Becoming an Advisor while still at college?
 

Depends on the individual. I served as a rush advisor as an undergraduate - I married the summer of my junior year, but wanted to continue to help my chapter even though I had to go alumna. While I would not want an undergraduate as the main advisor, I think they can be a valuable asset to another chapter as a "minor" advisor.

eta - of course, ymmv.

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What kind of advisor would you be? What is your special skill to offer? What makes you any different or more experienced than the collegians at the chapter you're looking to advise?

Sister, I think that joining the AAC of your local chapter would be fine, but being an adviser is nothing like being a collegian. Do you think you have enough experience as an AOII at this point to contribute? Have you joined your local alumnae chapter? Think about what you actually want out of volunteering as an adviser. If you want to hang out with the chapter and replace your chapter, joining the AAC is not appropriate.

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First of all, because of the way you phrased your question, none of us really know the relation you have to this person attempting to become an advisor. Are you at College A, B or C? Are you an active sister or an alumnae member? All of this will determine whether or not you have any kind of a say in what goes on with College C's advisory board.

Anyway, I would be very against her becoming an advisor right now. I'm coming up on my 5th year of membership, and I became the Recruitment Advisor for my chapter a year and a half after graduation. I am still learning new things all the time. I can't imagine being an ADVISOR after less than 2 years as an initiated sister.

That being said, what is the procedure for choosing advisors? I don't know if this is a rule of my sorority nationally, but I know that in my chapter, as the final step in accepting an advisor, the chapter has to vote to allow a person to serve in that role. I would find out what the process is for someone to become an advisor.

Also... is the chapter at College C desperate for advisors? If they aren't, it might not even be an issue.

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ADPi used to have a policy that a member had to be an alum for a minimum number of years (perhaps 4) before they could be an advisor. This was eliminated primarily due to the fact that some chapters desperately needed advisors. Now it is left up to the discretion of the Inatl officer (PD), who appoints all advisors, to determine whether the candidates are qualified.

We have a "5 years out of college" general rule but exceptions may be made. I only approve exceptions in truly extenuating situations, either a past EC officer who demonstrated EXCELLENT leadership skills, especially an ability to rise above chapter drama and make good decisions, or in a geographic region where we have few options. Even when it's an excellent leader, I try to get them placed at a different chapter. The different chapter qualification works here, but the rest doesn't. I wouldn't make an exception in this type of situation. I would encourage involvement in an alumnae chapter and have her help during recruitment to start. I'd also make sure that she knows that, as an advisor, you don't really hang out with the chapter. Once she realizes that advising is mostly about paperwork and business meetings, she may be less motivated.

alphalove, I hope you also posed this question to your CNS! If not, please do so. If you need any help please PM me.

In my experience, I expect it would be extremely difficult for this sister to maintain the objectivity and distance from the current collegians necessary for advising. If there is need for an Administrative position for the AAC perhaps she would be well suited to volunteer in that capacity.

As Zeta13Girl mentioned it would be wonderful if the collegiate chapter extended the courtesy of invitations to philanthropy and community service activities, informal sisterhoods and any other chapter event it would be appropriate for her to attend as a guest.

This. I think it is more the fellowship and sisterhood she is looking for, rather than a burning passion to "advise."

Wow...I must have been half asleep when I read your original post, alphalove! For some reason I thought you were the sister in question! I agree with AOIIalum, follow-up with your CNS and CND. They'll have some insight into this problem. I hate to say that this girl should be blown off since she obviously has a desire to continue her relationship to AOII. If there are no minor roles available on your AAC, then maybe someone covering a minor role could hand over that position to her and take a more important/involved position. I think she'll learn very quickly that being an adviser is not the same as being a collegian. Of course, the ground rules should be laid out in detail to her since obvious things about the difference in adviser/chapter member may not be immediately obvious to her! Good luck, alphalove! What an awkward position!

As a chapter adviser, I specifically looked to fill our advisroy coucil with members that are 5+ years out of undergrad just because there is so much more experience an adviser can bring to a chapter after being out of college and into the "real world" for a few years. Although drama alwasy exists in a women's organization, with age usually comes the ability to minimize and control this drama. I also wouldn't personally trust an adviser under the age of 21, not only because of a perceived lack of experience with risk management issues but because the majority of the chapter would be the same age or older than her (you mentioned she was 19!). I would however appreciate her attending and assisting a chapters advisory council because I am of the opinion that you cannot have too much volunteer support but at this stage in her life, I would probably recommend that she get her feet wet in an alumnae chapter first (plan the socials, run for office, attend national conferences, etc.) before returning to the collegiate level and advising a chapter.

There is a balance somewhere between enthuaism to vounteer and having knowledge/experience to do the job correctly. I believe in this case, she probably is heavy in enthuaism but lacking in experience.