Chapter V. National/International

[1908Revelations]

I started this thread so that I would not disrupt the 'How big are you thread'.

So I want to know:

How could one not care about the national/international org or care less about it over their undergraduate chapter? So when you (whomever) are going through your rush or process is there no or little thought placed in what is this organization doing as a whole or is it what is this chapter doing? Sorry, I am lost about the whole chapter ovre national/international thing. I care more about the international body of AKA versus any chapter because AKA is greater than any individual chapter. And in case anyone is wondering I am an undergraduate, so I am not looking at this from a graduate level.

[CutiePie2000]

My response comes from the NPC p.o.v., but here goes.......

Well, when I was going through the NPC recruitment process at university, I did give some thought to "where does my org possibly have alumnae chapters in other cities?", because I knew that after university, I would want to live in a few different cities, for personal and professional development. Alumnae Chapters are a good way to make friends, if you know few people or no one in that city.

Later one, when I did become an NPC member, I did live in one city where we had no alumnae chapter, but by virtue of being "Greek", I was able to befriend other NPC alumnae women as well as a handful of alumnae from my GLO (though we had no established alumnae group), and the other NPC women did make a point of "taking me under their wing" which was appreciated).

That being said, my opinion is that, I think that for some people in their 20s who are going through collegiate rush/recruitment, I think it's difficult for them to envision what "down the road" alumnae life will bring. It's more important in the context of the time and lifeperiod for them to be more concerned with the collegiate chapter.

Perhaps prospective NPHC collegiate members give more thought to the long term picture, because from what I've learned on this GC board, the NPHC members seem to emphasize more lifelong & community involvement with their respective GLOs. Also, NPHC prospective members know that they should do their research and pursue just one group, so I think the whole intake process is more much thoughtful and introspective, than NPC Formal Recruitment where a potential new member must visit each group at least once.

[1908Revelations]

Thanks CutiePie. I guess that is just a NPC/NPHC difference.

[lauralaylin]

When I joined as an undergrad, I couldn't have told you if my organization had two chapters or two thousand. What mattered to me was that I was happy with my sisters. After graduation however, I've really come to care much more about us on an international level. I would like my chapter to do well, but if they weren't I wouldn't be crushed. I'd much rather see us do well as a whole group. I'm not sure how I got to this point though. Maybe after I moved away from my university, I was able to see how much I love my sisters and Alpha Phi in general, not just in RI.

[Drolefille]

I think a big part of it we aren't raised with an expectation of joining a specific group. My mom's an ADPi. She wanted me to go through recruitment but didn't expect me to a) know what group I wanted already and b) join ADPi. I see a lot of NPHC members saying that they'll only support their daughter/son if he or she joins their org.

I certainly took into consideration what our national organization did as a philanthropy. But I didn't really learn any of that until recruitment. I flipped through the national websites once before hand, maybe. However what I really was looking for was the sisterhood. And that is where the chapter was important over the national organization.

I see the differences like this (please correct me if I'm wrong):
NPC-Rush multiple chapters, Join One, Dedicated primarily to your chapter, Graduate, Become active as an alumna for your organization as a whole or become inactive.

NPHC - Persue one chapter, Join one chapter, dedicated on local and national level, graduate, Remain active or become inactive

(Assumption that if you join as a graduate you'll stay active whether NPHC or NPC)

I think we both end up in the same place if that makes sense.

[AGDee]

I think, in most ways, the NPC groups are, on an inter/national level, more similar than different. All of them have the same basic focal points of sisterhood, philanthropy, leadership and scholarship. The specifics of the philanthropy vary, most definitely, but overall, they are more similar than different. Some groups are stronger in the South, some are more numerous in the North. And, the way our recruitment process works, it does encourage women to look at the individual chapter rather than the whole organization.

In Michigan, we have a statewide luncheon for our International Reunion Day (our version of a Founder's Day) and this is generally a young woman's first exposure to other chapters, alumnae from other chapters, etc. The young women often walk away from that with a new sense of a bigger organization than their chapter. When you REALLY see that is when young women attend our leadership conferences or, even moreso, our Convention. Unfortunately, those are usually only the Presidents. They get a big understanding of how big this thing we're in truly is. When we get to the part at Convention where they honor the woman in attendance who has attended the most Conventions, and it is someone who has been to 25, 26, 27 Conventions, you really see their jaws drop. It is also when they meet a lot of volunteers at the higher levels and find out that these are women who love the Fraternity so much that they've dedicated unending hours to it and it inspires them.

Originally Posted by lauralaylin

When I joined as an undergrad, I couldn't have told you if my organization had two chapters or two thousand. What mattered to me was that I was happy with my sisters. After graduation however, I've really come to care much more about us on an international level.

I was the exact opposite -- but then again, that's what happens when your chapter's the only NPC on campus and we're located smack dab in the middle of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest chapter is a 5 hour flight away.

Whenever rush comes around, the fact that we ARE international is one of our biggest selling points. I knew that the resources the Fraternity could provide me numbered more than that of the ones of the local sororities on campus.

Our span of chapters goes from Hawaii to Nova Scotia...however it wasn't until I attended my first International Convention in 2001 that I was able to witness firsthand the enormity of it all.

