1097) Paul Knight '79 (Γ1133) Dennis Toomey '79 (Γ1136) Brian Miller '83 (Γ1198) Steven V. Culver '84 (Γ1213) Wesley E. Heisley '88 (Γ1264) Thank You, Loyal Alumni, for Your Generous Support of the Gamma Chapter T hanks to the support of loyal alumni, $2,910 was contributed with 22 gifts to our spring 2016 appeal. The successes and achievements of the Gamma Chapter are directly attributed to the support and involvement of its members. The active brothers are grateful for and proud of the support they receive from their alumni. We hope more alumni will join their brothers and contribute to our ongoing annual campaign. Donors are listed below by their giving total to the spring 2016 appeal. I am a ninth semester senior from Bowdoin, Maine, and I joined Alpha Gamma Rho in the spring of 2013. I began school studying chemical engineering and then changed majors to food science. During my academic career, I have been a part of developing a whey protein isolate cheese cracker for the National Dairy Council's Product Development Competition, which we took to Salt Lake City and won third place along with $3,000. I have also been fortunate enough to have a research and development internship with Hain Celestial Group Inc., a leader in the organic and non-GMO market, where I helped develop three products for the BluePrint brand, which may be bought online or at select Target stores. Currently, I work for Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program, where I help bridge the gap between students and faculty, and attempt to creatively increase student involvement in events such as Global Entrepreneurship Week, which gives students opportunities to immerse themselves in the entrepreneur way of thinking. I'm also involved in events such as Ag Springboard, which is a competition that allows students to assemble teams, develop products or new business ideas, and results in a $7,500 grand prize. As you can see, I have a passion for food science and enjoy developing. I have used that drive to develop myself socially and professionally. I am very thankful for the time the past brothers of Alpha Gamma Rho took to develop me into a better man, and I am very thankful for the time future brothers of Alpha Gamma Rho will take to be developed into better men. I can strongly say I wouldn't be where I stand today without Alpha Gamma Rho and the College of Agricultural Sciences. If you have any questions for me, or about the programs I am involved in, you can view my resume or contact me through my website www.mckenziegary.com, or contact me by e-mail at mackdgary@gmail.com. Fraternally, McKenzie Gary '13 (Γ1626) Gamma Chapter Brotherhood GainS StrenGth in numBerS G amma Chapter's recruitment efforts in fall 2016 were nothing short of a success, yielding 16 new members. The brothers of the fall 2016 pledge class come from diverse backgrounds and will undoubtedly grow into the role of leaders in our fraternity. One new member is actually studying to be an astronaut! Our recruitment plan this year was strong, thorough, and widespread. With the help of Penn State College of Agriculture, we were able to reach out to students inside the classroom along with our formal approach. This being my last semester as VNR recruitment for Gamma Chapter, I am sanguine in passing the torch unto my successor: Thomas Conroy '16 (Γ1730). Fraternally, Ryan Moser '14 (Γ1680) VNR Recruitment

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