Sorority for Graduate students-what do you think?
 

OK! I am new to CG so i am not sure how ya'll will respond to this. I am about to go to graduate school and I was thinking about starting a sorority for grad women. I think grad. school is pretty demanding and that there is a need for a "support" system. I think a lot of women in grad school feel separate and different from undergrads. we are usually on our own, more responsibility etc.(speaking from personal experience/observation only-no offense)ANYHOO- I also know many women aren't able to go greek in undergrad due to a variety of reasons(finances, time etc.)Is there anyone out there who is in grad school/will be in grad school who thiks they'd like something like this? I know there are alumni groups for people who are already members of GLO's, but some women weren't in a GLO or maybe there GLO isn't on campus/in that area. Anyway-let me kow what you think.

I'm a grad student. I was recently initiated into Phi Sigma Sigma Iota Gamma Chapter (we rock!!!)

Phi Sig is one of the only NPC organizations that initiates graduate students into its collegiate chapters.

It's a really great experience. As you said, some of us were unable to experience Greek life as undergrads for various reasons and our lives are sometimes a little more "complicated" for lack of a better word. ;)

Not only am a graduate student, I am a returning student (I'm the old lady of the group), I have a full time job and a husband.

Phi Sig is important to me so I make the time. There are many days when I'm so exhausted that I can hardly see straight. But the sorority picks me up and I'm ready to go.

My sisters are really wonderful.

I encourage anyone who wants to be part of Greek Life regardless of age or education level to just do it. You will not regret it.

As a graduate student I think I set an example for my younger undergrad students. It shows them that they can still be part of the sorority and be active.

I hope this helps. Go for it. Start that group. If there are Phi Sigs at your school, check us out.

There are a lot of "professional fraternities" out there, some of which are grad student only (dental and law) and some of which include undergrads (econ and business). These aren't honor societies - they're rather social, they may even have houses, but they have a definite focus on the advancement of their particular discipline. However, they are co-ed, unlike the majority of social fraternities and sororities. And membership does not conflict with membership in an NPC, NIC or NPHC group.

I've often wondered why there are professional fraternities for some disciplines and not others. Why not one for public affairs and policy? Why not one for liberal arts? Engineering? Etc.

If that's the sort of thing you're looking at starting, there would be a lot of takers.

If you're looking for plain, general sorority membership, you can initiate as an alumnae. However, life as a member of an alum group sounds rather different than what you are describing. You won't be surrounded by other grad students, for example. And while initiation into a collegiate chapter could be terrific, only Phi Sig offers it (I believe), and there you would be surrounded by undergrads, and it sounds like that's not what you want, either. And while if you want to form a social sorority for grad students only, I would say go for it - I'm not sure how many takers there would be. Many women who didn't go Greek as undergrads still don't want to in grad school, and women who are already Greek might be afraid it would conflict with membership in their org.

However, there is precedent here as well. Women who are members of NPC orgs also join non-academic sororities for adult women such as Beta Sigma Phi, Psi-Ote and Tri-Kappa. (You could even start a grad-student specific chapter of Beta - since they do have a couple of collegiate chapters, they might very well be open to the idea.)

In sum, you have several options, ranging from joining an existing group to starting your own. I would examine closely what it is you want out of the experience and choose accordingly.

Unfortunately....(sorry this is long!)
 

edited b/c it was long & a few people misinterpreted it. Sorry.

There is a professional fraternity for engineering majors. It's called Theta Tau. http://www.thetatau.org

Edited to add that I think a sorority for grad students is a hella good idea.

I think it's a wonderful idea, too! Even though I'm in a graduate program that's a predominately female field, I think a sorority for graduate students would fill a much-needed niche. Plus, you can't beat the experience of having different women from different disciplines united together under a singular cause.

The resources are already out there!
 

I am a graduate student, and I am in the process of founding a chapter of Beta Sigma Phi International Sorority. There are no age or educational requirements on membership, so Beta is a perfect match for many graduate students.

Take a look:
www.betasigmaphi.org

Erica

Phi Delta Gamma
 

I went to the University library this afternoon and dug out an *ancient* copy of Baird's Manual and found some information about Phi Delta Gamma. It was founded at the University of Maryland in 1923 as an organization for women graduate students, but by the looks of it, the organization is now co-ed. They don't seem to have a national website, but the chapter at CSULB has a page here: http://www.csulb.edu/aux/alumni/chapters/phideltagamma/

Question?
 