And to echo what AGDee said -- I was one of the "jaw-droppers" at Convention when I met Jane Graf for the first time. Conventions just won't be the same without her.

[AGDee]

At the 2004 Convention, I quickly did the math to see if I had a chance to make it to that many Conventions. I won't live that long... (I've only attended 4 so far, San Antonio will be 5 and I don't see living another 40+ years)

[DSTCHAOS]

I know plenty of NPHCers who don't associate with frat or sorors outside of their chapter and they have no financial or philanthropic involvement outside of what their home chapter is doing. That goes for people who pledged decades ago, too.

It's good to have chapter-only things that identify you. But some people go too far. One saying I've heard is "(name of fraternity) chapter of (chapter designation), Inc." And one of my pet peeves is "chapter shirts" where you see a big chapter designation and a tiny organizational designation, if it's on the shirt at all. I also hate chapter handsigns and chapters that have policies that they think override or negate national policies. It can't be part of your chapter's culture or policies if it isn't in-line with the national organization.

So it isn't enough to still wear 'nalia and occasionally speak to a frat or soror in passing (many members don't speak because "they aren't from MY chapter so they aren't like WE are"). If you aren't doing anything except going back to the yard for homecoming or initiation ceremonies, you don't really place the national above your chapter.

I love my home chapter and the women in that chapter drew me to Delta in combination with what I saw from Delta at a local and national level. I didn't end my activity with my home chapter because there is so much to be done at the alumnae (local, regional, national) level. Lifetime commitment implies to me that my membership superceeds chapter boundaries and goes on even if my chapter of initiation is no longer.

Although, the women of my chapter who I bonded with before Delta and because of Delta will always be.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

It's good to have chapter-only things that identify you. But some people go too far. One saying I've heard is "(name of fraternity) chapter of (chapter designation), Inc." And one of my pet peeves is "chapter shirts" where you see a big chapter designation and a tiny organizational designation, if it's on the shirt at all. I also hate chapter handsigns and chapters that have policies that they think override or negate national policies. It can't be part of your chapter's culture or policies if it isn't in-line with the national organization.

if i'm understanding you correctly - "chapter shirts" take it too far? why is that? i know this isnt exactly the same example, but line shirts/jackets can be looked at as "chapter-only"

but i can agree - if my chapter letters were the only thing on said shirt, without any regards to the actual organization - that's violation (and i've seen that before - in other org, not mine. in particular with single-letter chapters. but thats a whole nother topic)

and yeah chapter handsigns are the wackness. my neos tried to have a spring 06 call and was like WTH? is my call not good enough for you? SMH.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by tld221

if i'm understanding you correctly - "chapter shirts" take it too far? why is that? i know this isnt exactly the same example, but line shirts/jackets can be looked at as "chapter-only"

I think if it was something like

Alpha Beta Chapter

Sigma Gamma Rho

that would be a little much, LOL.

[IncontRHOllable]

Originally Posted by tld221

but i can agree - if my chapter letters were the only thing on said shirt, without any regards to the actual organization - that's violation (and i've seen that before - in other org, not mine. in particular with single-letter chapters. but thats a whole nother topic)

I can see that I definitely need to start paying more attention b/c I 've never seen this. Will definitely be looking now.

Originally Posted by tld221

my neos tried to have a spring 06 call and was like WTH? is my call not good enough for you? SMH.

Maybe I'm getting old, but I promise we would have never considered doing this.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by tld221

if i'm understanding you correctly - "chapter shirts" take it too far? why is that? i know this isnt exactly the same example, but line shirts/jackets can be looked at as "chapter-only"

I don't know what your line shirt looked like but mine had a huge "Delta Sigma Theta" on the front.

My chapter designation was placed on the left sleeve, which means that it's secondary information that can be seen only after you see "Delta."

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by 1908Revelations

I started this thread so that I would not disrupt the 'How big are you thread'.

So I want to know:

How could one not care about the national/international org or care less about it over their undergraduate chapter? So when you (whomever) are going through your rush or process is there no or little thought placed in what is this organization doing as a whole or is it what is this chapter doing? Sorry, I am lost about the whole chapter ovre national/international thing. I care more about the international body of AKA versus any chapter because AKA is greater than any individual chapter. And in case anyone is wondering I am an undergraduate, so I am not looking at this from a graduate level.

Let me throw this into the mix....

Some NPHC members DEFINITELY care more about their chapters. It depends on the person and the chapter, but I think it relates less to recruitment and rush and more about their level of activity once they graduate and what sort of brotherly or sisterly relations they have with people outside their chapter.

[DSTRen13]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Let me throw this into the mix....

Some NPHC members DEFINITELY care more about their chapters. It depends on the person and the chapter, but I think it relates less to recruitment and rush and more about their level of activity once they graduate and what sort of brotherly or sisterly relations they have with people outside their chapter.

I think this is true, BUT I don't think that you see members joining an org because of the chapter very often. It isn't common that someone will arrive on campus and make their decision based on whether they like the local chapter of Delta or AKA best. Now, you will have some members who, AFTER that point, will be very dedicated to their chapter, moreso than the national org, but it's not the same as choosing your org based on the local chapter. I just don't see that happening very often, in my (admittedly limited) experience.