Alpha Gamma Chapter’s Educational Foundation received a generous donation of $1 million from a local ranch.
Brother Steve Hall of Alpha Gamma Chapter, the chapter’s Educational Foundation President, said the nearly 1,000-acre Kirkland Ranch, under ownership of descendants of the Kirkland family, was sold to become part of a larger area of conservation land in Wesley Chapel, Florida.
The owners wanted to give money from the sale back to the education of future Florida agriculture leaders. Brother Wilton Simpson (Alpha Gamma Chapter), Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, a local and friend of the owners, recommended that they donate the funds to Alpha Gamma Rho’s Alpha Gamma Chapter.
Brother Hall said this gift was presented to the Alpha Gamma Chapter Educational Foundation by the Community Foundation of Tampa Bay in honor of Elizabeth Kirkland Halloway and in memory of Cicero Kirkland, Elizabeth’s father who first began developing the ranch in 1949, and Jack Kirkland and Raymond Kirkland, her brothers.
“It was thanks to Commissioner Simpson,” Brother Hall said. “He's very passionate about conserving Florida, because we're rapidly developing down here in Florida agricultural lands, and his ability to recommend and help that funding come to fruition through the state — his relationship with the family as being a local resident and a local politician there, they asked him [what they should do with the funds] ... he had recommended AGR.”
Brother Hall said the money from the grant will go towards paying off the mortgage of the Alpha Gamma Chapter House, but the majority of it will go to their Educational Foundation for collegiate scholarships. These scholarships will help cover living expenses for brothers living in the chapter house. He said that covering these expenses has been a goal of his since he became president of the Alpha Gamma Educational Foundation.
“It was thanks to Commissioner Simpson,” Brother Hall said. “He's passionate about conserving Florida, because developers are rapidly buying up Florida agricultural lands, and Commissioner Simpson it has done some amazing things to ensure conservation programs also help protect agricultural lands. His experience and relationships in the Legislature and as Florida Commissioner of Agriculture helped secure the state funding for the purchase of the property. Through his relationship with the family as a local resident and leader in the area, they asked him how they could use a portion of the funds to benefit agricultural education and he recommended AGR.”
Brother Hall said a portion of the donation was used to pay off the mortgage of the Alpha Gamma Chapter House at the University of Florida and the remainder has been donated the local Alpha Gamma Educational Foundation for collegiate scholarships. These scholarships will help cover living expenses for brothers living in the chapter house. He said that covering these expenses has been a goal of his since he became president of the Alpha Gamma Educational Foundation.
“It can be several thousands of dollars a semester for room and board. And as somebody who went to the University of Florida on a scholarship, myself, I had to find a way to support myself for living and out-of-pocket expenses. I understand how that kind of support is needed because it's not generally covered by academic scholarships,” Brother Hall said.
He explained that by covering these housing expenses, brothers can focus on their education and future careers, rather than having to work multiple jobs to make ends meet.
“College is an exciting and thrilling time, but it's also a time where it's not always the easiest road for everybody, right?” Brother Hall noted. “Especially as academics are getting more challenging at a premier school like the University of Florida and the world is quickly evolving technologically, but we need our future leaders of agriculture to have that solid basis that college provides. Our goal is to ensure that any collegiate AGR with the academic credentials to attend the University Florida also has the financial backing of the fraternity to help with their living expenses so they can focus on their education. This funding should be proof that AGR is a pathway to help them achieve their goals.”
Alpha Gamma Chapter’s Educational Foundation will be determining the final logistics of the scholarships, like how many they plan to hand out a semester, but they are excited to have funds that can immediately go to work helping collegiate brothers succeed as the future leaders in agriculture.
