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Originally Posted by LambaLady (Post 2042606) we just want an event for the alumnae that will bring them back together- but not just have a drinking alumnae event, you know? we think it would be great to bring that back into the chapter room and have a ritual/ceremony with something after like a luncheon or something.

AST’s Rededication ritual is probably my favorite (besides initiation). It’s nice to have a ceremony that doesn’t involve scrambling, trying to get everything ready and perfect for the new members. I’ve always looked at it as a way to not only celebrate Founders Day, but to remind ourselves what it means to be an AST. We would always invite the alumnae; then have an alumnae dinner following the ceremony.

If your organization has one of these ceremonies, I would think that it would be prominent in your ritualistic materials (although, I could be wrong). Have you asked your advisors if there is any such ceremony?

If there are none, there are many other things that you could do that don’t involve a ceremony and/or drinking.

VandalSquirrel’s idea…

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If that's too elaborate or not doable, maybe an activity or presentation about what makes DPhiE important to these women, and reacquainting women with DPhiE and how they can be involved locally and nationally to constantly have a feeling of "affiliation" until the next alumnae event.

… was definitely a good one. There doesn’t have to be an official ceremony, but something fun and meaningful can easily be done.

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Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel (Post 2042653) You get monthly emails? I received a printed invitation to IRD in the mail last week which resulted in a case of the vapors and retiring to my fainting couch to recover. I think the invitation was the result of a conversation with an alumna where I shared the lack of communication/invitation from the local collegiate chapter. I haven't moved in four years, or changed my email address, name, or phone number, and IHQ contacts me on the regular. IHQ sent me an e-vite to an alumna meeting at the house, even. I figure that some sister says she'll email, call, text, and never follows through, or it is on facebook and I'm not that into facebook. I refuse to attend any event without a proper invitation, and I only expect three a year. Initiation, IRD, and Feast of Roses, and Initiation and Feast of Roses could happen again in the spring. We have a lot of silver squirrels locally, so written invitations aren't an outdated expectation. I always know when events are, I just don't go due to a conflict or lack of a real invitation sent in a timely manner.

Is contact with alumnae on the decline? Or have collegiate chapters always struggled with this? When I was active, my chapter was SMALL, so our contact with alumnae was minimal, as 10 people trying to run a chapter was a challenge. But we still invited them to formal, initiation, and an annual alumnae dinner… and we sent out mailed invitations for all of them… even if we could barely afford it. Meanwhile, I just received an e-vite for formal. For FORMAL! I think this one event, at the very least, should elicit a mailed invitation. Especially because I “lost my e-vite in the mail” for a few weeks, as it was hiding in my inbox, buried between Facebook and Greekchat emails, which I usually ignore. People love getting snail mail when it’s not a bill, magazine or junk mail… and after you graduate, that’s pretty much all you get.

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I also retreated to my fainting couch with smelling salts tonight as I was looking at a chapter webpage where alumni was used more than once, and there was a link to NATIONALS. I've never heard of this Nationals they mention, and this chapter page was on their IHQ information page. Maybe Nationals exists through a door in my wardrobe with all of my mailed invitations?

I LOLed.

LOL. They started the emails a couple of years ago - I think I had just moved to Chicago at that point. I appreciate getting them because they do have information about the new members, what they're doing, and remind me to send money for various philanthropy events. I did get an invitation to IRD (I won't be able to make it, though).

When I was a collegian, we did have a newsletter that was sent out probably bimonthly, but it wasn't electronic. We also only made an effort for IRD once or twice while I was a collegian and we ended up going to a nearby chapter to hang out - I don't even know if we invited alumnae.

At least on the alumnae front, these collegians are WAY better at it than we were. I appreciate it.

Do you have an Alumnae Chapter nearby? Do you have a Chapter Advisor? I would recommend asking them. Since none of us knows your ritual and whether or not it can be done without holding an initiation, it is hard to comment or advise. You could have a chapter reunion with a chance for each year to talk about what made their DPhiE experience so wonderful over a luncheon. We did this for our 50th chapter anniversary and the alumnae LOVED it. If you don't have a ritual that achieves what you are wanting, making one up may not be accepted well.


BTW, I love that AST has a ceremony for alumnae. That is really nice. I wonder if any other organizations do.

I LOVE THIS!!!!!

thanks for all the ideas! you're all awesome!

will def send them out by mail...and ill keep looking for the ceremony.

ill keep you updated

Well crack my hazelnuts and call them filberts, there was a chapter newsletter in my mailbox today, which included informaiton on our House Corporation meeting. It came from the school Alumni Office, which told me I wasn't coded in their system as an Alpha Gam when we had our 50th three years ago and I received no information. One doesn't need to graduate to be considered UI alumni, just 90 credits, so I wonder how many women left school and were also not included. Honestly though, we should cross reference between IHQ and the school and maybe eliminate some Lost Sisters in the process.

Is contact with alumnae on the decline? Or have collegiate chapters always struggled with this? When I was active, my chapter was SMALL, so our contact with alumnae was minimal, as 10 people trying to run a chapter was a challenge. But we still invited them to formal, initiation, and an annual alumnae dinner… and we sent out mailed invitations for all of them… even if we could barely afford it. Meanwhile, I just received an e-vite for formal. For FORMAL! I think this one event, at the very least, should elicit a mailed invitation. Especially because I “lost my e-vite in the mail” for a few weeks, as it was hiding in my inbox, buried between Facebook and Greekchat emails, which I usually ignore. People love getting snail mail when it’s not a bill, magazine or junk mail… and after you graduate, that’s pretty much all you get.

I have no idea about contact with alumnae declining. I assume not since I find out about events way later, like when they are mentioned online (website, facebook) or in some other format. I received more local contact in the past week than two plus years, but local alumnae, including women from other chapters, are attending events so either they are going old school with a phone tree if they aren't receiving individual invitations. I'm impressed you had things running with 10 women and pulled it off. According to the newsletter we have 10 times the amount of women in this chapter, so perhaps the increase in membership has reallocated women and energy to alumnae relations.

I've noticed A LOT of chapters, alumnae chapters/groups, and what not have no functioning webpage and have moved to Facebook groups. I can see why but at the same time it is very limiting to those who don't use Facebook, let alone the internet, and makes getting information and communicating harder. Though burdensome a task, finding out how alumnae prefer or can be contacted or receive information would be useful and respectful. Even a very basic webpage/blog would be better than Facebook as google or a technology savvy relative could help alumnae reconnect and be involved.

I thought IRD was one of those mandatory events we held? I like the idea of combining chapters or colelgians with alumnae groups to host IRD if a chapter can't or doesn't have the resources to host it alone.

Official Vandal colors are Vandal Silver and Vandal Gold, so obviously our local alumnae of a certain age should be Silver Squirrels. I used to say gray Squirrel but since many an Alpha Gam sings a song by the same name, I changed it for local use.

Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, shake your bushy tail!
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, shake your bushy tail!
Wrinkle up your little nose, hold the acorn in your toes.
Gray squirrel, gray squirrel, shake your bushy tail!

Obviously there are some amazing dance moves that accompany the singing of this song. My bushy tail shaking is legendary.

I'll say the same about this that I said when people were doing it with MySpace a couple years ago. FB or MS group =/= website. Plus if other people's groups are anything like ours, we go off on tangents that have nothing to do with anything.