Seniors moving into the alumnae world

It's that time of year again... Graduation! 

With graduation from college, comes the shift in many parts of a collegian's life. The easiest transition (on paper) is the one from collegiate to alumnae chapter membership. Unfortunately, we lose many of our potential alumnae members each year in this transition. It is my hope that all Panhellenic organizations retain and encourage all of their newest alumnae members this year but particularly my sisters in ZTA. Some great ways to encourage your new graduates to join are:

• Send them a congratulatory card for their graduation with contact info for the chapter
• Put them on your email/evite listserv
• Seek them out on Facebook and invite them to events
• Call them personally to invite them to an event
• Survey the new grads to see what they want in the alumnae world
• EDUCATE! Many of our recent graduates have no idea what they have to do to be an alumna, and don't see the possibility of spending the same amount of money or time when they are job hunting. The time and monetary commitment to ZTA is a fraction of the cost of what it was in the collegiate world. 
• Network with them professionally: with the job market so tight these days, helping a ZTA sister out with an internship or providing them with a job opportunity can really help
• Always have ZTA something on (even if it's just a pink ribbon). I'm always amazed how many sisters notice my lavalier or stop me when I am carrying my strawberry and crown printed bag. A conversation starter is the first step to membership recruitment and retention! 
• Once you have their email or they have come to an event, don't stop contacting them! Invite them to bring friends, maybe a discount on the event if they bring someone who pays dues. 

It's so exciting to see our newest alumnae sisters get involved, and we look forward to welcoming each and every one of them to one of our Maryland/DC chapters. If you are moving out of Maryland, just let the District President, alumnae chapter President, advisor or go through the ZTA website to find a new chapter in your new town! One of my favorite stories is of a sister I met at convention who told me she made it clear to her husband that no matter where they lived, it had to have a ZTA alumnae chapter in the area. Now that's alumnae dedication!