Interesting Motive
 

During this past RUSH one of the guest at the pref party told us that her mother wanted her to go to one of the houses because she though that it would look better on her resume. Apparently the woman was interested in Medicine and the mother thought that the other house was more nationally known (though they are only national, and we are internation... go figure).

Would you say that your glo would look better on a resume over another?

An example... Emily Helen Butterfield is nationally known for her architecture. So I could make an argument for being AGD if you wanted to be an architect. It is a stretch but... or Since our international philanthropy is Juv. Diabetes and you were wanting to cure this illness, I would say that AGD would be the place for you... but really what does it matter?

Give me your thoughts...

I think you make a very good point but the way I have always seen it, is that being apart of any Glo would look good on a resume' . I thought it was more about the fact you have leadership skills, communication skills, responsibility, etc. But then again I have never looked at it from that perspective. Someone who is very interested in your philanthropy might be more drawn to that Glo. I guess it just depends on the person!!! But very good point...it gives us something to consider during Rush.

I think it very much depends on the attitude/knowledge of the person who is reading the resume! Most of the people I work with would say "She was in a sorority geez, we don't want her". If it were me, I'd see as "Great, she probably leadership and communication skills!".

Dee

I'm always working to change those other attitudes!

Re: Interesting Motive
 

I personally think that this is petty, and small minded of the mother... lousy advice. Too bad she didn't put her daughter's happiness first and tell her to pledge whatever organization made her feel the most welcome and at home.

Not everything in life needs to be done with an eye towards "success" and climbing the ladder, whether that be corporate or social. That's not what GLO membership is (or should be) about.

Let's hope the daughter has more sense than the mother.

How many PNMs actually know where they will end up in life.
Some sororities mean a lot to local people and nothing once you step past the state or county line.
Likewise, pockets of strength for ALL GLOs exist all over the map. It's nice to consider the possibility of an alum assoc. being available, but stick to the old standard-go where you feel the most at home.

Re: Re: Interesting Motive
 

I agree. Also, I'd love to hear where her mom got this notion.

i think it also depends on how you choose to put it on your resume. i don't think that you should join a GLO because you want to be a doctor and some famous doctors were in the organization. but if there's a house on your campus that has a focus on the some sort of skill that might be useful for pursuing a career in medicine, by all means, go for that house, and then make sure those skills learned are outlines on your resume.

if you're going to join just for the perks, then don't- that's my opinion

Re: Interesting Motive
 

Aren't all the NPCs international ??

Re: Re: Interesting Motive
 

No, not all of the NPC groups have chapters in Canada or outside the US. We don't. (although that would be very cool)

Re: Re: Re: Interesting Motive
 

While I agree it would be cool (KD is also national), I'm guessing that it's a bigger task than it seems. You'd have to deal with Canadian laws (or whatever country), taxes, culture differences,etc. Even sending a chapter consultant to colonize who'd be there for a full semester- would have to get a Visa or whatever. Props to those groups that do have chapters outside the US, but I'm not too upset that KD doesn't have any. Seems like it would eat a lot of resources.

/hijack

This is an excellent topic! Finally, something worthy to comment on in GC! ;)

Sooo many times, PNMs have said "I want to be a Tri Delt because I just LOVE Katie Couric and I want to be a reporter just like her!" And so they focus on joining Tri Delt.

I don't think there's anything wrong with having a role model who is in a certain sorority, and then trying to become a member.

I think, in your mind, you have a picture of what the sorority is like - or how it is looked at in the real world. But once you get in...and have been in for many years, you realize that everyone has members in one outstanding field or another.

BTW, there are a lot of PNMs who, as freshmen, think they're going to be doctors...and then end up majoring in something else.. ;)

When I told my mother who is an attorney that I was pledge Delta Phi Epsilon, she asked if it were a pre-law sorority. I told her it was an international sorority that was founded at NYU Law School. If I recall correctly, she could tell it was law related because delta is an abbreviation for defendant and phi is plantiff. Lawyers or law students can correct me if I am mistaken. She thought that it was great that DPhiE was founded by law students from NYU. It was rare for women to go to law school in 1917.

Anyway my mother didn't push me in any direction regarding rush. She didn't know anything about sororities or pledging before I did it.

Hmm, I always used "Pi" as the abbreviation for Plaintiff, but I have been wrong before and I'm sure it will happen again. ;)

Either way, I think its awesome that D Phi E was founded at a law school! I believe thats unique among all NPCs.

Back to the original topic of this thread.

I can see where the mother is coming from.

I think everyone here would agree that greek membership is a good thing, and we can readily recognize which groups are what, but what about the non-greeks out there?

I don't think it is so much about joining a sorority, as it is how many people are likely to have heard about and recognize what it is/was. It's not a matter by any means in terms of one group being better for a certain type of career.

For example, and this isn't meant to offend anyone, Chi Omega and Tri Delt are two of the larger inter/national sororities. Chi O is the biggest in number of chapters and members by my sources. Tri Delt is also very large and has a number of prominent alums who continue to announce their affiliation (Katie Couric being one great example). Compared to Theta Phi Alpha the smallest of the NPC sororities, the name reconition amongst non-greeks is far less than those other two organizations. Even me who's been on GC for 2.5 years might do a double take if I saw Theta Phi Alpha on a resume.

Another example that isn't sorority related but was a decision I just had to make: There are two senior honoraries at Nebraska, one is Mortar Board, and the other is the Innocents Society. Mortar Board is a national organization, Innocents is only at Nebraska. I had to choose which one I preferred membership in if selected to both. Obviously Mortar Board is more nationally known than Innocents, and b/c I am not likely to stay in Nebraska the rest of my life, I contemplated preffing MB simply b/c it is more nationally recognized, and I wouldnt' have future employers dismiss the prestige of the Innocents simply b/c they did not know what it was. I think it's a similar idea this mother was having. In the end I preffed Innocents b/c it was just what I wanted more, regardless of what it meant down the line.