Alumnae Panhellenics

[FirstAndFinest]

Can anyone share their successful membership-growing methods? As we go into our 3rd year, we're looking to expand our memberships from the 12 NPC groups we've got now.

How do you handle requests for recs? We are in NJ & most sorority chapters in NJ wouldn't require recs, we'd like to accommodate the collegiate women from NJ who attend schools in areas which do require recommendations.

Thanks all!

[Jimmy Choo]

Originally Posted by FirstAndFinest

Can anyone share their successful membership-growing methods? As we go into our 3rd year, we're looking to expand our memberships from the 12 NPC groups we've got now.

How do you handle requests for recs? We are in NJ & most sorority chapters in NJ wouldn't require recs, we'd like to accommodate the collegiate women from NJ who attend schools in areas which do require recommendations.

Thanks all!

What we have done with our APH is when we get updated contact info we also ask for a rec chair as well. If a group doesn't have a specific person for that we ask for a contact person anyway. That way when a request comes in we can quickly filter the PNM's info back out.

[DubaiSis]

As many of you know by now, or can figure out, I am in Dubai. There are 2 very good American high schools here, and most of the kids go off to the American University of their choice. I'd like to host an event to explain sorority life and recruitment to the senior girls, and do a rec writing event/party.

I don't particularly want to start an AP chapter (I'm already up to my eyeballs in volunteerism) but I think this event would fun, and tie in well with my involvement in the American Women's Association. So can anyone give me some ideas of how this could/should work? I have a few ideas in my head, but I'd like details on successful events. Is there a minimum number of NPC sororities that I should have representatives of to have it be generally valuable to the girls?

This event would have to take place DURING the school year because most students go away for the summer, from right after school gets out. The good news is I should have good support from the PTAs of both schools. Thanks for your help and suggestions!

[AZ-AlphaXi]

You might see if any of the mother's of the high school girls are also NPC members and would be interested in helping. That might give you a bigger base of people helping and partiticpating.

[GPhiBLtColonel]

Sure! Be happy too...I think most Alum Panhel Groups also do high school sorority info sessions as well...

Where are you "down south?" If you are close to where we are, you are more than welcome to come to our 25 April session!

Go to my profile and send me an email so we can chat more off-thread...

P.S. We were fortunate to have had both the President (an Alpha Xi Delta) and VP (a Chi Omega) of the HUGE Atlanta Alum Panhel Association come to the very first event I hosted when we were trying to get our APH started. I had been the alternate Gamma Phi delegate in AAPA for two years and they wre very supportive of getting another APH started since they knew that only about 5% of the sorority women from the Southern Crescent area had anything to do with their sorority alum groups, much less Panhel! They even voted to give me a $50 "grant" to help offset my personal postage costs.

[Tom Earp]

C, did you take it???

If did that would help pay cost of ticket to KC!

[FirstAndFinest]

Tomorrow, I'm going to an organizational meeting for forming an APH in Central NJ!

The meeting is in Cranbury and the area they're targeting is around there. Its a bit further south than a lot of our alum assoc events, but we do have some alumnae in that area who've expressed interest in alum events nearer to them. Maybe having an active APH would help with growing our alumnae association... Are those alumnae associations that formed after the new APH formed still going?

[AnchorAlumna]

The NPC Web Site has information about starting an alumnae panhellenic.
www.npcwomen.org

That said, let me explain what our area does.
We are in a small city of about 50,000. There are only about 2 organized alumnae groups here. About 40 years ago, an energetic couple of ladies started an NPC alumnae Panhellenic here. There were two or three meetings a year as well as the spring tea for high school seniors. Back then, they'd have bridge luncheons to raise money for a scholarship.
Over the years, we've found that nobody plays bridge anymore, nobody wants to meet on weekdays (women work nowadays!) and there are no new Greek alumnae groups forming. BUT - we've kept the tradition of the spring tea.
I'll admit - we are not sanctioned by NPC. We just don't have enough people willing to pay big enough dues to keep the sanction. Our officer elections consist of a few calls saying, "Do you want to do it this year?"
But over the past 25 years, we've kept having the "tea." We put out word through the local newspaper, teen-age babysitters etc. and have a get-together the Sunday afternoon of the local high schools' baccalaureate (everbody is in town!), at 2 p.m. - everybody's still dressed for church. It's at a community room at the local mall. Any sorority that wants to participate can pay the $10 dues and set up a display at the meeting. You can put anything you want on your display and wear anything you want. The only thing we ask is that each group have no more than 3 representatives, in any combination of alumnae or collegians.
At the meeting, we ask the current collegians to talk about recruitment on their campus. We try to have girls with chapter houses, girls with chapter rooms, maybe even a girl from a campus with deferred (January) recruitment.
We talk about how to dress, what to expect, how much it costs, sorority requirements of time and grades...we even cover the "best" sororities and what happens if you don't get a bid.
Each year, we gather between 35 and 50 information forms, with pictures and grade transcripts, on the girls going off to college and sorority recruitment. The president makes up packages for each member group. Our $10 dues are mostly to cover any copying or supplies that she needs to get the packages put together. It doesn't matter if you don't have an organized alumnae group. You can represent your own group as long somebody pays the $10 dues.
It's worked very well for us for a number of years and is MOST helpful to those of us who don't know everybody in town, or don't know kids in that age group!
Yes, we'd like to be an official NPC group, but we just don't have the numbers for it right now.

