Oh my gosh there's only one college chapter in the entire state! Crazy!

Well, that would help explain why she doesn't know any sorority women in real life.

No one has said it's impossible.

I don't see how your point is different from what others have expressed here. There are difficulties the OP faces - difficulties that might prevent her from being successful in her pursuit. But no one here has said she shouldn't try or that AI is impossible. They're painting an accurate picture of what she's up against instead of blowing sugar-coated sunshine the OP's way. She has a right to know that, because of her circumstances, her chances might not be that great.

Quite frankly - and obviously I am speaking about my org as well as others - I just don't get the "initiating women to be advisors" deal. Advisors by definition are people with greater knowledge than their advisees, and I don't see how a woman who was just initiated 2.5 seconds ago can be that. I think in this day and age, with email, texting and Skype, the concept that the advisors need to be THERE is ridiculous. Perhaps it's time for the organizations to catch up with technology, or to think outside the box.

And if this is happening - not in Hawaii (for anyone but AGD LOL) but in an area where there are AMPLE alumnae to serve in advisory roles - then the organization needs to address the real problem. Why aren't the alumnae who already exist stepping up? You need to fix that before you bring more women into the organization.

I want to preface this by saying that I completely agree with you. However, there are some advisory roles for which I think a certain level of real world experience would be just as, if not more so, valid to qualify a person to advise a chapter. The prime example that comes to mind would be risk management. Someone with a working knowledge of legal and insurance concepts but no sorority experience might serve a chapter better than say a journalist who was a collegiate member.

That being said, I shudder to consider an AI being recruitment advisor.

Financial advisers are another example of an advisory role that can well be served by those without collegiate experience.

33girl - I know our A&M- Corpus Christi adviser lives in Katy and does a great deal of her work through Skype.

But part of that is - we have these huge alumnae bases and we're basically saying "oh, we have NO ONE who is both 1) a sister and 2) accounting-wise/RM-wise educated enough to fill this role." It kind of makes all our claims of great networking/we help women to get into great careers, ring extremely hollow.

That's another good example.

Well, I don't know. I'm a general adviser, and I'm an AI. I always joke that those poor girls had no one else, so they got stuck with me. :-) I think my connections at the university (I was a part-time, later full-time employee) and in my fields (communications and coaching) gave me some perspectives that helped the chapter. But it really was a case of there not being alumnae in the area to serve.

I also had connections to the chapter - my sister was a former treasurer and president, and at the time I was asked, I was coaching one of the sisters. It was at my alma mater, so I was familiar with the chapter as well.

Was I the greatest choice of adviser? Probably not. But I did my best (and still do) to learn everything I could to be a good adviser. I read everything I could. I came to GC. :-) I connected with other advisers. I went to officer training. To me, being initiated was -- in addition to being a great honor -- a way to better serve this chapter that I had quickly grown to love.

When you have a chapter that's geographically isolated, with no nearby alumnae chapter, just knowing that someone cares enough to help you out can mean a lot.

You forgot 3) has the time/inclination to fulfill the role. Yes, we help women in their careers, but that doesn't always lead to the right alumna in the right place at the right time. I've been active when I could, but when I had small children and was going to graduate school I had to step back. It didn't matter that I was qualified - I couldn't fulfill the role anymore.

There's only one DZ chapter here in Maryland and, even though it's a small state, the school is over the river, through the woods and up in the mountains. It's frustrating because I would LOVE to be involved with a college chapter.

There may be only one DZ chapter in MD, but there are other NPC groups in MD. OldRow was referencing that there is only one NPC chapter in the whole state. As I said in the sorority strongholds thread, AGD owns Hawaii.

Ones of the reasons that Gamma Phi promotes AI is that we have found that these women tend to be quite dedicated, involved, and ready to help out. They don't see sorority membership as a "college only" experience. We have 300 women on our local alumnae list. That does not equal 300 women paying dues, showing up at events, volunteering to support our local collegiate chapter, etc. Personally, I see many benefits in offering this option. I also respect those groups who choose not to offer this option.

I seriously don't get how we can go on and on about how sorority membership is not just a four year commitment, and how the most rewarding years are the alumnae years, and then scoff at women who want to join as alumnae.

I don't think it's scoffing, but we more mature members who have served in one or more alumnae associations might have some valid concerns to address. I know my sorority has also recruited AI women in conjunction with a colony, but the last time I heard of it personally was in the 60's. Now I think the only way we actively seek AI is that all mothers of colony members are invited to join. That's not to say we don't have members join in any other method; we do. But it would be in the more commonly mentioned situations above - someone who is a big help through the university, a non-member advisor who has been a big help, close friend of a member who is very involved, etc.

But that being said, I believe I've read here that some NPC sororities while on a big push nationally have also pushed for AI to keep their alumnae in line with their collegians. And if an NPC sorority should get a chapter in BF Big Western State, I definitely could see them actively seeking out strangers to AI. But these again are FAR more the exception than the rule. These examples could serve to help the OP as she works toward this goal. Here's how you can be more appealing as an AI, not just "it can't happen no way no how."