"Why Did You Decide to Join ...That?"

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by RozRochelle

I could have been, and still can, if that's what I wanted to do.

The glass is always half full.

[RozRochelle]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

Our organizations aren't missing out when people's enthusiasm and willingness wane for whatever reasons. They either come back around when they are a willing and able undergraduate or graduate, or they don't.

I think that's a very uncaring attitude.

While it's a good thing that your sorority exists, your marketing technique should place more emphasis on the qualities of your organization and less on the perceived "inadequacies" of other organizations for the nontraditional student.

Where did I say that other orgs were inadequate? Where did I mention anything about a marketing technique? I didn't. But, I do have one and it's not the one you have tried to tell me it is. I also don't have to promote my sorority by downing the others. Every org isn't for everybody. Whoever my org is supposed to have, it will have. You have made some assumptions, and read some things - that are not there - into what I've written.

And your eagerness to accept women who WISH they could join an NPHC organization but just don't want to wait for alumnae chapter is interesting. This is why there are some organizations that will always play the background and they are content with that.

You're making assumptions again. My target audience is not women who wish they could join NPHC orgs but don't want to wait for alumnae chapter. However, if a woman who wanted to join a NPHC org, but didn't for whatever reason, expresses genuine interest in my org, she'll be accepted as long as she meets our membership criteria.

The whole point of what I originally posted is that I don't think they should HAVE to wait. There are many women out there who want to belong to a sorority who are open-minded and not enamored with the NPHC ones.

As far as playing the background goes, that's elitist BS. Theta Gamma Pi is what it is, and I've never tried to hype it up as being more than what it is. I saw a need, and I hope this org will help fill the need. End of story. If QGPi becomes a large national sorority, great. If it becomes a small national sorority, great. If it becomes a regional sorority, great. Recognition from other GLOs, while welcome, is not necessary.

As long as the sorority fulfills its mission to the best of its ability, it is a success.

I agree with you there. But is your organization the real thing? If not, these women aren't getting the real thing by not pursuing an NPHC sorority and they are settling for a knockoff that fits their schedule.

Again, you are making assumptions. My org's goal is not to try to dissuade women from pursuing NPHC membership. I have nothing against NPHC membership. QGPi is simply another available option for those who would like to pursue it. That "knockoff" comment and other rigid, elitist beliefs like it is one of the reasons why non-NPHC orgs are growing so rapidly. Keep it up, you're only helping us.

But they can always change their mind after they join your organization and join an NPC or NPHC sorority. There's always hope.

And vice-versa.

[RedefinedDiva]

Originally Posted by RozRochelle

That affiliate thing is not the real thing. Only the real thing is the real thing, LOL. That's like when I had to quit law school due to Lupus, and was dealing with the loss of that dream, people would tell me to become a paralegal. It's NOT the same thing.

While becoming a paralegal is no replacement for being an attorney, if becoming an attorney is in your heart, you will complete your coursework in order to attain your degree. Thus, it is the same with joining a sorority. As it has been stated previously, if something is TRULY in your heart, you will see it through, regardless of how long it takes.

I, like many others, waited for my time came. Though it may have taken longer than the time spent in my undergraduate institution, the goal was achieved. For someone to say that they "don't have time to wait" or "might lose interest over time" or some other bogus excuse along those lines, shows that they just want to belong to something. THOSE are the people that often give newer orgs. a bad name. If your org. is truly filling a void or reaching out to an "untapped market," more power to you. However, to state that you were founded to give women who don't want to wait an option, you've basically pegging yourself as a "backup plan" org.

What happens with your members when their interest "reappears" or an opportunity to join presents itself to them?

[RozRochelle]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

I thought her sorority was a good idea, too.

Reading along, it seems as though she may be a disgruntled NPHC hopeful. Will she find herself at an NPHC alumnae chapter sometime? Maybe.

I am not a disgruntled NPHC hopeful. I never tried to join. However, I did notice that part-time and online non-trads had no options, other than waiting for grad chapter. I thought they should have the same opportunity, as undergrads, as full-time campus-based non-trad undergrads had.

Seeing as how my sorority is not an NPC or NPHC org, and has no plans to pursue membership in either in the future, membership in an alumnae chapter is not an impossibility. I don't see how I can give 100% to two organizations, but I have learned (the hard way) to never say never. I'll just say it's unlikely.

[PrettyBoy]

Just curious, how old is your organization?

[L.O.C.K.]

Yea, age is huge.

Maybe I am just cynical, but when you are 100 years old (or almost) and have 10s of thousands of members, its a LOT easier to be picky about membership.

While I like the fact that NPHC orgs are highly selective, it's VERY difficult for a younger org to do the same thing because they will have no members. And without people, you can't do your programs.

For us, it's incredibly hard to dispell the stereotypes of "frat" life to kids. Many are the children of immigrants who want their kids to go to school to study and that is it. This is why our marketing is SOOO important. At the same time, when filling a niche or something, you can't be like "we're better than them" because it just shows your own insecurities and in my opinion, can be a major turnoff.

[PrettyBoy]

L.O.C.K. How does your organization get members to join, with it being a fairly young organization?

[RozRochelle]

Originally Posted by RedefinedDiva

While becoming a paralegal is no replacement for being an attorney, if becoming an attorney is in your heart, you will complete your coursework in order to attain your degree. Thus, it is the same with joining a sorority. As it has been stated previously, if something is TRULY in your heart, you will see it through, regardless of how long it takes.

