Being an alumna at a completely different type of school?

psy · #1 01-09-2011, 08:24 PM

I graduated in 2010 from a school with a small Greek system (4 sororities and a total of 60) with a pretty non-competitive recruitment and am now attending grad school at a southern Big XII school with a very competitive recruitment. I'd like to get involved in an alumni chapter here, but I'm worried that being from a small chapter might be awkward, as most of the members of the alumni group are probably alumni from the Big XII chapter (it's a relatively small, VERY university-centric town) and more familiar with that type of GLO experience. Has anyone been a similar situation? If so, how did it work out?

Thanks!

excelblue · #2 01-09-2011, 09:37 PM

I don't imagine it'd be too much of an issue: you share the same ritual, and you get along at national events, right? Why would you have issues with alumni groups?

KSUViolet06 · #3 01-09-2011, 09:44 PM

^^^Alumnae chapter culture/make up is different depending on where you go. There are some that are made up of alumnae from many schools. Then there are others whose members are mostly women from the nearby collegiate chapter.

Ex: Big City Alumna Chapter might have members from 10 different collegiate chapters (because people move from other states to Big City all the time.) On the other hand, Small Town Alumnae Chapter might be all Small Town University alumnae.

So if you come from Big City to Small Town and attend a Small Town Alumnae Chapter meeting, it may be a bit of a culture shock at first (because you don't have the Small Town experience in common.)

Drolefille · #4 01-09-2011, 09:52 PM

As long as you go in with an attitude of "Hey I'm sure you guys do things differently, I can't wait to learn. just let me know how I can help" rather than "OMG U IZZ DOIN IT RONG." It'll be ok. Feel free to offer ideas, but be aware you may need to be there longer before they're well received. And they may really NOT be viable even if they worked GREAT at your chapter.

KSUViolet06 · #5 01-09-2011, 09:55 PM

^^^Right. That's a great attitude to have.

Saying "OMG in my collegiate chapter/other alumnae chapter we always did it this way" every other word is probably not going to make people eager to get to know you.

33girl · #6 01-09-2011, 09:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drolefille

As long as you go in with an attitude of "Hey I'm sure you guys do things differently, I can't wait to learn. just let me know how I can help" rather than "OMG U IZZ DOIN IT RONG." It'll be ok. Feel free to offer ideas, but be aware you may need to be there longer before they're well received. And they may really NOT be viable even if they worked GREAT at your chapter.

She's going to grad school and will be in an alum chapter for the first time. Whether she'll actually be assisting the nearby collegiate chapter (if there is an active one) isn't something she specified.

All I can say is try it out. Your doubts might be right on point, or they might be completely unfounded.

Even if it's a chapter in a college town, there might be people who moved there to teach or do other things at the college who are from other chapters.

AOII Angel · #7 01-10-2011, 09:58 AM

Give it a try. Whether or not they need help with the local chapter is questionable. They may since burnout is strong when dealing with chapters. I definitely had a different collegiate experience than the chapter I helped advise, but most of the alumnae on the advisory board were also from different chapters. The one piece of advice I would give you is to avoid the desire to say, "Well in my chapter we..." It makes collegians turn their ears off quicker than anything else! If there is a strong advisory group in place, join the alumnae group and get to know the women. You'll get to meet a lot of people in your area and learn a lot about your sorority. I bet they will welcome you with arms wide open. I found it very helpful when moving to Baltimore and miss my chapter so much now that I'm in Phoenix.

DubaiSis · #8 01-10-2011, 12:47 PM

I've had such great experiences in three alumnae chapters, I can only recommend you check them out. I've never directly volunteered for a collegiate chapter, and I think that's something new alums don't quite understand... there is a LOT more to alumnae membership than collegiate chapter involvement.

Join the alum group, be open to the similarities and differences you have, and see how you feel! But do keep in mind that your alum life is NOT the same, and you may have a bit of a culture shock. It could be as much or more the situation than the actual women so give it a little time.

