ALPHA RHO
New Jersey Institute of Technology

FOUNDED ON
1.1.1921

LOCATION
Newark, NJ

HISTORY
Newark College of Engineering was founded in 1881. Phi Delta Zeta, founded January 1, 1921, was the first fraternity established at the Newark College of Engineering. The fraternity began to seek national affiliation in the mid 1920s. With the assistance of Rev. Albert H. Wilson, a member of Sigma Nu who was active in the inter-fraternity movement, the fraternity combined with Alpha Kappa Pi of Wagner College on the afternoon of March 23, 1926, in the study of Rev. Albert H. Wilson, forming a new national fraternity, Alpha Kappa Pi, of which the Newark College chapter became the Alpha Chapter. On May 23, 1926, Alpha Kappa Pi held its first “National Convention” at the Clendenin Hotel, New York City. The chapter house in the 1930s was at 112 Bleaker Street.

In 1946, with the merger between Alpha Sigma Phi and Alpha Kappa Pi, the Chapter was re-chartered as Alpha Rho of Alpha Sigma Phi. The chapter house was at 119 Warren Street. Alpha Rho Chapter became inactive in 1952 due to enrollment declines resulting from the military mobilization for the Korean War.

In 1981, an interest group formed and was colonized on March 21, 1981. Grand Secretary Evin Varner, Presbyterian ‘58, and Grand Senior President Richard Gibbs, Oklahoma ‘51, presented the colony certificate. Neale Bedrock, NJIT ‘82, was a leader of the reactivation effort. The Chapter was re-chartered in January of 1982. Initiation of the charter members was performed at the Alpha Tau chapter house. A house at 273 High Street, Newark, was obtained. 

Alpha Rho won the IFSC Talent Show in 1985-86 and 1986-87. From 1990 until about 1998, the Chapter was located at 184 Warren Street. In the late 1990s, the housing corporation purchased a chapter house at 267 Martin Luther King Blvd.

In the spring of 2006, the Chapter spent spring break assisting FEMA clean up 2005 hurricane damage in the New Orleans Area. The Chapter issues a newsletter titled “The Beacon.” William Kevin Gates, NJIT ‘87, served as Undergraduate Advisor to the Grand council on 1991-92.

CHAPTER AWARDS
Records show award name and year(s) received.

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Records show brother's name, initiation year, and award received.