My Interpretation is that the NPHC organizations have a presence that is easily recognizable regardless of whether you are a member or not. For Example:


Zeta Phi Beta ~ Stork's Nest, 25 year old partnership with the March of Dimes

Phi Beta Sigma ~ Sigma Beta Auxilliary Groups




ENTIRE NPHC ~ SERVICE BASED

I am saying this (before we go where it probably wasn't meant to go) because no matter where we are, the foundations of each org are the same around the globe. THere is no mistaking if you see a Zeta (or a member of any other organization) walking down the street.


Just my opinion,

Monika

That's a philanthropy. It's one thing to say "when someone says Stork's Nest, I think of Zeta Phi Beta" and quite another to say you can spot a member walking down the street!

I mean personally, when see anything re Susan G Komen, I think of Zeta Tau Alpha. Maybe if you don't, it's just because you don't know any members of that org.

Before I became a Member I knew Zeta PHi Beta was involved with March of Dimes, because that is what we are known for.


If a young lady wanted to ask me a question about a Zeta Program and a Zeta in Texas about a program the answer would probably be the same (except with an accent). For NPHC Organizations, Service is part of the personality of the organization.

I haven't been able to say the same about NPC programs. But maybe I haven't met enough.

M

The majority of NPC's service or philanthropy are the same across the nation. Every Sigma Kappa Chapter in the nation supports the Alzheimer's association, we don't have a choice.

I dont really think that there is an overall National Prescense simply for the fact that most are not totally Nation wide and will have areas of N-S-E-and W that will reflect certain ways of doing things. Not to say that there is not a Total overall projection through National HQs.

Each Chapter will have its different quirks so to speak!:)

Say while LXA has Its National Food Drive, each Chapters has certain Charity activities. LXA, We do a Hot-Tub-A-Thon and Western Week, some others do Watermelon Bust or Tetter-A-Thon.

Likely you haven't, or haven't educated yourself enough on what the various philanthropies of the NPCs are. And again, we have 26 sororities in our conference, while you have 4. It's a little easier to keep 4 straight than 26! :)

I'd think most NPCers associate Girl Scouts with my own sorority, KD. We have 4 national philanthropies, chapters adopt several of their own locally.

Girl Scouts and Prevent Child Abuse America are our two most visible national charities, however our others- Childrens Hospital of Richmond Virginia and the Orthopedic Research Awards are also known.

I've learned a lot about NPHC groups from being on GC for a number of years, however, I couldn't tell you what their philanthropies are. Just because a person doesn't know doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Great Point...

I have a question, If a person was not in an organization, would they know what you do? I am asking because where our undergraduate chapter is (San Francisco State University), I really Cannot determine one non-NPHC organization from another (except the Muticultural or Academically Specialized<Exanple: Nursing> organizations).

I am only asking because Before I was in College, the NPHC organizations had a following and many Members of the NPHC had knowledge of them since High School. It may be due to the large Alum/Graduate Presence.


Thanks for sharing,

M

I am not trying to ascertain anything. I am just trying to see what different people's ideas and perspectives are. There is a difference.

What I'm talking about regarding a stronger standardized national presence is not "oh, those are the light-skinned girls" or "oh, those are the smart girls" or "oh, those are the smart light-skinned girls" or whatever, I'm talking about things like with NPHC, there seems to be more of an across the board culture, and it's widely known - lots of girls in high school know about the differences in NPHC orgs and which ones they want to be in. They know the colors, the community service, the general history, etc. - it's just known, and that's standard across the nation. I'm not saying that there are no standards for NPC groups, I'm just saying that the national presence and the public knowledge isn't as strong. And I'm not saying that's wrong.

I don't know why some people are getting so worked up about this - it's just a question, I'm not trying to challenge any one's org. I'll repeat: I am not in either group. I have friends in both. I'm just wondering, because it's something I noticed. 33girl - okay, so your answer is you think it's the number of orgs that causes the differences. No need to yell.

It depends. Some groups have more high profile events- for instance, DG's Anchor Splash (an event each chapter has to raise money for one of their philanthropies), that's a big deal in the Greek community and may involve those outside the community. In KD, we have our Shamrock Project- each chapter and alumnae association holds an event that, like DG, involves those outside of our group.

But a lot of groups just do things and keep a low profile, out of the spotlight. And maybe some groups don't want to be seen for just one charity, as there are others that they work towards as well, and don't want them to be overshadowed.

Perhaps a difference is that NPHC seem to dedicate themselves to one philathropy that's their big thing, but NPC's usually contribute to many different ones. Or all the NPC/NIC greeks on campus get together to raise money for one local charity- such as the article I posted earlier today in the Greek Life forum about a Dance Marathon at my alma matter.

This is exactly the kind of thing that I mean - what do you all think causes the NPHC orgs to have that kind of presence and identity that the NPCs do not (at least, they don't seem to to me)? Thank you Monika for making that more clear :)

I went to a predominantly white, upper-middle class high school, so you'd think that there if anywhere students would know about different NPC sororities if they were going to, but we just knew about sororities in general and that there was this thing called rush. If someone was a legacy, they knew some about that one org.

I don't think people have a problem with you asking questions, but in that you continually come across as belittling NPC groups, saying they don't do this and they don't do that. Saying a group doesn't do something when you have limited to no knowledge about that group is going to rub people the wrong way. The tone and way your posts have read continually come across that way. Also, another problem may be your questions are worded very vaguely, and people are left to guess what you mean.

Again, there are 4 NPHC groups, and there are 26 NPC groups. That's a big difference. And there ARE certainly parts of the country where there is a LOT of public knowledge about particular NPC groups. There are also parts of the country where it's not a big deal to be greek.

I don't think you can say this public knowledge of NPHC groups is standard across the nation, because that's a very absolute statement.

And again, as has been said earlier in this thread or another you started, the black community in general has much more of a sense of "community" than the population at large.

You're asking "why" questions that NO ONE can answer, because they're too obtuse for any person to answer. Maybe consult a sociologist or something, because no one can answer.

So to sum this up....there are a bunch of generalizations and assumptions being thrown out there about organizations??

Yup.

You most definitely are trying to ascertain something. To ascertain means to learn or to find out. You are trying to learn others’ opinions as to why NPC/IFC organizations don’t seem to have a “standardized personality” but the NPHC organizations do. I think that that is a false assumption. Like Dani said, “Just because a person doesn't know doesn't mean it doesn't happen.”

And maybe that's why she posted with her original question, because she doesn't know. The question is kinda vague and lacks a clear cut example, which is maybe why no-one can answer it, but it doesn't make it an illegitimate question, because I am pretty sure (actually I KNOW) she is not the only person out there thinking the same thing.