Probates!
 

I went to my first Probate ever this semester and it was for Alpha Kappa Alpha. It showed a really big sense of pride and all of their hardwork and dedication.

I absolutely loved it, and I wish that NPC could do things like this. I kind of feel like it would be looked down upon, like we were being copy cats so to say. How do others feel about this?

Anyone else experienced one and loved it?

I assume you're asking the non-NPHCers and those who aren't from orgs that do probates.

Some NPCs have events where their new members are introduced to campus. It is called Bid Day.

Sike LOL

No really, I have heard of an event called "Presents." I have never seen it.

Well I thought the question was obviously directed towards people who didn't regularly participate in/attend probates. I'm sorry you found it confusing.

On my bid day everyone ran down a big hill to their sorority. Not so much introducing to the campus there.

So, you are asking for the opinion of non-NPHC and those who aren't in probate organizations. Don't try to be a smart bitch.

come out show?

Right, cause does anybody truly "probate" any more.

LOL@myself for bringing this up knowing that I crossed in 98.

Ok. Yes my question was directed to non-NPHC and those who aren't in probate organizations.

I'm sorry you think I was trying to be a smart bitch, when I'm just trying to get the opinions of other people. It's just frustrating that you're being condescending and rude.

Anyway, you shouldn't tell me not to be a smart bitch, it's really not up to you to decide that.

Thanks, bitch.

You're pathetic.

And you're PMing me. What's the point of PMing me if you're going to post in this thread? I guess you want me to bring your PMs here.

You assumed a particular intention and tried to be a smartass. So I gave you the condescendingly rude interaction that you assumed.

Not trying to be snarky at all, seriously.... but I am not under the impression that hard work and dedication are basic tenets of various NPC new member programs. This is why probates wouldn't work for NPC orgs.

Our "Presents" was a semi-formal and the new members were announced but it was not as public as a coming out/probate show.

I like the idea of some place to present your new members/initiates but the coming out show style wouldn't really work for the NPC for a lot of reasons.

I am always curious if some of the elements of the shows are local traditions, national traditions, or new elements brought in each year. But I've never been in person and audio/video quality is not always the best online so I'm sure I'm missing more due to that than anything else. I think they're a cool tradition.

They're still around but they tend not to show up on youtube.

This may sound dumb, but we didn't have NPHC where I went to school, so what I know about those orgs is limited to what I learn here on GC. What exactly is a "probate?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrLaf-pjaBs <---- the audio is not the best, but you get the gist.

I believe that our new member period is about education and dedication. I don't see "hard work" as a goal of our organizations. Striving to be the best person you can be, especially in the areas of scholarship, leadership and philanthropy, yes.. but, that doesn't have to be "hard work". We are, first and foremost, social organizations based on sisterhood.

Holy... why have I never before seen the "Similar threads" box at the bottom of the pages???? I'm so oblivious sometimes...

Thanks for the links!

The closest thing that I can think of in the NPC world is formal bid. Apparently it was a big tradition at my school a few years ago. From what I've gathered, it's a night that is chosen somewhat into the new member period in which a sorority brings their new member class to a fraternity house to formally announce their new women. Then typically the new member class's bigs watch over them for the night. So... not very much like what I can gather about a probate at all, but again, the NPC and the NPHC operate so differently that that's not really a surprise. :)

Thanks for the insight. Some would characterize what you describe as "hard work" so I guess it could be a matter of semantics. :)

LOL. It is alllllll the way at the bottom so it's easily overlooked. I found it by accident a long time ago.

There are a lot of coming out shows on youtube for all of the NPHC orgs. You don't have to watch them all to get the gist of the basic format. Some shows are better than others, but the dedication and love for the organization is what coming out shows are to exude.

Probate is the name for the procedure the courts use to oversee the administration of the estates of the deceased. It's loads of fun.

thanks for the invite; I'm learning something new this evening. When I first saw "probates", I thought of something entirely different and not nearly as pleasant.

I belonged to a West Coast chapter; we had "pledge presents" where we wore white dresses, our parents came, and we were "introduced" to the Greek community. This, interestingly, was BEFORE initiation. I believe ellebud wrote about something similar occurring at her daughter's school fall '09, and I recall pictures of the Tri Delta house, particularly, that were in that thread.

agree with the remainder of KSUViolet06's post.


I have a very good friend and colleague who is a DST; although we don't talk specifics regarding recruitment or membership, I will say that she is WAY more involved with community than most NPC alums that I know, including me, and it's primarily sorority-based philanthropic work. This isn't to say that there aren't NPC women who are involved. The contrast is that her involvement is closely tied to her membership and sisterhood.