Benzgirl · #9 01-10-2011, 08:18 PM

What do you have to lose? I came from a very different chapter than the Alumnae Club where I belong (opposite of your situation) and I participate quite a bit. The chapter girls are always asking me questions and try to get ideas from me. Mock Recruitment events are always a lot of fun because you bring a different perspective.

dhartofagd · #10 03-23-2011, 02:31 PM

I have actually been a part of three different Alum groups. Small to medium to huge. And honestly, it's been great at all of them. BTW, none of them have been alum groups from my own school or my own state for that matter. The ladies will love you no matter. Go in with a great attitude and an open heart to the way they do things there. You don't want to change them, you want to be part of them!

Good Luck!
dawn

Alpha Gamma Delta
Denver Alumnae Chapter President

honeychile · #11 03-23-2011, 02:48 PM

I would encourage you to try it twice. You may meet Miss Supreme Dimple Face who has Emily Post memorized on your first try, and be totally turned off by her - large metropolitan area or not. The second time, you may meet someone more to your liking.

One of my favorite sisters went to an alumnae group event, and she caught Miss Supreme Dimple Face rearranging the cookie tray that she had just placed on the table. Unfortunately, she never went back - and she has so many great skills. It breaks my heart.

AnchorAlumna · #12 03-23-2011, 11:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by honeychile

I would encourage you to try it twice. ... Unfortunately, she never went back - and she has so many great skills. It breaks my heart.

YES, this is so true. I've seen plenty of people go once and find something they didn't like (and some had to hunt hard to find it) and never go back. One person refused to participate because we discussed making the Christmas mother-daughter party a champagne brunch - she objected to alcohol of any kind being served. Another didn't like the fact that no one from her chapter was an active member (duh! Join and bring a buddy!).

I - age 21 and just married 6 weeks - was horrified at being placed between 2 women who discussed diapers and toilet training!

But I did go back again, and again, and again. Some of these women have known me 30+ years now. And even if they drop out for a few years and return later, they're still sisters.

Definitely give it a try or two, and keep yourself open!

DGTess · #13 05-07-2011, 11:21 AM

I've been in a similar situation. I went to a nerd school with five sororities -- the pledge classes they bring in now are larger than any of our chapters were back in the mid-70s. I didn't have a clue how larger schools worked.

I've now been affiliated with alumnae chapters in three major metropolitan areas - in Denver, in San Antonio, and in Northern Virginia - where most of the active members were from at most 3-5 different schools. There were still enough people from "outside" that it wasn't overwhelming.

It's good for the chapter too. Like a business that never brings in new ideas, a group that all comes from the same mindset can get stale. The key, though, is not "Well, this works ..." but rather "We at X did this. How could we adapt it to a different situation, and is it worth trying."

One of the greatest benefits of sorority membership is the ability to meet new sisters for the rest of your life!

lstorey · #14 08-21-2011, 04:43 PM

there is so much that someone can bring the table that went to another school. I know that for the longest time my chapter only had our graduates as advisors (it was hard to get anyone else to commit) but when we did get advisors from other schools they offered a lot of insight or other perspectives.

Same goes for alumnae groups...you have one tie, all are sisters in the same sorority. And as several said, go at least twice in case you meet the wrong person the first time. We all have that person in our sorority and not much you can do about it!

DaffyKD · #15 08-21-2011, 06:34 PM

I have belonged to 5 different Alumnae Chapters. One of these I started. Each community was VERY different from the others. We all had sisterhood in common which made it easy going to each group. Some comprise of mainly older ladies and some had more ladies my age. I did attend the meeting for one group which made me feel uncomfortable since they were ALL from a chapter that did not exist when I was a collegiate member. Go to those events which fit your schedule, and get involved as much as possible. You will love your alumnae experiences. The group to which I currently belong has ladies ranging from brand new graduates to those who have been members for more than 60 years. We attempt to have activities which will interest both range of women.

DaffyKD (now one of the older women)