Greek for life?
 

Something I've been wondering about is how people forget that being in a sorority or fraternity is for life, not just for college! Why do some people just seem to forget how much their GLO meant to them, or say "I WAS a ABC". You ARE an ABC!

I know I will be a proud Delta Gamma until the day I die!

There should be more alums like the great Tom Earp!

i feel the same way. i'm very active with my alumnae chapter and want to do even more. i've even tried to get a job at nationals. i encourage everyone to get involved after college. it helps the post college withdrawls. :)

shelley j
sigma k

I just think that as some people get into their lives, other things (family, career, etc.) take over, and they associate their undergrad Greek life with their Greek affiliation in general. When they talk about how college was, they talk about how they "were" in a fraternity or sorority.

Doesn't make them bad people, and doesn't mean they've forgotten what their org was all about.

That's the best part about joining one - it can be different things to different people.

I just went to my Metro Alumnae meeting tonight. Good people. :)

I know that being in a GLO is a lifetime thing. I don't say that "I was in ESP (Epsilon Sigma Phi)" just because I am no longer an active. I say I am an ESP, but as an alumna. Yes, I understand that alumni have jobs, families, etc, but please remember that being in a GLO is a lifetime membership. Replace the "I was" with "I am", please. Okay!

http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmili...happy/wink.gif :) :cool:

PSPGirl, thank you for the nice words!

Yep, I hate to admit it that some of the Brothers of my Chapter have done just the same thing. I feel like they just used the Fraternity and Brothers. That makes me very sad.

It seems that as KSigkid says, that yes people graduate marry and have familys. They fall farther away from the Fraternity/Soroity, but I have seen so many times that after a while and The Chapter keeps in touch with them that they do come back and become very involved again.

Homecoming and Founders Day are our two biggest times to try and get Brothers back and get them involved again.

One Founders Day, a Brother Came Back, one I had not seen since I Graduated in 1967. He ask me what his Zeta # was. I looked at him like he was crazy!!!!! I also chewed his butt. An alum took him into the House and checked the Charter. He was # 7.

I really let him have it. I told him I remembered mine. Of course he told me how could I forget mine!!!!!!:D

Bet he never forgets!:cool:

Oh I have the cutest story that almost made me cry.

We had Parent's Day before a Football game one Saturday. Before games, all the student orgs. set up tents in what we call the district. Well our tent was right next to the PIKE tent, and my Dad was president of the PIKES when we was in college (at the same school).

He really wanted a beer, and I told him to just go over and ask them, they love alumni. He was like no, they wouldn't want to talkt o an old man like me. I finally talked him into going over there, and about 15 minutes later he came back with a cup full of beer and said (with his eyes watering mind you): "My brothers just gave me a beer." Oh my god...it makes me want to cry thinking about it.

My brother didn't do the whole greek thing, but now that I am really involved, I think my dad is beginning to get back in touch with some of his old fraternity brothers. I was even trying to find something in the dining room the other day, and I openned up one of the drawers and found 3 pictures of him and his dates back in college. 2 were from a toga party and one was from a Christmas formal.

My dad loved his fraternity...it just made me so happy that day were he didn't thinkt hey'd pay him any attention and he came back with a grin on his face calling them his "brothers." :)

See.. this is what i can't wait for.. we're the founders, (i'm #22 baby) and i'm counting down the seconds until i can walk back on to my campus (which is going to be huge by then), 20 years from now and see my sisters carrying on traditions that we once carried on and started..
I was lucky enough to be blessed with a huge family, but so many people aren't, and it's so comforting to know that no matter what happens in you're life, there's always going to be someone there to back you up.. not only that, but you're going to have an infinate amount of connections.. you get in a lawsuit... there's bound to be a lawyer.. you need help with your taxes.. there's going to be an accountant.. and there's always that twinge of excitement you feel when you're walking down the street in some far off state when you see someone in your letters... it's that instant common ground.
Most of all, the ties that i have forged in this sisterhood, just being through so much with these girls... those late nights during recruitment, those bid night dramas, the long sleepy hours in the campus center just shooting the proverbial s***, the creation of new tradition, and a new orginazation, are just set in titanium... i can't imagine a day without them... you know i'm going to be a super alum, my org. is a part of me that i can honestly never see waning into the background (sorry for babbling... just had to get a little love off my chest:D )

This summer we're going to get together and finally form our alumni chapter. We've got plans in the works for various things, possibly including a scholarship fund (for right now at least it'd have to be small).

