Younger Sorors holding chapter offices
 

Are there any current/former graduate chapter officers out there under the age of 45? If so, what was your experience in running for/holding office in your graduate chapter? Was your age and/or AKA experience (or lack thereof) an issue?

If you feel more comfortable responding via email, please do so. Thanks, sorors!

DG

Soror I will tell you more via e-mail and those that care to know more can e-mail me, but I will say that being elected into office makes you more visible and of course gives you more responsibility. I went straight from undergrad to my graduate chapter and Grad chapter is just on a whole 'nother scale!! You can get lost in the grad chapter if you don't make yourself seen. I was hesitant to run, but am glad I did. My age did not hold me back but my experience level was a bit of a hindrance. But as many say no matter how old you are or what your current background is you continue to learn new things about AKA everyday!! I love the opportunity it definitely gave me greater responsibility and defined my AKA life in a greater way; it helped me to serve the chapter on a different level. It also has a great excitement factor, I get excited about being in chapter because 1) I am learning and 2) I am there being proactive not just sitting there. I love my T-SHIRT wearing sorors but if you want to reap the real rewards I say get active and get involved. And on another level when I get on the directorate (yes, I am going there) I can't wait to vote up or down the things that sorors (and all Greeks) just whine about.

Sisterly yours,
LadyAKA

SOROR

Email me please with more info. I will be joining a Grad chpater for the first time this Fall. I have been a general member since 93. I want to know about the transition, basically.

This is for any Soror currently active with a Grad chapter.

i'm in my 3rd office w/my chapter (recording secretary). my chapter has mostly older members. the age thing is an issue for us but i and others work to make sure that we are heard. fortunately, myself and 2 other younger members were encouraged to run and won. i think many older sorors understand that they can't run the chapters forever and that new leadership must be groomed. when my time comes, i'll be glad to pass that torch.

I just replied...

Soror AKA2D, I just sent out an e-mail to ya!

New Question:

1. Have you held any Chapter offices ? If so, what position? Please identify (UG/GRAD)
2. Are you currently an officer?
3. Do you plan to run for an office in the future?
4. If so, which office?

1. I am Ivy Leaf Reporter for my grad chapter.
2. I'm currently an officer, see above.
3. Yes, I do plan to run for another office...some years out.
4. I'm thinking about several offices. One of them includes being chapter historian. I will never run for the money offices, though.

1. Have you held any Chapter offices ? Yes
If so, what position? Corresponding Secretary (GRAD)

2. Are you currently an officer? Currently serving

3. Do you plan to run for an office in the future? Of course! In a few years though.

4. If so, which office? As Soror ST, never treasurer. Vice-President or President.

1. Was corresponding secretary sometime during my 3rd year in Alpha Kappa Alpha.
2. No.
3 and 4. Wouldn't mind being corresponding secretary again, but would like to (next year, maybe) be Ivy Leaf reporter.

Still trying to get reacclamated, so I don't wanna jump in too deep, although I volunteered to do a small newsletter (silly me!).

Forgot to mention - all this was graduate chapter.

1-I was Recording Secretary for 3 years.

2-I am a Grad Advisor now.

3-Yes.

4-In several years, I plan to make it up to President but I really need to learn about the financial offices (scare to death of them).

All Grad Chapter positions.

Since the title said all Greeks...
 

1. Have you held any Chapter offices ? If so, what position? Please identify (UG/GRAD) I am currently my chapter First Vice President.
2. Are you currently an officer? See above
3. Do you plan to run for an office in the future? Waiting to get through year two of this term and will make up my mind in the spring.
4. If so, which office? A second term at First Vice.

To answer the original question........

I was the youngest Soror in my former grad chapter for a couple years. It was NOT EASY. Many of the women were much older but thank goodness I had the opportunity to get to know them EXTREMELY well. I never felt handheld or babied in my Recording Secretary position. No one ever questioned my ability. It was the programming ideas that were hard to implement as a younger Soror. The hardest part was there were hardly any young Sorors in the chapter and our level of involvement differed.

In my new chapter, things are much different. It's MUCH larger and there are more younger Sorors (now younger than me, for a change). Balance of ages was EXTREMELY important when I transferred (due to relocation). In my current position, I do feel handheld by certain people due to my age (or should I say....the age they THINK I am <we age well....don't we ;) >). But so far, so good.

