I actually don't know. You might want to contact Dr. Gregory Parks at http://bgloscholar.blogspot.com/

In response, I think you hit on it when you talked about NPHC members being able to become graduate initiates... that is really unheard of in most NPC/NIC organizations. It's either pledging while undergrad or missin' the boat. That fact alone means that you are going to get members that are dead serious about lifetime commitments. I like that. Alot.

I have a question now... when I transferred into my university, from a school with no Greeks whatsoever, I chose to go through Rush to see what was out there and meet some other students. One of the reasons that I chose Sigma Nu was because of the things I found out about them, the men I met, the entire experience I heard about, and the genuine brotherhood I felt was there. I was interested in the BGLOs as well, as a Black man, but getting information was SO FREAKIN' HARD not knowing anyone at the institution. I didn't even know how to go about finding out info about intake because of the secrecy surrounding everything. Kind of turned me off. My biological little brother is now in a similar situation. First year at a new school, knows only a few people... Any advice on how he can get the info he desires? Smalltown boys don't have plethora of active Greeks to draw information from...

ealymc,

If I were your brother, I would first decide on what kind of experience I was looking for.

When I was considering Greek life, belonging to a "black" fraternity was very important to me, BUT I still looked at all kinds of organizations. (For a very brief period I even considered LUL (La Unidad Latina, Lambda Upsilon Lambda)

But at the end of the day, I was in love with the notion of being part of an African American brotherhood.

Your brother might not be into that. I think Firehouse said in another thread that guys should just seek to be around the type of men they would enjoy being around. For me, those were Alphas.

I know that doesn't entirely answer your question.... put it to you like this. He should know in his heart whether he's looking for a cultural experience. If he is, THEN he should research the five NPHC fraternities' national websites. He might be able to narrow down his preferences that way.

When he approaches the members, he should approach them as potential friends, not potential brothers -- if his first conversation is about membership, that will be a turn off. (Or put him into a position of compromised liability for himself and the members)

If he engages them in average, friendly conversation, he might be able to decide if those are the kinds of guys he wants to be around fraternally. THEN, when he's made up his mind on his own, THEN he discloses his interest.

That's what I would do if I was HIM. If I was YOU, I'd just tell him that Sigma Nu was the only way. And if I was ME, and he was MY brother, I'd tell him he'd be disowned if he didn't pledge Alpha, lol

when it comes to the NPHC, we like for ppl to find the info out on their own, do their own research, thats what the internet is for. truth be told, its really not that hard to get at pplz. We dont really give out intake info, except for GPA requirements, and credit requirements. i went to an HBCU so i cant really say how it goes on on other campuses, but we didnt have rushes, just informationals. As far ya brother goes...tell him to do his research into the orgs, whether it be NPHC or non-NPHC. go with the org that best fits his personality and ideals, and when he makes up his mind, express his interest to the bruhs of that org on the yard. If there's no active chapter on campus, he can try and contact a chapter @ a nearby school, and they should be able to put him in contact with someone who can help bring back the org to the campus.

That would work if his school HAD Sigma Nu! LOL I really do feel like it's totally a personal decision and you find what feels right for you - after careful investigation. Thanks for the notes. I'll pass them on.

Just two remarks to your statements. First, if you wanted to find out info about the NPHC frats, you could have; THOUSANDS of people apply to and cross in NPHC orgs every year. Secondly, the NPHC orgs did not offer the instant gratification that you were seeking because transfers students normally have to have a minimum number of credits AT THAT institution before applying; no fault, just reality.

As far as advice to your brother, I can't give any better that has already been given except that you share with him my remarks above.

He can start by just getting involved. We do stuff in other organizations as well. Check the national website of the org. Somewhere, somehow he can get in touch with someone who is a member. Each organization does hold informationals that are open for everyone to attend.

I agree with Nikki. He definitely needs to be visible on campus. Chances are, he'll meet some members of the frat by being involved in different groups ... and then his relationship with them can be a natural progression, rather than the forced "I reallllly wanna join your organization."

BTW: I'm glad this thread was resurrected. I'd never seen it before.

