Alpha Eta Rho

Infobox Fraternity
letters = AHP
name = Alpha Eta Rho
motto = "To further the cause of aviation in all of its branches."
crest =
founded = April 10, 1929
type = Professional
scope = International
address = 1839 Mossy Oak Lane | city = Collierville | state = TN 38017 | country = USA| chapters = More Than 70
homepage = http://www.ahpnational.com
colors = Chrome Yellow and Black
free_label =
free =
birthplace = University of Southern California
mentor =
flower =
symbol =

Alpha Eta Rho (ΑΗΡ) is an international professional college aviation fraternity that serves as a contact between the aviation industry and educational institutions to foster, promote, and mentor today's college students towards successful careers in any aviation field. Alpha Eta Rho serves to actively associate interested students of aviation with leaders and executives in the industry. This close association, strengthened through the bonds of an international aviation fraternity, establishes opportunities for all members in their relation to aviation and inspires interest and cooperation among those in the profession who are also members of Alpha Eta Rho.

Established in 1929, and the oldest professional aviation fraternity in history, Alpha Eta Rho has had over one hundred thirty five chapters both domestically and internationally. The Eta chapter at San Jose State University is the oldest active chapter, being founded April 27th, 1940. Currently over seventy chapters are active on campuses throughout the United States. The alumni of the fraternity are found in all facets of the aviation industry and related management fields. These include airline captains, military aviation Flag Officers, corporate CEO's, NASA engineers, flight attendants, aircraft mechanics, aviation museum directors, aerospace engineers, and pilots. There are currently over 45,000 Alumni of Alpha Eta Rho, with over 1,000 new members pledging each year.

National Chapter History

Alpha Eta Rho, the Greek letters which stand for “air,” came into being to fulfill a definite need of the time. Enrollment in aviation courses on the campus of the University of Southern California in the spring of 1928-1929 was surprising large, and the faculty members as well as the students were voicing the need for an extracurricular activity for promoting and organizing this interest in aviation.

Led by Professor Earl W. Hill, who was teaching aviation at USC and with the assistance of others on the faculty, Alpha Eta Rho was organized on April 10, 1929, and after receiving official recognition by the university, the first election of officers was held May 23, 1929. Under the leadership of Hill, founder and National President for 21 years until his death in 1950, Alpha Eta Rho continued to grow in stature within the college and the aviation industry.

Marshall Benedict, an employee of United Airlines, became the second National President of the fraternity in 1950. Except for a 16 month period from June 1951 until October 1952 while he was recalled to active duty with the Air Force and John Goodwin took over the Presidency, Benedict served in this capacity until 1963. Benedict at this time was associated with the FAA.

Benedict resigned in 1963 and was replaced by Ray Mertes, a great supporter of aviation education while with United Airlines. Mertes, who died unexpectedly in 1965, was followed by Gene Kropf, Public Affairs Officer of the Western Region of the FAA. Kropf, also know as the “Red Baron”, served as national president until 1981 at which time he resigned to accept the position of Chairman of the Board of Alpha Eta Rho. At that time Harold S. Wood, who had been the National Secretary-Treasurer for almost 20 years while at Parks College, accepted the position of the National President.

July 1, 1988, Harold Wood resigned as National President to accept the position of Chairman of the Board of Alpha Eta Rho. Wayne E. White, retired from Boise State University, accepted the position of National President.

Through the leadership of these six dedicated men, Alpha Eta Rho has grown internationally. The alumni membership of the fraternity is large, and is distributed throughout the aviation industry both in the United States and abroad. Currently there are about sixty active chapters of Alpha Eta Rho. Another fifty chapters have been established over the years, but have become inactive. Approximately 1,000 new members are being initiated every year.

The fraternity serves as a contact between the aviation industry and educational institutions. It bands into one organization: outstanding students, interested faculty and industry leaders for the purpose of studying the problems of everyday life as influenced by this modern industry - - aviation.

Notable Alumni

Joe Leonard - AirTran Airways CEO

Chapters

External links

* [http://www.ahpnational.com/ AHP National Website]
* [http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~ahp β Beta Chapter (Purdue University)]
* [http://www.auburn.edu/ahp γ Gamma Chapter (Auburn University)]
* [http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Center/3386/ ζ Zeta Chapter (Dowling College)]
* [http://www.ahpsjsu.org η Eta Chapter (San Jose State University)]
* [http://www.rso.wmich.edu/alphaetarho/ θ Theta Chapter (Western Michigan University)]
* [http://aeronautics.mtsac.edu/studentact/ahp.html ν Nu Chapter (Mt. San Antonia College)]
* [http://aviation.sosu.edu/student_organizations/alphaetarho.html ο Southeastern Oklahoma State University)]
* [http://pages.slu.edu/org/aviation/ π Pi Chapter (St. Louis University/Parks College)]
* [http://www.siu.edu/~alpha/ σ Sigma Chapter (Southern Illinois University Carbondale)]
* [http://www.sal.ksu.edu/clubs/ahp/index.html Kappa Sigma Upsilon Chapter (Kansas State University - Salina)]
* [http://www.ahpalphasigma.com Alpha Sigma Chapter (ASU)]
* [http://www.alphaetarho.com Epsilon Rho Chapter (Embry-Riddle Daytona)]
* [http://www.mtsu.edu/~aer Mu Tau Chapter(MTSU)]
* [http://www.ahp-sigmaphi.com/ Sigma Phi Chapter (Metropolitan State College of Denver)]
* [http://ahp.org.ohio-state.edu/ Omicron Sigma Upsilon Chapter (Ohio State University)]
* [http://www.alpha-eta-rho.com/ Phi Beta Sigma Chapter (Bridgewater State College)]
* [http://ahpddsjc.org/ ΔΔ Delta Delta Chapter (San Jacinto Community College)]