Answer to original question
 

I was the youngest member of my chapter for a year and a half--I am so loving the neos!! 2 are younger than me and one is the same age!!

Before the neos, my chapter definately consisted of more "seasoned" sorors. My neo status and age did cause them to ask me to do a lot of grunt work. However, they are great teachers and I love to soak up as much knowledge as I can from them. My age is not really an issue, they are so delighted by the fact that I am interested in learning as much as I can about AKA.

For me to run for my current position, the by-laws had to be suspended--I wasn't a year old at the time (one day short).
More to the point, when I expressed an interest in serving as a Boule delegate, a "seasoned" soror stepped down (I would have surely lost if the chapter voted) and allowed me to serve as a delegate.

Long story-short---My chapter sorors are SOOOOO supportive!!

On original Q...
 

No, I don't believe my age (38 at the time I was elected) or status (I was just under 2 in AKA years when elected) affected how I was perceived in my run.

I think sorors looked at the fact that I'm a professional journalist and know how to put together news releases, tidbits, etc. :cool:

I have held the following positions in my Alumni Chapter:

Corresponding Secretary
Editor to the Sphinx(was this and corresponding secretary at the same time)
Director of Educational Activties

In my Grad Pan Hel:
Social Action Chair
Fundraising Chair
Executive Board Member

I have been nominated for VP in my Alpha Chapter for 04 - 05 we shall see what happens as nothing is promised.

But in terms of age it has been an issue at time. I am still under 30 years old and have been an Alpha Six years on April 25th. The chapter supports my growth but sometimes get scared cause of my age. In the Pan Hel they have driven me to work harder in the postitions I hold/elected to. I have been awarded various awards which is unusual for someone as young as me. I think it depends on the chapter and what you are trying to do.

1. I ran unopposed for Editor of my grad chapter newsletter. Along the way, I was appointed Webmaster, a new position.

2. Yes, I am in the same position. (My term has not ended yet.)

3. I would like to remain Webmaster until they pry the keyboard from my cold, dead hands. Oh wait....yes, I would like to run for office in the future.

4. I am interested in any offices that are available to me, except Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Chaplain, and.....Editor of the Newsletter. I now know why no one ran against me, lol.

1. Have you held any Chapter offices ? If so, what position? Please identify (UG/GRAD)
As an undergrad (or Active, as we call it) i served the Chapter as Historian, Treasurer, and President.

2. Are you currently an officer?
TBS and KKPsi mainly have joint alumni associations - not "grad chapters" in the traditional sense. I am the Secretary for my District Alumni Association; i also have been appointed as a chairperson for a National Alumni Association subcommittee.

3. Do you plan to run for an office in the future?
Umm, we'll see. I love my E-board for the District Alumni Association - we're on our second term together - but i can't say what the future will hold beyond 2006 when our biennium ends.

4. If so, which office?
I would actually like to serve more hands-on with active chapters, so IF i were to hold another office i'm looking to be in an advisory (appointed) role... like chapter sponsor or district counselor.

UG: Parliamentarian

Grad: Currently Publicity Officer

I MAY run for another office this year. Which one? NOT President, V-P, nor Treasurer, nor Corresponding Secretary (too many envelopes to stuff) LOL

I'm thinking about Seargent-at-Arms or Asst. Secretary. I'll see where the SPIRIT drives me. :p

Heyyyy People
 

Grad: Graduate Advisor

Future Positions: None I can name off hand. I usually just help out where I can...and I usually just get 'placed' in various positions (smile....'Soror Y can do that'). Right now I'm concentrating on finding a chapter!:)

1) In my short time, yes in my graduate chapter.
2) I currently serve as ILR.
3) Yes.
4) Not sure.

1. Have you held any chapter offices (UG/GRAD)?

-UG: historian, Vice President and President of my chapter and NPHC-treasurer.
GRAD: No office, my first year in, still feeling things out.

2. Are you currently an officer?
-No. See above.

3. & 4. Do you plan to run for an office in the future?
-Of Course! I would like to be the historian, Director of Intake, and get involved in District positions.

1. Have you held any Chapter offices ? If so, what position?

UG: President (1 term), VP of Service (2 terms), Corresponding Secretary, and National Representative.

Alumnae: President


2. Are you currently an officer?
Yep, see above.

3/4. Do you plan to run for an office in the future?
Maybe. Probably a second term as President.

