New Member Education Cover Sheet Alpha Chi Omega

Alpha Chi Omega
New Member Education Cover Sheet
1) Alpha Chi Omega’s Anti Hazing statement:
a. No chapter, colony, student or alumnus should conduct nor condone
hazing activities. Permission or approval by a person being hazed is
not a defense. Hazing activities are defined as: “any action taken or
situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises,
to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment,
harassment, ridicule. Such activities may include but are not limited to
the following: use of alcohol, paddling in any form, creation of
excessive fatigue, physical and psychological shocks, quests, treasure
hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips, or any other such activities carried
on outside or inside of the confines of the chapter house; wearing of
public apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste,
engaging in public stunts and buffoonery, morally degrading or
humiliating games and activities, and any other activities which are
not consistent with academic achievement, fraternal law, ritual or
policy or the regulations and policies of the educational institution or
applicable state law.”
2)
Explanation of chapter’s hazing reporting protocol- As soon as practicable by
the most immediate means possible, any person who has knowledge of a
hazing incident that has taken place or is planned shall notify at least one of
the following individuals: the Faculty Advisor of the chapter in question, the
President or Risk Manager of Alpha Chi Omega, the Alumni Advisor, the
police, Lehigh Panhellenic Association, OFSA or the National President. Each
of those named individuals shares concurrent responsibility to notify each of
the other named individuals, such that all named individuals shall know
about the allegations as soon as practicable. We also encourage our New
Members to report any incident online at
www.lehigh.edu/~indost/greek/hazingeducation.shtml or call the hazing
hotline any time at 1-888-NOT-HAZE.
New Member Education Program (Spring 2014)
Alpha Chi Omega at Lehigh University (Theta Chi Chapter) has a sixweek New Member program. Throughout these six weeks we plan to not
only educate our New Members about Alpha Chi Omega, but also make
them feel as much a part of the sorority as the lifetime members. Our
chapter’s New Member Education plan closely follows our headquarters
New Member education plan. We closely follow Alpha Chi Omega’s
dedication plan and then add a couple more optional events to increase the
New Members Education experience. The dedication plan is easily
accessible on the official Alpha Chi Omega website or we can provide you
with a hard copy. New Member Education is the process through which
incoming members learn what it means to be a member of AXO. During
these first few weeks, New Members will learn about the culture of our
house. As our chapter is striving to improve, we will pay particular attention
to how we present our house and its culture to the New Members to ensure
that their future membership and contributions to AXO are constructive and
perpetuate the cycle of improvement.
Throughout this six-week period, we have optional study hours on
Sunday and Wednesday nights from 7pm-9pm for both our New Members
and initiated members. We value academic achievement and like to set aside
a few specific times for members to devote to their studies. In addition, New
Members are encouraged to come to chapter meetings and house dinners on
Sundays at 5:00pm and New member Meetings at which they are taught
about Alpha Chi Omega.
Also, we are going to have a New Member Education Blog. Each day
the New Members have a meeting among themselves or an event with the
lifetime members we are going to have a New Member to blog about the day
and talk about the event/meeting and what she took out of the event. This is
a good means for the New Members to reflect.
Our program starts on bid day, a celebration dedicated to the New
Members. The upperclassmen will pick up the New Members from their
respected dorms and drive them to the house around 5pm for dinner
celebration. After dinner, we take a house picture with the whole house, and
then a New Member class picture is taken. In addition, we do an all house
icebreaker “a fun fact about yourself.”
The rest of week one is our introduction period. We try to structure
the first week as a time for the New Members to get a feel for what it is like
to be a part of our chapter. First, the President and New Member Educator
will have an open discussion with the New Members regarding chapter
expectations, our philanthropy events and most importantly, the New
Member education plan. The following day, the New Members will be
introduced to Stephanie, our VP Finance, who will discuss Bill Highway
(our financial system that coordinates dues on a national level) and conduct
a mini financial workshop. Since we do not want to overwhelm the New
Members, all information will be sent to each New Member’s parents and
Stephanie will be available for questions. In addition to learning about the
chapter, our main focus is for the New Members to get to know one another
within the week. We will encourage the New Members get lunch, study
together and hang out.