We've finally reached the number of alums needed to form the chapter (10) and are rearin' to go.

My dad is a PIKE too! Alumnae Initiate! LOL I agree with PSPgirl. You are always a DG or whatever unless for some reason you quit! We had a similar discussion on the DG forum. Mad props to the alumnae on here and me! (I am one of them!)

Old Traditions Never Die...
 

Pi Kappa Alpha's open motto is "Once a Pike, always a Pike!" This story is just perfect illustration of this motto. As in most GLO's, alums are a huge key to the success of a chapter.

MeridionaleDG, that is the sweetest story! I got misty just reading about it.

I am and always will be a Kappa. End of discussion.

Feel the love!

I have ben both sides of that lifetime commitment, both Active Collegiate and Active Alumnae, and I never felt a difference while I was either one. Being an Active Collegiate again has given me a unique chance to see exactly how important "lifetime membership" actually is, not only in words, but in practice. I find myself encouraging our alums to come and visit, drop by, write us, anything to keep that bond alive much more than I used to, and probably much more than most of the women in my chapter.

I have found that a lot of alums don't actively participate after their collegiate years because they don't feel as welcome as they used to. They are afraid of stepping on the Active's toes or being "that alum" who tries to relive her college years in a weekend. But you know what I say? Who cares! Do it. You are Sisters/Brothers for life, no matter how old you are. Sometimes they just need that extra push. I know that my chapter has tried to do dozens of activities incuding our alum, but they never seem to be able to come. It's usually because our alum are very busy Ladies, but as long as we keep trying, we get them every now an then, and that makes them so happy.

I think that part of that lifetime commitment is the responsibility of the Collegians. Make your Alum feel welcome, invite them to events, not just Founders Day and Alumnae weekend. If they don't feel that bond from you, their sisters and brothers, why would they want to come back? I think that it helps both sides: The collegians see that involvement continues after college, and the Alum get to see their Chapter grow and develop even after they leave.

I usually say I am a TKE alum, because most people otherwise would assume I am still an undergrad

Last night I went to another MetroDPhiE meeting. I met two of alumnae from my chapter whom I had never met before. They hadn't attended the previous meetings that I had. It was so nice so meet sisters from my chapter who had pledged long after me. :) It is also great to meet alumnae from different chapters.

I think a reason why some say "I was an ABC" is because of minimal exposure to alumnae/i during their collegiate days. If a chapter doesn't have alot of advisors that are truly involved as advisors (rather than in title only) and/or alumnae/i who visit the chapter, come to events, etc. then how can a collegian understand that you are an ABC for life?

I love being invited back by my chapter to tell the story of why our chapter was founded (I'm a charter member) or share how a current tradition was originally started. We keep growing advisors out of the graduating seniors and it's because the current advisors work with the chapter so well and the collegians can see a way to impact the future of the chapter or another chapter after college! The advisors even hold BBQ's for the chapter to celebrate a special moment in the chapter (like taking quota, welcome back to school, etc).

Sigmadahlin' and meridionaleDG, if ever there was a single set of two posts on this board that made me want to be greek, & realise that if it never becomes a fulfilled dream I'll miss out on so so much; it was those two posts. Truly inspirational.

sort of funny. i was even thinking about this last night when i couldn't sleep. i started thinking about all of the sisters i was going to have at my wedding. not like i'm engaged right now, but probably soon. and the coolest thing is i know that just b/c i haven't talked to them in a couple of years, doesn't mean they won't come to my wedding. i have every intention of having a sisterhood circle and sing one of our songs. i will have my little on one side and my grand big on the other. and my sisterhood circle will consist of not only my alpha iota chapter sisters, but also alumnae chapter sisters. made me teary thinking about it.

shelley j
sigma k

Here's a good story, and true:

At my chapter, when I had just joined, we found out a 90+ year old man was living nearby in a retirement home, who was a LXA from a chapter back east somewhere, but, he wanted to meet us.

We arranged for about 10 of us (not to overwhelm him) and go visit him one afternoon at the retirement home. He shared his stories of his time in college, and how he had even met Jack Mason (for LXA, the author of our Ritual, sort of a second "founder" of the fraternity).

A few weeks later, we received a most amazing gift. He created a cross-stitch composing of our chapter letters, and inside the letters, the initials of ALL the active members at the time, and LXA's surrounding the corners, and "1974-1984" ten year anniversary of our chapter.

