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Another view of AI
A friend went through what was called then called sorority rush at a university where sorority recruitment was competitive. Unfortunately for my friend, the three houses that invited her for the preference round were the three houses for which she felt no affinity(one house disbanded after a controversy, one house had a reputation as a hard core party house and the last had a major falling out its national organization and had it charter revoked).
A few years after graduation, some friends asked if she might be interested in joining ABC sorority as an alumnae initiate. My friend said thank you but no thank you. When her friends pressed as to why she was dismissing their offer out of hand, she said explained she went through rush with disappointing results and she told her friends "If I ain't good enough to enter by the front door, I ain't gonna come in by the side door." |
I take it the friends were from one of the sororities that didn't invite her back? More than likely they were from a different chapter. I understand what she's saying, but that's kind of a harsh way to put it to them - they might not have been invited through the "front door" at that school either.
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Alumnae initiation isn't the back or side door into a GLO. Sure, there are people who pursue alumnae initiation (there are many opinions on that, and I certainly have mine on the matter), but I believe the vast majority of alumnae initiates are invited by their respective GLOs. If the GLO is doing the asking, alumnae initiation is hardly the back or side door to membership. It's an honor, and you'd better believe that sororities aren't handing out AI invitations like Halloween candy. |
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AI Gamma Phi Beta
I am an alumna initiate of Gamma Phi Beta. I did not have the opportunity to join a sorority in school. I worked my way through college going to a community college and then taking classes at night, weekends, and online for my Bachelors and my Masters. I found Gamma Phi Beta through a resume of an applicant. I identified with the ideals of the organization and joined as an alumna. I have been very active and have helped out with three college initiations and now I am AVP of my chapter. I am not trying to gain an experience of those who joined in college. But I think Gamma Phi is a wonderful organization with amazing women as members and I wanted to be part of an organization. I have enjoyed my time with Gamma Phi and wish that I could have joined when I was in college. I encourage all sisters to be active in their alumnae chapters. We are very active in supporting local charities as well as Camp Fire USA and help support two local colleges as well. Just my thoughts.
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Just to throw this out there, AI is also a possibility for colony members that put a ton of work, sweat and tears into building a chapter, but it didn't come to fruition. We had a colony at a small university campus near Atlanta for two years, but it was closed this past spring. I worked very closely with those women and shared their great disappointment (the only other Chapter in Georgia is 4 miles away from us, and it were just installed this past spring). However, those girls are Alpha Sigma Alphas through-and-through, and therefore are being initiated as alum in November. We are reorganizing the Atlanta Alumnae Chapter and these women will be a great addition to our group.
AI isn't to replace the collegian experience and I've never met an AI who thought it would. And if a collegiate member thinks that AI doesn't make sense, she probably doesn't get that membership is for life, and a sister should want to be involved in whatever way possible (depending on life circumstances, of course) after graduation. If a PNM joins a sorority only for the social perks, she's not bringing a lot to the organization. But a PNM who joins because the values, aspirations and ideals of the sisterhood closely match what's already in her heart will move the national organization forward a great deal. That member will continue to enjoy her membership well beyond the college years and will likely show that love to others around her in her lifetime. Just my two cents. |
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We have only one AI member in my chapter that I know of. Her mother was an ADPi. Her daughter was an ADPi. She was on House Corp, always helping with recruitment, and she was always helping supply items that the house needed. She was a fantastic sister before she ever became a sister. Membership was a "thank you" for everything she did (and continues to do).
Other than that, I never knew it was something people actually sought until I came to GC. |
While I was active we had three AI. One was the grandmother of one of our members and was always helping out for recruitment or whatever we needed. When she was in good health. The president at the time thought that she would be perfect candidate for AI and nominated her. She was now able to share the love her granddaughter had for the fraternity and not wonder about it.
Next one I don't know much about but she was our chapters facility advisor for years. Last one was the mother of our long time chapter advisor. She was always helping and was always there for the chapter. She helped with recruitment and other events. If I remember correctly she declined AI a few times before she finally did it. AXiD does AI for mother of colony member if they chose to. It is a way for mothers to share a bond with ttheir daughters. AI is also part of our national convention. Those AI are part of the Alpha Dueteron chapter. There are special requirements needed for AI to happen. I do not believe it is for everyone or that most that are AI think they will be dining the same as the actives. |
I've heard of one example of AI in KD and it was very cute. A group of very close friends all left and went away to college and all, by coincidence/chance joined Kappa Delta except one who went somewhere that there was not a KD chapter. In their seventies, they were still all close friends and wanted the one friend to be included in something so special to them, they went to HQ and started the process and she was initiated with her close friends :)
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I will say that I met an AWESOME AI sister at Convention last year.
She was working in Student Affairs at James Madison and served as the staff/faculty advisor to our Alpha Upsilon chapter (chapters there are required to have someone on staff working with them.) She went above and beyond for them (organizing educational events, hosting retreat at her home, etc.) in a position where most people just show up to meetings once in awhile and sign off on important papers. Her undergrad didn't have Greek Life so she didn't know much about it. Her first exposure to it was in her work at the University and she genuinely enjoyed heelping them out. This past year she was approached by the chapter and invited to join. She accepted and was initiated at Convention. It was a pretty cool experience. She's also now heavily involved with her local alumnae chapter. |
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These are great examples and show what we mean by "rare." And none of these women chose to AI so that they could experience something they missed in their late teens/early 20's.
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Can I just summarize? Most of the AI's seem to fall into one of the following categories:
1) Long-time housemother/Greek affairs person/other University staff who have done a lot for the org 2) Relative of one or more members of the org 3) Alumna of a local that is absorbed by an org 4) Alumna of a colony who graduated before that colony was installed 5) Really, really outstanding member of the community with no Greek affiliation* *I don't know how common this is across the board, I just know that half of the Phi Mu AI's that I know personally fall into this category. It's an admittedly small sample, though, so if others want to chime in on that, please do. |
^^^That's pretty much it for us as well (based on every AI woman I've ever heard of within Tri Sigma.)
I have also known a small number of AI women who pledged Sigma, then the chapter closed before they were initiated. Or a few who pledged, had to leave school for a major reason, never initiated, then wished to become members later in life (like 10 years post college.) But those are rarities. The above cases you listed = 99% of our AIs. Hopefully women read these stories we've posted and understand that it's not something that anyone can just do because they didn't get a chance to be Greek in college. |
I know this is an older post, but I just thought I would add to it since I am an AI! I was just initiated into AOII as an AI. I was a founder of a local sorority, which was just absorbed into AOII. I was already helping the chapter with recruitment and other things and the alumnae were invited to join as AI members. Four of us were initiated with the chapter during their initiation and installation. I really look forward to continuing to help out with the chapter. I have gotten to know quite a few of the girls and they are awesome and remind me so much of the chapter when we started and it has been fun to see them go through this journey! It is such a great organization to be a part of and I am so glad that I was invited to join.
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33girl...I know that is not the situation she was talking about, but I just wanted to put in my experience. When I looked for AI posts, this was the first one that pops up and a couple other people mentioned different situations which people become AI's so I just thought I would add it. :)
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