I had a conversation along these lines with my local alumnae association a few months ago when talking about ways to recruit new association members--we are the joiners and the do-ers and the ones who always say "yes," whenever anything is asked of us. That is just who we are and why we rushed in the first place. I think most of us here on GreekChat, by virtue of the kind of people we are, take our commitments seriously and, as lifers, just don't get the when-it-is-convenient-for-them members. :rolleyes:

I 100% agree. I don't see the point of doing anything halfway, and that includes Alpha Gam. I also don't understand why people say they look at us and don't want to have to do the amount of work we do- you *do* realise we have to do this much work BECAUSE no one else will help?

THIS. Times a gazillion.

I will shed some positive light and say that we have a bunch of super active young alumnae who are actually doing a lot more in our alumnae group than some of the older members. Our VP just graduated 2 years ago and she is great at energizing other young alumnae and delegating tasks they can manage. We also have a new joiner who just graduated in May and was president of her chapter. She just developed our new website.

I think that our very young alumnae group would benefit from having some older members' perspectives- we don't necessarily need them to do anything, just help balance us out. We have all graduated in four years or less ago. We have the energy and motivation to do things, sometimes we are just at a loss/unsure of what to actually do. It also makes it difficult to sell the idea to collegians that we are involved for life- yet the only advisors graduated under 10 years ago, and the only other active alum are the 5 of us in our group. I find it very disappointing. I would love to get to know older members.

I am President of my Alumnae Chapter. Our membership is getting younger and younger because: 1) we get our new alumnae involved in our group. They are put on committees, are asked to be on the board, are asked for their opinion of the type of meetings they would enjoy. 2) We ask the new member to bring their friends to a meeting. 3) We greet our new members and make them feel welcome. 4) We make sure we keep them informed of our activities by putting them on our newsletter e-mail list. Our newsletter goes out monthly.

Many stay active for quite a while until they start having kids. Once they are involved with kid activities and school they leave until the youngest gets to be about 12 or 13 and then they come back.

DaffyKD

The same thing needs to be done for older members.
It's one thing to go to a meeting where you know some people already. Older members may have been out of it for several years (thing moms who's kids are finally old enough to be home by themselves for a couple of hours). A call from an actual person is always more persuasive than an e-mail. Picking up someone new and taking them to the meeting is helpful, too.
Give a newcomer something to do...not just come to a meeting and sit and listen to people they don't know.

I don't know how the President of our Houston Alumnae Chapter does it! I got involved with the chapter 2 years ago when the older members were getting too old to keep things going on their own, and a lot of younger members were being pulled in to join. Positions were filled and the new President was more than willing to take on her new role. She had a two-year-old and she was our (many times sole) representative at Houston Alumnae Panhellenic meetings and events. And then about a year ago, she got pregnant. She still only missed one alumnae chapter event... which was held right around her due date. In addition to having two young children, she's also a very active volunteer with the Houston Rodeo, which is a huge commitment.

I understand that sometimes life gets in the way of doing everything we want to do, but if sisters want to stay active, they'll find a way... even if it's only in a small way.

I'm realising more and more that not having an alumnae chapter here is affecting us. :(

Contact you National Headquarters and talk to them about their procedures for starting a local Alumnae Chapter. I started one back in the days before computers. Our headquarters will get me the names of the women who live within a specified radius of a given zip code and they will also send out an interest questionnaire to those who have kept their addresses current. From there, you are able to pull together a group of interested women and begin to explore the feasibility of starting a group.

DaffyKD

I think I have a couple of good contacts for you about alumnae chapters, etc. DM me if you'd like.

Several of us who had made inquiries about rechartering our local alumnae chapter worked with our IHQ on this process, 12 years ago. Our IHQ was very helpful in the process...they handled the initial communication, funded the first get together, and sent a volunteer leader to the first meeting. Do you have an Alumnae Extension Coordinator/Director?

Even with semester-long pledgeship there were some women who didn't "get" it.
(By contrast, others of us have decades of over-compensation. :))

The short NM period is like enrolling in a webinar and expecting the same learning/retention as 3-credit class (whether in person or synchronous on-line).

I believe we do! However, the alumnae chapter requirements seem to be a lot more than Junior Circle requirements, and I don't know that the 4 of us can maintain it. :( The requirements are all on our member services, it's just being able to meet them haha

Do you have the option for an association or a Hope group or similar group below the level of chapter? We do and I know some other groups do.