Much of what AGDee wrote is true of my own pledging/new member period. Many NPC organizations were founded during a time when women were in the minority on college and university campuses; scholarship was also a founding principle, in addition to sisterhood and social organization purposes.

It has been so long that I didn't really remember this until reading this thread but we did have a night called Pledge Presentation the day after Bid Night where all the Panhellenic groups got together in the ballroom of the student union and each "pledge"(that's what we were then, so that's the term I will use here) had her name read aloud. Then each sorority sang a few of their sorority songs for the others (as a whole, not just the pledges) and Panhellenic as a whole sang the Greek alphabet song. Funny that I'd forgotten all about it until just now. It was mainly a way to see who went to which chapter. I don't know if they still do that on my old campus or not.

I just watched a bunch of Probate/Coming Outs on youtube... damn impressive!!!!! While I love it, and can appreciate the togetherness those sisters have... I do not think it's something NPC group should try to imitate, I think it would be insulting to the NPHC. But I am WOWED!

*whispering* Most of us weren't supposed to be in this thread, anyway. :p

Depending on what you thought of, you may not be too off base. You have me curious. LOL.

Yes, we stress being financial and active at some level until the day we die. :)

I may be missing what you're saying, so pardon me if I am:
I understand the NPC founding contexts and purposes. It seems that would be even more reason to stress the lifelong involvement. There are similarities and differences between the NPHC and NPC founding contexts and purposes. We all stress scholarship, empowerment, address minority status, sisterhood, social, and service. But, it's about more than our founding principles and purposes. Not every NPHC org was founded at an HBCU and we were founded by Black men and women in the early 1900s and Civil Rights Era. We were minorities on campus and/or in society. Our relevance continues 47-104 years later and we stress duly initiated members' role in doing so long after initiation.

^^^ very well said, DrPhil. Thank you. uh-huh, yep, indeed. You are speaking my thoughts and I appreciate it. (maybe I should quote it?)

(not gonna talk about what I thought when I saw probates *blush*)

HAHA! this made me laugh.

Especially since probating comes from our former pledge tradition and history. Much of what you see is a reflection of our former pledge process, so if you have no clue as to what was involved, you can't truly appreciate the probate. Now coming out shows (true coming out shows) are a different story although still a reflection of our pledge history.

For obvious reasons.

I'm approaching this from an NIC point of view obviously. That being said I think she meant that NPHC tends to stress the philantrophy aspect of membership more then either NIC or NPC does. Of course she can correct me if I'm completly off base. :D

Nope, not gonna correct you, mister - b/c you're also right about what I was trying to convey. Often I have several thoughts running simultaneously that are all connected in this piece of matter I have called a brain. Things are interrelated and I don't always explain my thoughts well.

But you guys are GOOD, you get it. Wow.

Bottom line is I respect my friend and emulate her as much as I can, both professionally and personally. She's amazing! We decided we were sisters in another life ;)

OK, OK - a swerve, off topic, so back to the thread at hand.

Perhaps, but I think it's mostly out of respect. There are orgs that still openly pledge (and probate), non-NPHCs of course.

I know that some Gamma Sig chapters at HBCUs do use line numbers, jackets, and other traditions previously held by NPHC organizations. Other chapters act very much like an NPC sorority/fraternity, having mixers and date nights with male fraternities, etc. When I was initiated into GSS (early 90s), we operated very differently. We were always a service-based organization and although we had sisterhood events, we didn't operate as a social org.

I always see Gamma Sig as having its own place and existence, and therefore, don't understand the taking of too many pieces of NPHC or NPC organizations and trying to change GSS. Of course, that is my opinion. It doesn't make me respect any chapter any less for taking on newer traditions, but I think it should be in the spirit of service, first and always.

My chapter is no longer, so I can't say that I have personally experienced these changes, however, I have read about and seen videos and photos demonstrating them.

HBCUs have a tendency to do that to organizations. :) A chapter that is predominantly racial and ethnic minority will tend to operate differently than a chapter that is predominantly white.

The NIC (or were they IFC back then?) fraternities that colonized at HBCUs saw it firsthand. Many of them were students who wanted to be in an NPHC frat trying to change the structure of the NIC fraternity to mirror what they aspired toward--and then some of them eventually joining an NPHC frat if the rules and new member selection allowed them to. I don't recall an NPC chapter ever being chartered at an HBCU.

We really need to cut the crap and be real. The reasons why orgs imitate NPHC traditions has nothing to do with showing respect or paying homage and contrary to what people try to convince themselves of, imitation is NOT the sincerest form of flattery. It's okay to "borrow" a little but make it your own and create your own traditions. Let's call it what it is.

That makes a lot of sense regarding Gamma Sig. Thank you for the perspective!!

*cough**cough* The stepping chapters of ZTA *cough**cough*