I have noticed that many women and men are using the Internet to seek information about sororities and fraternities. Many of my sorors, along with members of other sororities and fraternities, often get emails sent to them requesting information about our particular organizations.
I ALWAYS encourage people to begin their search in their backyard, not the Internet. Get to know members on YOUR campus or in YOUR community. For some this is easy because the local chapter has a very visible local presence. In other cases, it may be more difficult to talk to members or develop close relationships with members--but you should try.
All NINE NPHC organizations have official websites which contain history, programs, committees and officers, media releases, official publications, membership information, etc. These websites are EXCELLENT places to begin if you need information. They are:
www.zpb1920.org www.pbs1914.org www.apa1906.org www.aka1908.com www.kappaalphapsi.com www.omegapsiphifraternity.org www.deltasigmatheta.org www.sgr1922.org www.iotaphitheta.org
Members of these organizations may also be able to direct you to books or local chapter websites for additional information. NOT ALL NPHC organizations have public history books, so talking to active members, observing members of the organization, and going to a chapter's public events are in my opinion the best ways to learn more. It is the way most current members also found the answers to their questions. It is the way most current members made their decisions. Keep in mind that many members were initiated long before history books were made available in local bookstores or before the Internet. While younger members have had the advantage of those tools, they are still secondary to talking to and observing members, and attending public events.
The women and men you see daily, the ones who teach high school math, the ones who tutor in afterschool programs, the ones who render decisions from the bench, the ones who write our laws, the ones who head up church fundraisers, the ones who coach little league baseball, the ones who serve as student body presidents, the ones who are head cheerleaders, football captains or campus queens--these are the men and women who have the keys to the "Greek Kingdom". They are the living legacy. They are the link from the historical past (the one many folks want to read about).
In short, use technology to your advantage, but don't allow it to replace the importance of establishing relationships with members of the organization you wish to join and participating in the public events that are held on campus and in communities.
It is my wish that one day Internet queries about current local programming and national initiatives become as frequent (if not more frequent) than the thousands of queries regarding dues, grade point averages, informational dates, and historical events that happended 66 years ago.