Thank you so much for your responses. I was planning to write more, but this weekend I was installed as Alumnae Chapter President for my area for the next 2 years, so I was a little busy.
And yes, if you know your mascots then you know I'm an Alpha Gam. <3
I think it's valuable to know that in Alpha Gamma Delta our Alumnae Initiates are true members, not honorary members. We even have had a very effective International President who was an AI. Meeting her was a definite thrill!
My initiation took place at our international convention, which was amazing! Many of our AI women are the mothers of collegiate Sisters, but the year I was initiated we had:
*the mother of an Alpha Gam
*the sister of an Alpha Gam
*the daughter of an Alpha Gam (me)
*a woman who had pledged Alpha Gam in college but never initiated
*a woman who was a coworker of an Alpha Gam who was drawn to our Sisterhood
It was a great representation of who joins after college age, and a heady moment. All those amazing alums who had been my friends for 8 years (HS + college) traveled to convention to celebrate with me. So touching!
I continued as a member of that alumnae club for 7 years. I volunteered in lots of different spots and traveled to the nearest collegiate Chapter to help with recruitment and support. I got to see another Chapter installed in our state. My alumnae Sisters celebrated my engagement with our pinning song, and came to celebrate my wedding. My only attendant/maid of honor is an Alpha Gam. When my daughter was born early and in the NICU my Sisters organized dinners for us, and bought preemie clothes and brought them to the hospital all laundered because nothing we had would fit her. Every place I've lived I have looked for Alpha Gams and joined the alumnae groups nearest me. I'm currently active in a Chapter where I've been serving in whatever capacity was needed for the past 11 years, and the women I have met through this Sisterhood enrich my days. I hope we can help more collegiate women lean in to that understanding of lifelong Sisterhood so that they can truly say "it's not 4 years, it's for life."
I've been bringing my daughter to events since she was born. At the beginning it was a child-care issue - I couldn't be there if she couldn't come. But more and more she WANTED to come, and so I'm hoping that as she's watched from the sidelines she's a little better prepared for what recruitment will be like for her in 2 years. She may not choose to join an organization at all, but it won't be that she's not offered a spot because her clothes are frumpy and she can't make conversation, that's for darn sure. Whatever HER path turns out to be is fine (but my fingers are crossed, lol).
I love having that extra bond with my mom, who is also my Sister-Mother. It's been an honor to live the Purpose the best I can, and I'm really looking forward to what the next days will bring. Thanks for reading!