EPSILON RHO
Appalachian State

FOUNDED ON
1.28.2006

LOCATION
Boone, NC

HISTORY
Appalachian State University originated as Watauga Academy in 1899. In 1903 the legislature authorized the Appalachian Training School for Teachers. In 1929 the school became Appalachian State Teachers College. A graduate school was added in 1948 and the name was changed to Appalachian State University in 1967.

Alpha Sigma Phi at Appalachian State University began with the vision of David Stafford, who in 2001 enlisted Brooks Lockhart and Chris Daniels to build an organization of high moral values and ethics. The core group grew, adding members who consistently achieved the highest grade point average among fraternities. The Pet-a-Pup service program for the Watauga Humane Society began in Spring 2002, and has been continued. 25 men joined and the interest group was recognized as a colony on April 15, 2003. The colony stated its main objective to unite a select group of men, to help them grow academically and socially as role models, and to encourage direct service to the community. In Spring 2005 the colony had the highest grade point average of any of the 14 NIC and NPHC Fraternities on the campus. In Fall 2005, 33 undergraduates and 16 alumni of the colony petitioned Alpha Sigma Phi for a charter.

The colony was chartered on January 28, 2006 with 35 charter members. The charter was presented by Grand Junior President Scott Grissom, Oklahoma ‘78 to Chapter President Jeff Arrowood, Appalachian State ‘06. Undergraduate members of Epsilon Pi, Delta Zeta, Gamma Theta, Alpha Tau, and Alpha Psi Chapters, Grand Junior President Scott Grissom, Oklahoma ‘78, Rick Buss, UNC-Charlotte ‘90, Grand Chapter Advisor of Delta Zeta Chapter, and five other alumni and Fraternity staff members conducted the initiation. The installation banquet took place at the University Convention Center. At Alpha Sigma Phi’s entry, there were eleven other fraternities involving 7% of the male undergraduates.

The Epsilon Rho Chapter was suspended in spring 2015 for violations of the University Code of Conduct. 

Coordinator of Expansion and Growth, Joe Nelson, led expansion efforts at Appalachian State University in the spring of 2018.

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

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