"Slip-through" Pledges Who Made Good
 

Did any of your GLOs ever have a pledge who some considered a "slip-through"--then the pledge turned out to be fabulous?

Today I was remembering a woman in the class after mine. I hardly remembered her rushing but on Bid Day, some of our Classic Complainers were huddled together whispering," Look at that girl! How'd SHE get in? What a loser!" etc.

I don't think the girl felt comfortable at AU and she transferred and affiliated with the chapter there,where she became president. Three years later I opened my sorority magazine and she had made Traveling Graduate Consultant, a huge big deal in our GLO!:D

Any similar stories?

And I bet that girl wants to say 'take that' to the girls that were griping about her. ;)

There were a couple that I personally thought slipped through at first. I didn't publically annouce it or anything - just thought it to myself. Some of those girls were our most active members and contributed a lot to our chapter. Even though I didn't click with some of those girls, I still respect and acknowledge the good they did for our chapter. And on the flip-side, there were some 'oh she's such a great girl' that turned out to be total dead-beats for our chapter.

My little sis was a double legacy with her sister currently in our chapter. Eventhough everyone knew she would pledge our house, not everyone wanted her. She didn't look quite like a lot of the ladies in the house. We had some beauty queens (literally) and she was not. I know had she not been a double legacy, she would have be let go by our chapter. She didn't "slip through", but she went on to hold several executive offices and offered the chapter all she had. Her GPA was nice to have also. She was a hard working, mature young lady and I'm so glad we "had" to take her.

There is a guy that 'slipped through' this week to the chapter I advise. a few brothers really didnt want him in. I told them its how democracy works, but to give him a chance because I'vee seen total fools get in with a group of good guys and turn a 180. Hopefully this kid will be a good guy. The good news is that since its a fraternity - they have 8 weeks to decide if they want him. Unlike the NPC system where you have to decide to make a gal a sister after meeting her three or four times. I couldnt handle the stress.

We had a few girls that ended up on our Bid List that had all the sisters saying, "How did she get in?" Many of them ended up holding executive positions in our chapter and are still doing great things to this day in their alumnae chapters. I think there's a reason for everything and some of these girls ended up being great sisters.

There were always one or two at my chapter. I remember wondering who she was at all. We were a very small school, and rush was not that competitive. I always took the attitude, 'Well, enough of my sisters made the decision to keep her, and I have to trust that.' And, as many have said, they often make the hardest-working members!

On the flip-side, as with most schools, there are probably a few 'trophy PNM's' that every chapter fights over. Unfortunately, it's often times based on looks. We'd get a couple, and I was always so leary of them...of course, they'd be the ho-hum members. I can remember being relieved with the ones we didnt' get.

A couple of girls who joined my chapter when I was a sophomore kinda worried me at first, but one (in particular) went on to be a fabulous sister for all four years of college and was even named Greek Woman of the Year as a senior. True, our personality styles never matched, but I have the utmost respect for her and I know she'll go far in life.

I believe that being a member of a sorority unlocks countless opportunities for development of social and leadership skills that a lot of college women might not get otherwise. It seems kinda unrealistic to expect every new member who joins to already BE perfect when being a sorority member holds so many opportunities and allows for so much personal growth.

On the flip side!

When starting the local, I brow beat one of my roomates to join.

Well, He did and became the 3 rd Pres.:)

If He hadnt, I doubt He would be married to Connie today, an Alpha Gamma Delta.

Can't think of any really. I can think of a couple back in our colony days that were turned down everywhere else, but we accepted due to needing the #'s. The good thing is that they didn't last long.

Funny though, when we gave one of them the boot, he and his MOM called our IHQ, the Greek Life office, etc. They seriously thought they could shut us down because we let her precious (loser, wicca practicing, generally all around creepy guy) son go.

Our national advisor called us up laughing his ass off. That was where we learned that in the long run, it pays to be selective.

Off topic, Tom--a question about your roommate. Would his last name happen to be Brown, by any chance?

Nope Davis.

He from Lamar, Mo. School PSU, Ks. Connie from Witchita, to PSU!

Dont tell Me there is another LXA Married to a AGD!

Wouldnt doubt it tho. Two Great Orgs!:cool:

OK. Our International President is named Connie and she was initiated into the Alpha Gam chapter at your alma mater. I just thought that maybe you were referring to her!

That was my very first thought too.. LOL.

Hm, You know I went to PSU, Ks. Right?

PM me and let me know Her last name, maiden if you have it!

Heck may know of Her!:)

I can think of a few... we were considered a top chapter, and when the question "where else did you pref came up," we'd hear some combinations that were atypical for our chapter... but some of those girls turned out to be the most dedicated and drama-free members and leaders...

And I also recall one recruitment meeting a girl who looked great on paper but we ended up cutting. We were shocked when she got a bid to one of the other top tier chapters and ended up becoming their chapter president and making their chapter so much stronger and pushing them to get out of a slump they'd been under for a few years. Great girl. Kinda makes me wish I'd gotten to know her better when she came to our sorority house.

