Term: Colonist?
 

Alpha Phi Omega uses the term "Petitioning Group" instead of colony and the members of a Petitioning Group are referred to as "Petitioners".

However I was thinking that I don't see the term "Colonist" used that much here, with instead "Members of a Colony". Is the term Colonist used at all these days? Was it ever used?

I've never really heard it. Most fraternities use the term "founding father" when they set up a new chapter or re-establish a chapter. I'm not sure about NPC sororities but I feel it's similar.

No. No. No. No. No.

If you wanted to get technical, the sorority or the fraternity would actually be the colonist, as they are the ones laying the groundwork for it.

You're not a founding father 'til you get that charter. Until then, you're a colonist. Although I always said I was a member of a colony because "colonist" the word doesn't sound as good.

For my NPC group, the three founders are dead and buried in MS so we don't use that term at all. I think NPC is trying to move away from "colony" and "colonization." Establishing I think is the new term but I'm not sure of all the permutations. When using colony, we called the initial NM class charter members. No clue what we are calling them this year!

We use the term charter members.

I've never heard of the term "colonist" being used to refer to a member of a colony.

I was a member of a colony, and later I became a founding sister of my chapter.

We use the term 'founder' or 'founding sister' for the first class. I've never heard 'colonist' being used. A fraternity is colonizing on my campus this year and they've been using the term 'colony brother'.

I'm not sure about "most." I'm more used to hearing "charter members," which is what we use. I'd never heard "founding fathers" until maybe 15 years ago, and it always sounded odd to me. Only one person in our fraternity is referred to as "Father." The rest of us, including charter members, are brothers.

Before initiation/granting of the charter, they are "colony members."

It's the same for us...charter members becomes the term after the chartering, when members of that first group refer to themselves to the newer members, but since it's extremely rare for a colony not to charter (I don't even remember a case), charter member seems to be used even before colonization.

Thank you for using the term "Colonist". Reminded me to look ahead at November's calendar and help decide which of my siblings will have the pleasure of hosting Thanksgiving this year.