Were you intiated as an alum through the chapter b/c your a grad student or did they initiate you as an active member even though you're a grad student. If they initiate grad students-that hella cool! I think more groups should do that. I mean it's hopeless for me, but I think grad students should be able to rush and pledge and be a part of a chapter like everyone else. At least you know the grad students are gonna have good grades!!!

Re: Question?
 

HI There DGWannabe,

I am a sister of PhiSigScooby's and also a graduate student at CSU Dominguez Hills. We were both initiated as active members of Phi Sigma Sigma as graduate students. In fact, I was a founding member of my chapter as a 30 something grad student. There were a few other grad students that founded with me. We seem to get a few interested grad students each recruitment period and they have been valuable additons to the chapter.

What I've come across from undergrad collegians about grad students is the concern we may not have enough time to devote to the chapter. What I always tell them is that as a grad student I have learned to prioritize really well and Phi Sig is one of my priorities. In fact besides being a founding sister, I was the founding Membership Orientation Chairperson, and last year I as the Archon of our chapter.

I sincerely hope that more Sororities will realize the valuable contribution that Grad Students can make to their sorority. I am so glad Phi Sig realizes it and came to CSUDH to colonize. This has been the best experience of my college life - either undergrad or grad.

Carolyn

I believe any NPC chapter can initiate women who are graduate students, so long as they have never been initiated into another NPC organization. But I'm not 100% sure on that. I'm sure my chapter did, in 1998, we had a member who was 28 years old, had a husband and two children and she was an active... also a grad. student I believe. More often than not, grad students will take the alum. initiation route, but I believe it is possible.

On another note, most student organizations "should" be able to accept graduate students into their organizations. I know this is the case at UCR, because I work for Student Life and Leadership which takes charge of all student orgs, and most Student Affairs/Clubs/Orgs offices nation-wide hold the same procedures as my office does: if your organization has at least 1/2 of its members (must have 10 members at least) as undergrad students, enrolled full time and off AP, there is NO problem with registering that student organization...

Ok, there's my little piece of advice for the day!

Of course, being a graduate student who had to miss out on Greek life as an undergrad, I would be interested in something like that.

Is the sorority your suggesting ONLY for grad students? With that said, I would be concerned about not having many members. After all, grad students are more like to have jobs, spouses, kids, thesis papers, research etc and not want to be involved with a sorority. Maybe you could start a new sorority which accepts both grad and undergrad?


......Kelly :)

I think it could be done.

Kelly makes a good point about grad students often having thesis, TA or RA positions, jobs, spouses, and kids to think about... If you found a way to create a sorority with a lower time commitment than a typical NPC sorority requires of its active sisters, it could fly. Say, chapter meetings every 2 weeks instead of every week; several small charity fundraisers instead of one big one (each sister can participate in each fundraiser as she is able instead of stressing because the sorority's one big charity event is at the same time her thesis is due); etc. In other words, fewer hours that you "must" devote to the sorority, but just as many opportunities to "choose" to devote your time and energy.

Good luck :)

Cool Advice!
 

Just to adress the idea that most NPC should allow Grad. women to rush & pledge-they don't. But that very well may be a chapter by chapter or University decision. Many websites for sororities will say things like "...all undergrad women with a GPA of 2.0 and are regulary matriculated can rush...". But at my old school we had a sliding rule scale, if you weren't a full time student you had to have a better GPA than a full time student. That way the sororities weren't filled with people who were only taking 1 class or whatever.
I am currently investigating Beta Sigma Phi-as someone kindly suggested and Theta Nu Xi multicultural sorority. The are not NPC so they may take other members of other groups.I kind of like the philosphy of both! Oh-and I would not limit membership (if I start this!) to just grad students. I'd never do that to someone else. If I start a chapter of something, I'd let personality and character and things like that be the determining factors, not superficial stuff. I hope I would anyway.I guess no ones perfect. ANYWAY-Thanks for the encouragment!

