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.
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 join 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
Meetings
The chapter meets in full twice each semester, and each year, officers identify one service event in which the members can participate. The chapter’s members also have a presence at the National Celebration of First-Generation Celebration Day each year, also opening that year’s application on that day (November 8).
Honor Society Officers
Tri-Alpha officers are elected each spring semester following the new member induction and April Chapter meeting. The following officer positions form the honor society’s leadership team:
- President – The president will schedule, organize, publicizing, and lead all chapter meetings, in addition to other administrative responsibilities. The president will collaborate with the honor society’s officers to plan other organization events, including National First-Generation Celebration Day and service events.
- Vice President – The vice president will assist the president in organizing and leading all chapter meetings. The vice president will also oversee maintaining the chapter’s Engage page and collaborate on all honor society events with the other officers.
- Secretary – The secretary will record attendance and take minutes at all chapter meetings. The secretary will also support the president and vice president in the planning and executing of all chapter events.
The Alpha Alpha Alpha membership application will open on National First-Gen Celebration Day, November 8, 2024. Questions regarding the application process can be directed to the chapter advisor, Meg Ruggiero (Assistant Director of Student Success), at