How to Approach Others?

[BookishBabe]

I've requested a Friendly Venture kit from Beta Sigma Phi HQ, but until it gets here, can people give me some ideas about approaching people who would be good members? There are some great women in my graduate program who would make fantastic sisters, but I'm afraid that they'll think that the idea of a sorority is "corny" or "old-fashioned", or might think that because I'm a graduate student that I should have left sorority life behind me. I also have a good local friend who would be quite an asset, but I'm afraid she'll turn her nose up at the idea of joining a sorority too.

Any tips are greatly appreciated!

[erica812]

I am also afraid to ask my fellow graduate students for the same reasons. Also, everyone (except me ) seems so focused on their studies and their careers that I feel like I will be looked down upon for being so scattered--I like to think of it as "well rounded"

Many of my new members are women who would never have considered joining a sorority if it weren't for Beta. I think I captured their attention because I constantly refer to Beta as an International Womens Group. I explain that "sorority" simply means sisterhood, and that is what Beta is truly about! I keep emphasizing the friendship, support, and opportunities for community service that Beta Sigma Phi will provide. These aren't the first things that come to mind when some people think of sororities (especially on my campus). The women that I have talked to have been genuinely surprised and intrigued by the ways that Beta is different from other sororities.

Hope this helps!

Erica
(the only grad student in the chapter )

[AngelPhiSig]

We asked our friends. One of the best ways to find good sisters (I have learned this from being in a social and an honorary) is to ask your friends!!! Think of people, friends and aquantences who you know are trustworthy and mature and would make good sisters and invite them!! Also, let them know that they will be in on the founding of a chapter... the founding of trations - and that will get them excited!

[BookishBabe]

Asking your friends is a good strategy -- when you have a lot of friends. I'm relatively new to this area, and I've only been enrolled since September. Erica can tell you that the life of a graduate student leaves very little time for socialization outside of class.

I've managed to get to know a small group of acquaintances on campus, but as I said before, most of them would probably turn their nose up at the idea of a sorority. My field of study is filled with lots of iconoclasts who take pride in being on the outside, and even though they're very gregarious and friendly, they just don't strike me as "joiners". I even had one woman tell me point blank that she's "not the sorority type", and I had another woman flat out ignore the question when I asked her in e-mail.

There are greeks on campus, but they seem to be a relatively low-key bunch. Or maybe because I'm a grad student, I just don't see them that often. I do know that you rarely if ever see people wearing their letters here.

So I'm going to be flying blind it seems like... just leaving brochures around and putting up flyers to see if anyone responds.

Bookish Babe -

I'm in very much the same position as you are.... I know very, very few girls in my city (I just moved here about a year ago), and the ones I do know and have talked to about Beta have been rather negative

(I apologize if this turns into a bitch session, but just think of it as commiseration )

The problem I'm running into, is that most people see me as fitting the traditional sorority stereotype. I'm tall, blond, skinny, and I'll be the first to admit I'm not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree. So I'm getting two different responses... from the girls I talk to who beleive that they "aren't the sorority type", no matter how much I try to explain how Beta is different, they see me, and therefore Beta, in that stereotyped light - even moreso if my prior affiliation comes up.

Then from the girls who are interested in sororities, the feedback I've been getting is that Beta seems "fake", because we aren't based at any particular school, that I'm out of college and should get past sorority life, that "why would I/you want to join another sorority, I'm/you're already in one", etc.

So, that pretty much took care of all my girlfriends (who really are great people, I'm making them out to sound awful here!!). I'm only taking one class at the school, and that's almost all guys, and I don't really feel comfortable with the girls that are in there - they're all, well... just kind of scary.

So now, I guess I'm going to move on to trying to recruit strangers, which I'm actually a lot more confident in my abilities with. Right now I'm playing everything by ear... as I might have mentioned in my own thread, I got a concussion a few weeks ago, and (while this might sound superficial) I have some cuts/bruises on my face and I want to wait to start recruiting until I can look my best.

end bitching.

So, bookishbabe... I feel your pain!!!

[erica812]

Oh, Ginger...
I'm sorry to hear about your injuries. Feel better!

I also feel badly that response has been poor about Beta. I also have felt more comfortable with strangers. In front of a group, I come across as organized, confident,and professional (must be the teaching and leadership experience). In a one-on-one setting or in a really social situation, I am SO shy though. Starting this chapter has really helped me to meet people and break out of this shell that has been with me since birth!

Erica

[BookishBabe]

Ginger, I can totally relate to what you were saying. I didn't take it as a b*tch session, but even if it was, you're entitled to voice your frustrations.

Even though we are all attracted to Beta Sigma Phi for different reasons, do you think the fact that it isn't a "traditional" GLO works against us? I'm thinking of Ginger's friends who said that Beta was a "fake" organization. Few younger people have even heard of Beta, so it's hard to counteract a perception when there really isn't a perception to be had.

I'd love to see Beta take off and blossom on College campuses. There is another organization (Epsilon Sigma Alpha) that seems to have a more aggressive plan for collegiate expansion. I wonder what we can do to push Beta's name forward in the same way?

