Retaining your members after College

Hello DST Greek Chatters

My name is Tracy, and I am a Delta Zeta Alumnae from Frostburg. Hello to any of my DST friends from our campus!

I read a post from Virtual Violet on Greek Life (within the "what is the biggest sorority" that your organization has over 500 active alumnae-type chapters. It's fascinates me to see that your organization was able to instill this kind of post-college type dedication to your sorority that many panhellenic orgs are unable to obtain. My experience in my area (Washington DC) is that DSTs are very proud of their letters, and will regularly wear them or post them on their car, where Panhell sorority sisters seem to feel sheepish when wearing letters after college. It's that "get over it, college is over" type of attitude that I would love to see changed within our Panhell groups.

Without revealing anything that you can't, could you provide me with some of the ideals (or concepts) that your sisterhood has put forth that helps maintain the sorority for life attitude that your group so wonderfully exemplifies?

I have a wonderful alumnae chapter in Northern VA with DZ, but with over 3,000 area DZs here, only 60 belong to the alumnae chapter, and only about 20 of those are very active, although our sorority has always maintained that membership is for life. It's kind of sad and frustrating!

Thank you, and I enjoy all your posts on GC
Tracy

[JJSP01]

In Delta part of our history that you're making a lifetime commitment to the sorority...Delta becomes a way of life, so to speak. Our alumnae chapters have been around for years for collegiate sorors to transition into and for prospective members to pledge. In Delta, we have national programs and projects that are directed by our National Executive Board, so there opportunities to always work for Delta (even after you graduate from college).

By the way, Does your sorority have alumnae intake? Or do you only do intake on the collegiate level?

[12dn94dst]

Part of what makes us comparatively more successful than some NPC groups is that from day one it's made very clear (at least it was to me) that you're expected to join an alumnae chapter upon graduation and if for some reason you can't it needs to be put on your agenda ASAP. We don't just SAY that membership is a lifetime commitment, it's a reality. For most of us, the INITIAL influence to become a Soror was someone who was in an Alumnae chapter: a teacher, principal, next door neighbor, church mother, mentor, etc. The initial image was/is someone who has since graduated from college & possibly had a family and was still very active in Delta. Also, you have the BWOC (Big Women On Capmus) who may have inspired her mom, older sister or even grandmother to pledge on the alumnae level, which is an enormous commitment when you add in a full time job & a full tiem family, even though the idea may have been dismissed as a "college thing."

But really I think the biggest difference is that for us being an Alumnae member is not much different than being a Collegiate member. I've read the phrase "go alum" on Greek Life as if it's either a "punishment" or a "reduction of responsibility" when compared to being a collegiate member. (If this next part sounds familiar, it's cuz I posted this in another thread ) The only real difference between a collegiate chapter & an alumnae chapter is the undergraduates don't have a degree and the alumnae do. The set up is the same on both levels. All chapters on both levels are subject to the same set of rules, regulations & requirements and are expected to be in attendance at the same sets of meetings at the same times.

[dsmmi12]

thanks for the question and the compliment. I think much of the reason why we are able to continue at such a successful rate is due largely to many of the factors that have already been mentioned.

1. Many of the members of Delta become interested in the organization due to an older family/mentor or person of influence. Membership is not acquired due to a rush period that involves "matching" or practices of the such. Therefore, we seek and are not sought.

2. It is Instilled in our brains from the moment you begin to research the organization to the day of initiation that ...membership in the organization is a LIFETIME COMMITTMENT.

3. The very issues that many of the African American organizations fight and develop programs to address, follow us as African American throughout our lives and our communities once we return from school. Should our commitment to justice and the pursuit of such end in college? No. We will face these probelms no matter. So this alone helps maintian the commitment.

4. We have VERY strong National body/Executive Bd. structures that are tied to all aspects of the organization. Believe it or not recalmation and retention are one of our largest challenges. Nevertheless, we have National committees whose job is soley to address and provide programs that will facilitate the transisiton of members.