I, like many others, waited for my time came. Though it may have taken longer than the time spent in my undergraduate institution, the goal was achieved. For someone to say that they "don't have time to wait" or "might lose interest over time" or some other bogus excuse along those lines, shows that they just want to belong to something. THOSE are the people that often give newer orgs. a bad name. If your org. is truly filling a void or reaching out to an "untapped market," more power to you. However, to state that you were founded to give women who don't want to wait an option, you've basically pegging yourself as a "backup plan" org.

What happens with your members when their interest "reappears" or an opportunity to join presents itself to them?

Thanks for your response. I've already addressed your points in prior answers to other responses. As far as becoming an attorney goes, thanks for the encouragement. It really is in my heart, but it's not happening because I'm not willing to die for it. And I mean "die" in the most literal sense, and I'm not exaggerating, either. So, just trust me on this one and let it pass gently into that great night.

[ladygreek]

RozRochelle,
Everyone can't be misinterpreting your statements. At some point you have to acknowledge that what you wrote was indeed what you meant. The biggest thing in communications is not what you think you said, but how the receiver interpreted it. And the onus to fix that falls back on the sender.

The thing I am struggling with is what will your sorority offer your members after graduation? I was in my collegiate chapter for two years. I have been in an alumnae chapter for 36 years. In other words Delta didn't go anywhere.

So serious questions: what is it that your sorority offer your members during their college years that they can't find in a support group or another such student organization? And what are your plans for the future?

Lastly, folx on here seemed to be pretty supportive of your sorority until you started coming off defensive. And don't ask how could I think that. Read what I wrote above. The onus is on you.

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by L.O.C.K.

Yea, age is huge.

Maybe I am just cynical, but when you are 100 years old (or almost) and have 10s of thousands of members, its a LOT easier to be picky about membership.

While I like the fact that NPHC orgs are highly selective, it's VERY difficult for a younger org to do the same thing because they will have no members. And without people, you can't do your programs.

For us, it's incredibly hard to dispell the stereotypes of "frat" life to kids. Many are the children of immigrants who want their kids to go to school to study and that is it. This is why our marketing is SOOO important. At the same time, when filling a niche or something, you can't be like "we're better than them" because it just shows your own insecurities and in my opinion, can be a major turnoff.

But you do have a very defined niche and that is all the more reason to keep on perservering. If folx hadn't persued the same notion back in 1906-1922, the NPHC wouldn't exist.

But you are so right. Be about what you bring to the table and not about what someone else doesn't bring.

[PrettyBoy]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

RozRochelle,
Everyone can't be misinterpreting your statements. At some point you have to acknowledge that what you wrote was indeed what you meant. The biggest thing in communications is not what you think you said, but how the receiver interpreted it. And the onus to fix that falls back on the sender.

The thing I am struggling with is what will your sorority offer your members after graduation? I was in my collegiate chapter for two years. I have been in an alumnae chapter for 36 years. In other words Delta didn't go anywhere.

So serious questions: what is it that your sorority offer your members during their college years that they can't find in a support group or another such student organization? And what are your plans for the future?

Lastly, folx on here seemed to be pretty supportive of your sorority until you started coming off defensive. And don't ask how could I think that. Read what I wrote above. The onus is on you.

36 years? Wow!

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by PrettyBoy

36 years? Wow!

38 altogether. Initiated May 17, 1969.

[PrettyBoy]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

38 altogether. Initiated May 17, 1969.

Wow! I wasn't even thought of. I've got mad respect for you.

[RozRochelle]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

RozRochelle,
Everyone can't be misinterpreting your statements. At some point you have to acknowledge that what you wrote was indeed what you meant. The biggest thing in communications is not what you think you said, but how the receiver interpreted it. And the onus to fix that falls back on the sender.

I meant what I wrote to you. But, I really was not trying to be rude or defensive when I responded. You just can't hear it how I hear it in my mind when I'm writing it. Tone and vocal inflection don't carry over to print. I would much rather someone just ASK me how I meant something rather than assuming the worst. The onus isn't just on me. People shouldn't jump to conclusions and/or put words in other people's mouths, either.

The thing I am struggling with is what will your sorority offer your members after graduation? I was in my collegiate chapter for two years. I have been in an alumnae chapter for 36 years. In other words Delta didn't go anywhere.

Theta Gamma Pi will offer the same things other sororities offer their alumnae members.

So serious questions: what is it that your sorority offer your members during their college years that they can't find in a support group or another such student organization? And what are your plans for the future?

With all due respect, I'm not going to answer those questions. Not because I don't have answers, but because I don't feel I need to justify my sorority's existence, and I feel that answering these questions would be doing just that. I will say this much: I asked myself these same questions and did some recon before going forward.

Lastly, folx on here seemed to be pretty supportive of your sorority until you started coming off defensive. And don't ask how could I think that. Read what I wrote above. The onus is on you.

There have been 2-3 times where I truly have been defensive. However, in those instances, I was approached first by persons who were disrespectful. Any other times anyone thinks I've been defensive is probably because tone and vocal inflection don't carry over to print.

I didn't come to GC looking for support for Theta Gamma Pi. So, while GC support is welcome, it's not required or necessary. The world is bigger than GC. I think that point of view is what angers people. It's funny, GCers say don't justify your org and just do you and yadda yadda yadda. But when someone actually does that, especially unapologetically, they catch hell.

Oh well, such is life.

[pinkies up]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

38 altogether. Initiated May 17, 1969.

38 years! That's excellent Sistergreek!!