Corina,
I am going to chime in as I haven't posted on this thread in a while. I think you will find that sororities are more similar than they are different. All sororities have initiation vows which are different in word and ritual, but identical in spirt and ideal.
Virtually all sororities have badges, pledge pins, a philanthropy, cute symbols, cute merchandise that you can buy, etc.

However....some ways in which groups will differ (and this is important):
- which groups have collegiate chapters nearby?
- how many collegiate chapters are nearby?
- Are there alumnae nearby from those sororities, how many and are they willing to help support your new colony and eventual chapter?

These are not exciting reasons, but these are important factors to consider in selecting your National, and this is where the groups will differ in situation. Just something to help you see more clearly. Those national websites depicting cute, enthusiastic girls can make it hard to make up one's mind as to what sorority is right for you? So you need to look at the more practical and (dare I say it) boring factors (like alumnae support, etc).

Alumnae support is extremely important.
Alumnae support is extremely important.
Alumnae support is extremely important.
(So important, that I am writing it 3x)

Good luck!

wishin
 

I was just curios as to which organizations you were considering. After reading your posts I noticed that you have receiveced info packets from several of the organizations that are on my campus. We have Alpha Xi Delta, Delta Phi Epsilon, Phi Sigma Sigma, and Theta Phi Alpha. If you want to know any information on any of those that you got info on just let me know. All of the orgs you got info packets on are amazing, even though that may not be the biggest.

Cara

Just remember that chapters differ all over the country.

I agree with the alumnae support. National Officer/Organization support is THE MOST INTEGRAL part of the whole thing, trust me! National Officers/volunteers are the women who really make the colony happen and get the women through to the INstallation with the help of alumnae.

Why do you have to choose who to invite back? Wouldn't it be to your benefit to invite everyone back? What if the other groups you invite fall through? :eek:

Tracie,
I have to say with your experience at SSS's headquarters, you are a real asset to have on this board!
:)

CutiePie, thanks you're so sweet! I work hard with Sigma and fully support all Greeks everywhere :)

DZ girl...I agree. I don't know about inviting everyone...but some groups you invite may not even accept. Just because a group sends you a packet does not guarantee that they will be interested in coming to present to the campus. I'm not trying to be negative at all (that's not my nature :) But, just keep it in mind.

NPC regulations state that we can only invite a max of 4 (I think the number varies from campus to campus, but 4 is about average) because it takes alot of time and expenses to have groups come to present to us. I wish we could invite them all!

Dont apologize AchtungBaby80 & dont think twice about it! :D

First of all, Tracey, I totally agree with what others have said. You've been an amazing source of info and support! Also, I wanted to share with everyone one of the reasons why Alpha Xi Delta holds so much appeal to NBO:

College Chapters

Gamma Epsilon Chapter - California State Univ.-Fresno

Delta Rho Chapter - California State Univ.-Northridge

Iota Beta Chapter - California State Univ.-Stanislaus

Theta Beta Chapter - Sonoma State Univ.

Theta Rho Chapter - California State Univ.-San Marcos


Alumnae Associations

Central Coast
Irma Powell

Diablo Valley Chapter
Joan Marable
ranchsusan@aol.com

Inland Valley
Mary Eleanor Sissel
(909) 985-3325

Long Beach
Mary Gibson
hootg@charter.net

North San Diego
Glori McStavick
(760) 942-9153

Orange County
Sandra Marie Bower
SBOWER7303@aol.com

Sacramento
Mary Jane Delavan
(916) 969-7624

Santa Clara Valley
Bonnie Loy Prystas
bpsvale@concentric.net

San Fernando Valley
Kathleen Cantarine
kcantarine@worldnet.att.net

Steinbeck
Elleen Denahy
(831) 375-4901

I've been doing my research on alumni and collegiate chapters, and those have definitely been a huge factor! It's hard because some of the organizations interested in us are smaller and don't have a broad base of alumni or collegiate chapters, but we don't necessarily want to discount them, because we're attracted to their ideals or principles, etc. So it's a tough decision, but we'll figure it out!

Corina, I wanted to post to tell you what an amazing job you've done. You've come so far . . . I really hope that Alpha Xi Delta . . . or whichever sorority you pick . . . works out for NBO. You certainly are a HUGE asset to any sorority!

Did Kappa Alpha Theta not want to expand? I remember seeing you post Theta as one of your favorites awhile back. I would have loved to have you as a sister . . .

CA theta

update please
 

so who did you pick and how has rush gone???
lol
mmcat
:D

Actually, to play devil's advocate here for a moment - you want lots of alums around to give you financial/volunteer support. But you probably don't want a LOT of other undegrad chapters nearby. When that happens, the alums don't focus their energies on your new chapter - each alum gives her time to her chapter. I saw that happen when I went to college in a state with a whole lot of AXD chapters. It wasn't that the alums were rude or unsupportive, just that nurturing a new chapter wasn't their first priority.

Out here in Seattle, the entire alum group supports the UDub chapter, and the chapter is much stronger for it.

Obviously, though, California is a huge state, so other chapters can be "around" without being "right next door." It is nice to have chapters close enough for road trips, etc.

Have you researched the other sororities as fully as you have AZD? I know that's your favorite, but you never know what you might find out about another one of the groups and the support you might get from them locally.

Corina,
I agree with everyone regarding the important role alumni support will play in the colonization process. I hope that everything works out for NBO. I suggest that building a strong sisterhood should be your primary concern before selecting an NPC sorority. That way NBO will be attractive to many organizations including AZD. I hope that rush is going well. Share some stories if you can! Good luck! :D

Hey everyone,

Rush hasn't started just yet so I can't update you yet. I'm trying to give everyone ample time to research all of our available options before we choose for sure who will be invited back. I have looked into all the other orgs in terms of neighboring chapters and alumni groups, and none of the others really even come close. Tri Sigma and DPhiE are the only ones who even have more than one or two alumni groups in all of California I believe. But things are going well...this weekend we have a sisterhood event planned that will just be fun and nothing else! Gotta go, more later!
love, Corina