|
Have you affiliated with the chapter, as in signed something? The story I am about to tell is based off of what I know about Sigma Kappa's membership policies, which may or may not be similar to your org's policies.
My chapter actually had a transfer affiliate. She joined in Fall 2003 as a freshman at her first school. She visited us during her spring break (she lived in Maryland, so she was home) in Spring 2005 (she was a sophomore at the time). Fall 2005, she's a junior, her first semester at Maryland. She automatically is an early alumna (with the option of affiliating) because she transferred. So, she comes to the house for dinner, comes to a formal meeting, hangs out with a bunch of girls from my pledge class (a high school friend of hers is even a member), and things seem great, everyone is excited, blah blah blah. The chapter votes to accept her into the chapter, and she officially affiliates.
Maybe a month later, she dropped off the face of the Earth. We never saw her, not even for mandatory events. I still have no idea why, since she obviously liked us enough to want to affiliate when she didn't have to. Thing is, once a transfer affiliates, she can't go back to early alum. She either stays a full member through graduation to get alumna status, or she withdraws if she doesn't want to be a member of the chapter. This girl had to have a decent amount of money, because she paid dues and all of the fines for the rest of her undergraduate career to become an alumna.
So basically, if you haven't already affiliated, I'd think really hard about it. Do you have the energy and drive to help this chapter establish a positive image on campus leading by example? Would it be a chore to hang out with these girls and painful to attend mandatory events with them?
If you have already affiliated, I would look into your org's membership policies to find out if going early alum is an option for you. If you can't go early alum, weigh pros of what it means to be a member of this organization nationally and all the potential you have as an alum, with the cons of cost, not being able to relate to sisters in this chapter, the work it will take to help the chapter grow stronger, etc.
If you choose to affiliate/stay affiliated, lead by example. A new chapter that is weak in recruitment would love to have someone step up to the plate (not necessarily in VP Recruitment, since it may be too late for you to hold that position) to take an active role. Talk with the chapter's advisors. Talk with consultants if you have any visiting you. Offer to plan and lead some pre-recruitment workshops. As far as the sisterhood aspect, you'll really have to reach out to these sisters. If they sense a superiority complex, they'll alienate you. Don't be ashamed to wear your letters. In fact, you may be helping the chapter's reputation by representing them well.
__________________
Sigma ♥ Kappa
~*~ Beta Zeta ~*~
MARYLAND
|
Hybrid Mode
