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When I mention that I am in a sorority (usually along the lines of "I'm going to Nashville this summer for a sorority conference" or "One of my best friends, who is also a sorority sister, . . . .") most people ask where I went to school. This leads usually to the list of schools that I received degrees from (or did most of the degree work) - but I also point out that I was initiated at Michigan State which is NOT in the list of schools I attended. Sometimes the conversation leads into me explaining Alumna Initiation and my story of how I WAS an XYZ which was a local (it no longer exists and upon my initiation into AOII I had relinquished my ties to XYZ - so 'was' is accurate in that statement), etc.
In my neck of the woods, it is easy for people to say they 'were' such and such because they have not been involved in MANY years (closest collegiate chapter is 3 hours from where I live and closest alumnae chapters are 2-4 hours away!). If I meet and older AOII I usually get really excited whether they use 'was' or 'are'! The statement is usually phrased as "I was an AOII at UW-ABC" which is a bit more specific.
Sarah
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