Hi! How active are alumnae chapters/members are? (New here)
 

Hi all =) I'm new on this forum and I've been reading lots of AI stories that really motivated me to become one too.

I just recently gradauted from a state school in a big city. I didn't know too much about sororities in my junior year (I was a transfer) and only rushed for one. I only rushed for one sorority but the timing wasn't right. After I gradauted, I regretted for not joining one. I was really active on campus. I really hoped for that special sisterhood bond, so when I learned about AI, I was excited about it and decided to embark my journey too. I know it will be a tough process but I'm willing to go through it.

But before choosing which sorority I would like to contact, does anyone know how active alumnae chapters are? I would like rush for chapters that are really involve or active in their area. How would I go about finding out? if not, is it possible to rush for a collegiate chapter and be active and helping about that chapter too? I'm only 23, turning 24. I hope I'm not too old.

Can any alumni shed some light as to how active their chapters usually are? Thanks a lot =)

AIs do not "Rush". NPC groups have different policies on how to AI into their group, but many are "don't call us, we'll call you" kind of deals.

GC is not the Mall of the Sororities, please do not shop here.

angelica_arin - you really do have the wrong idea about AI. Your heart seems to be in the right place but AI really isn't meant to be something you go "shopping" for-in fact, many organizations have strict policies regarding membership via AI.

I would hope that someone looking to join an organization through AI would already have a connection with that group. She would share a passion for their philanthropies and agree with their purpose & vision. She would not be so concerned about how active the alumnae chapter is now, but would instead challenge herself to bring a positive and helpful attitude no matter what happens.

See, I wouldn't call it "shop". I'm looking for an org that I can really contribute myself in than those that basically don't do much. Since I don't know much about what happens beyond college, it would be nice to know how active alumni chapters are.

I would want to join a chapter that I can contribute in, not just any sorority. So in a sense, I wouldn't call it "shopping" but "researching". I hope that clarifies my point. I'm sorry if I confused anyone.

Added: I also have friends that are in some NPC sororities. But since they are still in school, they don't know much about what goes beyond college.

Hon, you can call a duck a horse if you want to, but it still doesn't change the fact that it's a duck. If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck...it's a duck.

ETA: Listen, I'm sorry to rain on your parade (man, I'm just full of cliches today, aren't I?), but this is the exact kind of thing that AI is NOT meant for.

My sentiments exactly. Researching organizations to join through AI is still shopping for an organization that best fits you-and although I don't completely disagree with this approach-you should understand that AI is usually pursued by an Alumnae chapter with a particular person in mind, or is pursued by someone that is already close to an organization.

If there isn't already an organization that you have a connection to whether it be through volunteering, family, etc. then you are an unlikely candidate for AI. The organization you mentioned in your original post, that you rushed your junior year, might be a likely candidate for AI assuming you went through open recruitment or similar events where you got to know the girls and the organization's values.

Alumnae (the proper plural for female groups) chapters are different in every area of the US. My sorority has alum chapters that do multiple things every month...and chapters that are lucky if they meet the required 4 times a year. So it's impossible to say that (example) ASA is super active alum-wise, and AST doesn't do a thing.

Plus, you don't "rush" for an alumnae chapter. You are looking at it in the way things were in college, and they are two very different animals.

Additionally, some groups have age restrictions on AI - you may be too young.

It doesn't matter if you think it's shopping or not. It matters if the sorority members and (inter)national officers think that it's shopping because they are the ones who will potentially be voting on you.

Refer to Alphafrog: regardless of what you say, after all, this is my AI quest to search for the sorority which I can call home to and contribute to. Of course you would want to join a sorority who you can affiliate to, but you always want to join one that shares your ideas and goals. Not some group that you have friends in but you don't share goals together.

Though I admit it's a nice smack in the head to remind me and I thank you for that. Nonetheless, I stand firm with my beliefs. I'm definitely not going to contact so many sororities. I want to make sure the one I contact would be to one that would share my goals and also accept me for who I am.

I recommend you spend a lot of time looking at the NPC member's website and doing your research there, first. I would recommend you get involved locally in organizations that are of interest to you - not just the ones where you hope to meet sorority alumnae. Many groups do not do AI, many have stringent requirements that include multiple sponsors or a high level of community involvement or a legacy connection to the group. In other words, members go looking for AI candidates, not the other way around.

