[CutiePie2000]

Originally posted by Nhfulmer
I have never heard of AI's as you all describe them. The Zeta who was initiated at Convention had Zeta connections (her mother) and would be considered an "Honor Initiate".

Some NPCs refer to them as "alumnae initiates", some call them "honor initiates", some call them "special initiates". The nomenclature is virtually the same.

Originally posted by Nhfulmer
She also had never heard of this and the words out of her mouth were (Don't shoot the messenger; this is what she said.) "Why would anyone want to when they could join other worthwhile groups? We are bound from our college years." So you see it is not just me who didn't know what you were talking about.

I do see what you're saying. However, many women do not continue to live in the same cities where they attended college; they move around to different cities, take jobs, etc. and join an alumnae chapter in different cities. Consequently they meet other Alumnae Women who would have pledged the same sorority, but a different chapter. Even though they would be sisters in the same sorority, they would not have bonded with each other during the college years. I do feel that the bonds can occur in the alumnae arena. To further answer your question, "Why would someone want to do this?", I have found my membership in a Panhellenic sisterhood to very valuable, as it's been the bridge through which I have made friends with AOII's, AGDs and of course, other DGs. I've also made friends with several ex-pat AXO's who are formerly of Texas. It's just a nice "bond" to have and from there, our friendships have flourished.

For what it's worth, I *did* want to pledge and initiate in college. However I had a Disastrous Rush (and also here). If you read my story, you will see that Rush does not work out for everyone and it can be quite devastating.

In terms of "other worthwhile groups", I am involved in the Junior League as well.

To answer your question as to how many groups have this policy...here you go:
excerpted from the thread:
My Advice to Prospective Alumnae Initiates

The 26 members of the National Panhellenic Conference:
"Yes, they will under certain circumstances initiate non-collegiate women" or
"No, they do not do this practice"
Where the National websites contain information explicitly addressing alumnae initiation, I have included the link to those webpages.

Alpha Chi Omega - yes

Alpha Delta Pi - yes
IMPORTANT: Alpha Delta Pi does not accept members on their own recommendation. Either three alumnae members, a collegiate chapter, or an alumnae association may choose to approach a woman they know to see if she is interested in alumnae membership. Individuals may not approach the chapters or associations and request that they be proposed for membership. This puts the chapter or association in the awkward position of having to refuse someone if they do not wish to sponsor them. From Alpha Delta Pi's founding, their membership policy has been supportive of this philosophy
http://www.alphadeltapi.org/adelphea...cle4_body.html

Alpha Epsilon Phi - no

Alpha Gamma Delta - yes

Alpha Omicron Pi - yes
http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/conten.../aluminit.html
http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/PDF%20...itiate-F02.pdf With thanks to aopirose for this link....updated on March 16/2003


Alpha Phi - yes
http://www.alphaphi.org/alumnae_info/initiate.html

Alpha Sigma Alpha - yes

Alpha Sigma Tau - yes http://www.alphasigmatau.org/html/al...nitiates.shtml

Alpha Xi Delta - yes

Chi Omega - yes (under specific circumstances)

Delta Delta Delta - yes

Delta Gamma - yes
http://www.deltagamma.org/alumnae_initiates.html
For the Love of DG: Alumnae Initiates - added on March 28/03

Delta Phi Epsilon - yes

Delta Zeta - yes

Gamma Phi Beta - yes
http://www.gammaphibeta.org/services/initiates.html

Kappa Alpha Theta - yes

Kappa Delta - (sort of....under specific circumstances)
Kappa Delta does not have a specific alumnae initiate program although they do, under specific circumstances alumnae initate women. Normally these women are working with one of KD's college chapters as perhaps a faculty advisor or have had contact with an alumnae association who then nominates them for alumnae initiation.)


Kappa Kappa Gamma – Many thanks to KappaKittyCat for this information....
Currently, only alumnae members of a local sorority that has become a chapter of Kappa may be initiated into alumnae membership in the Fraternity.

At Kappa Kappa Gamma's 2002 Convention, a bylaw change was proposed that would allow selective alumnae initiation. The details of this bylaw change can be found in the link which appear immediately following. The proposal was defeated. Instead, a resolution was passed that established a 2-year pilot program allowing four of the chapters with the most need for chapter advisors to initiate women (usually professors or local businesswomen) who were already serving in a mentoring capacity. This would allow them to become full chapter advisors. The results of the pilot program will be presented and the proposed bylaw change reconsidered at the 2004 Convention.

Contact any of the women on the Task Force (contact information provided on the link) for more information about the status of Kappa's alumnae initiation program.
http://64.225.193.138/alum_init_criteria.htm
http://64.225.193.138/alum_init.htm

Phi Mu - yes With thanks to pinkyphimu for this information....

Phi Sigma Sigma - yes

Pi Beta Phi – yes
http://www.pibetaphi.org/pub/focarch2.htm
http://www.pibetaphi.org/alum/alinitiates.htm

Sigma Delta Tau - don't know

Sigma Kappa - yes

Sigma Sigma Sigma - yes

Theta Phi Alpha - yes With thanks to aopirose for this information....updated on March 16/2003
They do initiate alumnae of an absorbed local and also women who have demostrated service to the sorority like a mom or advisor.

Zeta Tau Alpha - yes
"A ZTA alumnae may recommend outstanding women from their communities for membership in ZTA. A four year period must have elapsed between the time she left college and the time she would be initiated. The unanimous vote of National Council is required. It is desirable the woman has attended an institute of higher learning, although not required to be a graduate. She should bring to the membership the attributes hoped for in each new member. Approval of the recommendation is not automatic. If you are interested in becoming an alumnae initiate, it is important to show sincere interest in our organization. Alumnae who do recommend women to become alumna initiates usually do so because the unaffiliated woman becomes involved with a collegiate or alumnae chapter, supports our programs, reflects our values and demonstrated a commitment to lifelong membership. There is a definite relationship formed with the members of ZTA prior to becoming recommended for membership. Women do not generally "seek out" becoming an alumna initiate. It usually happens because the collegiate or alumnae members feel the woman would be an asset to our organization. If you are interested in sorority membership and have no special group attachment, perhaps there are other groups whose programs operates differently than ZTAs. But, if you do have an ongoing relationship with ZTA, you can inform the members that you are interested in becoming an alumna initiate. Again, there are no guarantees they will start the process or that National Council will approve the recommendation. ZTA typically approves under ten women a year for this honor."