Quote:
Originally Posted by rhoyaltempest
I don't understand that whole thing either. It really depends on the type of organization this woman is trying to join. Among the NPHC, alumnae initiation (although we don't refer to it as "AI," just alumnae or grad) is encouraged and supported. While the interested persons might be more carefully selected for membership, there is nothing weird or odd about joining an NPHC org at the alumnae level. In fact Alumnae chapters (which include undergrad and grad initiates) are highly valued so much so that new undergrad chapters cannot be chartered unless there is an alumnae chapter close by to advise them. So it's important for the alumnae chapters to increase in membership. Ultimately it's the alumnae chapters that manage the business of the organizations at the local level.
So my advice...if she's interested in an NPHC org and she's 40 years old, I would suggest that she do her research and pursue membership at the grad level once she has achieved her bachelor's degree unless she can tolerate being around a bunch of young'uns all the time. I'm in an alumnae chapter (inducted as an undergrad) and we advise 5 undergrad chapters and we are very close to them. I love them dearly but I can't imagine being around them 24/7 now that I'm 30+.
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Rhoyaltempest,
I don't know how many people are for or against AI. I've not taken a formal poll...what I do know is that I can liken a lot of what we (NPC members) have seen on GC is a lot of sorority shoppers as well as those who sought membership as undergrads, were denied for whatever reason, but yet still grasp the dream of being a member of ANY organization that will take them...so they seek out information on several groups at once and see who bites on the line (so to speak). I can gather from my reading of NPHC boards/posts that the same type of behaviour (i.e. expressing interest in multiple NPHC orgs) seems to be highly discouraged if not down right looked very poorly upon.
I feel the same way, and I will admit it openly. Does that mean I am anti AI? Not all all, I think there are many wonderful women who are now AOIIs that came in through Alumnae Initiation. Some people here on GC, and some in the past who have departed to other message boards seemed to push the idea on anyone who couldn't get in during "normal" recruitment, or those who just said they were interested. A lot of the NPC members (even AIs) have gotten tired of the questions about membership that way...because some were saying it was super easy to do...which for the most part it's not.
I can say that my organization is much like yours in that if there is not the alumnae support from a local alum group or several it does not seem like we would even consider colonization at that college or university.
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