The second week of the program we will focus on leadership. The
New Members will learn about the leadership opportunities both in the
chapter and on campus. Each executive board member will explain her
position and how her role in the sorority relates back to our five core values.
In addition to the executive officers, we also invite other chapter members to
discus their leadership role on campus. We will encourage New Members to
become involved in various clubs on campus that appeal to them. The
purpose of this week is show the New Members the importance of
leadership and being an active member of both the chapter and the Lehigh
community.
Week three we will focus on the dedication plan and in addition
recruitment. During this week we will give a brief overview of the
recruitment process so the New Members have a better understanding. In
addition, they are invited to attend weekly meetings run by our VP
Recruitment, Sara, in order to learn about the process and practice for rush in
January. These meetings are not mandatory. The New Members will be
exposed to more Recruitment meetings (for example, the “Bumping”
workshop) during the following fall. The VP Recruitment will ask the New
Members to participate in a post-recruitment survey for feedback for next
year’s recruitment. This will also encourage the New Members to
understand the values of Alpha Chi Omega and reflect on what made them
choose Alpha Chi Omega.
The final weeks our main goal is for the New Members to feel
comfortable and an important part of our chapter. At our meetings we will
follow the Alpha Chi Omega dedication plan and continue to educate the
New Members. During these three weeks, New Members have an optional
sleepover at the house. All New Members are encouraged to come and sleep
in our chapter room; at the sleepover we have a movie marathon and an ice
cream party. This sleepover is way for the New Members to get to know
people in their member class as well as upper classmen. This is when the
New Members get to know the sophomore members and form solid
friendships that could potentially lead to a big-little relationship. Our hope
during these final weeks is for the New Members to bond with one another
and feel comfortable at the house. The girls are encouraged to come up to
the house whenever they like. Our New Members are always up for lunch
and dinner, and it is not surprising to see a bunch of New Members hanging
out with lifetime members in our chapter room.
Goals
During the six-week New Member education period we hope to instill
in the New Members the values and importance of Alpha Chi Omega. We
work to demonstrate these principles though our three pillars of devotion,
wisdom, and achievement, and anticipate accomplishing the following goals:
Devotion – Our first goal is to have the New Members be devoted to each
other, our chapter, and Alpha Chi Omega. We hope that the during this
education period, the New Members will:
1. Get to know each other and form strong friendships,
2. Get to know the lifetime members and form strong friendships outside
their New Member class
3. Feel welcome and comfortable at the chapter house at all times, and
4. Develop an appreciation and love for Alpha Chi Omega.
Wisdom – Our second goal is to give the New Members the wisdom they
need to understand the importance of their membership in the fraternity and
have the knowledge needed for us to grow as a chapter. We hope that during
this education period, the New Members will:
1. Learn the history, values, and traditions of Alpha Chi Omega.
2. Be prepared for recruitment in January.
3. Have the skills and knowledge necessary to be leaders in our chapter and
the community.
Achievement – Our third goal is for the New Members to feel a sense of
achievement. We hope that during this education period, the New Members
will:
1. Become involved within the chapter and in the community.
2. Contribute to the goals and purpose of the chapter.
3. Exemplify the values of Alpha Chi Omega.
Expectations
New Members
 Participate in our 6-week education period to the best of their
ability
 Work towards the goals we have set in wisdom, devotion, and
achievement
 Participate in mandatory chapter events with the lifetime member
 If missing a meeting, New Members must notify either the
President or the VP Education in advance
 New Members to be familiar with lifetime members, in order to
create better relationships between the different age groups
 To ensure the New Members are close, we encourage the New
Members to eat dinner together during the week
Lifetime Members
 Abide by the anti-hazing policies set by Lehigh, Alpha Chi Omega,
and our chapter
 Participate in the education of the New Members
 Integrate the New Members into our chapter and make them feel
welcome and accepted
Alumni
-The alumni chapter advisor (Lauren) will be “Skyped” into our executive
meetings every Monday at 6PM and will visit our house during initiation
practices, and initiation.
- She will also be invited to stay for dinner on the days she is in the house.