I just want to say - ONE is a terrific organization! However, if you go with them, women who are NPC or NPHC members will not join. There may not be a rule barring it, but they regard ONE as a similar organization to theirs so that the spirit of the rules bars it. (Just like there is no rule preventing an NPC member from joining an NPHC org but both groups frown upon it.) I don't know if that is a huge consideration or not, though. I'm sure you'll find something that will work for you.

Fuzzie - do you know if the same thing applies with Beta Sigma Phi?

I am pretty sure it doesn't. I think that any "social" collegiate sorority considers its members off limits to each other. (I use social in quotes because the NPHC groups are service orgs, but you can be for example an AKA and still join APhiO. They're service in a different way. It's just that no one has one good term for the NPC, NPHC, MCGLO and NAFLO orgs that everyone likes.) But non-collegiate groups such as Beta Sigma Phi or similar ones are different.

Now BSP does have some collegiate, undergraduate chapters, and I imagine that on those campuses joining both BSP and an NPC group would be rare, but there are plenty of NPC org members who join BSP, Tri-Kappa, etc. later in life.

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but I was talking to a Delta Gamma at my school who told me that she thought graduate students were allowed to go through formal or informal recruitment for DG. She checked with their HQ, and they verified that graduate students are eligible for membership in collegiate chapters.

Just sharing in case this news helps someone else out.. :)

Actually, there is. Delta has a clause stating this in our Consitiution. Also, it's listed as a disqualifier on the requirements sheet given to applicants. I believe my sister-sorors in the NPHC have the same rule.

Sorority for Graduate women
 

Love the idea. I would definitely support such a sorority. I was in a sorority as an undergrad, the experience was rather hectic. I did not get the full sororital experiences that exist in a sorority. As a graduate I would love to enjoy the feeling of sisterhood and friendship with fellow women in graduate school. I know many women in grad school who are hesitant about rushing sororities directed to undergrads (but also extend membership to graduate students). There are feelings that the differences in goals, responsibilities and age would not afford the bond that they seek. Relating to women with similar interests and life experiences would be a welcomed asset to the graduate school life.

Yes but honestly, as a graduate student you just don't have time for being active in a sorority. Or if you were it would be a sorority and school and that's it. Most of my classmates are working women with families and they certainly don't have time.

I do hope to join the professional fraternity for my field when I can (I think maybe next semester I'll have the required hours) but that's an entirely different kettle of fish.

I'm not sure how you think that a graduate student's experience would be less "hectic" than anyone else's. Join a non-collegiate sorority for the sisterhood, a professional fraternity or other student organization for the grad student support.

Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc.
 

Hello! Just to clarifly, you cannot be a member of another social greek org and join Theta Nu Xi however, you can be in a professional, honorary, or service org. If you would like more info, visit www.thetanuxi.org!

:( :( :(

Maybe its one of those newfangled sororities that don't initiate for life membership. :rolleyes: ;)

I would like this. As a single, part-time working, full time grad student...I cannot fully relate to neither the average grad student nor the average undergrad student. My GLO has grad students, but we are in the very small minority.

The average grad student's life revolves around their career, spouse (getting one if they don't), buying a house, and maybe children. The average undergrad student's life revolves around booze and booty, lol.

I have no interest in getting married, having children, or buying a house anytime soon. The only thing I have in common with grad students is interest in career. I have more in common with the undergrads (in my GLO), but they take partying to the excess, even the undergrads who are my age. They wear me out at times.

I would like to interact with like-minded people. While in the minority, there are grad students who are in my situation. I think taking the professional GLO route would have more success than taking the social GLO route. We have a professional GLO called Tau Sigma (GLO for Transfer Students). It's one of the most popular organizations on campus. I wonder would a "Gamma Sigma" version would work as well.

Why not join your local alumnae chapter and work with them to create the experience you desire? You will get women of all ages, from multiple backgrounds much as you would see in the type of organization for just graduate students.

Hmm... as someone who crossed as an undergraduate, and is currently in graduate school, I can tell you that I would not be interested in joining another sorority. I also think that starting a sorority from scratch is a lot deeper than just getting a group of your girls together to hang out... Definitely much more than you have time for if your program is like mine. I have, however, president over a professional organization that fulfilled many of the goals that you are looking for (support, etc.) and it was a GREAT experience as far as networking, support, and meeting other students who were going through what I was going through.