ETA: wow, that sounded so superficial...

I was that girl. Not that I am atypical for my chapter, as we strive for atypical, but I sort of slipped through the recruitment cracks, got dropped from recruitment after novelty round, got the "did not match" phone call on pref day, and then got a bid on monday to the house of my dreams :). I've been so happy and fufilled by my sorority involvement that I can't imagine what school would be like without it, so I throw myself into our work as an attempt to pay back all the great experiences its given me.

I think I may have been this person too. I didn't get a bid my first try, although for the second COB I attended, I only made one event and got my bid. I really think there were some people who didn't think I should join, probably because I was very shy, and the president went to my high school and didn't like me at the time (she changed her mind). But I became a VP of my chapter, and since I've graduated, I've served as President of our alum chapter in Boston, was a Recruitment Advisor for 4 years (and I think I'm a pretty good one), and now I'm a Chapter Advisor. So I think I've surprised some people and definitely made the most out of my membership.

I don't think that ANYONE truly knows who "slipped through"-- the folks in the background only know these women on paper, and the ones on the front lines only know ladies from conversations. A chapter is made up of women from diverse backgrounds, but more often than not there is a certain homogenized look-- a preference for certain clothing brands, the slang you use, etc... sometimes there are members who stand out from this... and those are suspected of "slipping through the cracks." It's not a fair assumption, but most every chapter suspects this phenomenon... and given that most chapters -if not all - destroy recruitment stats and records post-recruitment, no one knows her standing on the bid lists... and we should just accept "you're here, you were wanted and you are our sister." But you can't stop people from second-guessing themselves and you can't stop idle speculation and gossip-- such is life.

I don't know if I'd consider myself a "slip-through" but I would definitely say I was someone the chapter felt obligated to take that they may not have had I not been a legacy. My sister was four years older than me and just graduted the semester before I entered school. She wasn't super outstanding phenom sister, but she had a stellar GPA, was a contributing member and held an office while she was in school.

I have a somewhat different personality than my sister. I had a very difficult time during recruitment and I know there were plenty of times that first year people were thinking WTH did we let this girl in? I definitely did not get along with some of the women in the pledge class directly above mine, which ended up hurting me when one of those women became Nominating chair and screwed my chances of holding an office my junior year (I had been philanthropy chair my sophomore year). Instead of being bitter and holding a grudge against the chapter, I focused my energies elsewhere as Director of PR for Panhellenic and a member of VCC. If anything, that made me want to be even more involved with chapter activities so I could show those girls they were so so wrong about me.

It was obviously only that pledge class because my senior year the chapter voted me as Reference chair during Recruitment and Nominating chair for elections. I also was invited to interview to be a Traveler for the Fraternity (but was not selected).

After I graduated, I moved and became an adviser for a different chapter and now currently hold offices as Advisory Board Chair, Chapter Council Adviser and Alumnae Association President. The chapter I advise had some issues that hadn't really been addressed with the previous ABC or CCA. With help from my AB and the Fraternity, they are headed in the right direction and are stronger than they've been since I started advising four years ago.

Wasnt one of the Favorite Fairy Tails about the ugly duckling who became a beautiful Swan or Cinderella who became a princess!:)

Never know do We?;)

An Ugly Seed becomes a Beautiful Flower!

I was that girl!


I wasn't around much the semester I pledged (my pledge class didn't know the circumstances but the Executive Council did) so a lot of my pledge class & the sisters didn't meet me until Initiation! :eek: A lot of them later admitted to me that they were mad to see some stranger initiated with them but they came around when I proved that I belonged. I don't want to brag but I like to think I was even more dedicated than some of the girls who were mad to see me there in the first place. :)

the chapter i advise pledged a rather large girl, and some of the members who were not there to vote were really steamed about it. they were basing their feelings solely on appearance. this young woman has proven to be a stellar member-she attends everything, has good grades, has one of the best personalities is one of our best rushers and is adored by the whole chapter(even those that initially had reservations about her). it just goes to show ya.........

Wendi PMed Me and I dug out Annuals when I was There!

Guess What, I new Her!:) 1967 was my last year at The Pitt!

WOW, Small World! What is AGD Web Site?

Need to call the other Connie and Alan and let them know!:)

A girl who pledged after I did came in, and she was pretty quiet. I wasn't too sure how she would do but she ended up being an Exec member for 2 years and one of the top contributers to our chapter. It was a pleasant surprise and I was very happy for her.

On the other hand, we've had a lot of girls who were so excited to get and then ended up having bad attitudes and refusing to take on any sort of work whatsoever. It's always a not-so-pleasant surprise when that happens.

Short update for all You AGs.

Have had several great emails back and forth with Connie Y-B AGD, Nationa Director.

We can totally agree on so many Greek Life points about the difference today and yester years and how things have changed.

AGD DEE thanks for Your help in helping Me get in touch with Her!;)

I admit to being that girl. I didn't take the process very seriously at first, but when it came time to shine that's what I did and SURPRISED everyone!!:D