-She will act as a positive role model and an external source for the New
Members.
Schedule
Meeting Outline & Agendas:
1) Bid Day Plans
Sunday, January 12th
The eligible young women that we have selected to receive bids will
receive their invitations to join our fraternity around 11 a.m. on Sunday,
January 12th. It is a Lehigh Panhellenic rule that they have until 4 p.m. to
sign their bids, so we wait until then to make sure that they have all signed
their bids. Though it has never been a problem at our chapter, if there are
any women that have not signed their bid by 3 p.m. we will get in contact
with them to see why they have not yet signed, and to talk through any
questions or concerns they may have regarding signing their bid. We will
also encourage them get in contact with their Rho Gammas if they are
having difficulty in deciding.
At 4 p.m. we send them all a text message saying to be outside their
dorms at 5 p.m. at which point we will pick them up and bring them to the
chapter house for a Bid Day celebration. Once the New Members arrive at
the house, they receive goodie bags that contain a Bid Day T-Shirt, candy
and any notes or letters they had received the night before during Preference
Round. (Quick explanation- during our Preference Round we write letters to
the girls that we are close with but that we are not one-on-one with during
Pref. They can not take these letters home with them since it is a Panhellenic
rule that we can not give them anything, therefore they get them in their
goodie bags. They will not know that they will receive those letters if they
ultimately join Alpha Chi Omega- it will be a nice surprise.)
During the first 20-30 minutes that the New Members are at the house
we will be mingling with and congratulating them. We will hang a
Congratulations banner in the chapter room, toast to them with sparkling
cider, and serve appetizers. Though most of us know who they all are at this
point, we will do a quick introduction before the photographer arrives to take
a New Member class picture and an entire house picture. After pictures, we
shift downstairs to the dining room for a dinner that our chef prepares for us.
During dinner, we will have one sister from each New Member class
stand up and talk about how much she loves Alpha Chi, and how she has no
regrets in her decision to join. They will discuss how being a member has
positively shaped their lives through leadership and volunteer opportunities
they would not have had otherwise, and they will also talk about the
amazing friendships and bonds that have been formed in the house. In
addition, every member of the house will share a fun fact about themselves
as an icebreaker.
Before they leave we will speak to them about the New Member
Education process to let them know when it starts. We will make ourselves
available for any questions they have concerning the process. We will
inform them about where they can find the New Member plan online (it will
be a link on Lehigh’s website.) After, we invite the New Members to remain
at the house for as long as they would like, although seeing that second
semester classes start on Monday, we will drive the New Members back to
their dorms to rest up for the next day.
Meeting 1 - Tuesday, January 14th (4:30 pm – 5:30 ~1 hour) –
Megan (VP Risk Management) and Georgia (President)
Overview:
New members of Alpha Chi Omega will no doubt be excited to embark on their journeys!
This meeting will help you understand what will follow their first couple steps of becoming
members of Alpha Chi Omega. During this meeting you will learn about the new member
program, chapter rules, as well as meet the VP New Member Education.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Understand the rules for the Theta Chi Chapter
 Have a full understanding of what is to come
throughout the New Member Education process
 Know something about your new-member
classmates that you didn’t know before
 Participate in post-recruitment survey for VP Recruitments
Meeting 2 – Wednesday, January 15th (4:30 – 5:00 ~ ½ Hour) –
Stephanie (VP Finance)
Overview:
New members of Alpha Chi Omega will be introduced to Stephanie, our VP of Finance.
Stephanie will discuss Bill Highway (our financial system that coordinates dues on a national
level) and conduct a mini financial workshop. Stephanie will make sure that the New Members
feel comfortable talking to her about any financial aid or personal financial issues. We recognize
joining a sorority is a major financial commitment and we want to make sure they are not
overwhelmed; therefore Stephanie will send an email to the New Members parents.