New Question:

1. Have you held any Chapter offices ? If so, what position? Please identify (UG/GRAD)
Historian (UG)

2. Are you currently an officer?
Philacter (Grad)
Assistant Grad Advisor (Grad)

3. Do you plan to run for an office in the future?
Yes!

4. If so, which office:
Grad Advisor
Ivy Leaf Reporter
Membership Chair
Not sure in which order though!

I Love My AKA
 

I serve as Historian of my Chapter.

1. Have you held any Chapter offices ? If so, what position? Please identify (UG/GRAD)
Collegiate - Sec/Treas, VP
Alumnae - Sergeant at Arms, Parlimentarain, Journalist

2. Are you currently an officer?

Journalist

3. Do you plan to run for an office in the future?

I am not currently running for reelection but I would like to be Treasurer or Financial Sec

4. If so, which office?

see above


************************************************** **

BTW, I have noticed a lot of folks on here indicate that they are/were a reporter, journalist, newlsetter editor or publicity chair for their chapter. I would reason to say that may are/were webmasters as well. Is it something about the 'Net? In my capacity as Journalist, my committee is responsible for our website, publicity, internal communications and the newsletter. We have evolved into a miniature chapter technology task force because most of our information is disseminated electronically (website, mailing list, phone tree, etc.). Has anyone else had this experience?

Yes indeed.

My chapter is in the process of reorganizing and streamlining our communications. In the past year, we have gone from using the newsletter as our sole means of communication to having a newsletter, yahoogroup, and website. (Coincidence? ;) )

We recently established a Communications and Technology Committee. The webmaster chairs it and the Corresponding Secretary and Editor of the Newsletter must sit on it.

I think that what many of us on GC have in common is a love of information. We stay on the internet all day at work to pass the time or for significant periods after hours. As aspirants, we used the internet to research....as members of our orgs, we use it to make our Greek world smaller, to meet people in between conventions, make connections, etc. I think we just like knowing stuff and knowing people.

New Question:
1. Have you held any Chapter offices ? If so, what position? Please identify (UG/GRAD)
Financial Secretary (UG).
2. Are you currently an officer?
No.
3. Do you plan to run for an office in the future?
Not sure yet. I've been asked by my chapter to run for a position in our upcoming elections.
4. If so, which office?
Financial Secretary or Vice FS.

Old Question:
Are there any current/former graduate chapter officers out there under the age of 45? If so, what was your experience in running for/holding office in your graduate chapter? Was your age and/or AKA experience (or lack thereof) an issue?

The majority of my chapter is composed of seasoned Sorors and I've seen they are very encouraging of anyone wanting to take on an officer role regardless of age or experience. They base their opinions off of your commitment in attending meetings, programs and events.

This past weekend, I was elected Assistant Secretary for my chapter. :D

ETA: I MAY end up Asst Grad Advisor, too. :rolleyes: :D

Congratulations, Soror! :D

Congratulations, indeed, Soror 2D!

It's not an actual office, but our President has asked me to serve on our Nominating Committee, and I'm looking forward to that.

We have a relatively small chapter, and many of the Sorors (I believe) are still computer-challenged. We don't yet have a website, but we are working on it. I'm hoping that our chapter will become a miniature chapter technology task force as your chapter has!

As I stated on GC once before, I am disseminating a newsletter for our non-financial Sorors, and I'm hoping this turns into something much bigger and better.

...

I'm not a Web master -- my chapter doesn't have a page just yet. I don't really know HTML, so I don't believe that I'm qualified for that position, but I suspect that I or whoever our ILR is would be involved.
Another officer (our corresponding secretary) is responsible for the newsletter.

I am just a Graduate Advisor.......:mad:

JUST? Child, that's a tough azz job. That's why I :rolleyes: at the notion of possibly becoming the ASSISTANT... :o :D

Had two officer positions before the age of 28

You are right..but I feel like GA's gets NOOOO Respect, none, nada. It is sort of like being an executive secretary is weighed more than being a GA.

I know what you are saying. But there are sorors out there (here) who have MUCh respect for the GAs doing their job and doing it WELL! :D

TTT/my new job
 

This past Saturday, I was elected corresponding secretary for my chapter. Now I get to learn a new office.:cool: :)

Re: TTT/my new job
 

All right Soror! It'll be fun. I'm planning to stay on the PR committee, although another line sister is trying to make me take over one of her committees that she's planning to give up. Not gonna happen. . .