You might also want to look into Beta Sigma Phi or a professional organization related to your career. Build your volunteer resume, then investigate the possibility of AI.

Wow, thanks a lot for the info! That really opens up to a lot of options =) I really appreciate it PenguinTrax and BetaRose :)

I agree-- those are much better choices. AI into an NPC sorority is typically an experience reserved for someone who had a former link to a sorority (pledged but did not initiate, relative in the sorority, or a community leader). Some people without this level of attachment are invited to join, but it takes years of contacting and dead ends on their part. AI isn't something sororities solict to attract members.

Most sororities prefer their AI members to be older than fresh out of college. Alumnae associations are supportive networks who do semi-regular community service projects-- there is usually one big fundraiser. Some have semi-regular social events like wine tastings or pottery throwing or out to dinner; most others have one big event that doubles as a fundraiser. There's not much ritual or "bonding" on the alumane level b/c the group doesn't meet formally; everything is fairly a la carte and come along if you want to.

The choices above will give you a higher level of activity and interaction with others. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. Actually after viewing some of those links, maybe it is a better option than going for a NPC AI since those sororities that betarose posted are more suited for me who would like to have lifelong friendships with others and also being involved in the community =)

You can pretty much contribute to any chapter that you join. It only takes one or two people for a chapter to go from not very active to incredibly active.

This is a bad reason for choosing a group.

And you sound like a troll too........

Maybe we should have BetaRose's list stickied o the top of the forum? That might help solve all kinds of challenges.

Oh, I thought angelica_arin was one of the more sensible new posters here. She recognized right away that without one of the traditional reasons for AI she is better off looking into alternate organizations.

I've added it here.

More organizations
 

I also wanted to add

Sigma Delta Chi
(Society for Professional Journalists)
http://www.spj.org/

The list appears to be more for general interest-type sororities, not professional based ones.

I included it because Theta Sigma Phi was mentioned in the list.. which is a professional fraternity for women in Journalism and Communications. It is now more commonly known as The Association for Women in Communication... just as Sigma Delt Chi (which I mentioned) is now more commonly known as The Society for Professional Journalists.

http://www.womcom.org/about_us/history.asp

and:


"Description: Records of the Theta Sigma Phi professional fraternity for women in Journalism and Communications. In 1972 Theta Sigma Phi became Women in Communications. Includes certificates and awards, handbooks, publications, minutes, programs, reports,..."

http://web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/uacc...1&SG=67&RS=161

and

"What became known as the Beta Alpha Chapter of Theta Sigma Phi was established at the University of North Dakota in 1921. The group was originally known as Matrix until 1946, when the group joined Theta Sigma Phi. The organization is a national honorary society for women in journalism and communications. The objectives of Theta Sigma Phi were five-fold: to work for a free and responsible press; to unite women in all fields of communication; to recognize achievements of women in journalism; to maintain high professional standards; and to encourage members to greater individual effort.

In 1972, the national organization was renamed Women in Communications, Inc"

http://www.und.nodak.edu/dept/librar...ons/og766.html

I personally think it will help a lot if the sticky thread actually lists the most main connections you have to have in order to become an AI with a NPC sorority. I was under the impression after reading that thread that anyone, even without connections can contact them by themselves. This causes quite a confusion to those when I read some other threads. By just saying you can be an AI if you're a professional leader, or housewife, doesn't really help.

From my personal belief, as long as I found a group that I can connect with, it doesn't matter if it's an NPC group or not. So I found the list of alternatives to be helpful. Which makes me believe those who pursue AI with NPCs without any connection are those who just want to wear the letters because they are huge. If they have friends there, then I understand. I go for a group that is active and I can make friends with and do things together. NPC or not, it doesn't matter to me. I know my reason why I look for a group.

So my point is, I wish the sticky thread can clear those misconceptions somehow, if you want to avoid these threads in general. That's just my 2 cents...:cool:

And SmartBlondeGPhB, whether I sound like a troll to you, do I really care at all? or does it even matter to you?

I think that it's a different Theta Sigma Phi. The one on the list says its purpose is to educate disabled students and doesn't say anything about journalism/communications.

I think there's a separate list out there somewhere of professional organizations with greek letters. The ones on that list, and that are pertinent to this thread, are general membership type groups.

/sorry to the OP for this hijack.