Objectives:
Meet VP Finance and be comfortable with Bill Highway
Meeting 3 – Saturday, January 18th (4:30pm ~ one hour)
Overview:
As a new member of Alpha Chi Omega, you may feel both overwhelmed and excited about
all there is to learn! What better place to start learning than at the beginning? During this
meeting you will hear the story of the first
seven real, strong women who had the drive and courage to reach beyond the status quo
and expect something more. You will begin to discover what being an Alpha Chi Omega
meant to them, and what it will mean for you.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Understand the founding story of
Alpha Chi Omega
 Recognize yourself in some of the
Founders’ characteristics
 Know something about your new-member
classmates that you didn’t know before
1) First Degree of Initiation
Sunday, January 19thth
The purpose of this event is to have the New Members understand and
agree to the terms of New Member education. It is a ceremony of Alpha Chi
Omega and aligns with our values. Lifetime members will be present for the
ceremony. Our chapter wants to take part in the rituals and practices of
Alpha Chi Omega. The New Members are learning the terms of New
Member Education and they will value this ceremony because it ties them to
our fraternity. They will see that ritual is important to our chapter.
Meeting 4- Tuesday, January 21th (4:30 pm – 5:30pm ~ one hour)
Overview:
Every choice you make becomes part of your past and part of the course for your future.
Likewise, our Founders made many choices that are intrinsic to the Alpha Chi Omega that
exists today. The organization has many traditions and insignia rooted in the beginning but
may have transitioned through the years to remain relevant to the times. You will learn the
significance of symbols and subsequent alterations (like the colors and name itself),
philanthropies and special celebrations. And you will continue in your journey to deepen
your understanding of what it means to be a real, strong woman as you take a look at the
history of your chapter on your campus.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Come to know Anna Allen Smith and Olive Burnett
Clark, not just as our Founders, but as your sisters
 Understand the significance behind Alpha Chi Omega’s
insignia and traditions
 Feel a greater connection to your new-member class and
the lifetime members of your chapter by understanding the history of your chapter
Meeting 5 – Thursday, January 23rd (4:30 pm – 5:30 pm ~ one
hour)
Overview:
Just as it is important to understand the history of Alpha Chi Omega, you should appreciate
the history of the Greek communities on college campuses. Each organization on your
campus has a unique history. However, during this meeting you will learn how each
organization’s history is intertwined by the events in the world around them.
On a level much closer to home, you will learn about the Greek community on your campus.
Historically, there is an “idea” of sorority that has changed over time. Alpha Chi Omega’s
shared commitment is to “change the conversation” by changing how women think and act
about the idea of sorority. However, in order to change the conversation, you must be able
to host a conversation! In addition to learning about the other sororities and fraternities on
campus, in house members will join the discussion to share what other organizations they
are involved with on campus. This conversation is a means to encourage the New Members
to join other organizations and pursue their own interest. This meeting will also include
Executive Board introductions to the New Members, so they understand the leadership
roles.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Become familiar with your sister, Founder
Bertha Deniston Cunningham
 See the big picture of Greek organizations
and their evolution over time
 Feel comfortable with the idea of starting
conversations with your sisters, your friends


and even strangers on a plane!
Meet Executive board
Understand the importance of being involved with other organizations on campus
InTune
- Sunday, January 26th (3:00pm-7:00pm)
InTune is an event facilitated by headquarters by Laurel Peffer Price.
Everyone from the Chapter is asked to participate in the workshop, so we
will ask the New Members to also attend. The purpose of the workshop is
to come together as an entire chapter and have an open discussion about
what we as a chapter value (ie: justice, academics, honesty, etc.) The
program has proved to be beneficial in the past and will be a great
opportunity for the New Members.
Meeting 6 –Monday, January 27th (4:30pm ~1 hour)
Overview:
Can you imagine having 225,000 sisters all living under one roof? If you don’t live with your
sisters, how can you possibly keep track of everyone important to you? A little organization
and a whole lot of dedication are key. From day one, our Founders stayed organized by
having a structure. Estelle Leonard was the first president, Bertha Deniston the first
secretary and Amy DuBois the first treasurer. As more chapters were added to the family,
each adopted the structure that worked for Alpha at DePauw University. In 1922, to adapt
to the changing times and increasing membership, another structure was established – that
of a central office. Nearly a century later, these two structures – both adjusted over time to
meet the demands of the membership – remain in place today. During this meeting you will
be presented with the current structure at both your chapter level and nationally.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Become familiar with your sister, Founder
Amy DuBois Rieth
 Understand the structure of your chapter and
of Alpha Chi Omega at a national level
 Start thinking about where you see yourself
within this structure before and after graduation!
