Graduate Students as Collegians

[adpiucf]

BetaRose, I don't think that is entirely fair. NPC is for undergraduate women. The creed even begins, "We, as Undergraduate Members of women's fraternities..." It is understood that sororities joining the NPC follow its bylaws. What is so wrong about a group of organizations formed to support undergraduate students? If you start allowing huge numbers of graduate students and doctoral candidates into the collegiate membership, you will drastically change the culture of that collegiate membership.

My 2 cents is that a graduate student is surrounded by different influences, priorities and pressures than an undergraduate, and is at a different place in her life. Certainly a graduate student still has a need for the friendships one might find in a sorority, but typically, that grad student's priorities are less on the Thursday night social and more on writing a dissertation, balancing a full time job and/or family with school and a considerably more aggressive courseload. A grad student has different needs than an undergrad. ETA I believe NPC recognizes that, and that is why collegiate membership is, for the most, part restricted to undergrads. Graduate students could not be as hugely involved, for the most part, as collegiate members, and it wouldn't be fair to place the same expectations of time on them as on the undergrads. Most graduate students get very close to their classmates and study groups, and that forms the basis for their social circle through those grueling years of graduate work, as well as joining pre-professional societies and organizations. If there is a need for fraternal organizations to support graduate students, I say go for it. If there truly is a need and an interest, it will catch on.

All the NPC sororities offer alumnae components, and their scholarship programs endow undergrads, grad students and those returning to school for continued learning.