I had never seen it either until someone resurrected it before me. I think it was close to 3 years old! LOL

He's already dorm president (as a freshman - ambitious like his big bro :)) and is definitely on the right path to being involved and making the most of his experience. I'm sure he'll make all the right decisions when the time comes.

But, see, what we are saying is your little brother needs to be involved in activities "relevant to the Black community". He is doing the fun and good things in college as he should, but who are is "role models" besides you and your family who happened to be greek and active?

If he wants to be a part of the NPHC, go where the Black folks go. And not all of us are ghetto, hood rats and thugs. You would not say that about historical African Americans in the past would you? The reality is, if you or your brother are not attending HBCU's, then you won't see us a PWI because our numbers are not vast at a 50K student population.

Moreover, if folks roll with the punches because others are doing it kind of thing, then the NPHC is not for you. It is about doing the "road less traveled"--especially at PWI's. That is why it is a foreign concept to many...

Also, the greek life coordinator should have all the contact information on active chapters. Most universities request this information to do activities on the campus.

Just trying to help.

Any updates?

yea, i saved a ton of money by switching to geico.

is it really that cut and dry (on the bolded)? (im trying to come up with supporting argument, but really thats all i got right now) when i decided i wanted to be part of greek life, i went where i knew greeks would be. when i decided i wanted to be part of NPHC, i went where they would be. i dunno, i jus kinda read your statement as "at PWIs if you go where the black folks go, youre bound to find some NPHCers." which was SO not the case 9:10 times. but hey im jus one person.

I don't know how your campus operates. Campi have similarities and differences. Generally speaking, getting a college degree in some major will have some basic similarities. Generally speaking, a college individually will have differences and that includes greek life and school's office. If you come to the university where I work, the Greek Life Office would be totally unable to tell you ANYTHING about the NPHC. The NPHC and the affiliates are considered as "clubs" rather than fraternities and sororities, irregardless what we do in the community.

With the current numbers of AfAm kids attending PWI's, it may be more than in 1970, but the number is still paltry. And most kids who are of African descent do NOT have parents or grandparents that were a part of the civil rights generation... Some kids never knew there were such things as Sororities and Fraternities, much less ours. So, it is a level of self-discovery. We have EXPECTATIONS for interested and potential new members but these PNM could care less about what our expectations are. We do not actively "recruit" and to even have competitive numbers of members like the traditional greeks or the HBCU's have, then how are we to say "if one really wants to be a member, one could" these days?

Kids these days do not know who WE are and WE expect them to know these things about us. WE tell them to do their "research", but what these interests and potential members are telling US is that WE are turning them off.

But see, would these PMN's ask that of a "Bill Gates" and demand "what Microsoft is and how is Windows???"

Help me understand why is it "okay" to question OUR existence and intent--especially when many of us are 100 years old?

You may be different, but even if you graduated in 2000, a PWI's campus is structurally different in 2007. That is the nature of most universities.

Hayle, I just walked around my campus, NUNNA OUR kids even looked me in my eye, nor smiled or nodded. That is a huge disconnect from my generation... Most kids starting school were born in 1988... I graduated from college in 1990... So, I have a totally different purview.

In my personal experience, it was true back in the day but not necessarily now.

When I was an undergrad in the late 80's, on my campus, and many other PWIs that I was familiar with, a large percentage (around 30-50%) of American born Black students were members of a BGLO. I seperate American born because most Blacks from other parts of the Diaspora had a lower take rate (5-10%).

In my current experience at a much larger PWI, the overall take rate is quite low (optimistically around 10%). I have yet to encounter a non-American born member of the BGLOs on campus, although I have to think that there are at least a few.

With the proliferation of 'new' orgs - Greeks, cultural, professional, etc. - there are a lot more outlets for students. So an unscientific sample of current Black students would probably find that many BGLO potentials have decided to pledge other types of Greek orgs (multicultural, NIC/NPC, Hispanic, non-NPHC BGLOs, professional, service) as well as other types of clubs. Unfortunately, the abundance of choices often results in lower committment levels and lower overall numbers. You know - Divide and Conquer ;)

I will agree that it definitely depends on the campus. At my undergrad (Univ. of Minnesota) all of the D9 orgs have non-American born members, I'd guess that at least 1/3 of all BGLO members are non-American born.

I'm non-American born!