What do you want to see from your old chapters?
 

My chapter lost touch with many of alum over the year and my pledge class has made it our goal to regain contact with our alumnae bc we feel that they are a very important link to us. We want to see what TriSigma has been over the years.
What do you all as alumnae want to see from your chapters?

We are definitely trying to regain contact through mail...invitations to Homecoming of course...I wanted them to come to formal rush but i feel like there's not enough time. What else? Founder's Day? Invites to Date parties? Tea? Etc.

A newsletter would be nice... *hint to anyone from my chapter who may be lurking* ;)

My chapter hosted a nice reunion weekend last fall. That was fun, even though only one of the other alums there was an active when I was. I got to tell stories from "back in the day" :p

Well I'm not an alum but my chapter has done a great job contacting our alum this past year. We had an Alumni Appreciation Weekend (which was during the same weekend as Greek Week Olympics), we invite them to Formal, date parties or whatever, and we have an alumni listserve to send messages to them, also our Alumni Chair assigned one or two Alumni to each of the girls and we are to email them and tell them what is going on with the chapter.

One of the best ways that the chapter can keep in touch with alumnae is via email. My chapter is great about this. They use evites for things like recruitment events, alum brunch etc. Takes someone with a little techical savy, but it's a skill that will carryover into "real" life.

Re: What do you want to see from your old chapters?
 

My old chapter does this as a great way to show the chapter to alum during rush.... The Saturday between work week and rush, they host an alumni day.

The alumni all come back and are "rushed" by the chapter (so they can practice their entrance and exit), then the actives perform the skit for skit day and the preference ceremony, treating the alums like PNMs.

This may not work if your campus has a less structured or informal rush, but when I was in the chapter, I found it a great way to invite the alumni back to see how we were doing with their old chapter.

This is the first year that I will be going back on this day as an alum so I am SO excited!!! :)

I would just like the know whats going on. We hear nothing. grumble grumble...If it weren't for my pledge sisters there wouldn't be a sorority...grumble grumble.

I like the idea of a newsletter. It doesn't even have to be mailed to everyone, to save postage/printing costs it can be done via an email attachment.
I also like the idea of having an Alumnae Tea or weekend or something, just so that old members can come back and see what is going on with the chapter (as a side note, make sure current memebers are there. I had a friend who drove 8 hours for her Alum weekend and she said about 10 current members were there out of 40).
How the chapter did for things like Recruitment and Greek Week. I had to pratically stalk sisters to figure out how everything went. Just a short email like, "Hi Alum: We reached quota (20) and have great new members." Maybe throw their names in it with family affiliations. I'd love to know if I had a great great great grand little or something; maybe I'd even send her a present or something.

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head.

Thank you guys for all the answers! Keep the ideas flowing

Even an email newsletter is better than silence!!

Also, you'll find that many alumnae WANT to help out during Recruitment, but
1) Are told the dates too late to get a sitter/make plans.
2) Aren't told what to wear (who wants to wear a black dress when the chapter is wearing shorts & t-shirts?).
3) They feel that all the chapter really wants is money, not them!
4) They are ignored when they do show up.

My chapter is getting better at this; we'll get a Wish List about a month prior to Recruitment, along with dates/themes. Now, to get them to update the Wish List so 20 people don't buy the same thing...!

The wish list is a great idea. I have found that you are more likely to get a specific something than for someone to give cash. My chapter sends out a wish list as well and asks that you call the person in charge of it to "rsvp" you donation. That way they don't get 100 strands of white Christmas lights and no one gives any balloons.

Remember too, that it is our responsibility as alums to make sure that our address is up to date with our GLO on a national and a chapter level.

I've had many an alum complain that they didn't know about recruitment/didn't get a newsletter. Well gee - that's because it was returned to us as unforwardable! Sorry, it's a pet peeve of mine. Think of all the money wasted on the 50-60 newsletters that come back each year b/c someone doesn't update their address. :rolleyes:

What a timely issue!!! :D

As a chapter advisor and someone who has been a part of different alumnae chapters, it is definitely a 2 way street.

The collegiate chapter has to keep the alumnae informed so she/he can come/donate by mail/feel a part, etc. but the alumnae also has to do her/his part by telling the chapter, either directly or though the IHQ website, where she/he is and when contact info changes!!

Don't forget, the chapter can't mention what you are up to if they don't know!;)

This is a great thread. :)

I'd love to see some sort of newsletter, whether it's an alumni newsletter or copies of the Muse (our chapter newsletter). I'd like to be on the email list...I used to be, but when I changed email accounts and updated my address on the site, I got dropped. (I did check that I wanted to be on the email list). I'd like to know about major events coming up. Last year was my chapter's 75th anniversary, yet I had no idea anything was going on for it until another alum from my chapter happened to join GC and mention it in her intro on the APO board! (By that time it was too late for me to arrange to go down) There was nothing at all about it on the chapter website (and I do check it every so often).

I would like to see some sort of alumni event happen. Even though many of us do live out of the area, we can travel...:D

I'd like to hear more in general--and not just begging for money. It's not so great to be a relatively recent alumna who only gets info from the chapter unless they want money. They still OWE me money.

Agreed. I'd love to hear ANYTHING from my collegiate chapter, and probably wouldn't be offended if they asked me for cash either. I don't know if they do e-newsletters or snail mail ones or anything, but at least they do have a current website. I was fortunate enough to meet their President at our Convention so at least I have a name and contact info now. Thank heavens for a couple of wonderful alumnae who do try to keep me informed!

My chapter has always done a newsletter but it was really for the benefit of the actives (remember our social at TKE is next Wednesday, caroling with SigEp is December 10th, dues are due November 1st) and the alumnae didn't really get anything out of it. They changed up the format this semester to include an alumnae news section, and the recent alumnae like myself are so excited about it that $450 has already been pledged to the chapter - and this means a lot to a chapter that has an operating budget of around $2500! :D

Newsletters are the biggest thing, as well as any email updates on what's going on with the chapter.