He passed away a year later - I'm so sorry, even to this day, that I can't remember his name. I still have that cross-stitch, since the chapter was closed for 11 years, I held onto it in hopes we would eventually recolonize, which happened in 2000.

Now, I'm just waiting for the chartering. At which, I will present TWO cross-stitches - the original one, and the one I will complete soon, this time with the initials of the new founding fathers. I hope the brothers appreciate this lesson in legacy.

I LOVED this story!!! :D

LXAALUM, what a Great Story! Reminds me of the Time we Had with Mrs. L as I always called her. Albert Her Husband was an Honory Initiate for LXA! You may remember in the Cross and Cresent!

It is storys like this that make me Proud to be a LXA and a Member of a Greek Organization. Not only mine but of all of us who are!!

This is what being a Greek Member is really all about!:)

Yeah, Tom, I do remember that C&C article. It was very nice to see her getting such a nice write-up.

That's a proud legacy as well...

About four years ago I embarked on a project to interview members of our chapter from their days as a local. The founders had all passed away, but I was able to interview a brother from the class of 1932 who had known some of them from his early years at Ball State. I went to his home down in Bloomington, and videotaped the interview. It was obvious that the fraternity had made a profound impression on his life, but he said that he lost touch with all of the brothers as a result of the hard times from the depression, and then service during the war. After the interview (a very interesting one), I thanked him for his time and he said to me "I had two daughters, and no son to join the fraternity, and my grandsons went to other schools and joined other fraternities, so I would like to give you some things from my days in the chapter." I proudly received his pin (which I had never seen the local one before), a paddle with our chapter and his wife's local on the other side that he made when they were dating, and a pair of cast lead (very very heavy) bookends in the shape of the local crest that he made in an industrial education class.

He was so happy to leave these items to someone who would hold them with the same value he did. I was nearly in tears. Despite that nearly 60 year difference in our ages, we shared that bond and I could relate to his experiences like he could to mine.

He even sent the chapter a $50 donation after that.

:)

It almost made me cry, too! That's very sweet :)

During my i-week, one of my pledge brothers was walking towards the house and saw a 90-yr old man there...walked up to him and he said that he was an alumni, then started asking 'are you a brother? A-E-K...' when my pledge brother interrupted and said not yet but I hope I can say that next week.

we have alumni popping by all the time, and young alumni stay involved with the chapter a lot.

BSUPhiSig,
that was the best story. i should do something like that with sisters from the alpha class of my chapter. i know one woman who lives right here in my hometown.

shelley j
sigma k

That's is the most wonderful story! And you've inspired me. I've been thinking about our local and how we know next to nothing about it. Granted, most of the founders have passed away, but I've always wanted to get more information about the beginning of our chapter. Now, I'm on a mission!

Sometimes, the roots of Where We cam from, whether it be Blood Family or Greek Family should never be forgotten. They are the most important. Where did I come from and for what reason!

If not for the Fore Fathers/Mothers, you may never have known what it is , why you are what you are and why you feel today about your Organization and the Brothers/Sisters who are with you today!:)

how'd you find out where he was? I'd love to figure out if we had any Phi Mus at any local nursing homes.

We were volunteering for the Walk for Hunger one year, and a guy in his 70s yelled "AEKDB" to all of us - pretty cool, I've had it happen a few times with guys that age.

As I said before, some people just associate their Greek experience with college, and therefore use the word "was." Doesn't make them any less proud of joining, it's just the way they remember it/continue to remember it.

wow, truly inspiring stories...

Back to the original post, keep in mind everyone's greek experience during their undergrads days were different. If you're a part of a very small greek school, chances are you've experienced a lot more backlash from being greek and have learned to be less 'presentive' of your GLO affliation. Also, i've seen recent chapter alums disagreeing with the direction taken by the newer classes.
Sometimes there's a falling-out between alums and hq, which leads to less interest in the fraternity/sorority. Unfortunately, things like this happen...

i can definately see the fall outs between hq and the alumnae. i wasn't all that pleased with my hq quite frankly, when i went alumnae. i was slightly bitter towards them for our chapter closing. i felt they had a lot to do with it and was very hurt by it all. but nonetheless i'm still an active alumnae, but i know my own lil won't ever affiliate herself with our alumnae group.

shelley j
sigma k