Professional vs. social GLOs

[AXEgirl]

Hey everybody,

I'm wondering how many people out there belong to both a professional and social fraternity/sorority. Do you love one more than the other? How hard is it to balance the time spent between the two orgs? When people ask you which org you are in, do u say them both, or do u just say one?

[butterfly2001nc]

Hey! I belong to Alpha Kappa Psi professional co-ed business fraternity. I pledged in Spring 99. I also belong to Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc. I pledged TNX in Spring 01'. They are completely different. With AKPSi, I knew what to expect during the pledge process but with TNX i had noo clue. I enjoy both of them soo much! They both offer me both professional and social aspects that have made my college experience great. They are different so i would recommend anyone doing both if they get the opportunity. If you have any questions, or want to know more about my experience, PM me.

Hope this helps!

Nadira

[AUDeltaGam]

I am a member of Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity and Delta Gamma Sorority. Both are wonderful ways to meet people and gain valuable skills.

But to be honest, my heart belongs to Delta Gamma

[Betarulz!]

I think a lot of the "balance" depends on the culture of GLO's at your school.

I know that at some schools, professional GLO's are just as active as social ones, even to the point that people in the the professional GLO consider themselves members of the Greek system.

At my school, the professional GLO's are just clubs. You attend meetings just like you would for any other organization, but the groups don't hold big parties or anything else that people would consider as evident of them being a fraternity or sorority. Any social activitiy would be for members only.

[Dionysus]

Typically social GLO's require more commitment than any other type of GLO. Not in a professional GLO, but I'm in a special interest one, we have had several people from social GLO's join. I'm totally cool w/ it, unless they go after EC positions and cause division w/in the chapter.

[Winterbloom]

I know on my campus we make distinctions between the social GLOs--ADPi, ZTA, Phi Mu Delta, KD, Sigma Kappa, Sig Ep, Theta Chi, Phi Sigma Kappa--professional GLOs--SAI and PMA Sinfonia--and the honor societies. The honor societies are something nice to put on your resume. The social and professional GLOs are a real commitment, and it is rare to hear someone say to an SAI or PMA that they aren't in a "real" fraternity or sorority.

So I think how one views one's professional/honor fraternity versus a social depends very much indeed on the campus attitudes. I know that for a while, it was acceptable to be in a social sorority and SAI, Zetas seemed to double up nicely, but now that's a trend that is fading quickly as SAI is seen as a committment all her own.

[UKDaisy]

Originally posted by Dionysus
Typically social GLO's require more commitment than any other type of GLO.

Hey girls and guys! Well, I'm in a service organization Tau Beta Sigma. And while yes, we are not social we are totally into sisterhood. We kind of sometimes spilt the lines between social/service in most of our opinions.
As for social GLO's requiring more commitment than other glos. It depends what you're talking about. In my chapter of Tau Beta Sigma we have 10 service projects per person we must complete, 4 fundraiser projects per person, and it is advised to come to a few social functions We have one meeting a week, plus 7 commitee meetings that all 27 girls have to attend too.
Things we do : taking care of 200 marching uniforms for our marching band, sell cokes to music majors two times a week, provide car washes and candle sales to promote high school music, band receptions for jazz,wind ensemble,concert band, and the orchestra, take care of our practice field, etc.
Things we do for fun: hold band banquets, provide mixers for incoming freshmen, parties, sisterhood journals, sisterhood retreats, progressive dinner, end of the year and beginning of the year picnics, etc.
So we have a lot on our plate. And this year we are hoping to work with the YWCA women's abuse shelter to help build and paint an extra room in the shelter. We are really excited about this.
As for the original question, I was going to pledge a social sorority until I realized where my heart was. I could never leave my girls for anything!!! They are my sisters and keep me going! I do agree that if you don't have such a tight sisterhood in your service or prof. sorority you can do a social sorority. But I was just lucky to already get such an awesome sisterhood, why would I want something else?

[AchtungBaby80]

I am in Phi Upsilon Omicron (a professional organization for Family and Consumer Science majors) and a social sorority. Phi U actually takes up a lot of of time if you want to invest that much in it because there's always a fundraiser or community service project going on, but I have to admit that I don't spend nearly as much time on it as I ought to. It's not because I'm lazy, it's just that, well, Delta Zeta comes first and with that and school work, I'm usually more interested in resting that doing anything else.

[MysticCat]

Originally posted by Winterbloom
I know on my campus we make distinctions between the social GLOs--ADPi, ZTA, Phi Mu Delta, KD, Sigma Kappa, Sig Ep, Theta Chi, Phi Sigma Kappa--professional GLOs--SAI and PMA Sinfonia--and the honor societies.

I know I sound like a broken record sometimes, but...

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia is not a professional fraternity, and we haven't been a professional fraternity for almost 20 years. We were founded 104 years ago as a social fraternity. Over time we veered into the professional fraternity realm, but we always kept a foot (or at least a toe) in the realm of our social roots. In the mid-1980's, our National Assembly made the decision to move completely back to social fraternity status. We removed all references to being a "professional fraternity" from our constitution and other documents. Since that time, a growing number of chapters have joined their campus IFCs.

I know that the idea that we are a professional fraternity lingers on in some places, including in some chapters, but it just ain't so. If we need to be classified more restrictively than just "social fraternity," then consider us a special interest social fraternity, along the lines of Triangle, Alpha Gamma Rho or Farmhouse. But we are not a professional fraternity.

[AXEgirl]

Thanks everyone for their responses!!!

I'm a member of Alpha chi Sigma professional chemistry fraternity. I'm planning to pledge a social sorority in the fall. I know that Alpha Chi Sigma on my campus operates more like a social fraternity than like the professional ones on my campus. It will be interesting to see how things change after I pledge a social sorority.

[bruinaphi]

I am a member of Phi Alpha Delta, but when people ask what GLO I am in it never occurs to me to mention it. My former boss was International Justice while I worked for him and was way into PAD. We used to have long talks about how to get people more involved in professional fraternities as they are in social fraternities after graduation. He was fascinated by our ability to recruit and retain dues paying members.

[MoxieGrrl]

I am a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and Psi Chi fraternity (psychology honorary). Kappa Delta is definitely where my heart & time is! Not that Psi Chi didn't take up time, but we were in no way as organized and social as strictly social GLO's. However, our chapter of Alpha Psi Omega (theater honorary) was operated very much like a social GLO.

[Tom Earp]

The only reason I am a member of a Int. Greek Org. is because I started the Local.

But, I am also a member of APO from years back. No Social life, just working for service!

I am proud of Both and a Proud member of Both!