Ryan Northington is the 60,000th member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity. Ryan became a member of the Alpha Delta Chapter at Montana State University April 3, 2005. His roll number in the Alpha Delta Chapter is 1167.

    Ryan’s decision to attend Montana State University was made due to years of fly fishing trips with his father in Montana. His senior year he decided a break from New Mexico was due. After experiencing Big Sky Country first hand, he knew Montana is where he wanted to be.

    When Ryan started college he never planned on joining a fraternity. He then discovered that friends you can count on are important, and an organized group that offers a fun and constructive environment had its advantages. "My friends joined AGR the semester before I did. As I spent more time with them I got to know the rest of the members, and just enjoyed the environment around the house. Being involved in agriculture made this fraternity a natural fit for me to spend my college years." Ryan said.

    Ryan was born May 31, 1986 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is the son of Tracy and Vicki Northington, has one sister who is 22 years old, and grew up in Corrales, New Mexico.

    Since he was little he has enjoyed being a part of his grandfather’s farm. "I remember playing in the cotton trails and learning how to drive a tractor on my grandfather’s farm. When I got older I started helping my friends on their ranches," Ryan said. Ryan also gained horse experience from his mother and participated in American Kennel Club Field Trials; trained bird dogs using walking and horse back methods.

    Ryan graduated from Cibola High School in 2004. "Through high school I was active in rodeo and baseball but my rodeo time was cut short, usually due to baseball. Since the season for both was at the same time I had to choose one," Ryan added.

    Rodeo, according to Ryan, is a true American sport. "There is no other adrenaline rush like bull riding. I’m basically strapping my 160-pound frame to a 1300-pound bull with nothing but a rope and spurs to hold on with." Ryan started bull riding about three years ago. "My mom gave into my relentless pestering about riding. Before that I had learned to rope on my friends’ ranches, but never really competed in roping events because I enjoyed doing it for fun more than competition," Ryan added.

    Ryan chose to be involved in rodeo because he loves to compete and is an adrenaline junky. He adds "So what sport better to compete?" During the summer he traveled to rodeos throughout New Mexico and some in to Texas with his friends and girlfriend’s family.

    Ryan is majoring in Agriculture Business. He chose this area of study due to his plans of returning to help operate his father’s construction company and grandfather’s farm. Ryan is active in Collegiate FFA and plans to become active in other activities and organizations as the fall semester progresses. During college he hopes to contribute by continuing to make the Alpha Delta Chapter a respected name on the Montana State University campus.