Alpha Gamma Sigma, or AGS as it is often called, is LMC’s active Chapter of the California Community College Scholastic Honor Society. Its name is derived from the first letter of the Greek words, Arete, meaning excellence, Gnosis, meaning knowledge, and Sophrosyne, meaning wisdom, which makes a connection with the motto “add to good character, Knowledge and Judgment.”

The purpose of AGS is to “foster, promote and recognize outstanding scholarship, encourage and provide opportunities for participation in community service activities, to recognize students attaining high scholastic records, make students more conscious of the advantage of high scholarship and to bring together students attaining high scholastic records for their mutual benefit”, according to its articles of incorporation.

Alpha Gamma Sigma is currently involved in individual volunteer work at Loaves & Fishes- Feeding the hungry in Concord, tax help in Pittsburg, and selling items at LMC in a fundraising effort to benefit AGS.

Vice president Kelsey Ballesteros encourages volunteering inside and outside the campus.

“I would love to have more members for the community,” she said.

AGS aims to give back to the community and help people get more involved by providing leadership development, academic support and community involvement. Alpha Gamma Sigma is more than a typical community college club, according to President Hilary Lee.

“We make connections with our members, spend weekends together and become a family,” she said.

AGS offers academic and volunteer scholarships once a year and all AGS students around California can enter. Requirements for club membership include $10 dues a semester, 20 hours of volunteer work each month, a 3.0 GPA for continuing students and 3.5 GPA for high school students, and attend a minimum of three meetings, which are held Fridays, 11-noon in Library Room 109.

The secret is being active for two semesters, keeping dues and volunteer work up to date, and then AGS permanently shows up on your transcripts and can be used as a professional reference. “Once you join, you’re in it for life,” said publicity director Gloria Duarte. AGS gives access to a lifetime of achievements, community service, networking, and a scholastic foundation to fall back on.

If you are interested in Alpha Gamma Sigma, applications are available in The English Department from Tennille McEwen, the ESL Lab Coordinator.

Or, you can email Lee at [email protected] or Ballesteros at [email protected].