Joining a Different NPC?

[ASTalumna06]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

In terms of lifetime membership:

There is also a level of burnout among collegians depending on their chapter size and issues their chapter had. Example: If you were in a really small chapter that required everyone to hold an office, and were President for two years, VP for one, and Membership Recruitment Director for one, you are most likely not going to jump into an alumna chapter or involvement right away.

I have been FAR more active as an alumna than I ever was as a collegian. I joined as a second semester sophomore and was only active for 2.5 years. I was heavily involved in another org and really only held chair positions in Sigma.

Since becoming an alumna in 2006, I have held a regional or national level volunteer position and attended Convention and Volunteer Summit twice, and have had NO period of inactivity.

I think that my alumna involvement is largely due to me NOT being a Sigma all four years of college. I just didn't have the time to become as burned out as some of the women who were "all Sigma all the time" for four years.

This is also why I am a proponent of chapters considering upperclassmen whenever possible. Some of our strongest and most active alumnae women weren't Sigmas all four years of college. Sophomores and juniors can be some real diamonds in the rough.

Interesting observation.

However, I think… it really just depends.

I came from one of those small chapters. I also joined as a second semester sophomore and in the time I was active I held the positions of Bylaws, Secretary, New Member Educator, Panhellenic VP, and Panhellenic President. For the most part, we only had between 8-12 sisters (not including new members), so we were holding two or more positions at once. And everyone had to pitch in and help each other when big events came up (recruitment, formal, pageant, etc.).

After graduation, I got involved as the chapter's Recruitment Advisor as soon as I could. I assisted in starting up the Erie Alumnae Chapter. I then moved to NJ where there was no alumnae chapter in the immediate area (and I had a job that kept me traveling most of the time, anyway), but then a couple years later I moved to Texas and got involved with the alumnae chapter there. I was elected to the Secretary position. In addition, I'm now the Lead Editor for the national magazine.

There is such a mix of alumnae involvement from my chapter sisters and how long they were involved as collegians. In the time I was active/the Recruitment Advisor, I saw three different Presidents make their way through. Each of them held the position for two years. One of them joined second semester freshman year, and two of them joined in their sophomore year. The freshman-joiner was basically AST's cheerleader and best recruitment asset while she was a collegian, but she dropped off the face of the earth after she graduated. One of the sophomore-joiners also assisted in starting the Erie Alumnae Chapter, but in the middle of that process, she also disappeared. The last of the three worked her butt off for the sorority in college, worked as an Educational Consultant after graduation, and has moved her way up working at Headquarters in a couple different positions.

I know of two chapter sisters who joined in their second semester senior year. One of them did nothing with the sorority after graduation; the other was the one who really got the Alumnae Chapter off the ground and made it as successful as it is today. She made it known that she wanted to join so that she could contribute as an alumna member.

There were five new members in my class. All of us were at the same point in our college careers (second semester sophomores) when we joined, except one who was a junior. One of the girls dropped out almost immediately after initiation, two others haven't been involved after graduation at all (one of which was the junior-joiner), and two of us have worked as advisors and have been involved with alumnae chapters.

Again… I think it just all depends. But I have definitely witnessed the burnout, and I can understand why that would turn some people away. However, there are others who still think, "If I don't do it, no one will," or they move to a new place and want to make some fast friends, or they just love the sorority and want to do anything they can to help, and they just keep on keeping on and find out that alumnae membership is completely different than collegiate membership.

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Interesting observation.

However, I think… it really just depends.

I came from one of those small chapters. I also joined as a second semester sophomore and in the time I was active I held the positions of Bylaws, Secretary, New Member Educator, Panhellenic VP, and Panhellenic President. For the most part, we only had between 8-12 sisters (not including new members), so we were holding two or more positions at once. And everyone had to pitch in and help each other when big events came up (recruitment, formal, pageant, etc.).

I found your post fascinating. I, too, came from one of those small chapters - there were around 20 while I was in school; it dropped to as few as 12 before rebounding. There were a lot of functions and events on campus where we literally couldn't participate due to manpower. Frequently, our sisters would (as individuals) join forces with one of the fraternities so they could be involved.

None of my chapter sisters is truly involved. Some of us belong to alumnae chapters, but we found our experiences to be so different from what most did that we have little in common. Yet almost all my sisters are fully invested in something else, from community organizations to state organizations to national organizations. Because as young alumnae we had only our symbols in common with other alumnae, it seems we looked elsewhere. I'm not saying that's a good thing.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by ColdInCanada11

I believe we do! However, the alumnae chapter requirements seem to be a lot more than Junior Circle requirements, and I don't know that the 4 of us can maintain it. The requirements are all on our member services, it's just being able to meet them haha

Originally Posted by ColdInCanada11

There would be no International Reunion Day, or anniversaries. I know that I won't be allowed to be an advisor right now, but I don't want to burn any bridges and ruin the chances of being one later by getting the current advisors upset I do enjoy planning events, but it does seem a little unfair.

We need to talk I'll PM you, but there are differences between alumnae clubs and alumnae chapters and you have options and there are people on VST available to help you. And there are plenty of collegiate chapters who plan their own IRD.

[LAblondeGPhi]

Originally Posted by DGTess

None of my chapter sisters is truly involved. Some of us belong to alumnae chapters, but we found our experiences to be so different from what most did that we have little in common. Yet almost all my sisters are fully invested in something else, from community organizations to state organizations to national organizations. Because as young alumnae we had only our symbols in common with other alumnae, it seems we looked elsewhere. I'm not saying that's a good thing.

I think this speaks to the real problem with getting members to stay active in their alumnae years: there's just such a diversity of members at the alumnae level, and our groups are primarily social organizations. The philanthropy, programming, and support for collegiate chapters is all wonderful, but I think most sorority women join for the friendship. But the alumnae groups typically bring together women of a wide age range, and from very different types of chapters, not to mention with different demands and interests (careers, family, etc.). Besides the shared ritual and history, there is sometimes not much else that really binds these women together.

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by LAblondeGPhi

I think this speaks to the real problem with getting members to stay active in their alumnae years: there's just such a diversity of members at the alumnae level, and our groups are primarily social organizations. The philanthropy, programming, and support for collegiate chapters is all wonderful, but I think most sorority women join for the friendship. But the alumnae groups typically bring together women of a wide age range, and from very different types of chapters, not to mention with different demands and interests (careers, family, etc.). Besides the shared ritual and history, there is sometimes not much else that really binds these women together.

Quite possible.

I've noted over the years, though, that our school tends to produce people who are go-getters, who do something important. If graduates find an alumnae group full of women from a handful of schools that are nothing like the one they went to, they see little in common except , as you say, ritual -- and even that varies a bit. Just as an example, I can't recall any time in my four years that a sister went to a varsity sporting event, but at most large schools, that kind of thing is a significant part of life - so significant that rush is an afterthought around it.

So they get involved in something else -- my chapter sisters are in university administration, politics, DAR, performing arts -- and take leadership roles. Those take over. I have to admit, though, that when we get together every couple of years, the conversations are fascinating because each has done some very impressive things!