My chapter's 20th anniversary is coming up in a couple of years, so I'll be looking for information about that as the time draws closer.

alums in recruitment
 

I have to say, I really like the idea of having alumni come by while the chapter is practicing for formal recruitment (though I imagine this applies more to sororities than to fraternities). We all know recruitment is a HUGE, and super-exciting event in the greek community, and I know it's something I really miss being involved in. I think using alumni as PNM's is a great idea- it makes alumni and collegiates talk to each other, and alumni can give any presentation, conversation, etiquette, (etc.) tips!

~Karla

To my collegiate chapter: UPDATE THE WEBSITE! It's seriously a year out of date and bugs me to no end!

I know! I think it's really great that I'm still in pictures on my chapter website, but dude... I graduated in 2003. It's time for some new pictures!

I know that chapter founders feel like they are unappreciated and often times feel like they are ignored, despite the fact that they worked to bring their chapter to campus. However, I have to argue with you. YOU are the first time that this chapter has had alumnae. You obviously didn't have a chapter alumnae base when you started the chapter (unless you were rechartering I guess) so you need to give them some slack when it comes to how they interact with you. This is a new experience for everyone, and both sides HAVE to make an effort. My four years were from our Chapter's 2nd anniversary year though the 5th anniversary year, we had spotty connections and neither group really did tons to get the other more involved. It did help when we finally told the alumnae what we needed from them, gave them the forms from nat'l and said, you created this chapter, now can you do it again for alumnae. Some jumped up and did a ton, others still whine, but now it is on them, we gave them the chance.

I think it can be hard to plan activities for alumnae to come back for. I think teas, philanthropy and things along that line are great. I guess as an alumna I don't want to go to date parties, or watch you practice your rush stuff. I think if you go to a school where you practice for rush, it would be pretty hard to practice with alumnae around, more opinions and less concentration from the actives on the rush stuff... unless you maybe did a full dress rehersal with a tea afterward. So time to watch...time to talk...ya know?? Make it balanced.

I would personally stick to low key events, things you can bring a child to if need be. Give good warning, and make them at an accessible time, 8 or 9pm is wayyy to late at night, unless your alumnae all live in town. Saturday afternoons or Sundays are good. Yahoo Groups are also a great way to keep in touch.

This is an excellent point!:)

The Founders are the reason You as an Orgization are even there!

The Alums maybe not all are The Reason You are Still there.

The Original Founders are the reaon there is an Organization with Your Letters Available!

So, basically, Who The Heck are You with out all of the People that made it able for You to Be In The Organization?

History is a precious thing, Never Lose it!:(

I am still working after 40 Years at helping My Local and International going!:cool:

It would be nice if my chapter reopened!

My chapter sends out a newsletter to its alumnae. The only problem is their consistancy. I wish my chapter was more consistent. The chapter is supposed to have a CTO that is responsible for keeping in touch with alumnae. At Christmas time, the CTO resigned and as far as I know, there hasn't been a replacement.

I don't really know anyone in the chapter anymore, so I can't call up and find out what they've been up to. My chapter is terrible at keeping in contact with alumnaw. Last year, none of the alumnae were invited to a Founder's Day celebration.

I think (at least for us) part of the problem is the lack of importance put on the collegiate chapter position of alumnae relations.

To maintain the high standards and strong reputation of a top chapter on campus.

I like the fact that I still get a newsletter from my former chapter. It's a great way to keep up with how things are going.

What I wish they would do though is try to involve alums more than just inviting us to the alumni banquet/BBQ/luncheon. My chapter hosts a Sweets with Sigma Kappa in which they invite staff members of the school as well as people in the neighborhood & city to get to know the ladies. I'm sure many alums wouldn't mind going to help out or to just enjoy themselves as well as reconnect.

Old Chapter
 

A chapter specific club that can address local issues and provide support from an alumni standpoint. This is in addition to the standard "National Support" that is already accounted for. Local support would include but not limited to a chapter endowment, matching gifts initiatives with Corporate affiliates, and a Alumni/Active Mixer night to help support the actives.

Regards,

Boodleboy322

They've been impressing me quite a bit lately. Numbers could be a little better, but we're at or above campus average.

Recently won Rock Chapter Honorable Mention -- only 8 Sigma Nu chapters won Rock Chapter, so for a 4 year old chapter to win this award is pretty unprecedented (and no chapter has done it this quickly).

I have never seen anything truer said as I have been pushing this for some time with My Fraternity.

If any of You with Your GLOs get donation mailings, they are sent to Alums of course.

But it has always been my contention, what are You My GLO doing to keep Me interested in it and why should I?

One of the things that I have done over the last 10 years is try to update My Chapter email address listing.

As the Chapter had a mail out for Alums and that becoming so costly, as the first Alum Association President of my chapter I have institutated an email Alum message send out.

It does take a lot of work to get memebers to realize that with out email address, you cannot send out information of events to them.

Now after so many years, they are sending changes.:) Well some!:eek:

But to keep the interest up, the idea is to let Members know what is going on with the Chapter and Alums. Little day to day things help,
Sue and John had a new baby.

Mary and Joe are moving to.

Kelly got a new position at so and so company.

Everyone likes to see their name in print!:D

Keeping events in the open:

Home Coming, Founders Day, Golf Outings, BBQ's or just Monthly Gatherings for Local Alums would do just to let them know!

I have found over the years, that when Alums are informed about what is going on and what Their Sisters are doing, they too will become more intersted

It is a lot of hard work for an Alum, but get on the Alum Chair now to at least get it started.