Alpha Xi Delta, per our constitution, allows members of either graduate or undergraduate standing.

I remember a 28 year old freshman rushing LXA once, and became a great brother (same situation - military right out of HS, goal of going to college after his gig was up) and I still stay in touch with him from time to time.

I don't know if this is the record, but, back (OK, WAY back) in 1987, when I was an AM, I remember seeing a Campus Life related magazine on campus, with an article about a man pledging TKE at the age of 62 or 63 - he never had a college education, and, after retiring, decided to do college, and everything in college he wanted to participate in, he did. It was a great article.

LXAAlum- I don't know if this is the record, but, back (OK, WAY back) in 1987, when I was an AM, I remember seeing a Campus Life related magazine on campus, with an article about a man pledging TKE at the age of 62 or 63 - he never had a college education, and, after retiring, decided to do college, and everything in college he wanted to participate in, he did. It was a great article.

Now THAT story could melt ANY heart.

I did think of another positive! With more maturity in the chapters, maybe we really COULD get rid of the hazing problems!

i think having an age range of 18-25 is very typical of the real world. i teach in a school where there are 2 of us in our 20s....everyone else is in their 30s or 40s or 50s. we all get along just fine. people don't view me as a child or treat me differently because i am only 27. i have plenty of friends in other occupations who have co workers who vary in age as well. it is very rare to work in a job with people of the same age. i think having this type of experience in college would be a benefit to all parties. the younger women can gain some mature views while the older women can learn to party like a rock star (just kidding).

Due to working after high school and then transferring colleges, I didn't arrive at the college I graduated from until I was 22. I was the oldest member of my group the day I joined, and I was five years older than some who joined with me.

I found that it made the group much, much stronger to have new members with a variety of experiences. On the one hand, because of my past, I hadn't had the opportunity for closeness and college fun previously, I had the same (or more!) enthusiasm and energy and love for the group that the other newbies had. But on the other hand, I HAD had a lot of other types of life experiences, so when it came to running the business end of things, public relations, etc., I had a lot to offer.

And you know what was funny? When it came to general maturity, one of the 17-year-olds was light-years ahead of me. Still is today, when I'm 28. :)

I just don't find that age, or student status, is a very good predictor of maturity, or character, or even what stage of life someone is in. Some 16-year-olds have their act together a lot more than some 40-year-old men I've known! :)

I think Phi Sig has the right idea. After all, the chapter doesn't HAVE to take anyone they aren't comfortable with. This policy just enables them to broaden the pool of possibilities they can consider. That's always a good thing.

Ivy

Aw poop, I'm wrong again. Thanks for the correction!