[baci]

Originally Posted by AnchorAlumna

The NPC Web Site has information about starting an alumnae panhellenic.
www.npcwomen.org

That said, let me explain what our area does.
We are in a small city of about 50,000. There are only about 2 organized alumnae groups here. About 40 years ago, an energetic couple of ladies started an NPC alumnae Panhellenic here. There were two or three meetings a year as well as the spring tea for high school seniors. Back then, they'd have bridge luncheons to raise money for a scholarship.
Over the years, we've found that nobody plays bridge anymore, nobody wants to meet on weekdays (women work nowadays!) and there are no new Greek alumnae groups forming. BUT - we've kept the tradition of the spring tea.
I'll admit - we are not sanctioned by NPC. We just don't have enough people willing to pay big enough dues to keep the sanction. Our officer elections consist of a few calls saying, "Do you want to do it this year?"
But over the past 25 years, we've kept having the "tea." We put out word through the local newspaper, teen-age babysitters etc. and have a get-together the Sunday afternoon of the local high schools' baccalaureate (everbody is in town!), at 2 p.m. - everybody's still dressed for church. It's at a community room at the local mall. Any sorority that wants to participate can pay the $5 dues and set up a display at the meeting. You can put anything you want on your display and wear anything you want. The only thing we ask is that each group have no more than 3 representatives, in any combination of alumnae or collegians.
At the meeting, we ask the current collegians to talk about recruitment on their campus. We try to have girls with chapter houses, girls with chapter rooms, maybe even a girl from a campus with deferred (January) recruitment.
We talk about how to dress, what to expect, how much it costs, sorority requirements of time and grades...we even cover the "best" sororities and what happens if you don't get a bid.
Each year, we gather between 35 and 50 information forms, with pictures and grade transcripts, on the girls going off to college and sorority recruitment. The president makes up packages for each member group. Our $5 dues are mostly to cover any copying or supplies that she needs to get the packages put together. It doesn't matter if you don't have an organized alumnae group. You can represent your own group as long somebody pays the $5 dues.
It's worked very well for us for a number of years and is MOST helpful to those of us who don't know everybody in town, or don't know kids in that age group!
Yes, we'd like to be an official NPC group, but we just don't have the numbers for it right now.

I think what you are doing is absolutely wonderful! You are enjoying yourself and helping many at the same time.

[SWTXBelle]

I think you may not understand how little NPC Alumnae Panhellenic dues are - I founded the NW TN/SW KY APH,and paid the dues myself (I think they were $25) the first two years. We only have 8 or so members, but put on a tea every spring.
Forming the APH was really not hard at all, and by joining you would be listed on their website and receive the help and support of the Alumnae Panhellenic advisors (all the women I've worked with have been great). The NPC materials have been a big hit at our tea. You also would have your contact information given to all NPC members - we've had NPC groups contact us about getting their members active in the APH. What your group has done is great - I'd hate for a misunderstanding about dues to keep you from being a part of NPC!
eta - our group has $5 dues also, and is structured so anyone who pays can be a member - so we have more than one member from some sororities.

[jennie3576]

Originally Posted by FirstAndFinest

Tomorrow, I'm going to an organizational meeting for forming an APH in Central NJ!

Me too!!!!!! See you in a couple of hours!!!!

[gee_ess]

I live in a small town of about 25,000 people but every year I am contacted about recs, recruitment info, etc. I am seriously interested in forming something similar to AnchorAlumn's group! It would help our hs girls so much. Thanks for the info and I will report back!
We NEED this here!

[FirstAndFinest]

The Central New Jersey Alumnae Panhellenic is now officially chartered!! woo HOO!!

[luv n tpa]

Originally Posted by FirstAndFinest

The Central New Jersey Alumnae Panhellenic is now officially chartered!! woo HOO!!

Yay!!

[cuteASAbug]

NYC Alumnae Panhellenic dues are $30/sorority