Alumnae Membership in Delta Zeta

Jeanine Triplett, Delta Zeta National Vice-President of Membership

2011 Region V State Day Keynote Address

April 17, 2011 – Ohio Northern University, Ada, Ohio

I would like to begin today by thanking your region for the invitation your Region Weekend event. When Pam and I discussed my presentation with you for today, she asked if I would talk about the importance of alumnae involvement and, almost before she could finish her sentence, I said I would be more than happy to as alumnae involvement, programs and increased participation have been a main focus of our National Council over the past several years.

As I prepared for my presentation today, I thought, how ironic and so appropriate that it is National Volunteer Week. National Volunteer Week was started by the Points of Light Institute and HandsOn Network, the week was organized in order to thank our most important asset in America – our volunteers – and to recognize the many ways they improve our organizations and communities.

National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to be an asset in their communities and on campus. It is about demonstrating that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals no matter how big or small. For Delta Zeta, this is a time to celebrate our volunteers who dedicate their time, talent and treasure to the success of our Sorority. National Volunteer Week is not only our moment in time to celebrate our volunteers, but to enable our sorority to share ideas, practices and stories.

 “Why do I volunteer for Delta Zeta?” As an undergraduate member, Delta Zeta helped to mold me into the person I am today. My role models – our alumnae advisory board members and members of our Alumnae Chapter – were women I looked up to and wanted to emulate. I was amazed by their dedication to the sorority and our chapter. They provided us guidance and encouragement to be more and do more. As I continued to stay involved with Delta Zeta, over the years, my Delta Zeta friends have become my support group and the most important people in my life. My membership in Delta Zeta is a gift that has been given to me and has shaped and molded me into who I am today.

Delta Zeta is a volunteer organization – as the collegiate chapter is the heart of Delta Zeta, our alumnae are the soul of our organization. Our Founders, who came together in 1902 in the college town of Oxford, created a bond of love and sisterhood which unites us today as they were united those many years ago. However, when thinking about the contributions of our Founders, Alfa, Mary, Anna, Julia, Mabelle and Anne, most Delta Zetas don’t realize that only one returned to campus in 1903. Julia Bishop was the only Founder to return, hence it was up to her to grow the Alpha chapter. Her stories of rushing by horse and buggy come to us through her diary. So, with this said, the rest of the Founders immediately started their work for the sorority as alumnae. Mary helped to start the Theta chapter at Ohio State; Anna was instrumental in the establishment of the Cincinnati Alumnae Chapter; Mabelle also contributed and was instrumental in helping to organize our Iota, Omicron and Xi chapters. Anne, who was called a “natural leader,” served as the National Vice-President of Alumnae and eventually as National President.

Once Julia Bishop graduated from Miami she had more years of active service as an alumna than any of the other founders. She served as our National Historian, Vice-President of Alumnae and National President.

As Delta Zeta’s philanthropy and service is such a part of who we are and our values, in terms of volunteering for the sorority – can we answer the question, “What is volunteerism really about?”

In my favorite article, Come on, It’s Your Turn, written by Julie Granville of Newsweek, she writes:

“When I was a child growing up in a small New England town during the 1960s and '70s, voluntarism was as natural a part of our family life as the 6 o'clock dinner bell and Sunday afternoon drives. At various times, my father taught religious education, sat on church and political committees, and even served as constable of our tiny town. My mother regularly donated blood and cajoled others into doing the same. She campaigned tirelessly (and hopelessly) for George McGovern, and spent her Friday evenings after work serving as the receptionist at our local hospital. I remember trailing after her as she collected donations for the American Heart Association, and I can still see her scrubbing an elderly neighbor's floor just hours after she had scrubbed her own kitchen floor. These were not tremendous feats, but simply a way of life.

Sometimes I feel like an oddity today as I strive to follow my parents' example in my own small community. When I mention that I have to hire a babysitter to attend local committee meetings, friends look at me like I have a screw loose. Who would pay money in order to volunteer their time? In my various volunteer groups, I see the same few people over and over again.”

She asks…

“Where is everyone else?”

In her article, she also asks…

“Are we all just too busy these days?”

As I review so many articles in magazines, on the internet, it isn’t hard to find information with the focus on making time for ourselves. They tell us how to guard our time and how to say NO, politely but firmly, when another charity of civic organization calls asking for our help. We need, they say, time to exercise, prepare healthy foods, read a good book or take bubble baths.

Julie also believes:

“…that society’s scale has tipped too far in the wrong direction. In these crazy times, surely a return to home, hearth and family must be good. But have we become so obsessed with our personal health and well being that we are neglecting the health of the community around us?”

She goes on to write…

“I am not saying there aren't millions of Americans making a tremendous difference through volunteer service, but it no longer seems to be a priority in American life. Many who do volunteer limit their commitment to one-time-only assignments. They will bake a cake, help out at a spaghetti dinner, collect pledges for a walk-a-thon. But don't ask them to chair a committee, serve on a board or commit to showing up at a given time one day a week. While practicing ‘random acts of kindness' can make the world a friendlier place, what is really needed is a long-term commitment to causes that try to improve our communities.