Well that might help you, but it's not information that you're necessarily entitled to. That information is NOT public for most groups and can vary from case to case. As has been discussed here on GC a ton, it is NOT GC's place to list the membership policies of various organizations. Many groups are NOT open to some Jane Doe walking in off the street saying hey, I wanna be a member.

It's been discussed at length and closed. It's not a good idea. None of us on here can officially speak for our sororities, and we are not "in the market" for AIs, and making a list creates the impression we are.

Once again, GC is not the Mall of the Sororites, we don't want people shopping here. (Researching, looking, browsing, whatever you want to call it)

And may I add, a wise GCer once said "Wanting to know, even for a good reason, is not entitlement to know".

AI is not easy, and no one here can help make it any easier or give you any shortcuts.

OK thanks for clearing that up. I'd like to read about the other group... do you have a link?

Don't these groups Trademark their name?

I guess I could understand that, but it's kinda funny when you see threads like "Shopping for sororities" come out with girls trying to find a place without any connections, and others have to explain to every single thread like this that if they don't have the connections, it's hard, but not impossible. A general statement might help, to avoid future threads like this. Just to give them heads up, you know?

But i understand a policy is a policy, of course GC doesn't have a say of what other NPC's policies are....that's another of my 2 cents again :D

Of course, if people came to GC who were potentially interested in AI, and they read some of the threads to get more info, they'd find this out pretty quickly. :)

The "Shopping for Sororities" thread was sort of a "What not to do" sort of thing - think of us as the Stacy & Clinton of AIing. Apparently, you didn't actually get around to reading anything of it except the title.

yeah, though it was still a bit confusing to me, haha :p but I can't help but to wonder why some others haven't look into the possibilities of these other sororities that BetaRose posted, or at least didn't have too many threads about their experiences in those sororities. They really seem like a great alternative too. I mean, why would you want to join a sorority out of no where that most of the time (and I mean "most" not "all") they accept members based on some sort of connection with the group, and yet the potential AI has no connection with the group or whatsoever and just say they want to join?

oh well...let's just say I'm always confused :p

Although I can't say for sure why potential AI'ers with no connection to an organization would be interested in joining, but my biggest fear as an active alumna is that the potential AI'er would be looking to join for superficial reasons. One girl even came through here & admitted that she thought she'd have better chances at finding a husband through joining a GLO.

I know thats why I seem automatically skeptical of any potential AI'er who comes to GC & seems to be "shoppping" for an NPC organization to join.

Maybe I'm wrong but I'm currently smelling Eau de Troll here....

You may as well cross Gamma Phi off then since you don't care what our valuable members think. Remember anything you say on here can come back and bite you later. There are international officers from MANY organizations on here and an AI is not hard to figure out who they are from the applications. Most orgs don't do that many a year.

LOL, thanks for the comment. I didn't read the responses after mine close enough and missed what she said. Guess I'll have to pay more attention to this one....;)

I wonder that myself, but I think sometimes it's a situation where a woman is dropped from XYZ (the biggest, prettiest and most popular house on campus) during undergraduate recruitment and starts getting excited when she hears about the existence of AI.... it's like her dreams can finally be realized and she can proudly sport the sweatshirt and bag of the sorority that never accepted her... and now she can be one of the "popular girls" from college :rolleyes:

OR it's a situation where a woman was so totally awkward and socially inept during college that she got dropped from every single sorority after the open house rounds. After spending a few years wondering "What if...?", she stumbles across the existence of AI and is like "OH MY GOD!!! ANOTHER CHANCE!!!!" and starts aggressively pursuing every organization under the sun.

I think both of these circumstances account for the vast majority of these "out of the blue" PNAMs. I think you can agree that both of these situations are horrible reasons to pursue AI.

I personally think the *only* good reason to pursue AI is because a member(s) of one specific organization with whom you're close asks you to pursue AI. I can see someone doing that for their biological sister, or their mom, or their very best friend. I can also see a faculty advisor being recommended for AI by the undergraduate chapter with which she works. There are a few other scattered reasons that are also good, but most of these are complete anomalies (blueangel's 20 year pledge period is a good example of an exception).

I really, really wish that more women would look into community sororities and organizations. They seem like fantastic groups, and (correct me if I'm wrong) but they seem more geared towards adult women -- and I think many of these PNAMs would find everything they're looking for in a community sorority (friendship, sisterhood, ritual, philanthropy, etc). I think it would be silly for them to "lose business" and interest to the Alumnae Initiation programs of various organizations.