Alpha Alpha Alpha

A National Honor Society for First-Generation College Students

Alpha Alpha Alpha, also known as “Tri-Alpha,” is an honor society for first-generation students who excel in higher education. The organization aims to recognize academic excellence and provide opportunities for personal growth, leadership development, and campus and community service for first-generation students.

Tri-Alpha was founded March 24, 2018, at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Over 100 members of the Alpha chapter were initiated that day, including undergraduate students, faculty, staff, alumni, and honorary members. Following the successful induction, the College took steps to incorporate Alpha Alpha Alpha so that chapters could be started on other campuses across the country.

The University of Alabama at Birmingham’s chapter was founded in the summer of 2024 to celebrate First-gen Blazers, and the founding officers will joined the organization in the fall semester of 2024. Each spring, an induction ceremony will be held to recognize and celebrate the newest members of the UAB Tri-Alpha chapter.

Membership Requirements

Tri-Alpha undergraduate candidates must satisfy the following criteria:

• Have earned at least 30 credit hours towards a baccalaureate degree.
• Achieved an overall undergraduate GPA of at least a 3.2 on a 4.0 scale.
• Neither of the student’s parents, nor step-parents, nor legal guardians, completed a bachelor’s degree.

Graduate students who are first-generation students can be admitted if they have completed at least 9 graduate-level credit hours and have a graduate GPA of at least 3.5.

Faculty and staff may be inducted if they met the requirements above at the time of completing their bachelor’s degree.

Both undergraduate and graduate students must pay a $20 membership fee. Faculty, staff, honorary, and alumni inductees must pay a $25 membership fee.

Selection Timeline

• November – Application Opens
• February – Application Closes
• March – New Member Induction
• April – First Chapter Meeting for New Members
• May – Announcement of Chapter Officers