Joining Another Organization
 

I recently crossed a business fraternity. I am an African American female. As soon as I started wearing my letters, people (some greek some not) have been talking about me saying I am a sell out or teasing me about it saying it is not a real GLO. For those who do not know Delta Sigma Pi is a Professional Business Fraternity organized to foster the study of business in universities.

Things People have said to me

"You keep wearing your jacket like those letters mean something"
"Why would you join that, you couldn't get into a NPHC org"
"Yall the next NU PHI PSI"
"Yall get wood"


Now I am not ashamed of my organization in any way shape or form I just want to know if it is an issue for you and if so why? If I tried to pledge a NPHC would you hold this against me?

I would hope instead of laughing and down playing me, you would be proud of me trying to better myself and advance myself in my career Especially this early in my college career. I stepped outside of my box and comfort zone by pledging was not easy. I am just disappointed that my own people are down playing and talking about me instead of uplifting and congratulating me.

If this is really true:
I guess I'd have to wonder why ask this:
Having a chip on your shoulder will serve as an invitation to even more of the unwanted feedback that you have already been receiving. If you love your org, by all means, participate and take pride in your membership.

But lemme answer your question with a question: You stated you "pledged", "crossed", have a jacket, paddle, and endured a process that wasn't easy . . .so is this what you're repping on campus? If so, then there's no reason to get mad at "your people" for not celebrating your career development and professional advancement if you aren't even placing your emphasis on those things in the first place.

I don't understand why pledged and crossed are in quotes.

yeah, me neither

Members of professional fraternities/sororities are not prohibited from joining a NPHC org. The only problem I see from what you stated is if you over-hype your current affiliation, a NPHC org. might question your lifetime commitment to it.

"But lemme answer your question with a question: You stated you "pledged", "crossed", have a jacket, paddle, and endured a process that wasn't easy . . .so is this what you're repping on campus? If so, then there's no reason to get mad at "your people" for not celebrating your career development and professional advancement if you aren't even placing your emphasis on those things in the first place."

I am not mad by any means I am disappointed. When my paddle was seen I was in the student center waiting for a meeting in which I would present my paddle to my bigs and my ed. And why would I not were my jacket? I had just crossed. People on my campus know that DSP is a business fraternity. You can ask me any question or make any comment, but if you choose to let those be negative then you are trying to downplay me. I have not been asked what does your GLO represent I have been asked Are you trying to make up for not being in a black organization.

And yes I did Pledge and for 9 weeks
And yes I did Cross
Yes I did receive a jacket
And no it wasn't easy

People try to down play me like I just had a walk in the park and picked flowers and berries on my way through.

If you ask me what is Delta Sigma Pi I will tell you that it is a professional fraternity organized to foster the study of business in universities; We encourage scholarship, social activity, and the association of student for their mutual advancement by research and practice

But nobody has asked. They are too concerned about trying to talk about me.

So what are you talking about when you say is this what you are representing on campus

With all that said you still did not answer my question. I asked
1. How do you feel about it
2. In YOUR eyes would you hold that against me if I wanted to pledge A NPHC org

it really doesnt matter what WE feel about it - none of us are members of your undergraduate NPHC chapters so we've got no sayso.

would i hold it against you? i mean you do you. but you also dont know me from a can of paint. of course i do question your discretion. and really, if you are looking for others to validate YOUR letters you SAY you worked hard for, then i would also question that. no NPHC is going to validate you, not my organization at least. lets say the chapter you are interested in DOES hold this against you, then what? you denounce your letters? swear that the organization you pledged so hard for and earned means nada?

i find a huge disconnect between what youre telling us and showing us. in one e-breathe you a. spit me some textbook "XYZ is an organization that..." and b. swear up and down to me your process was no cakewalk.

I'm not greek yet, but I do think you're a sell out.

Thanks for invalidating the second part of your response to her question with the first part.

It really shouldn't matter what anyone says because people always talk about people. It's part of Greek life and life in general. Get over it. Just continue to do your thing and be positive on your campus.

The only thing left for you is not to use this GLO affiliation as a substitute for a D9 affiliation. If you're already on your campus strolling, chanting, and stepping in the name of your business GLO, then I wouldn't take you seriously either. (I didn't say you were doing that, but that wouldn't be a positive to anyone.)

You know, those were actually for emphasis - although after re-reading it, it does come off like the in-person, finger air-quote mockery. tld221 did a much better job of summing up what I intended to get across in the last section of her reply.

This is part of the problem (which I admit, I may have mistakely encouraged with the quotes):
I think that folks are way too busy being pressed and seeking validation for their process (and that goes for plenty in NPHC orgs too, but I digress . . .)

Anyhoo, DSPi: I didn't ask if you actually owned or did any of those things. My question was "Where are you placing your emphasis?" You are frustrated that others are focusing NPHC similarities instead of the fraternity's purpose - but if you are putting all of your energy into defending para and a process, then you seem to be serving as your own distraction.

^^^ Gotcha.

Although I sympathize with the original poster's frustrations, I can't say that it's happened to me (I pledged APO and wore para, etc -- no problems) and several of my friends pledged a foreign service fraternity. I've also seen DSP, AKPsi, and Phi Sigma Pi on other campuses. It really just all depends.

Also, I think that African Americans who pledge these organizations tend to introduce our own flair into them. And it's okay to have soul. But you also have to be wise about it. If you're the only one in your chapter wearing a jacket, then maybe you want to tone it down a little, just to reflect the values of your chapter more closely AND to recognize that the NPHC members on your campus would question it.

If you don't care, that's fine too, because it's all rather trivial. But remember that you have to be selected to be a member of an NPHC organization -- it's a lot more about the intangibles than it is merit.

I want to know why a business or other professional organization has a 'process' where you 'pledge'? I have never been in one, although I am considering joining a business/entreprenure-focused org because of my career direction. I will probably join NBMBAA or NAWBO or something like that but I don't understand why a FRATERNITY?

*shrugs* maybe its jut me....

Why a sorority? Why not a service club?

If you ask me about it I will tell you about it. The conversation never goes "what is that org" and I reply with a "man this was so hard"




If you ask me what DSP is I will tell you but when you already know what it is and all you do laugh and all you do is disrespect me for wearing my jacket, thats just mean. I honestly guess that really is just life.

I just trying to further myself in life and just grow as a person, I should say this.Some do actually show real interest. Not everybody acts that way towards me but most do.



I would just take it for what it is, if the interested organization chapter would hold it against me and I would try in Grad. But I will never denounce my letters

But thank you all for your feedback

As I was pledging I asked the same thing.
The girl replied with "Because this is a fraternity, we do what any other fraternity would do. If you have a problem or don't like it you night want to join AMA or CBA which are just organizations"