What do you want to see from your old chapters?

PinkSigma3 · #1 08-05-2005, 12:52 PM

My chapter lost touch with many of alum over the year and my pledge class has made it our goal to regain contact with our alumnae bc we feel that they are a very important link to us. We want to see what TriSigma has been over the years.
What do you all as alumnae want to see from your chapters?

We are definitely trying to regain contact through mail...invitations to Homecoming of course...I wanted them to come to formal rush but i feel like there's not enough time. What else? Founder's Day? Invites to Date parties? Tea? Etc.

aephi alum · #2 08-05-2005, 01:39 PM

A newsletter would be nice... *hint to anyone from my chapter who may be lurking*

My chapter hosted a nice reunion weekend last fall. That was fun, even though only one of the other alums there was an active when I was. I got to tell stories from "back in the day"

flirt5721 · #3 08-05-2005, 01:53 PM

Well I'm not an alum but my chapter has done a great job contacting our alum this past year. We had an Alumni Appreciation Weekend (which was during the same weekend as Greek Week Olympics), we invite them to Formal, date parties or whatever, and we have an alumni listserve to send messages to them, also our Alumni Chair assigned one or two Alumni to each of the girls and we are to email them and tell them what is going on with the chapter.

TxGirl · #4 08-05-2005, 02:55 PM

One of the best ways that the chapter can keep in touch with alumnae is via email. My chapter is great about this. They use evites for things like recruitment events, alum brunch etc. Takes someone with a little techical savy, but it's a skill that will carryover into "real" life.

Lindz928 · #5 08-05-2005, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PinkSigma3
I wanted them to come to formal rush but i feel like there's not enough time.

My old chapter does this as a great way to show the chapter to alum during rush.... The Saturday between work week and rush, they host an alumni day.

The alumni all come back and are "rushed" by the chapter (so they can practice their entrance and exit), then the actives perform the skit for skit day and the preference ceremony, treating the alums like PNMs.

This may not work if your campus has a less structured or informal rush, but when I was in the chapter, I found it a great way to invite the alumni back to see how we were doing with their old chapter.

This is the first year that I will be going back on this day as an alum so I am SO excited!!!

DolphinChicaDDD · #6 08-05-2005, 06:45 PM

I would just like the know whats going on. We hear nothing. grumble grumble...If it weren't for my pledge sisters there wouldn't be a sorority...grumble grumble.

I like the idea of a newsletter. It doesn't even have to be mailed to everyone, to save postage/printing costs it can be done via an email attachment.
I also like the idea of having an Alumnae Tea or weekend or something, just so that old members can come back and see what is going on with the chapter (as a side note, make sure current memebers are there. I had a friend who drove 8 hours for her Alum weekend and she said about 10 current members were there out of 40).
How the chapter did for things like Recruitment and Greek Week. I had to pratically stalk sisters to figure out how everything went. Just a short email like, "Hi Alum: We reached quota (20) and have great new members." Maybe throw their names in it with family affiliations. I'd love to know if I had a great great great grand little or something; maybe I'd even send her a present or something.

Thats all I can think of off the top of my head.

PinkSigma3 · #7 08-05-2005, 10:33 PM

Thank you guys for all the answers! Keep the ideas flowing

KSUViolet06 · #8 08-05-2005, 10:45 PM

We have an alumnae listserve and whenever anything happens around my chapter or there's an event they're invited to, they get an e-mail.

honeychile · #9 08-05-2005, 10:59 PM

Even an email newsletter is better than silence!!

Also, you'll find that many alumnae WANT to help out during Recruitment, but
1) Are told the dates too late to get a sitter/make plans.
2) Aren't told what to wear (who wants to wear a black dress when the chapter is wearing shorts & t-shirts?).
3) They feel that all the chapter really wants is money, not them!
4) They are ignored when they do show up.

My chapter is getting better at this; we'll get a Wish List about a month prior to Recruitment, along with dates/themes. Now, to get them to update the Wish List so 20 people don't buy the same thing...!

TxGirl · #10 08-06-2005, 12:29 PM

The wish list is a great idea. I have found that you are more likely to get a specific something than for someone to give cash. My chapter sends out a wish list as well and asks that you call the person in charge of it to "rsvp" you donation. That way they don't get 100 strands of white Christmas lights and no one gives any balloons.

TxGirl · #11 08-06-2005, 12:32 PM

Remember too, that it is our responsibility as alums to make sure that our address is up to date with our GLO on a national and a chapter level.

I've had many an alum complain that they didn't know about recruitment/didn't get a newsletter. Well gee - that's because it was returned to us as unforwardable! Sorry, it's a pet peeve of mine. Think of all the money wasted on the 50-60 newsletters that come back each year b/c someone doesn't update their address.

AGDLynn · #12 08-06-2005, 12:48 PM

What a timely issue!!!

As a chapter advisor and someone who has been a part of different alumnae chapters, it is definitely a 2 way street.

The collegiate chapter has to keep the alumnae informed so she/he can come/donate by mail/feel a part, etc. but the alumnae also has to do her/his part by telling the chapter, either directly or though the IHQ website, where she/he is and when contact info changes!!

Don't forget, the chapter can't mention what you are up to if they don't know!

Sister Havana · #13 08-07-2005, 07:48 PM

This is a great thread.

I'd love to see some sort of newsletter, whether it's an alumni newsletter or copies of the Muse (our chapter newsletter). I'd like to be on the email list...I used to be, but when I changed email accounts and updated my address on the site, I got dropped. (I did check that I wanted to be on the email list). I'd like to know about major events coming up. Last year was my chapter's 75th anniversary, yet I had no idea anything was going on for it until another alum from my chapter happened to join GC and mention it in her intro on the APO board! (By that time it was too late for me to arrange to go down) There was nothing at all about it on the chapter website (and I do check it every so often).

I would like to see some sort of alumni event happen. Even though many of us do live out of the area, we can travel...

Munchkin03 · #14 08-07-2005, 08:49 PM

I'd like to hear more in general--and not just begging for money. It's not so great to be a relatively recent alumna who only gets info from the chapter unless they want money. They still OWE me money.

AOIIalum · #15 08-08-2005, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Munchkin03
I'd like to hear more in general--and not just begging for money.

Agreed. I'd love to hear ANYTHING from my collegiate chapter, and probably wouldn't be offended if they asked me for cash either. I don't know if they do e-newsletters or snail mail ones or anything, but at least they do have a current website. I was fortunate enough to meet their President at our Convention so at least I have a name and contact info now. Thank heavens for a couple of wonderful alumnae who do try to keep me informed!