Graduate Student and AI

[PeppyGPhiB]

Hmm...I think you may be a little confused. If an organization does let graduate students join collegiate chapters, but offers AI (and not all do), it is probably handled through an alumnae chapter, not collegiate. In order to "join" an alumnae chapter you need to be initiated, whether that's through collegiate or alumnae initiation.

I don't know if that helps at all of if I've just confused you more Can anyone else explain it more clearly?

[OrigamiTulip]

Originally Posted by mkriske

It's very sad that there is nothing out there for those of us who would enjoy the networking aspect of a Sorority. Honor Socities are a nice thing to belong to, but they don't have the same feel as the sisterhood of a sorority has. We are left with the choice of joining Beta Sigma Phi if we want to get involved

Actually, there are over 20 community sororities, not just Beta Sigma Phi. That's almost as many community sororities as there are NPC sororities, with as many opportunities to find the right fit. So do some research, and look at all of your options, instead of just focusing on AI or Beta as your only options.

[LPIDelta]

You know, maybe I am weird , but I am 31 and LOVE the time I get to spend with the actives in the chapter I advise. Yes, I know being an advisor is 'different' but not really--I don't hang out with them (because lord knows I couldn't keep up) but I do sorority things with them, like attend meetings, go to special events, do philanthropy projects etc. I do not view my involvement as trying to relive my college days...and I suspect that older women who join collegiate chapters really aren't trying to do that either. Just some food for thought.

[mkriske]

Originally Posted by BetaRose

Actually, there are over 20 community sororities, not just Beta Sigma Phi. That's almost as many community sororities as there are NPC sororities, with as many opportunities to find the right fit. So do some research, and look at all of your options, instead of just focusing on AI or Beta as your only options.

Thank you for the link, it did help some, though I had already visited most of the ones listed.
Thanks again
MK

[irishpipes]

Originally Posted by mkriske

I understand that, and left a part of what I wrote out, the part that to be part of the Alumnae Chapter, often you have to pledge the Collegiate Chapter first, at least for UCLA and LMU. This is what I was told, and I should have included it above
Michele Kriske

So are you saying that he entire alumnae chapter came from the same collegiate chapter? I only know for sure about my own organization, but I assume all the NPCs work this way too - an alumnae chapter is for any alumnae who live in a certain geopgraphical area. It makes no difference where you went to college as long as you initiated into XYZ. Are you saying that an individual NPC sorority has a UCLA alumnae chapter just for UCLA grads and a LMU alumnae chapter just for LMU grads? Strange. Usually (OK, always, as far as I know) there is an alumnae chapter for, say, Orange County, or Beverly Hills, or something like that, not for a collegiate chapter.

[WCUgirl]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

So are you saying that he entire alumnae chapter came from the same collegiate chapter? I only know for sure about my own organization, but I assume all the NPCs work this way too - an alumnae chapter is for any alumnae who live in a certain geopgraphical area. It makes no difference where you went to college as long as you initiated into XYZ. Are you saying that an individual NPC sorority has a UCLA alumnae chapter just for UCLA grads and a LMU alumnae chapter just for LMU grads? Strange. Usually (OK, always, as far as I know) there is an alumnae chapter for, say, Orange County, or Beverly Hills, or something like that, not for a collegiate chapter.

I believe 99.9999% of NPC alumnae organizations work this way, but I am aware of an alumnae chapter for alumnae of a specific collegiate chapter only. I want to say it was a KD chapter....? I can't recall. But yes, they do exist.

[33girl]

Phi Mu and Delta Zeta have "chapter organizations" which are only composed of alums of a specific collegiate chapter. If I'm not mistaken, you can be in one of these and a geographically based alum chapter at the same time.

And in a densely populated area like LA - I wouldn't be a bit surprised if there were multiple alumnae chapters that even though they are geographically based on paper, have membership mainly or solely from one collegiate chapter. If a lot of your collegiate sisters are in the same alum chapter, you'll probably end up in it too, even if it's across town. It really isn't supposed to happen that way, but until the HQs start saying "if your zip code is 90210 you must be in so and so alum chapter" it's going to happen.

[mkriske]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

So are you saying that he entire alumnae chapter came from the same collegiate chapter? I only know for sure about my own organization, but I assume all the NPCs work this way too - an alumnae chapter is for any alumnae who live in a certain geopgraphical area. It makes no difference where you went to college as long as you initiated into XYZ. Are you saying that an individual NPC sorority has a UCLA alumnae chapter just for UCLA grads and a LMU alumnae chapter just for LMU grads? Strange. Usually (OK, always, as far as I know) there is an alumnae chapter for, say, Orange County, or Beverly Hills, or something like that, not for a collegiate chapter.

I don't know if this is true or not, I have been trying to find a Sorority for about 10 years now. When I was working on my Bachelor's the Sororities were mainly for minoritygroups, when I worked on my first master's I was told I was too old to join, and in the past two years, while working on my second Master's I have had no luck making contact with groups. I actually went to an event with one Alumnae Group and worked on their Philathropic Project for the year, but have not heard anything about membership. A second group was in contact with me and then stopped answering my letters, and a third is much the same. When I have visited the various groups and looked at their alumnae pages, they refer back to my involvement in a collegiate chapter. I assumed for a long time that I had to have been a collegiate member in order to join and just found out 4 monthes ago that I didn't. To answer your question, I have always been referred to groups through their home schools, but I'm still looking. I'm sure I don't understand everything involved so please be patient with me. I cannot be the only 40 year old out there who wants to join and Alumnae Chapter. Can I?

[irishpipes]

You don't join an alumnae chapter. You join a national/international organization and are sponsored by an alumna or an alumnae chapter to do it. Then once you are initiated you of course are likely to be active in an alumnae chapter.