5. Lastly and this is one of my major reasons for maintaining active membership. When I think of the influence that my founders and organization, had on issues such as the Womens Suffrage Movement, Jim Crow Laws, Civil Rights Movement, Education and literacy in the African American Community I cant help but think of the impact that I too can have on the history of America. These problems were addressed by both the Alumnae and the Collegiate chapters. To be blessed with carrying on a legacy of such an impact on not just the community of my university but on HISTORY of America makes me know that anything this important must be a Lifetime Committment.

Hope that helped

[ladygreek]

Originally posted by dsmmi12

1. Many of the members of Delta become interested in the organization due to an older family/mentor or person of influence. Membership is not acquired due to a rush period that involves "matching" or practices of the such. Therefore, we seek and are not sought.

You do mean that prospective members seek and or not sought--right?

Originally posted by 12dn94dst
The only real difference between a collegiate chapter & an alumnae chapter is the undergraduates don't have a degree and the alumnae do.

I love that! That is absolutely how I feel about being a Delta Zeta sister, but I never heard it put into words before! I listened and heard loud and clear that my DZ membership was for life...that the "new members" learn from the collegians, who learn from the alumnae. I just don't know what many of our other sisters were paying attention to during the time this was being instilled in me.

We also have the same type of programs (offices, committees, etc) where alumnae can be involved after school, and those positions usually are always filled with eager alumnae, but on the alumnae chapter front, I think we have less than 50 chapters nationwide, and only 3-4 chapters have over 100 members. Most are under 50!

I don't know the pecentage exactly, but so many sisters graduate from college and fall off the planet sorority-wise. Sure, they still keep in touch with their chapter friends in most cases, but very few go straight from college into an alumnae chapter, and eventually just forget about it. In the past few years, DZ has created "Alumnae Associations" (chapters tied to the school you pledged at), and has made it easier to create an alumnae chapter so that perhaps sisters that don't live in areas with more than a handful of DZs around can participate. I know our sorority is working on it, and perhaps change takes time, but I think your programming for alumnae sounds great. It should be a "given" that you move from one stage to the next, but maybe our collegians are more worried about the here and now, and not the later. I would like to see that change.

I appreciate everyone taking the time to write back.
Greek Love, Tracy

[DSTilmatic_1913]

Ditto! At Delta's inception, the idea was to create and foster an organization that would/could have an impact in our communityas it relates to Sisterhood, Scholarship, and Service. And as stated before, the need for improvement in these areas do not stop after graduation. These points of emphasis are in and of themselves lifetime commitments to all of as individuals. And as our founders recognized, there is power in numbers.

Originally posted by dsmmi12
thanks for the question and the compliment. I think much of the reason why we are able to continue at such a successful rate is due largely to many of the factors that have already been mentioned.

1. Many of the members of Delta become interested in the organization due to an older family/mentor or person of influence. Membership is not acquired due to a rush period that involves "matching" or practices of the such. Therefore, we seek and are not sought.

2. It is Instilled in our brains from the moment you begin to research the organization to the day of initiation that ...membership in the organization is a LIFETIME COMMITTMENT.

3. The very issues that many of the African American organizations fight and develop programs to address, follow us as African American throughout our lives and our communities once we return from school. Should our commitment to justice and the pursuit of such end in college? No. We will face these probelms no matter. So this alone helps maintian the commitment.

4. We have VERY strong National body/Executive Bd. structures that are tied to all aspects of the organization. Believe it or not recalmation and retention are one of our largest challenges. Nevertheless, we have National committees whose job is soley to address and provide programs that will facilitate the transisiton of members.

5. Lastly and this is one of my major reasons for maintaining active membership. When I think of the influence that my founders and organization, had on issues such as the Womens Suffrage Movement, Jim Crow Laws, Civil Rights Movement, Education and literacy in the African American Community I cant help but think of the impact that I too can have on the history of America. These problems were addressed by both the Alumnae and the Collegiate chapters. To be blessed with carrying on a legacy of such an impact on not just the community of my university but on HISTORY of America makes me know that anything this important must be a Lifetime Committment.

Hope that helped

[mccoyred]

Thank you for your inquiry into this issue. I would just like to point out a couple of items in addiition to those presented by my Sorors.

Our organization takes in as many members on the alumnae level as the collegiate level, if not more. In fact, a number of interests purposely wait to apply on the alumnae level for various reasons.

