Sororities: Something of value

[SWTXBelle]

Irony is my bread and butter.

To quote from the NPC description of SOV - " It is a values-based approach to risk-management education for collegians." I'm choosing to focus on what those values are and how they do more than just provide an approach to dealing with risk-management; they enable members to live lives of service and integrity.

I'm fairly certain the "something" the NPC is advocating is not simply not hazing new members.

[FSUZeta]

I love your idea!!

My favorite line from our creed is: "To realize, in Zeta Tau Alpha, lies the opportunity to learn those things that will ever enrich and ennoble our lives".

I love this phrase because I think it encompasses the opportunity sorority membership holds for the member. Being in a sorority enables you, and i daresay encourages you, to be a leader either on campus, in the community or within the sorority. You learn time management, how to deal with group dynamics and personalities and how to work within a group toward a common goal. Being in a sorority teaches us to think about the common good of the group, not only about ourselves. It gives us the support of sisters/family when we are far away from our own. We have networking opportunities during and after college. There are so many more attributes of sorority membership I could list, but I am preaching to the choir.

[AZTheta]

Not to be totally ignorant, but we have values and principles, however nowhere do I see (or recall learning of/about) a creed. Would it be fitting to offer what I think is the most amazing principle/value for Theta?

"Why, of course", you said (I just heard you). So it is this: Socially, the widest influence for good.

That principle guides me (when I remember it) in so many actions throughout my daily life.

Aside: kind of disappointed that "vouchsafed" isn't anywhere in our language that I could find. *sniff*

[SWTXBelle]

Why, AzTheta, I am so impressed by your psychic abilities! I welcome any and all principles, values - call them what you will - that speak to the truths our founders knew which still resonate today.

[KSUViolet06]

No creed, but we do have mission statement:

To establish among its members a perpetual bond of friendship, to develop in them strong womanly character, and to impress upon them high standards of conduct.

My fave part of that has always been "perpetual bond of friendship" as in friendships that are never ending because we are sisters.

[KDCat]

Originally Posted by DubaiSis

I've always liked "and bring into living reality the sisterhood of women." I always take that as a 100+ year old way of saying "girl power!" Being that many of our sororities were founded prior to women's suffrage, and few women ever even thought of going to college, I think these women really needed each other just to get through and fight a very tough battle just to get an education and be taken seriously. Now THAT is girl power.

KD has a creed and an open motto and a purpose and an object and a mission statement. (Whew!) My favorite line from the creed is " May we each day through love of those within our circle, learn to know and understand better those without our circle."

My experience as a collegian was really a broadening experience for me. I met and learned to love a whole group of women that I wouldn't have been friends with, except for Kappa Delta. A couple of the sisters in my chapter were in ROTC. I was sort of a hippy. Other sisters were on the college softball team or in cross-country and track. I was in theater and on the college paper. I would not have become friends with most of them, except for Kappa Delta. They were some of my favorite people in college. I count myself lucky to have known them. They're all long past college and raising families of their own and having careers and I still count myself lucky to have known such fabulous women.

[DubaiSis]

My favorite word from the pledging ceremony is henceforth, as in henceforth, in mutual friendship, ...

We were a small chapter and it seemed like we were doing pledging ceremonies ALL THE TIME. I don't know how many times I recited that phrase, and it has stuck with me for 25 years.

[azureblue]

Alpha Delta Pi

"I believe that my sorority is more than a ritual or symbol: that it is a way of life"

[littlesquirrel]

My favorite three lines of the purpose:
To welcome the opportunity of contributing to the world's work in the community where I am placed because of the joy of service thereby bestowed and the talent of leadership multiplied.
To honor my home, my country, my religious faith. (This is probably my absolute favorite part.)
To possess high ideals and to attain somewhat unto them.

[NutBrnHair]

How's that column coming along?

[SWTXBelle]

Submitted it last night. I don't like it as well as last year's column - it ended up being a little lengthy because I didn't want to leave out any of the 26 NPC groups. It was difficult to cut down the groups' missions, creeds, symphonies, etc. to just a few lines per group.

[NutBrnHair]

Wow, sounds great. Do we get a preview?

[SWTXBelle]

I'll post the link next week. Hope my editor KEEPS HIS HANDS OFF OF IT. I told him it would be long - one reason I submitted it early was so he can make room for it!

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by azureblue

Alpha Delta Pi

"I believe that my sorority is more than a ritual or symbol: that it is a way of life"

I agree!!

Can't wait to read the outcome, SWTXBelle!

[SWTXBelle]

I tried to use quotations that would mean something to non-greeks. We'll see.