New Sorority?
 

Hi guys,

Think of your parents when you read this. I'm a mom whose daughter didn't get into the sorority of her choice. I'm sure this happens all the time. However, she now wants to start her own sorority, having to do with theatre. Have any of you ever heard of such a thing? How would I find out about starting a new sorority, what it entails, etc. OR, perhaps open a new chapter of an existing sorority on her campus?

Finally, are there any sororities and/or co ed fraternitys, such as APO, but that are theatre oriented?? How can I find out about all the sororities that exist?

I have no idea the work that she'd need to undertake for such a project. Can any of you at least guide me? I sure would appreciate any help or guidance, and thanks so much for your help :).

The search button will guide her to all of the information SHE needs.

Best of luck to her.

I am the founder of my local sorority, Zeta Xi Delta. At my college all it required to become an official college organization was submitting our constitution to Parliament and having it approved. However, it is different at all schools.

I don't want to make it sound simple because there is a lot of work that goes into creating a sorority. They will need to choose a name, symbols, mascots, etc. as well as create their constitution, by-laws, and rituals. If you would like more info, feel free to PM me.

Alpha Psi Omega.

http://www.alphapsiomega.org/

The "casts" are the chapters. You can search the site to find out if there's a cast at your daughter's school.

Phi Beta is also an all-encompassing (Theatre, Dance, Music) "Fine Arts" Fraternity.

I am a member of Alpha Psi Omega - feel free to pm me if you have any questions an old alumna can answer.

Phi Beta only has like 2 active collegiate chapters. They may be interested in extension.

Tell your daughter that there is no use in re-inventing the wheel. She can go through rush again.

If she wants to start a new sorority or a chapter of a sorority that specifically has to do with theatre, that's not "reinventing the wheel" - that's going in a completely different direction.

Really, there are no "general" steps to take to start an organization. A lot would have to do with the administration and the requirements they have at your dauthter's campus.
Most likely bringing an exisitng group to campus (if its NPC) is not REALLY an option, as the campus must first be open to extension.
There are a lot of threads about this. I really think though, that if this is something your daughter feels that strongly about, she she will (and should) find the information she needs on her own.

Starting a new organization on campus, whether one with Greek letters or not, is a huge undertaking that can detract many students from their true goal in college --> to excel scholastically, network and intern in their chosen field. It is possible to successfully start a new organization, but there are a considerable number of factors to consider in deciding "Is it worth it?"

Any student would be best served to think twice before starting a campus organization, and should instead look to existing organizations on the campus. Many times new students have not yet found their niche on campus, mainly because they haven't looked. Sorority recruitment is one avenue. Another or supplementary to sororities are pre-professional societies, honor societies, service clubs, or other special interest clubs.

To any student wanting to start a new organization: Take a full semester, if you can't wait an entire school year, to absorb the campus culture and to become acclimated to the new place and all it has to offer, before deciding to start something brand-new that may 1) already exist 2) exist in a slightly different yet complimentary way or 3) see if your interests change (as they do when you get to college and begin to explore the many opportunities available to you). You have 3-5 years ahead at this university, provided you are a traditional student, and I assure you that at some time, it is likely that this need has come up and been addressed, and has thrived or died due to the level of interest among other students on campus.

Good Info
 

Wow, all, thanks so much for great and diverse information.

My daughter has spent a semester absorbing the campus life, and has friends who attend this college. I am concerned about her being taken away from her education with such an undertaking as starting a new sorority or bringing a new chapter of an existing sorority to this school.

I would love to hear more about your thoughts on this very topic, however. Please continue to post your thoughts on starting a new sorority, the challenges she'd face, the positives, negatives, etc. I asked her to consider APO (as that was my fraternity - co ed), but she really likes the idea of keeping it "theatre/drama" specific. She seems to have great ideas, and the advice I've given her is to put a business plan together and present it to the administration (on her free time).

I look forward to hearing more of your input, since it's you all that are so familiar with this subject, as I am not.

Keep up the hard work!

I'm an APO member too! :) (Ok...now I had to do math and realize that yes, there ARE female members of APO old enough to have college age kids. Yikes I feel old!!) I don't think she should start an APO chapter unless she really wants to be into the service component and that isn't being served on her campus.

As with anything else, the amount of effort a new chapter of any kind of group would take really depends on the members involved.

If she is interested in a theatre group, why not just join or start a club? Especially if she wants to be part of a co-ed organization. Does it need have Greek letters in the name?

I agree with REE. Is there not already some sort of drama or performing arts group on campus with which she can affiliate? Even if she still wants to establish a GLO that's theatre-based later, she could make some good contacts that way and stir up interest with them.

Establishing a chapter of APO or any other service GLO is an entirely different animal. If her heart is in performing before serving, then don't try to force it on her.

Regardless, it sounds like your daughter is still fairly new to college and her campus in particular. She needs to settle in more before trying to start up something new; there still might be a niche she can fit in without having to dig out her own. :)

There are plenty of creative outlets for your daughter. She just has to seek them out. I think that is a much better alternative than burning herself out trying to get other students to work out the ways and means for a possible student organization that doesn't have a faculty adviser or support. There are probably over 100 student organizations at any given college or university, and probably closer to 200.