Also, pertaining to you post below, our alumnae chapters are geographically based and NOT based on your collegiate chapter. Therefore in a typical alumnae chapter, you have members who were made in that chapter, members who were made in collegiate chapters in the area, members who were made in other collegiate chapters who moved to the area AND members made in other alumnae chapters who now reside in the area. In fact some sorors, have affiliated with several alumnae chapters over the course of their Delta life based on where they reside and the communities they desire to serve.

Many cities have more than one chapter; not counting the suburban areas. For example, the Baltimore Metropolitan area where I reside includes about 7 alumnae chapters depending on where you draw the line between Baltimore and DC metro areas. There is so much to do in our communities that often one chapter is not sufficient to carry out the work of Delta.

Originally posted by imadeltaz


I love that! That is absolutely how I feel about being a Delta Zeta sister, but I never heard it put into words before! I listened and heard loud and clear that my DZ membership was for life...that the "new members" learn from the collegians, who learn from the alumnae. I just don't know what many of our other sisters were paying attention to during the time this was being instilled in me.

We also have the same type of programs (offices, committees, etc) where alumnae can be involved after school, and those positions usually are always filled with eager alumnae, but on the alumnae chapter front, I think we have less than 50 chapters nationwide, and only 3-4 chapters have over 100 members. Most are under 50!

I don't know the pecentage exactly, but so many sisters graduate from college and fall off the planet sorority-wise. Sure, they still keep in touch with their chapter friends in most cases, but very few go straight from college into an alumnae chapter, and eventually just forget about it. In the past few years, DZ has created "Alumnae Associations" (chapters tied to the school you pledged at), and has made it easier to create an alumnae chapter so that perhaps sisters that don't live in areas with more than a handful of DZs around can participate. I know our sorority is working on it, and perhaps change takes time, but I think your programming for alumnae sounds great. It should be a "given" that you move from one stage to the next, but maybe our collegians are more worried about the here and now, and not the later. I would like to see that change.

I appreciate everyone taking the time to write back.
Greek Love, Tracy

[Three_Love]

Originally posted by imadeltaz
I have a wonderful alumnae chapter in Northern VA with DZ, but with over 3,000 area DZs here, only 60 belong to the alumnae chapter, and only about 20 of those are very active, although our sorority has always maintained that membership is for life. It's kind of sad and frustrating!

Hi Tracy!

Here comes the ol' stick in the mud...me, LOL. You know Imma have to keep it real tho...

Everything my sorors said is true and nice and lovely, but please don't think that you or your organization are alone in your frustration and sadness with maintaining active membership at the alumnae level.

While yes, we do have many financial sorors, the majority of our sorority members are NOT financial after graduation (let's keep it real sorors). You said that there are over 3000 DZs in your area, but only 60 active - that's like 2%. Sorors, correct me if I'm wrong, but of our membership, we probably have 20% who are financial, if that many. It's much more than 2%, but still pretty dismal if you ask me. If 60% is a passing grade of "D", then we are failing (miserably!!).

So Tracy, you and DZ are not alone...I am struggling to reclaim every inactive Delta that I know personally and encourage each one to join a chapter. In my opinion, it begins with each soror - we can only combat this problem by making it personal and making sure that WE reclaim our inactive sorors.

Yes, membership is a lifetime commitment...but many of our sorors seem to have FORGOTTEN that fact.

Good luck to you Tracy and to your organization.

[dsmmi12]

Soror,

You are absolutely correct about our issues with Reclamation (and I did mention that this was our number one challenge) I think we focus on reclamation alot.

Instead, we need to focus on RETENTION.

If we as an organization could RETAIN every or at least 50% of each soror who pledges at the undergraduate level...you would see a tremendous change in the numbers.


We can reclaim all day but if there is nothing in place to keep them there.........well

[Three_Love]

Originally posted by dsmmi12


Instead, we need to focus on RETENTION.

If we as an organization could RETAIN every or at least 50% of each soror who pledges at the undergraduate level...you would see a tremendous change in the numbers.

We can reclaim all day but if there is nothing in place to keep them there.........well

TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL!!!

You are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT - if we had better retention, we wouldn't NEED reclamation.

[DSTinguished1]

ttt