Frat groups who initiate alumni
 

I’m a Pi Phi and I don’t normally post on here ,but I have been reading all sorts of post and I am curious do the male fraternities perform alumnae initiations?

I have a brother who left school before joining? He regrets it ,but has hooked up with a great paying job. He is an Eagle Scout and Past State Master Councilor for DeMolay so he knows brotherhood. He wants to exp a fraternity without going back to school. I told him I would check around.

I know some have but I don't know who, or their process. I spoke to my oldest son about my husband (father of 8 Greeks, husband of one, and nephew and uncle and cousin of dozens!) and he was astounded--had never heard of it. He was VP of his own chapter and didn't even know how they would start the process.

As a Phi Gamma Delta graduate brother, I can tell you that FIJI does occasionally initiate non collegiates. I can speak to older non-Greek relatives of brothers including a couple fathers who had become involved with their sons’ chapters. I also know alumni of the particular school who may have had to leave school or were always good friends of brothers but may not have had the time or finances to pledge while in school.
It isn’t an everyday occurrence, but it does happen.

Here's a story from a GC member who was initiated into Pi Kappa Phi as an alum in 2004.

Lute Olson, former mens' basketball coach at University of Arizona, was initiated into Pi Kappa Alpha as an alumnus.

I know two other adult men who were initiated into fraternities as alumni initiates. I am not positive as to what all those initiations entailed. That is, were these the same type of initiation as undergraduates? Is it considered full membership or is it honorary? I don't know for certain.

Point is that yes, apparently, alumni initiation is a possibility for at least some fraternities.

I've been a part of this happening. Twice.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate your sharing

I told him AI is known in the sorority world ,but couldn’t tell him if it occurs for male fraternities. I asked him which one he had in mind. He was at a school that has FIJI, Sigma Chi and Kappa Sig. I advised him to make contact and ask. The worst is No.

Like PGD-GRAD stated, Sigma Chi has AI'd men who volunteered with their son's chapters or faculty advisors who weren't previously in fraternities and really dedicated themselves to the chapter they served. I have also seen cases where family members (a brother or son-in-law) was AI'd.

Back in the day, you could only get AI'd into Sigma Chi by being initiated with a colony that was being installed as a chapter; even if they had never been involved with that particular colony. The men getting initiated had to travel to the place where the installation was occurring. I know a member who was initiated with the College of Charleston chapter- his family were all Sigs from Arkansas.

Sidenote/ I know that "AI'd" does not need an apostrophe. It just looked better than "AId".

So I'm getting the sense that this is being inquired about by someone who is presently unconnected to any college fraternity. In Sigma Nu, we don't have "alumni initiation." We just have initiation. You may be 45 years old and no longer a college student, but you're just initiated. Most often, this is something we do for faculty advisors and other vital non-matriculates. We generally vote and request that our High Council approve the initiation. In my experience, they aren't going to get in your way. We then have the initiation, collect the fee and that individual is a bona fide Sigma Nu.

If you have someone searching to randomly be initiated though, I don't like his chances.

A number of years ago, Phi Gamma Delta at the University of Alabama initiated then-president Dr. Robert Witt. My husband is a Tau Kappa Epsilon member, and they list Elvis Presley as a member, initiated as a non-student.

Psi Upsilon does allow for the initiation of non-collegiates, but it's rare. I only know of one case in the 11 years I've been a Brother that I know it happened, and that was with a long time employee at our IHQ.

Also, if he's DeMolay, why doesn't he just look at joining a Lodge?

L X A also will Initiate none members but it is because of what they have done in working for the Chapter and must be approved by our National.

While they are called Honorary members, they will watch the ritual and are still Brothers. One of ours is President Harry S Truman at Univ. of Missouri!.

Curious...is there a list posted of sororities that do AI? I know mine does. I have a friend who is not in a GLO and her daughter is currently going through recruitment. Went to prefs today and I'm wondering if either of her two groups does AI.