Soliciting Sponsorship

Sistermadly · #1 12-31-2002, 12:53 AM

Hi all,

I was wondering whether anyone had any words of wisdom on how I should ask an initiated member if they'd be willing to sponsor me as a PNAM (potential new alumnae member)? Is there a certain time period I should let pass before I bring it up, or should I wait for the alumnae to bring it up themselves?

tinydancer · #2 12-31-2002, 01:25 AM

Good question. I know that after I had narrowed my list down to about 3, I thought about who I knew in each sorority. I knew several women in "AB", but I had not seen them in quite a while. I felt sort of awkward about calling them up and asking them to sponsor me. I suppose I could have, though. I asked a lady in my church which sorority she had been in, and sure enough, it was "CDE" which was also on my short list. I told her that I had just found out about alumna initiation and how excited I was about it. She said, "Oh, yes, we do that!" and she said that she would help me. Turns out, she is a 50-year member of CDE, which I think is very special.
I'd say to ask around among friends and colleagues and see if you can find someone unexpected, just as I did. I hope this will help you in some small way.

Lizz "PNAM"

Oh yes, I don't want to forget to mention the wonderful help I got from the ladies here on GC. They gave me great advice and answered my questions. That's what is so nice about GC - people didn't know me from Adam, but were quick to help! (Thanks especially to my two special mentors - you know who you are!!)

CutiePie2000 · #3 12-31-2002, 03:54 AM

Hmmm...this is definitely one of the tougher questions, but here is my take on it.

When you are going to alumnae functions, see if you can take along a bit of a "resume" as to what you have been up to since university. You might also want to compose an "essay". The essay should sum up why it is you want to be a member of the sorority. The composition should be about you, why you are interested in that sorority, what your values are, what your hobbies are, if you are involved with any activities (church choir, Girl Scouts, etc.), if you are married, have children (their ages, their names, their activities, etc.)

I say this because you want to make it very easy for people to get to know you and see what you are all about. If you have these things handy, then you can give them to people and they can read them at their leisure. Once people feel that they know you well enough, then they can feel perhaps more comfortable about sponsoring you.

(Think of it almost like a job reference...you need to tell people how wonderful and fabulous you are so that they can feel confident in writing you a recommendation. If you don't tell people, how will they know?)

I don't really have a "magic time" as to when to broach the topic, but you might want to make sure that this information (i.e. the resume and "essay") are made available fairly easily to the alumnae chapter, so that if they are entertaining the idea of sponsoring you, they have the information there at their fingertips. If you have reference letters from respectable persons (maybe you volunteered on a committe or something), I think this will lend weight that you are a suitable candidate for membership.

Sistermadly · #4 12-31-2002, 05:42 AM

Thanks for the replies, ladies! I hadn't thought of the essay/references angle, CutiePie... I suppose it's because I walked into AI pretty "cold", meaning I didn't know anyone in the groups I was interested in, and took the liberty of introducing myself in e-mails. I think that the resume/vitae idea might go over well with ABC, but Nu Mu is a pretty informal group (at least they are in my area) and I'm not sure how well that would go over with them. Even so, I'll definitely keep it in mind. Ah well - I just recieved an e-mail from my contact in Nu Mu about the party tomorrow night, and she said we'd talk more about the AI process at the party!

Cici - PNAM 2003

LPIDelta · #5 12-31-2002, 08:05 AM

As a member, I wouldn't mind a bit if someone from the past called me up and asked me to assist them with AI. I guess the caveat here is that it would have to be the 'right' person as I wouldn't want to help anyone who had no intention of participating or volunteering. I say, if you know someone from the group you are interested in, don't be afraid to make contact and ask for assistance.

AOIIsilver · #6 12-31-2002, 10:35 AM

The key is to make sure that YOU are comfortable asking the person to be your sponsor.

I have sponsored 2 AI's and I am an AI as well.

AOIISilver

Sistermadly · #7 12-31-2002, 01:17 PM

Great advice, AOIISilver. I think I'm jumping the gun a little bit - after all, I've only taken baby steps so far!

SmartBlondeGPhB · #8 12-31-2002, 01:48 PM

As the President of an alumnae chapter that has done AI, I asked for all that information up front from the women who wanted to join. By asking for it, I could share it with my members (or at least the Exec Board) and give everyone an idea of what the woman was like. Plus, I had to have all of that information for the form.

Maybe it's just me, and I don't intend this to sound negative, but if the group is interested in you joining them I would think they would be doing everything they could to assist you with getting to know their members (and finding you a sponsor).

Our sorority has a defined program with steps to follow, and forms to fill out and many suggestions for the alumnae chapter. We don't actively recruit women for AI (at this time) but we do have an Exec Board position that would be responsible for it. If it was my chapter you were wanting to join, I'd be introduing you around, helping you get to know the members, and finding one of them to be your sponsor.

I would suggest you ask the chapters you are trying to initiate with what their process is. You might find that they are covering some of these things for you (and it might take a lot of the stress off you). I can't believe they wouldn't happily help you.

But, Gamma Phi might be unique in this process...........

valkyrie · #9 12-31-2002, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SmartBlondeGPhB
Maybe it's just me, and I don't intend this to sound negative, but if the group is interested in you joining them I would think they would be doing everything they could to assist you with getting to know their members (and finding you a sponsor).

Good point! BTW, Sistermadly, I *so* owe you a PM and I'm sorry I've been so pokey to respond! Look for one soon!

I was really lucky with finding a sponsor, because I am someone who has a VERY hard time asking people to do things for me -- as in, I would rather have elective surgery. One of the women I met pretty early on was in charge of alumnae initiation at regional conference, and because she was in charge of it she didn't feel that she could be a sponsor as well. But I was in luck because she took it upon herself to find one for me. I didn't have to ask anyone! One day, I just found out that so-and-so was going to be my sponsor! She ended up being someone I had already met, but we spent a little more time getting to know each other and that was that!

Once you have someone in your corner, I'm sure she will help you! You could always even say something like: I know I'm going to need a sponsor; is there anything you can suggest that I do to get to know people more so that someone might be willing to volunteer? I don't think that's too wishy washy, and that's the kind of subtle approach I for one would probably take, because I'm such a wuss with stuff like that.

Sistermadly · #10 12-31-2002, 08:55 PM

They have been very helpful, I just wasn't sure if I had to officially ask someone to be my sponsor, or whether someone would step up. After today's excellent news, it's a moot point now!

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

Tom Earp · #11 01-01-2003, 12:36 AM

Sismadly. good for you!!!!!!

If you did not toot your own horn, then you lose!

Seek the path of light and you will be rewarded!

You Go Girl!

Love Ya and Best of the Best to you!!!