In my opinion, you should either affliate with a already established graduate chapter or get a good professional organization going. Good luck!

lol ok my bad I just realized how old the original poster is. She's probably graduated by now!

If there aren't enough women locally for an alumnae chapter, what are the rules for forming an alumnae panhellenic chapter?

I'm not sure if this is what you're asking, but you can be a member-at-large of an alum Panhel if your GLO doesn't have an alum chapter in the area. I did that when I first moved here.

Yeah, it is sort of what I am asking. What does it take to charter an alumnae panhellenic chapter? Let's say there were twenty-five interested NPC women, but they came from a bunch of different orgs. No single org has enough women for a chapter. Can they band together and create a PH chapter, or does that need to be done by chapters of individual orgs?

Here's the NPC info page regarding starting a new Alumnae Panhellenic chapter. http://www.npcwomen.org/alumnae/a_resources.php "For any alumnae interested in organizing an APH in their area, the Advisor to Prospective Alumnae Panhellenics can provide step by step help in chartering a new APH. Guidelines for Prospective Alumnae Panhellenics is another manual available."

The list of NPC area advisors, including the Advisor to Prospective Alumnae Panhellenics is here: http://www.npcwomen.org/alumnae/a_advisors.php

Also, here is a list of existing Alumnae Panhellenic chapters: http://www.npcwomen.org/alumnae/a_directory.php

Sounds like a good option for women whose own org can't sustain a full alumnae chapter.

Interested in joining a sorority, but don't know how??
 

Hi, I am a graduate student at a small university in Philadelphia,Pa. I am now regretting not joining a sorority when I was an undergrad :( Can anyone help me as to where I can find information to be part of a sorority even though I am a graduate student? Also, how can I learn about the different sororities and why I may want to choose one over another? I'm lost, but would love to be part of a great group with a purpose. If anyone can help me, I would greatly appreciate it!! :) E-mail me @ Kayagirl80@aol.com. Thanks!! :D

First you need to figure out what kind of sorority you want to join. NPC, non-collegiate, NPHC, etc.

You might also want to do a search on GreekChat for info on graduate membership instead of relying on people e-mailing you with information.

I doubt you'll get much answers if you have to ask a forum full of strangers HOW you can learn about the sororities and WHY you'd want to choose one over another. That's stuff you have to figure out for yourself.

Graduate Chapters Anyone?
 

There are a lot of different things going on in this post. But for anyone interested, I am about to start law school in the fall and am planning on joining one my sorority's "Graduate, Alumnae, and Professional" (GAP) chapters. It's great because, like the original poster said, I can come together with women who are now at a different stage in their lives, but still want to be strong participants in their sorority. For women who didn't get to join a sorority in undergrad, they can do so through our GAP chapters. I'm sure there are tons of sororities that have the same system, especially multicultural greeks. Just go online and check them out!

DO IT!
 

I found this forum because I was wondering the same thing. I was always nervous about joining greek life and I just wasn't really impressed with the greek atmosphere at my undergraduate institution. I am attending a much larger university as a graduate student and I think that I am ready to go greek. However, I am also 26, a wife, a mom and a professional, so I think a sisterhood of other women in the same or similar position, would be GREAT. I plan to look into my opportunities when I get to grad school. I want to look into all of the opportunities for gad students, because you just don't hear about them as much.

Have you looked into Beta Sigma Phi?

hello,
This thread is quite old but still i think i should give it a shot.
I am outside US right now but i have big plans to go to graduate school in US.
I have heard so much about greek life in American colleges. so I am very excited to experience the sisterhood myself. I would really join a sorority. I know that graduate school is challenging academically but we also shouldn't forget to live, get involved and have a good time.
I have been looking around for info about the sororities and found that some consist mainly white women or african americans.
I am ethnically asian and wondering how that would affect the recruitment process.
Ideally, I would like to be in a place where ethnicity isn't an issue but interests and personality types. I guess I should opt for a multicultural sorority which allows graduate students.
Just my thoughts. I find some posts here very helpful like people posting that the graduate school/ university they are in, have the sororities with graduate students.
I am looking into such schools. so just wanna say 'thank you'.
cheers.