Meeting 7– Tuesday, January 28th (4:30pm ~ one hour)
Overview:
You are about to learn the importance of having a mutually beneficial Alpha Chi Omega
experience. What does this mean? It means that while you learn about the expectations,
values and high standards to which Alpha Chi Omega members are held, you can expect
something in return. Being a lifetime member of Alpha Chi Omega is a privilege - one with
many rewards. Through your collegiate career and your alumna years we hope you will
make the most of your membership by taking advantage of the many opportunities to
further yourself both personally and professionally while making a difference in the lives of
those around you. After this open discussion about lifetime membership of Alpha Chi, the
meeting’s focus will shift to recruitment. The rush chair, Sara, will come and discuss the
other side of recruitment and the fundamental ideas we as chapter try to strive for. Then
Sara will ask the New Members to participate in a survey about their recruitment
experience. The purpose of this give the New Members the opportunity to provide
constructive criticism, so we can improve for the following year.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Become familiar with your sisters,
Founders Nellie Gamble Childe and
Bessie Grooms Keenan
Understand the expectations and rewards of a lifetime membership
 Discuss their recruitment experience
Meeting 8 – Friday, January 31st (4:30- 5:30 pm ~ one hour)
Overview:
A brand is more than a slogan or tagline. It is more than the colors of scarlet and olive green.
A brand is an identity. Alpha Chi Omega has a brand: Real. Strong. Women. That’s what you
will see on paper. But it is also what you will hear when you talk to your sisters. And it’s
what you will experience as you get to know your new-member class and those who came
before you. And finally, it is what those who come after will see in you. Alpha Chi Omega has
a brand, and so do you. We believe you are a real, strong woman. In this meeting you will
explore what makes you tick. You will get to know yourself as you get to know your sisters;
embracing the responsibility of being you!
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Become familiar with your sister,
Founder Estelle Leonard
 Know what it means to be a real, strong woman
Meeting 9 – Wednesday, February 5th (4:30pm – 5:30pm~ one
hour)
Overview:
You are ready to get into the nitty gritty of being an Alpha Chi Omega. You’ve already found
out you have a lot in common with your sisters. But you’ve probably got a lot in common
with a lot of friends you’ve enjoyed throughout the years before college. So, what makes
Alpha Chi Omega special? During this meeting you will be introduced to the ceremonies,
Ritual and Symphony of Alpha Chi Omega. And you will have the opportunity to enhance
your listening skills before initiation. When you hear what’s being said during your
upcoming initiation – really hear it – you will find yourself realizing just how much meaning
this journey you are about to take will have in your life!
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:



Be prepared for your initiation exam
Look forward to hearing the words of
the Ritual so that you can embrace their
meaning in your life
Know in your heart that Alpha Chi Omega
was the right choice for you!
Meeting 10– Tuesday, February 11th (4:30pm – 5:30 ~ one hour)
Overview:
By this week of your Dedication training, the overwhelming feelings you had in week one as
you anticipated all you had to learn have probably been replaced by sheer excitement. The
initiation exam is the last step before becoming a lifetime member of Alpha Chi Omega. Your
journey will align with the “MyJourney” program getting you ready
for the world.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Be ready for initiation!
Meeting 11 – Saturday, February 15th (11:00 am – 1:00pm ~ 1 to
2 hours)
Overview:
This will be the big/little reveal for the New Members! They will be finding out who their
“Big Sister” in the chapter is, and also have time to bond with their lineages. This will give
girls time to review for the national initiation exam together. New members will also get a
glimpse of what living in the house will be like for them!
