Sigma Alpha Iota

PERPETUATING FRATERNITY LIFE Fraternity Extension from Collegiate and Alumnae Perspectives By Kelly Hood F raternity extension is one of the ways Sigma Alpha Iota continues to expand and grow throughout the United States. At both the collegiate and alumnae levels, students and sisters are interested in forming chapters in order to uphold the ideals of this fraternity, to support the purpose of SAI, and to share a love of music with one another. In order for these chapters to be formed, specific guidelines are set forth by the fraternity and monitored by our National Vice President, Extension and Fraternity Development, Marcie Richardson. This article is an exploration of fraternity extension from both the collegiate and alumnae perspectives. The first section is a narrative from one of the newest collegiate SAI chapters, the Lambda Phi chapter at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. It shows the process that the chapter went through, from beginning to end, so that you can have an inside perspective on the fraternity extension process from the collegiate point of view. The second section is from the alumnae perspective, and tells the story of the Raleigh Durham Alumnae Interest Group. They are currently in the process of reactivating an alumnae chapter in their area, and are excited to share their experiences. Collegiate Chapter Extension At the start of the year 2009, several students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, began to discuss the lack of organizations on campus with the purpose of bringing musicians together to spread the joys of music. After a sufficient amount of research, Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity seemed to be exactly what the University of Massachusetts Amherst was missing. Sigma Alpha Iota encompassed everything: includes music majors and non 14 PAN PIPES SPRING 2011 sai-national.org Raleigh/Durham Alumnae Interest Group members Christy Walker (above) and Elizabeth Huss (middle) volunteer at an Instrument Petting Zoo held in conjunction with the Wake County (NC) Public Library System. At bottom, members of the recently installed Lambda Phi chapter. majors, vocalists and instrumentalists, and those who both perform music, as well as serve through music. Several weeks were spent in correspondence with Sigma Alpha Iota National Headquarters learning about the Fraternity and how to establish a new chapter. After holding an interest meeting, including a presentation about Sigma Alpha Iota and a few words of insight from a Sigma Alpha Iota alumna and faculty member at the university, the Sigma Alpha Iota Interest Group was formed. The Interest Group initially met resistance from other music organizations on campus. However, the intentions to further music and work together in service to music were discussed. It soon became obvious that providing another opportunity for service in music to the department, community and beyond was an opportunity to work together, not competition. Resistance has since disappeared and the organizations have established connections and begun building positive, professional, and valuable relationships together. The Interest Group first met on April 9, 2009 and continued to meet weekly. Officers were elected immediately, and the first executive board of the Interest Group was born. This group of five young leaders and their mere five other members set out to begin raising funds, offering aid to the music department, gaining interest of other potential members, and most of all, working to show the department, the university, and the community alike, that they were serious about what they were trying to establish. In the fall of 2009, the Interest Group grew to seventeen members after holding an Ice Cream Social recruitment event. The group met with Arlene Veron, a representative of Sigma Alpha Iota and former NEB member, for a pre-colonization visit on Sunday, November 8, 2009. This visit included discussions with Ms. Veron about SAI and a musicale performed by the Colony. After being notified of acceptance as an official colony on November 19, 2009, the Sigma Alpha Iota

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