1. Helping our New Members Think, Act, & Lead With Our Purpose
The Alpha Experience
Helping our New Members Think, Act, & Lead With Our Purpose

2. 2007 New Member Survey Preference for Weekly Meeting – 30-60 minutes
Most favorable experiences:
Bonding opportunities
Formalized traditions
Initiation
Retreats
Sister-Mother Involvement
Learning Style Preferences:
Visual
Kinesthetic
Interactive Learning as opposed to lecture
Most important topics for new member education according to collegians are
Internal/Local Chapter Obligations
Chapter secrecy
Good Standing
Initiation Requirements
Membership Expectations
Financial Obligations
Recruitment
Ritual
Attendance Policies
Standards
Scholarship

3. 2007 New Member Survey Least Favorable Experiences:
Boring New Member Meetings
New Member Exam
New Member Workbook/Homework
Confusing Information from Chapter
“Drama”
Isolation
AlcoholEdu
Expectations that weren’t met:
More interaction with sisters and new member class
More organization
Meetings
Understanding policies
Having fun with and bonding with new members and initiated sisters
Improvement Suggestions:
Interactive and engaging meetings
More bonding opportunities
Improvement with 14 pearl program
Visuals with new member book

4. The Thinking Behind The Alpha Experience
Utilize the Purpose of Alpha Gamma Delta to determine programming.
Purpose should be central and highlighted/underscored whenever possible – this is the one thing that Alpha Gamma Delta has that no other group has, and it provides the framework for our entire organization.
New members need opportunity to bond together as a group as well as with already initiated sisters.
Determine information that is most important during new member period – other information can be moved to later in the collegiate education experience.
Education needs to be presented whenever possible not as a lecture/classroom setting – interaction, activities, discussion is key.

5. Creation of The Alpha Experience
Streamlined Education Experience during New Member Period that focuses on Need to Know Information presented in a FUN, interactive manner! [Save lectures for classes – we’re here for sisterhood, after all!]
Scholarship 101
Values 101
Life Balance 101
Operations 101
History 101
Fourteen Pearls Program that is representative of the Purpose – allows New Members to learn the Purpose by living it.

6. Creation of The Alpha Experience
Focus on Interaction and bonding between New Members and Initiated Sisters.
Sisterhood/New Member Retreat
Sisterhood Activities to support Fourteen Pearls
Creation of Resources that will bring information to life for our New Members!
New Alpha Experience Book – Published Summer 2009
New Member Coordinator Guide – providing ideas to foster interaction among members
Facebook Group to provide support/ideas
Alpha Specialist on International Level – easy to contact for help/information
Website to support Alpha Experience, complete with “fun” things that Collegiate Sisters Want!

7. Goals of The Alpha Experience
Member Retention:
Three major ways we can work to ensure each new member is initiated in Alpha Gamma Delta:
Clear, timely and thorough communication with new members about chapter events, expectations, traditions, roles, responsibilities, rules, policies and procedures.
Activities and events that provide the opportunity for sisterhood development, team building and fun!
Structured programming that allows the new members to understand, adopt and practice the values of our Purpose in their everyday life.
Initiation
Engaged Collegiate Members
Active Alumnae Members
Purpose becomes central to everything we do

8. Piloting Experiments Spring 2008 Fall 2008 Spring 2009
No revision of Fourteen Pearls.
Fall 2008
Addition of new Fourteen Pearls program.
Half of Piloting Chapters took New Member Exam
Half of Piloting Chapters did not take New Member Exam
Spring 2009
Spring 2008 piloting chapters get another opportunity at piloting with changes made in Fall 2008.

9. Piloting Chapters Piloting Chapters Fall 08
Piloting Chapters Spring 08
Alpha Alpha – SUNY Buffalo
Alpha Omicron – West Virginia Wesleyan
Alpha Omega – Duquesne University
Beta Delta – Indiana University
Zeta Gamma – Gannon University
Zeta Nu – Alma College
Theta Delta – North Georgia College & State University
Piloting Chapters Fall 08
Gamma Alpha – University of Georgia
Gamma Beta – Florida State University
Delta Tau – Chapman University
Zeta Delta – Towson University
Delta Theta – University of Idaho
Gamma Psi – University of North Alabama
Alpha Beta – University of Michigan
Beta Alpha – Nebraska Wesleyan
Phi – Oregon State University
Zeta Theta – Lafayette University
Gamma Sigma – Troy University
Epsilon – University of Kentucky
Epsilon Beta – University of Kansas
Upsilon – University of Oklahoma

10. Raves
This program was positively received because many people didn’t like the previous new member program.
We like the fact that there is more flexibility within the setup of new member meetings to present things in a more fun setting.
The things the program teaches seem more life-applicable.
The girls from last year’s NM class wish they could have had the programs and activities the new members have had.
Having activities for the entire membership is a strength because the entire sorority was learning about what Alpha Gamma Delta means to them, just like the new girls.

11. Raves
Any programs that bring together new members with sisters, especially the senior sisters, really help to enhance the feelings of sisterhood and belonging.
The instructions were great – enough to get us started, but not too specific.
This program helped the new members to feel at home faster.
The new members enjoyed the games and activities we did. It gave them a chance to play a more hands-on role in their new member experience.
The Alpha Experience helped integrate the new members into the chapter well.
The programs gave the Alpha Coordinator lots of ways to be creative and flexible.

12. Rants That Were Expected
New Member book needs to match the program.
New Member test – what’s the point with or without?
More ideas needed for programming [only framework was provided – not entirely spelled out for NMCs]
Communication not clear regarding time commitment, how to integrate Alpha with the chapter.
Without more ideas, program can become like what we’ve always had.
Confusion regarding how much integration of chapter with new members with programming expectations.

13. Statistics from The Alpha Experience Pilot
Spring 2008 Piloting Chapters –
89% initiation rate in 2007
94% initiation rate in 2008
Fall 2008 Piloting Chapters –
96% initiation rate in 2007
95% initiation rate in 2008

14. The Alpha Experience
Each chapter has different needs and different opportunities to provide new member education. You may find that there are events on campus or in the community that allow for excellent bonding activities with the new members as well as serve as good public relations tools for your chapters—take advantage of these opportunities!
The goal of the The Alpha Experience is to meet regularly, participate in fun events from the beginning, share interesting, pertinent discussions and get to know sisterhood.

15. For More Information
If you have any questions, comments, or programming ideas, please contact The Alpha Program Specialist
Lauren Hammack
3200 Lamp Post Lane
Oklahoma City, OK 73120