To My SoRHOrs and Friends of Sigma:
Do your letters work for you? The reason I ask is because I have heard many people say that they put their affiliation on a resume' and it helped them get a job. For me, the answer is no. Here's why:
I am in graduate school working towards a PhD degree in the life sciences. So, needless to say, I've been around scientists for a good while, even during my undergrad days when I pledged. As an undergrad, my biochem major peers were not to offended by my letters, mostly because alot of us were greek so we all 'understood' each other. They went to med school and I am in graduate school.
As I have progressed up the research ladder, I have found more and more people not accustomed to the nuances of greek life. Alot of people in research science are foreigners and they view greek life as a quirky American thing like cheerleading and bungie-jumping for a free t-shirt. So when I do wear a Sigma shirt or sweater to the lab they give me a puzzled look and say, 'Sigma Gamma, hey, what does the P stand for ?'(read pee, no pun intended). Then I have to explain that it is a sorority and what greek life is all about. They still walk away puzzled.
Or, I encounter the opposite. For the few Americans that are in research science and are familiar with greek life, they have a very negative view of greeks. My scenario usually goes like this: Come to lab mostly in regular clothes, jeans and t-shirt/shorts and t-shirt. Note: lab attire is usually very casual to 'soap, what is soap?'. When I do show up to lab in pari, they ask 'YOU are in a sorority? WHY???' Why is this shocking? Mostly because scientists are not well known for having a life outside the lab, and being greek implies that: 1. you have a great personality, 2. people like you outside of the lab and 3. that you have a life outside the lab. All these are frowned on in science, especially by faculty.
There is a member of Chi Omega who works in a lab down the hall from me and she has come to the same conclusion to not tell many people she is greek. She has encountered the same attitude on her journey up the science ladder.
But, despite the puzzled looks and verbal scolding I still wear my pari to lab proudly!!
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