Gamma Sigma Delta

Our International History

Gamma Sigma Delta began as a professional agricultural fraternity called Delta Theta Sigma at The Ohio State University, December 1, 1905, and maintained a chapter house.

Other chapters were installed at Iowa State (1907), Pennsylvania State College (1908), Oregon State College (1908), University of Missouri (1908), and Utah State College (1909), but all of these chapters adhered to an honorary plan and did not have chapter houses.

In 1913 Delta Theta Sigma at The Ohio State University, withdrew, maintained the name and its chapter house. The name of the remaining organization was changed to Gamma Sigma Delta and followed the honorary plan of operation. Later (1928) a chapter of Gamma Sigma Delta was installed at Ohio State.

In 1915, the Honor Society of Agriculture was formed at the University of Minnesota. A movement was started early in 1916 to merge the two organizations, Gamma Sigma Delta and Honor Society of Agriculture. A joint committee from both organizations met at the University of Minnesota, June 3, 1916, and reached tentative agreement on the merger. A new constitution was drafted and ratified early in 1917.

The Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta, became the official name. From 1917, Gamma Sigma Delta has been strictly honorary. It became faculty governed and selected membership from juniors, seniors, graduate students, alumni, and faculty. Currently, 48 chapters have been installed at universities throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, The Philippines, and Honduras.

Local Chapter Role

The strength of Gamma Sigma Delta is in its 48 local chapters. They operate under the International Constitution and By-laws but otherwise maintain complete choice of and control over their activities. Local chapter activities center on recognizing superior achievements through awards and invitations to membership. While all chapters agree on objectives, individual chapter differences occur on how objectives are attained.

RelationshipTo Other Honor Societies

Gamma Sigma Delta is a faculty governed society that selects its members from junior and senior students, graduate students, faculty, and alumni for the promotion and recognition of high achievement. While Gamma Sigma Delta is an honor society of agriculture, it may elect members from related fields such as biology, botany, chemistry, economics, entomology, forestry, home economics, plant pathology, sociology, statistics, veterinary medicine, or zoology when the work of the individuals is related to agroculture. Officers, committee chairpersons, and other leading the chapter are faculty or alumni.

Alpha Zeta is a professional, service and honorary fraternity in agriculture. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible for membership. Alpha Zeta, a student organization with student officers and faculty advisors, elects its members based on scholarship, leadership, and extracurricular activities. students elected must be in the upper 40 percent of their class scholastically and must have completed at least one academic year of studies.

Phi Kappa Phi selects its members from seniors, graduate students and faculty from several divisions, schools, and colleges of a university. Election is based on scholarship, and seniors must rank in the upper 10 percent of their class.

Phi Beta Kappa, the oldest and often best known of honor societies, selects its members from programs in the university that fulfill the definition of a liberal education. Seniors, graduate students, and faculty may be elected to membership. Seniors must rank in the upper 10 percent of their class.

Sigma Xi is an honorary research organization. Graduate students, faculty and alumni in science who have demonstrated outstanding research ability and achievement may be selected for membership.

Iowa Chapter History