[erica812]

Wow! I've been thinking about this a lot. I couldn't believe how much response I got on Greekchat when I started talking about Beta. There is still an interest and a need out there among younger women. I planned on bringing this up sometime soon, but since we are on the subject.......I think that we need to put together a "Task Force" of sort to take the college market by storm! We need to get the word out that Beta Sigma Phi is a legitimate option for younger women as well as for middle age and up. I would love to be a part of a major movement to bring Beta to college campuses around the U.S. and Canada. Just look how much is going on amoung Greekchatters. We should work together to start chapters at college/universities besides our own. There should be collegiate councils, collegiate conventions, regional & state representatives, etc...

I would love to hear other ideas about ways to introduce a younger generation to Beta Sigma Phi.

Erica

[BookishBabe]

Originally posted by erica812

I would love to hear other ideas about ways to introduce a younger generation to Beta Sigma Phi.

Well, one thing I'd like to know is what National's plans are in this regard. One of the members in my area sent me a copy of the Torch, and there's a profile of Amber Haq (the Director of Membership) near the front of the magazine. She's a young person, and in the tour of HQ on the Beta site, there are pictures of younger women who work on the HQ staff. It would be wonderful to know whether Amber and the rest of HQ has actually come up with a plan for collegiate expansion.

I'd also like to know what percentage of Beta members are college graduates. Not to sound like a snob or anything (heaven knows that's not the case) but maybe we're working against the perception that women who have graduated from colleges and universities feel that they don't have anything in common with women who aren't collegiate (and vice versa).

Since Beta isn't a collegiate-based organization, I'd like to see the organization charter chapters at Junior Colleges (called colleges in Canada). I'm sure there are lots of women at these non-traditional campuses who would love to have the sorority experience.

Does Beta have a program for young women who aren't of membership age?

What's the percentage of legacy membership in Beta? If mothers who have members have daughters who aren't, why didn't they join?

Those are just a few questions I'd like to see answered.

[wvapogirl]

I too have to agree that it is great to see the Beta board pick up with so much discussion! With that said, I want to put in my $.02 on the collegate- (sp?) vs. community- based chapters discussion:

First, I don't even know if it's really a vs. It seems like there is a lot of interest on this board of people wanted to know what BSP International's focus is on collegate chapter expansion is. While I think that adding more chapters at the college level is a great idea, let me just toss this out- there are also a lot of younger women (let's say ages 22 to 30) who are not in college but may be interested in joining a group like BSP for the social/learning/networking factors. This is the group I fall in. I'm 24, just moved to southern MD less than a year ago, recently married. I'm trying to meet people, find things to do. Now while having chapters of BSP associated with colleges is a great idea, it might make potential new members wary of joining, because they might think "Oh, well, I don't go to college there/ I'm not taking any college classes/ I've never gone to college; so BSP isn't for me". I guess what I'm saying is that we should project BSP as a "friendship network, with social and learning opportunities", mention that we are a sorority, but not in the traditional, "go-to-college, rush, pledge, frat boys, whatever stereotypes you have" way.

I hope that this rambling of my has made some sense. If anyone has any questions, please post 'em here, I'd be more than happy to respond.

Oh, and the above is just my opinion, I am by no means an expert on all things Beta Sigma Phi.

Beta Sisterly Love,
Nicole

[BookishBabe]

I think we were all focusing on collegiate expansion because it's the one place where you can almost certainly count on finding a concentrated population of young women who might be interested in joining a sorority. But even if the women aren't collegiate per se -- just college age -- how else could Beta position itself to be more attractive to those women?

[wvapogirl]

Originally posted by BookishBabe
... But even if the women aren't collegiate per se -- just college age -- how else could Beta position itself to be more attractive to those women?

I first heard about Beta by reading about local chapters in my hometown newspaper: they published what the chapters had done both service-wise and socially (founder's day dinners, woman of the year, etc.). Since Beta is a community-based org., get your chapter listed w/anyplace in your area that promotes civic orgs (chamber of commerce, chamber of tourism, etc.). If you have a big service event, see if your local paper will run a snipit about it.

As for being more "attractive", I'd say sell Beta as an international friendship organization, with opportunities for service, learning, and sisterhood. Let prospectives know what types of things you chapter plans to do, i.e. future service projects, secret sisters, monthly meetings with short programs led by sisters. Also show them that Beta provides a chance to form networks and friendships beyond the "scheduled" level; they may find a really great new friend to hang out with.

I hope that this info helps. I am just so happy to come onto GC and see so many women interested in Beta! I am just starting out in Beta myself, this will be my first month of pledge training, I am hosting this month's meeting at my house this Wed., and I am SOOOOOOOOOOO excited! I am the youngest member of my chapter (Gamma Mu; and I'm 24, the other 8 women's ages range from the mid-30s to late-60s); another girl is getting her pledge ritual this month (she's 26). Even though I've only been with these women for a very short time, I feel so close to them, and so welcomed into their close-knit circle. So can I just say,
It's great to be a Beta!

~Nicole

[erica812]

You gave me my smile for the day.

Erica

[wvapogirl]

Erica~

Always glad to help out a (future) sister!

~Nicole

[OrigamiTulip]

Bump.