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Have a new Big Sister
 Enjoy brunch at the Alpha Chi Omega House
Big Sister Reveal
Saturday,February 15th
For the Big Sister Revelation, the New Members come to the chapter
house. Once they have all arrived they go on a big search around the house
looking for a balloon with their name on it. Each New Member has a balloon
decorated with her name and inside the balloon is a piece of paper; the paper
has the name of her Big. The New Member will find her balloon, pop it and
find out who her Big is. Then The New Member will search for the Big in
the chapter room. Each Little is greeted with cheers, hugs, candy and other
snacks. She is then given a plain white t-shirt and colored markers. Different
members sign and write messages on the New Members’ shirts. Once
all the families are gathered in the chapter room each lineage stands and
presents their family and new little sister. Big sisters will also present their
little sister with a personalized gift, such as a decorative pegboard. Once all
the New Members have been presented, each linage parts and celebrates in a
way particular to them. Different activities include, but are not limited to,
dinner at different restaurants, bowling, cooking/baking together. All plans
are submitted to the New Member Educator to be approved.
Peer Mentoring
Sunday, February 9th (4:00 before Chapter meeting)
Peer Mentoring is a valuable tool to the members of Alpha Chi Omega
for various reasons. Essentially, all of these reasons stem from a
collaborative effort to not only promote a positive academic environment in
which every individual feels comfortable asking for advice, but to also
maintain notable academic standing as a sorority. Peer Mentoring is
fundamentally a meeting in which members of the sorority are divided up
into groups based upon their majors, minors, programs or topic of study.
Members then disperse into their separate groups; here, they are able to
discuss how classes are going, ask advice on what classes or professors to
take, and make informed recommendations for others. Peer Mentoring is
extremely effective in that it enables sorority members to feel they have a
smaller sense of community within their area of study; it undeniably
promotes and encourages delving deep into the educational opportunities
offered at Lehigh University. Peer Mentoring is also useful during
registration because members are able to seek advice and gain insight on
what classes may offer the most for a given major or minor.
Meeting 12 – Thursday, February 20th (4:30 pm ~ one hour)
Overview:
Reflection. You’ve been participating in a reflection exercise during each week of your newmember period. In this meeting you will reflect on the new-member journey you have taken
to become the lifetime member you are today.
Objectives:
By the end of this course, you will:
 Anticipate a four-year experience that
will propel you into the world ready to make a difference!
Meeting 13 – Friday, February 21st (4:30pm ~ one hour)
Overview:
This is when the New Members will take the national initiation exam. The exam will be held in a
Lehigh classroom to ensure there are enough seats for the New Members. The exams will be
checked to ensure they know our history and more importantly understand the values of Alpha
Chi
Meeting 14 –Initiation: Sunday February 23rd (4:30- one hour)
Initiation
Sunday, February 23rd
The New Members are expected to arrive at least an hour early, but
not much before then. We recognize that this is a nerve-racking and may be
an intimidating process for the New Members and while we want to reassure
them and make them feel comfortable, we do not want them sitting and
waiting around for too long. Each New Member has a chair with her robe,
water, and a snack. The women are told to relax and are helped with putting
their robes on. The women are encouraged to eat the snacks and to sit and
reflect before the ceremony. After the ceremony, dinner is delivered to the
chapter house. It is a very joyous occasion. The women are then brought
back to their dorms and are encouraged to have a restful evening. This is
suggested so that they have time to reflect about the ceremony that they were
just a part of, and absorb what their new roles are as active women of AXO
More Event Details
These events are extra opportunities for the New members to bond with each
other, and get to know the other Lifetime Members of the house. We realize
that this may be an overwhelming time period for the New Members, so
these events will be optional besides for chapter meetings.
1) Men’s Basketball Game vs. Lafayette (1/25/2014- 7pm Stabler arena)
a) The purpose of this event is to have the New Members get involved in
the Lehigh community by supporting the athletics. Cheering on the team
will hopefully teach the New Members to value involvement and have
school spirit.
b) A sporting event is something the lifetime members would definitely
attend with the New Members.
c) Our chapter wants to be involved in the Lehigh community and show
different clubs and sports teams that we support them.
d) New members learn to be involved and encouraging. I believe they will
value this activity because it is fun and they can show their school spirit.
