I Don't Get AI

[crescent&pearls]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

To answer it a *tad* differently, I have never heard of an NPHC alumni/grad chapter that was required to have intake at all.

I have heard of alumni chapters opting to wait years upon years before conducting intake, up to ten years in some cases, simply because that's their prerogative.

I'm a little unclear...sorry if I'm sounding nosy I have no knowledge at all about NPHC orgs and how they recruit, I only know that the alumnae/grad chapters are really different than the typical NPC alumnae chapter, mostly much larger. Do you mean that alumni/grad chapters have candidates that wait ten years to be initiated or that an alumnae group may or may not participate in recruitment for ten years?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by crescent&pearls

I'm a little unclear...sorry if I'm sounding nosy I have no knowledge at all about NPHC orgs and how they recruit, I only know that the alumnae/grad chapters are really different than the typical NPC alumnae chapter, mostly much larger. Do you mean that alumni/grad chapters have candidates that wait ten years to be initiated or that an alumnae group may or may not participate in recruitment for ten years?

I know it's just semantics, but let's not call it "recruitment" and call it instead "the initiation of new alumni/ae members."

Depending on the rules of that particular NPHC group, I mean both.

Yes, somebody could be waiting ten years for the *chance* to be initiated.

AND

An alumni/ae chapter might indeed opt not to provide the chance of initiation for ten years.


There are 9 NPHC orgs and likely 9 different approaches to alumni intake, including residency requirements of the applicant. Some organizations conduct the initiation of new alumni/ae members by invitation only and you do not know you are being considered. For others, there may be a formal rush which is publicized in a local newspaper. For still others, you are responsible for securing one, two, three or more recommendations of your own.

ETA: What I do *not* mean is that someone is registered as an official candidate and just waits around for ten years. A chapter is either conducting intake or it isn't.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

I know it's just semantics, but let's not call it "recruitment" and call it instead "the initiation of new alumni/ae members."

It isn't semantics. I see a big difference in purpose and meaning.

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Depending on the rules of that particular NPHC group, I mean both.

Yes, somebody could be waiting ten years for the *chance* to be initiated.

AND

An alumni/ae chapter might indeed opt not to provide the chance of initiation for ten years.

Well, yeah, it goes without saying that aspirants will have to wait if a chapter isn't having intake and the aspirants can't access/qualify for a chapter that is having intake.

[ladygreek]

I think it is semantics depending on one's definition of recruitment. For example, I consider advertising for, inviting folx to, and holding a RUSH as recruitment. Both collegiate and alumnae chapter MUST have a RUSH. And to be perfectly honest many members do talk to non-members and encourage them to apply. And even in sponsorship processes, my guess is many of the candidates have been recruited by the sponsor.

What we DON"T do is give pospects a bid and wait for them to choose us.

[DrPhil]

Right. I'm talking about the formal events called "recruitment." We don't do that, so it isn't a matter of semantics.

Pardon me if I poorly worded my reply to Senusret.

[crescent&pearls]

^^^ Thanks! That's really interesting. As a collegian, I was aware of the NPHC groups on my campus, but didn't ever know much about their membership activities.

[gpb1874]

I'm an AI and was initiated almost 9 years ago. I did not join to re-live my college years or to attend collegiate type socials or b/c I didn't have friends in college. Sororities did not exist on my campus when I was there. One of my co-workers is an alumna and we started talking about GPB one day - what it was all about, what alumnae did, what she gets out of it now, stuff like that.

I did some research to learn more about the sorority (didn't know at the time I could join) and we talked more about it and I found that the values and mission of the sorority were very similar to mine. I told my friend that it seemed like a great organization and something that I thought would be nice to be a part of, thinking that would never happen. That's when she told me about AI.

I attended some alumnae gatherings and met them and they ranged in age from about 10 years older than me to 50 years older (I was 24 at the time). They were such a fun and nice bunch of women to be around. They didn't care that I was younger and that they could be my mom or grandma. We got along and enjoyed being around each other.

It did not matter that I did not have a collegiate experience to relate to their's. We had families, hobbies and other things that we could talk about. Alumnae life does not exist solely to talk about what you did in college.

Why is AI beneficial? To bring women into the sisterhood that share the same ideals and values of the organization and are willing to advance it's mission in whatever way she is able to (advisor, philanthropy work, being a great sister). It's pretty much the same reason as collegiates recruit members, but doing those things with other alumnae and often on different levels. Not every woman who has the potential to be a great sister had the opportunity to start that journey in college, so why look down upon them if they are truly a good fit for the organization?

I do agree that AI is not a substitute for not getting a bid in college and it is not for everyone. The intent of the PAI must be determined before considering her for membership.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by crescent&pearls

...that an alumnae group may or may not participate in recruitment for ten years?

This. Membership intake for every type of organization is based on need (and want). For example, graduate chapters that have low member turnover may not feel the need based on numbers, but may eventually desire some newness.

But we never do recruitment.