She can do pageants, join a community theatre group, take an acting class, singing lessons, join a dance studio, the university's homecoming committee, the dance team, a music society like SAI (there are some academic pre-req's), the drill team, or any number of campus activities.

She should go to the Office of Student Activities at her university and talk to them about her interests.

I admire any student who can start a new campus organization, but 9 times out of 10, they fail within the first year, if they even get that far off the ground. Trying to recruit and retain students to become part of a new student activity is like herding cats -- hairy, scratchy and altogether unreliable. I think any student is better served being involved with an existing activity. There are plenty of leadership, mentoring, social and learning opportunities within each-- as well as openness to new and creative ideas, such as adding a theatrical performance component to a service group or incorporating dance into a fitness club.

Additional Info
 

Hi friends,

Thx again for your wonderful input.

My daughter has sought out the only drama club at her college, which seems to be, surprisingly, quite cliquish. She doesn't feel accepted by this group, which apparently is small and tight knit, and they want to keep it that way (kind of like Ryan and Sharpay, if you know what I mean :). The same kids win out the parts up for grabs all the time. At least that's what I am told by my daughter and a friend who also sought out the drama club at their school.

I guess it's like anything you experience when you go to college, a new job, etc. - you're going to find rejection in places you never dreamed of. It's a fact of life.

I think having the two disappointments (turned down by the sorority and encountering an unwelcoming drama group) has just made her stronger, giving her the opportunity to seek out new ideas for social clubs, sororities, etc. I have no idea what she'll end up doing, but she's a smart girl and seems to be serious with this idea of starting a new sorority.

It's in her hands, and all I can do at this point is offer advice based on what I learn on this board. Many thanks to all of you for graciously posting your thoughts and ideas. I'll pass on the link to her.

Is she a freshman? If so, how does she know that the same people "get all the parts"? Maybe the freshman have to prove themselves/gain experience/etc. before landing roles. I imagine one has to audition for roles, so how many can there have been only 2 months into the year?

No offense, but it seems that she is giving up pretty easily. One or two run-ins with a "clique" is not a valiant effort. I also think that maybe you should step back and let her figure out what she wants to do next.

As far as being "serious with this idea of starting a new sorority", I can't help but notice a trend on these boards lately. It seems a lot of people who didn't get "their choice" or any bids want to start their own GLO... it's not an easy task by any means. And fyi, she can always rush again next time around. I am not sure if she didn't get any bid at all, or dropped out sometime during recruitment bc her top choices cut her in earlier rounds, but this might be an opportunity for her to open her mind (if that's the case).

I founded Pi Sigma Alpha on my campus (the chapter, not the entire organization, it's a political science honor fraternity). Basically, my freshman year we had a political science "club", and the next year we decided to take it to the next level with the help of our faculty advisor, who was a Pi Sigma Alpha Alum of another chapter. It was a LOT of work - it was worth it - but a LOT of work, and required a lot of support from the faculty advisor.

I would really encourage your daughter to check out several clubs on campus or establish a chapter of an ALREADY existing group (just not on her campus), such as the drama honors society that was previously mentioned (alpha psi omega) or perhaps a service GLO. A potential problem with a sorority just for drama students is that it will be pulling new members from such a narrow pool. And trust me, new or local groups usually tend to have a hard enough time competing for membership. A new group doesn't want anything to further narrow membership or make it harder to recruit, such as only being open to students of a specific major, etc.

Honestly, that's pretty typical of the theatre crowd. It is tough, but once you break into that circle, you're pretty set. I imagine it's like that, because that's what "real world" theatre is like. If an unknown and Kristin Chenoweth audition for the same part (if she even HAS to audition), and the part is a perky blonde, guess who's going to get it? Fair? No, but that's life. I don't know if this is your daughter's major, or if she's just wanting to do it for fun, but the people in that department ARE in it for the real life experience. They want the competition, and to know that they're the BEST of their university, because the equity theatre world is TOUGH...VERY TOUGH. And if it is her major, then she's going to need to step up the talent and break into the circle, because if she can't do that, she's not going to make it.


Generally, universities audition their whole season at the beginning of the semester. There's studio (directed by grad students), that at my university, typically had 5-8 shows, and Mainstage is the regular theatre that's directed by the faculty. My university had 3-4 shows per semester. Rehearsal schedules overlap, so you can't be in ALL of the shows...but it becomes apparent quickly who always gets the best roles. When you have 12 shows audition, and certain people get booked to the max (and even excepted out of the first rehearsals because they're doing another show, but the director wants them bad enough to let them out of the first rehearsals), it's pretty clear.

Also, if she is a freshman, she may have some "proving" to do. Once her professors see her in class and know her abilities a little better it will be easier for them to cast her. But the system is wonky - casting isn't always based on talent alone :rolleyes:, and as AlphaFrog said, it's TOUGH. I changed my major from drama to English because I just didn't want to play the games you have to play, and I decided I could be perfectly happy doing community theatre as opposed to becoming a professional. I don't know if your daughter is a performer or in the technical aspects, but rejection is a huge part of the life of a performer. She's gonna have to deal with it, or rethink her major. The transition from high school - where she was probably a "star" - to college, where you are just one of many former stars trying to make their way, is tough. She's fortunate to have a mom who cares, and if you continue to support and encourage her I'm sure she will find her way. Good luck to her.