The lament I most often hear is, ‘I wish I could do more, but I just don't have the time.’ The argument has some validity. When you are away from your family all day, how can you justify leaving them at night or on the weekend to meet someone else's needs? It is a difficult choice, and we need to strike a careful balance. But by staying always at home, we are being dangerously shortsighted. When you attend a PTA or school-board meeting, you are working toward a better education for your child. When you run for church council, you are ensuring that the religious community that nurtures your child is strong and healthy.”

She closes with;

“But the general complaint, ‘I'm too busy, I don't have the time,’ doesn't cut it with me anymore. Having spent 14 years in social service, as a professional and a volunteer, I know too many examples of people with busy, complicated lives who do find the time. The night-shift nurse who drove directly from the hospital to spend mornings helping out in her son's classroom. The Red Cross driver who showed up faithfully to chauffeur an elderly patient to chemotherapy, though she herself was undergoing radiation treatments. I have friends whose house burned down recently. They kept up with their volunteer commitments, while mired in the details of rebuilding their home. These are everyday people who've made community a priority. I wish more would do the same.”

I would like to share with you an article from the “Of Love & Roses” sorority and fraternity blog, written by Chad Kelham, a Ball State alumnus, truly proud to be a Sigma Chi and a strong supporter of Greek life. He must be a big fan of Delta Zeta as many of his blog posts are about Delta Zeta. Chad writes:

“Many Delta Zeta alumnae have said that their undergraduate years in DZ set the foundation for their post-graduation years.  The skills & knowledge which these women acquired as collegians are still used on a daily basis in their professions & personal lives.  As anyone knows, Delta Zeta is not just for college days alone – it’s for a lifetime & DZ continues to give back to its alumnae members in the same way that they give to DZ after graduation!!

For who knows how many Delta Zeta alumnae, time is the most precious commodity around. Without question, they care for & take care of many people in their lives.  Yet the time which these women spend to take care of themselves also gives them the strength & energy to take care of those around them & find fulfillment in helping others.  In this way, Delta Zeta alumnae are honoring themselves:  as women standing steadfast in their convictions & women who are living purposeful lives, they represent truth & courage.  In addition, they have faith in themselves & believe in their power to make a difference in the lives of others.

By making a difference in the lives of others, Delta Zeta alumnae become successful.  Moreover, volunteering in various capacities within the Sorority truly influences the lives of undergraduate women.  Whether it’s helping out a chapter with recruitment, mentoring undergraduate women, speaking at a college chapter meeting or referring potential new members to DZ, one thing’s for certain:  these are all ways to make a difference for the better (among others).  Beyond the Sorority, women who take part in community, service & philanthropic endeavors are not only giving graciously of what is theirs (truly echoing the words of the Delta Zeta Creed) – they’re also ensuring the Sorority’s ‘memorable fame.’

As Delta Zeta alumnae, women truly represent the Sorority to their friends, families & associates in all that they do.   Also, these amazing ladies know that, no matter what leadership style they may have, they know the value & importance of  leaving ‘the world a bit better:’  this is succeeding both as Delta Zetas & as empowered women.”

WOW – what a powerful testament to the power and influence of our Delta Zeta alumnae – ironically written by a member of Sigma Chi fraternity. Delta Zetas are truly enriching our communities, and others are noticing.

Did I mention yet, that our most precious resources are our Delta Zeta alumnae? Our alumnae are the future of Delta Zeta – collegiate chapters must establish relationships with their Alumnae Chapters, advisory boards and House Corporations, and our alumnae must be willing to give back to Delta Zeta when they graduate.

As I mentioned in the beginning of my presentation, alumnae programs and development have been a focus for our National Organization over the past several years. With this said, I would like to share the reasons why:

1)      There is a direct correlation between the success of our collegiate chapters and the involvement of alumnae with a chapter – the more alumnae involved, the higher likelihood of a successful chapter. It is our goal for each collegiate chapter to eventually have a full advisory board in place.

2)      Since 2007, Delta Zeta has been working on a strategic, plan and vision for our future. Feedback clearly shows that we need to return to grassroots involvement with our alumnae. As a result, we are piloting the State Alumnae Chairman – the goal of the State Alumnae Chairperson position will be to develop a grassroots alumnae involvement campaign within each state of Delta Zeta. With the introduction of this position, we have restructured the Alumnae Areas and have kept the AADs, but have eliminated the committee structure under the ADD which included the Membership, Development and Public Relations Chairs. We have interviewed and selected a little over 20 State Alumnae Chairman for this pilot. So far, this position has been enthusiastically embraced and in many areas, we already have new Alumnae Chapters springing up, and the SACs and AADs have been working on developing strategies for increased alumnae involvement. The pilot will be presented at the 2012 National Convention to become a permanent part of our alumnae structure.

