For Alumnae From Over 20 Years

[AGDee]

I accepted my bid 40 years ago on 2/15!

Do you keep in touch with your chapter brothers or sisters? Yes! Many of them are on Facebook and a few are still pretty close friends. One is my ride or die bestie.

Do you belong to an Alumnae Association? Yes! I've been in the same Alumnae Club since the early 90's. They are the group of women who have really been through life together. Marriages, babies, divorces, kid graduations, parent illnesses and losses- they are an incredible group of women who I love dearly. We had a meeting the night of 9/11 and I was so glad to be with people I loved that night instead of at home scared and shaken.

Do you hold any offices? President of my alumnae club now. I was an advisor for 5 years when I first graduated. Then I joined our volunteer services team at the international level and was active that way for 30 years before "retiring" and focusing on local activities instead.

Do you keep track of your National's policies? Yes, very much so. I retired from our volunteer team because it was restructured and volunteers lost of a lot of autonomy as staff took over more and more. I didn't feel like my talents were being utilized at that point so I moved into more involvement with another organization where I have more ability to make an impact. But I'm still on top of our policies, still a voting member as an Alumnae Club President and our current International President is one of my favorite people in the world.

Have you ever considered deactivating due to a change in any of these? No. I wouldn't request suspension of my membership ever. I bleed red, buff and green so ...

All that said, I'm probably one of the rarities of the women my age who get more upset about us not doing enough rather than those of you who feel changes have gone too far. I see no reason at all for religion to be part of sorority in any way. I think recs are antiquated and ridiculous. Most schools around me have never seen a rec and don't know what to do with it when they get it. I write recs all the time for people who are rushing in the south because I know it's necessary. But I know a ton of women from our local high school who became Alpha Gams simply because they are great women and they didn't need recs to do it. They seem like a box checking activity for those huge schools down south. In my 35 years working with collegiate chapters, I've only seen 2 or 3 "no recs" so I don't see that as a reason to continue them.

I also think we should accept membership from anybody who identifies as a woman because we are all about supporting women. I see a significant difference between sex and gender.

If anything, I get upset about other things like what IHQ is prioritizing spending money on. I think having actual headquarters buildings is an unnecessary expense in a world where we can do work remotely. I think the groups who have ditched their headquarters, moved their historic archive types of items into a flagship collegiate house are the smartest. There is absolutely no activity occurring in a building that couldn't happen virtually or in a temporary rented location at a much lower cost.

At least in Michigan, we have two flagship schools with growing membership and strong chapters. Everywhere else, greek life is hurting bad- with quotas of 3, 4 or 5. Schools where chapter totals used to be 55, it's now 35. There are fewer Gen Zs to begin with and even fewer going to college in a traditional way. Gen Zs do not do ANYTHING that they don't see significant value in. We won't exist if we don't adapt what we offer and how we offer it.

[33girl]

First off: this is regarding my ASA membership. I have admittedly been a shitty Alpha Phi Omega alumnus, I actually had to check to see if we were currently on campus since we've been on and off through the years. We are on! I am on the chapter's facebook page, which they rarely use. Maybe in 20 years or so this won't be the case, but I feel like there is still a technology gap between 50ish and older members who don't put everything on Instagram or TikTok to communicate. (That applies to all clubs of all kinds BTW.)

As far as ASA - I communicate with my chapter sisters daily (FB & texting) as well as many members of my school's larger Greek community. Our "era" had incredibly tight bonds and we've preserved them over the years. Not just my chapter, but all the chapters.

Next 2 questions-no & no. The last time I tried doing something with the alumnae chapter I was the only one who showed up to the event. I should try again but I'm leery.

National policies - our last big blowup was over the legacy policy. We also seem to be heavier than most on the DEI. I find this ironic because our chapter was told back in the day that our differently abled, gay, ethnic minority, non-model figure members were deleterious to our recruitment efforts and "undesirable." Nowadays we'd probably get a friggin medal.

Deactivating- hell no. I love our founding story and the fact that we went through some serious hot mess 20 years on and had strong determined women who got us through it. I love our colors, our symbolism, and our creed. I love our simple and beautiful rituals. This to me is what the sorority is about - not the flavor of the month.

[AOIIalum]

Do you keep in touch with your chapter sisters? Yes. Although I moved away from my "home town" almost 36 years ago (returning for about 9 years in that span) thanks to cell phones and social media I keep in touch with a few. I also have a ride or die bestie from my collegiate chapter. Even when life and location keep us physically apart, we are still there for each other. Every time we talk or text it's like no time has passed at all!

Do you belong to an Alumnae Association? Yes, my local Alumnae Chapter and another one as a Secondary Member.

