[phisigduchesscv]

Just because she's in her 30's doesn't mean that she won't be an asset to your chapter. I've told this story before as there are many other threads about older PNMs and/or grad students so you might want to do a search on it.

I was 32 (and a grad student) when Phi Sigma Sigma colonized at CSUDH. I work on campus and had stopped by their information booth to get information for girls that were in my program. The woman at the booth asked "what about you", I responded that I was 32 and her response was "so" same response when I said i was a grad student. After talking to her more I thought I'll just go to the informational meetings to see if they really mean it. They did mean it. Next thing I knew I was being offered a bid card and became a founding member and the sisterhood development chair for the sorority. The next year I was the president of my chapter. I don't regret it for a moment - I believe in what we say - Once A Phi Sigma Sigma, Always a Phi Sigma Sigma. In fact, I just became an alum this past May and now am on the National Programming Team and am working on getting an Alum chapter started for Los Angeles. As someone else posted, we tend to forget that a sorority isn't just 4 years of college but is for life!!

The age difference didn't matter to me or the younger women - heck most of them were closer in age to me then my blood sister is - their the age of my nephew. I didnt go to any of the parties, but there are 18 year old sisters who don't go to parties so what is the difference. I did go to the official socials there and the guys didn't seem to mind either and seemed to like the fact that fraternities aren't the Greeks who will take "older" new members. I was an active participant in the chapter and also have made some lifelong friends among the "young" crowd. Some of us go shopping together, movies, dinners, etc. We don't really notice the difference in our ages

As for worrying about her not having the time to do the recruitment, let her be the judge of that. Only she knows what her time commitments are - that is one advantage of being "older" we have really learned how to juggle our life so that we have time to do what we really want. If she didn't have the time to commit to the sorority I'm fairly certain she wouldn't have put herself through all of the process to try to join.

I hope you will really give her a chance and not cut her just because of her age. you might just be surprised by what a great sister she will make. let us know what happens please.

Carolyn

p.s. This past year in my chapter there were 3 of us that were around 36, a sister was 40, and we initiated a 48 year old woman in the Spring. The "Rocking Chair Club" as we called ourselves were all very active with the chapter and have developed great friendships with sisters of all ages in the chapter.