So, as it is easy to state our goal of increasing our alumnae involvement – the key piece is actually getting it done. How do we as Delta Zetas embrace our new focus on alumnae involvement?

From the standpoint of a collegiate chapter - you need to constantly reach out to your alumnae… simple things you can do include:

1)      Send holiday cards.

2)      Each chapter needs to incorporate an alumnae relations chairman.

3)      How about adding an alumnae link to your chapter’s website, so if an alumna visits, she will know who to contact if she wants to get involved?

4)      Call and personally invite your alumnae to Founders’ Day. And I mean call – don’t e-mail. We depend too much on e-mail to communicate with our Delta Zetas at all levels. We can’t lose the personal touch of picking up the phone. Have a phone-a-thon one evening about a month prior to Founders’ Day – with about 15 to 20 girls making calls, you will be amazed at the number of alumnae you will reach. You will also be amazed at the response.

5)      Be respectful of their schedules – alumnae activities need to be planned and communicated way in advance. You can’t send an e-invitation to the alumnae the day before the event and expect a good turnout.

6)      When hosting alumnae events, be gracious – make sure you introduce yourself to the alumnae in attendance. The more comfortable and appreciated you make them feel, the higher the likelihood of them returning.

7)      Partner with your local alumnae to publish an alumnae newsletter – if you don’t have an alumnae chapter – produce it any way and send it via e-mail to your alumnae. Contact national HQ to secure the addresses for the alumnae of your chapter.

From an alumnae standpoint: Delta Zeta alumnae, don’t wait for someone to call you to take the initiative to get involved! You need to seek out opportunities – and in some cases, help create alumnae opportunities for involvement – such as getting together monthly with your pledge sisters, volunteering to help organize alumnae activities where needed, volunteering to be an advisor or helping start an Alumnae Chapter in your area

Challenges to alumnae/collegiate relationships:

·        Successful alumnae events shouldn’t be dictated by the “size of the event” – alumnae gatherings of 8 to 10 are wonderful.

·        Working with alumnae advisory boards – alumnae advisors, while your role is to support the chapter officer and to make sure she is functioning in her position correctly, it is up to you to make the contacts with the chapter member and to schedule meetings with her. Chapter officers, it is up to you to respond to your advisors in a timely manner and make it easy for her to work with you around her schedule. For advisory boards to work, communication on both ends is critical – actually, it’s all about communication and it should be a two-way street.

·        Alumnae advisors and leaders of Alumnae Chapters – we need volunteers who can make Delta Zeta a priority in their lives. As Jane Granville stated in her article, what is really needed is the long–term commitment to causes that improve our communities. Delta Zeta is no different – we need alumnae who will make a long-term commitment and will make a difference in our Delta Zeta communities. After all, Delta Zeta is a lifetime commitment.

Other ways to stay engaged as an alumna:

·        Update your contact information on DZ Metro (http://metro.deltazeta.org) – address, email, phone.

·        Stay tuned in via the Delta Zeta website (www.deltazeta.org) ,Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

·        Join your local Alumnae Chapter’s social networking site.

·        Join an alumnae chapter and attend a meeting – bring a friend!

·        If you’re not in an area with a local Alumnae Chapter, join Surfing Sisters, our virtual alumnae chapter with over 200 members (www.surfingsisters.com).

·        Write a reference or introduction letter for a potential new member.

·        Serve on a National Committee or assist with a college chapter.

·        Read The LAMP and other communications including our Facebook and Twitter pages.

·        Volunteer and support local collegiate and alumnae events.

·        Stay in touch with your Delta Zeta sisters.

·        Donate to the Delta Zeta Foundation (www.deltazeta.org/foundation).

·        Send news to The LAMP: LAMP@dzshq.com.

·        Serve on your House Corporation Board.

Finally, and most importantly, remember always that you are a Delta Zeta and to share that with others. When you participate in the Senior Ceremony, you don’t lose your membership – hence the phrase is and always will be “I am a Delta Zeta!”

In closing, I leave you with the challenge to ask yourself - What has my membership in Delta Zeta meant to me? How will I make a commitment to Delta Zeta in order to make a difference? Without the tireless and continued efforts of our Delta Zeta volunteers, our organization could not continue to thrive as it has over the last 108 years, and will not continue to be one of the strongest NPC groups as we look to our next 108 years. No act of volunteerism is too big or small. Your actions inspire others to get involved and achieve results. Thank you for all you do on a daily basis and will continue to do to exemplify the high ideals of our sorority.

References:

Granville, Julie. “Come On, It's Your Turn.” Originally published in Newsweek, July 8, 1996: http://www.newsweek.com/1996/07/07/come-on-it-s-your-turn.html, retrieved 6/24/2011.

“Delta Zeta: Successful Women Making A Difference.” Of Love & Roses blog: http://cmkelham.wordpress.com/2011/04/06/delta-zeta-successful-women-making-a-difference/, retrieved 6/24/11.

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