Do you hold any offices? Yes, currently finishing a term as Alumnae President. Previously held a variety of local and network/regional positions through the years. After this term is finished I'll be an 'as active as I can be' alumnae chapter member. Sadly my health needs to take priority moving forward.

Do you keep track of your National's policies? Yes, very much. Do I agree with them all? Of course not.

Have you ever considered deactivating due to a change in any of these? Never. My heart belongs to AOII.

[DGTess]

Originally Posted by AGDee

I accepted my bid 40 years ago on 2/15!

Do you keep in touch with your chapter brothers or sisters? Yes! Many of them are on Facebook and a few are still pretty close friends. One is my ride or die bestie.

Do you belong to an Alumnae Association? Yes! I've been in the same Alumnae Club since the early 90's. They are the group of women who have really been through life together. Marriages, babies, divorces, kid graduations, parent illnesses and losses- they are an incredible group of women who I love dearly. We had a meeting the night of 9/11 and I was so glad to be with people I loved that night instead of at home scared and shaken.

Do you hold any offices? President of my alumnae club now. I was an advisor for 5 years when I first graduated. Then I joined our volunteer services team at the international level and was active that way for 30 years before "retiring" and focusing on local activities instead.

Do you keep track of your National's policies? Yes, very much so. I retired from our volunteer team because it was restructured and volunteers lost of a lot of autonomy as staff took over more and more. I didn't feel like my talents were being utilized at that point so I moved into more involvement with another organization where I have more ability to make an impact. But I'm still on top of our policies, still a voting member as an Alumnae Club President and our current International President is one of my favorite people in the world.

Have you ever considered deactivating due to a change in any of these? No. I wouldn't request suspension of my membership ever. I bleed red, buff and green so ...

All that said, I'm probably one of the rarities of the women my age who get more upset about us not doing enough rather than those of you who feel changes have gone too far. I see no reason at all for religion to be part of sorority in any way. I think recs are antiquated and ridiculous. Most schools around me have never seen a rec and don't know what to do with it when they get it. I write recs all the time for people who are rushing in the south because I know it's necessary. But I know a ton of women from our local high school who became Alpha Gams simply because they are great women and they didn't need recs to do it. They seem like a box checking activity for those huge schools down south. In my 35 years working with collegiate chapters, I've only seen 2 or 3 "no recs" so I don't see that as a reason to continue them.

I also think we should accept membership from anybody who identifies as a woman because we are all about supporting women. I see a significant difference between sex and gender.

If anything, I get upset about other things like what IHQ is prioritizing spending money on. I think having actual headquarters buildings is an unnecessary expense in a world where we can do work remotely. I think the groups who have ditched their headquarters, moved their historic archive types of items into a flagship collegiate house are the smartest. There is absolutely no activity occurring in a building that couldn't happen virtually or in a temporary rented location at a much lower cost.

At least in Michigan, we have two flagship schools with growing membership and strong chapters. Everywhere else, greek life is hurting bad- with quotas of 3, 4 or 5. Schools where chapter totals used to be 55, it's now 35. There are fewer Gen Zs to begin with and even fewer going to college in a traditional way. Gen Zs do not do ANYTHING that they don't see significant value in. We won't exist if we don't adapt what we offer and how we offer it.

I love a lot of what you say. Most all. But I'm concerned about the "we must adapt to Gen Z" when I truly and absolutely believe we must adapt *to each other*. If I'm told I must respect how they look at things, then I expect them to respect how I do.

[AGDee]

Originally Posted by DGTess

I love a lot of what you say. Most all. But I'm concerned about the "we must adapt to Gen Z" when I truly and absolutely believe we must adapt *to each other*. If I'm told I must respect how they look at things, then I expect them to respect how I do.

I'm really referring to having sorority be a meaningful experience for them that they see reason to pay for. I'm not sure we're doing that anymore.

[*winter*]

Originally Posted by DGTess

I love a lot of what you say. Most all. But I'm concerned about the "we must adapt to Gen Z" when I truly and absolutely believe we must adapt *to each other*. If I'm told I must respect how they look at things, then I expect them to respect how I do.

Yes! Both sides need to have actual conversations and make attempts to see where each side is coming from, and I just think that’s a lost art in our country nowadays.

Congrats on the 50 years btw!

[carnation]

Originally Posted by DGTess

I love a lot of what you say. Most all. But I'm concerned about the "we must adapt to Gen Z" when I truly and absolutely believe we must adapt *to each other*. If I'm told I must respect how they look at things, then I expect them to respect how I do.

What you said! They'll be wanting respect when they're alums too.