Chapter V. National/International

[lauralaylin]

When I joined as an undergrad, I couldn't have told you if my organization had two chapters or two thousand. What mattered to me was that I was happy with my sisters. After graduation however, I've really come to care much more about us on an international level. I would like my chapter to do well, but if they weren't I wouldn't be crushed. I'd much rather see us do well as a whole group. I'm not sure how I got to this point though. Maybe after I moved away from my university, I was able to see how much I love my sisters and Alpha Phi in general, not just in RI.

[Drolefille]

I think a big part of it we aren't raised with an expectation of joining a specific group. My mom's an ADPi. She wanted me to go through recruitment but didn't expect me to a) know what group I wanted already and b) join ADPi. I see a lot of NPHC members saying that they'll only support their daughter/son if he or she joins their org.

I certainly took into consideration what our national organization did as a philanthropy. But I didn't really learn any of that until recruitment. I flipped through the national websites once before hand, maybe. However what I really was looking for was the sisterhood. And that is where the chapter was important over the national organization.

I see the differences like this (please correct me if I'm wrong):
NPC-Rush multiple chapters, Join One, Dedicated primarily to your chapter, Graduate, Become active as an alumna for your organization as a whole or become inactive.

NPHC - Persue one chapter, Join one chapter, dedicated on local and national level, graduate, Remain active or become inactive

(Assumption that if you join as a graduate you'll stay active whether NPHC or NPC)

I think we both end up in the same place if that makes sense.

[AGDee]

I think, in most ways, the NPC groups are, on an inter/national level, more similar than different. All of them have the same basic focal points of sisterhood, philanthropy, leadership and scholarship. The specifics of the philanthropy vary, most definitely, but overall, they are more similar than different. Some groups are stronger in the South, some are more numerous in the North. And, the way our recruitment process works, it does encourage women to look at the individual chapter rather than the whole organization.

In Michigan, we have a statewide luncheon for our International Reunion Day (our version of a Founder's Day) and this is generally a young woman's first exposure to other chapters, alumnae from other chapters, etc. The young women often walk away from that with a new sense of a bigger organization than their chapter. When you REALLY see that is when young women attend our leadership conferences or, even moreso, our Convention. Unfortunately, those are usually only the Presidents. They get a big understanding of how big this thing we're in truly is. When we get to the part at Convention where they honor the woman in attendance who has attended the most Conventions, and it is someone who has been to 25, 26, 27 Conventions, you really see their jaws drop. It is also when they meet a lot of volunteers at the higher levels and find out that these are women who love the Fraternity so much that they've dedicated unending hours to it and it inspires them.

Originally Posted by lauralaylin

When I joined as an undergrad, I couldn't have told you if my organization had two chapters or two thousand. What mattered to me was that I was happy with my sisters. After graduation however, I've really come to care much more about us on an international level.

I was the exact opposite -- but then again, that's what happens when your chapter's the only NPC on campus and we're located smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest chapter is a 5 hour flight away.

Whenever rush comes around, the fact that we ARE international is one of our biggest selling points. I knew that the resources the Fraternity could provide me numbered more than that of the ones of the local sororities on campus.

Our span of chapters goes from Hawaii to Nova Scotia...however it wasn't until I attended my first International Convention in 2001 that I was able to witness firsthand the enormity of it all.

And to echo what AGDee said -- I was one of the "jaw-droppers" at Convention when I met Jane Graf for the first time. Conventions just won't be the same without her.

[AGDee]

At the 2004 Convention, I quickly did the math to see if I had a chance to make it to that many Conventions. I won't live that long... (I've only attended 4 so far, San Antonio will be 5 and I don't see living another 40+ years)

[tallgreekalum]

Originally Posted by AGDee

At the 2004 Convention, I quickly did the math to see if I had a chance to make it to that many Conventions. I won't live that long... (I've only attended 4 so far, San Antonio will be 5 and I don't see living another 40+ years)

Aspero dum espero, as the Romans used to say I've been to every convention(annual) since 1981, and I'm only the third most continuous(?) attendee. It's a great time as a social event and an excellent chance to see old friends and make new ones. Our 175th is coming up this year!