[scarleteriberry]

WOW, I'm shocked how many responses this has gotten already. Thanks for your imput and the positive PMs I wanted to reply to a lot of your comments, but I just picked a couple. Again, this is going to be a long post.

Also, I emailed the alumna that the president of ABC mentioned, but I haven't heard back from her, yet. Hopefully I will here back soon, but I am definately aware of the waiting period. I will update if or when I hear back...

Originally Posted by Heather17

I think someone may have responded to you re: this in another thread but I'll reiterate. There are three possibilities:

1) The school could have a rule, either the administration or the panhellenic, that grad students are not eligible for recruitment.

2) The sorority iteself, either nationally or locally, may not accept grad students.

3) Not likely, but its possible the sorority was using your status as a reason to let you down easy.

I wrote a joint email to the two employees at the OSFA that gave me conflicting answers and the Panhellenic VP of Recruitment hoping to get a decision that they all agree on....just less blunt.

Originally Posted by AChiOhSnap

...but what if she did find out that it's not a school rule? Isn't recruitment already over? How would that change her situation?

Well, it wouldn't for this semester. Recruitment at my school only happens in the spring (only a couple have events in the fall). What I'm hoping happens is that the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and/or the Panhellenic Council come to an official decision...which is hopefully that graduate students can participate in formal rush, even if there is only a possibility of joining a couple.

Originally Posted by AlphaFrog

I think we can safely assume that she's not Doogie Howser.

Hahahaha!! No, but close. I still get carded at rated R movies sometimes! I just graduated from college...I'm 23. I know I'm old, but I'm not old, yet.

Originally Posted by AChiOhSnap

The only thing I think is "bad" about a graduate student going through recruitment is I would ask myself "How much time is this woman going to really be able to devote to my organization?" If you're doing 50+ hours a week of teaching assistantships, research, classes...well, I'm going to seriously question whether or not you'll be able to devote extra hours to the sorority during your new member period.

That's a really good and very valid point. Joining a sorority is a huge commitment that takes up a lot of time...and the rest of your life For me, personally, I have two comments for that. The first is that I know what I'd be getting into- I'm very much aware of the time and energy commitment. I am awesome at time management and, while I know it would be very difficult, REALLY, REALLY want to do this.

Originally Posted by Heather17

the face of the college student today, at many schools, is changing. On some campuses, non-traditional aged students are arriving in droves. If we are going to survive, I think we need to at least be open to considering older students.

It really is something that needs to be considered on a case by case basis.

Amen to that!

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

I'm going to be a little blunt here. Why do grad students want to join chapters full of undergrad women 18-22 years old? I guess if a woman was a young grad student (22 or 23) I could understand some of the appeal, but older than that I just don't get it.

I'm glad I make your age cut off! I understand where you are comming from, though. An interesting story...there was a local co-ed social frat at my college. One year a professor was given a bid to pledge...and his son was the pledgemaster. I can't imagine the hell he went through!

Originally Posted by _Lisa_

Thats not what it sounded like to me. It would be easier to push the OP off on another organization that may take grad students, but instead she liked her enough to want her in her own organization, even if only through AI.

This is the impression that I got from everyone. I think that if they were allowed to extend me an invitation to joing they would have. I could be wrong, but that is my gut feeling. Why would they even bother contacting me at all if they didn't like me?

[Buttonz]

Originally Posted by scarleteriberry

I'm glad I make your age cut off! I understand where you are comming from, though. An interesting story...there was a local co-ed social frat at my college. One year a professor was given a bid to pledge...and his son was the pledgemaster. I can't imagine the hell he went through!
[/COLOR]

O man, that would have been weird...I dunno i I could have handled that! Then again, I would have had a lot of fun with my mom as a pledge of mine

[mkriske]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

You don't join an alumnae chapter. You join a national/international organization and are sponsored by an alumna or an alumnae chapter to do it. Then once you are initiated you of course are likely to be active in an alumnae chapter.

Thank you I really did know that I am trying to join a National/International Organization, I just didn't state it correctly.

[CutiePie2000]

Originally Posted by irishpipes

You don't join an alumnae chapter. You join a national/international organization and are sponsored by an alumna or an alumnae chapter to do it. Then once you are initiated you of course are likely to be active in an alumnae chapter.

Yes, and I also wanted to point out that in addition to being active in an alumnae chapter, there will the expectation that you will support the collegiate chapter too if you live close by to one (i.e. helping out "behind the scenes in Recruitment, etc...stuff like that).

[mkriske]

Originally Posted by CutiePie2000

Yes, and I also wanted to point out that in addition to being active in an alumnae chapter, there will the expectation that you will support the collegiate chapter too if you live close by to one (i.e. helping out "behind the scenes in Recruitment, etc...stuff like that).

Thank you. Isn't one of the reasons to have an Alumnae Chapter, to help support the Collegiate Chapter? Afterall, the majority of those who will make up the Alumnae Chapter are those who are in the Collegiate Chapter.

[lauralaylin]

I guess I can't speak for anyone else, but in Alpha Phi if you are part of a collegiate chapter, you aren't in the alum chapter. So no, the alum chapter isn't made up mostly of collegiates. Maybe I read this wrong though?

Also, from what I've seen, while there is some support for the collegiates, we don't really do too much with them. I know things are different in other parts of the country, but I've never seen an AC really get involved deeply with a collegiate chapter besides planting flowers in front of the house, a little rush help, scholarships, etc. The advisers are the alums who are really involved. If I find an alum who is interested in collegiate stuff, I try to get her to be an adviser. Of course, with four collegiate chapters within 10 miles of me, we can always use more advisers!