2) Chapter meetings & house dinners (Chapter meetings every Sunday at 5 PM at the
house will be mandatory for attendance, as they are for active chapter members)
a) The purpose of this event is for the New Members to be involved in the
house and have the opportunity to hang out with chapter members. The
meetings are important because they give members information on
upcoming events and opportunities for service or leadership.
b) Lifetime members attend all house meetings and would enjoy spending
time with the New Members in a more informal setting. The New
Members will also start to feel comfortable spending time at the house.
c) Our chapter aims to have every member involved and maintain close
friendships. Having the New Members at meetings and dinner not only
helps them build relationships but also keeps them up to date on house
happenings.
d) We are teaching the members about what goes on in the chapter and
keeping them informed. The New Members will value this time with the
chapter members and the free meal!
3) Study Hours (highly recommended- we pride ourselves in having the highest GPA out
of all the sororities) Monday and Wednesday (7-9 PM) in Maginnes 101 with Jackie
Miller our VP Intellectual Development
a) The purpose of this event is to designate a few hours a week towards
good scholarship. Having a specific time set aside for studying helps the
girls to manage their time and shows that we value academics and
learning.
b) Everyone, including the lifetime members, is encouraged to attend
study hours. We reserve a classroom and many of the members enjoy
studying with all their sisters in this type of environment.
c) In our chapter, we want to create the type of friendship that is not only
fun, but also beneficial. Many of the girls have the same classes and can
help each other out or just encourage each other to be productive in
general.
d) We hope that study hours help to instill the value of academics in our
new members. I believe that the new members will value this activity
since it gives them the opportunity to study among friends and get their
work done.
4) Mystagogue Lunches/Dinners
a) The purpose of this event is for New Members to bond with specific
girls in the chapter. Mystagogues are a practice used by other Alpha Chi
Omega chapters across the nation. They allow New Members to get to
know lifetime members in a more intimate setting.
b) The lifetime members take the New Members to dinner, coffee or ice
cream each week. They can choose where and when they want to go.
c) We want to create friendships within the chapter and a support system
that the younger members can depend on.
d) We are teaching the New Members that lifetime members want to get to
know them. The New Members will value the opportunity to bond with
a specific chapter member.
5) House sleepover– Movie marathon, ice cream sundaes, manicures Saturday, February
8th at 9:00 PM
a) The purpose of this event is for the girls to continue bonding and feel
comfortable in our chapter house at all times. This activity builds on their
friendships.
b) The lifetime members are always hanging out around the house and
would love to have the New Members around.
c) We want the New Members to feel involved in our chapter in
everything we do – including sleeping!
d) We are teaching the New Members that they are welcome in our
chapter house at all times and they will value getting to experience what it
is like to live in our house.
6) Peer Mentor Meeting Sunday, February 9th 4PM at the house before chapter
a) The purpose of this event is to introduce the New Members to our
mentor program. Our mentor program demonstrates our commitment to
scholarship and to having an academic support system within the chapter.
b) Although an optional program, almost all of our lifetime members
volunteered to be mentors for the younger members.
c) We want members who are supportive of each other and encourage
their sisters to succeed academically.
d) We are teaching the New Members that they can look to their sisters for
support. The New Members will value this activity because it gives them
the opportunity to get valuable academic advice from older members.
7) Lifetime Member Interviews - February 10th (again, optional)
a) Any willing Lifetime Members and the New Members will meet in the
chapter room.
b) Here, the new Member Educator, Molly, will sit down all the lifetime
members and each new member will have 4 minutes with each lifetime
member
c) The New Members will come in a list of questions that they will ask
each Lifetime Member
d) This speed interviewing will be a way for the New Members to
learn fun facts about the Lifetime members
e) It is completely up to the New Members if she wants to conduct these
interviews, it is simply a means for the New Members to get to know
other chapter members
f) It is planned for the day following peer mentoring so that the new
members can become better friends with the lifetime members who
mentored them
8) Chi Connection – Movie Night Wednesday February 12th, at 9:00 PM at the house
a) The purpose of this event is for chapter members to hang out and do something
fun as a group. This helps to form and maintain our friendships.
b) Lifetime members would definitely attend the Chi Connections with the New
Members.
c) We value our friendships as a group and hanging out as an entire chapter.
d) We are teaching our New Members to be involved in our group and feel
comfortable with us. New members will value this time to just hang out.