Sigma Alpha Iota

PERPETUATING FRATERNITY LIFE Members of the Raleigh/Durham Alumnae Interest Group include, from left,Camilla Peterson, Christy Walker, Elizabeth Huss, Lindsey Sweetwood, Johanna Wolf, Cindy Chastang. EXTENSION continued from page 15 the National Vice President, Extension and Fraternity Development, Marcie Richardson. You can obtain a copy via e-mail by contacting her at NVP.Extension@sai-national.org, or by calling SAI National Headquarters at (828) 251-0606. Alumnae Chapter Extension Upon college graduation, life changes forever. No more rolling out of bed and dashing to class in your PJs, then staying up late into the night either studying or fraternizing. Now you have to wake up early in the morning to go to a job that pays your bills — like that student loan — and unless you were an education major, no more summer break. It is definitely an exciting time of transition, but when the going gets tough, it might be nice to have a small shred of the happy, carefree days of college to still cling to. Sigma Alpha Iota is a major component of thousands of college girls' lives, and the fabulous reality is that involvement in the fraternity does not end the moment the band finishes "Pomp and Circumstance." The SAI Alumnae Association is dedicated to keeping the fraternity 16 PAN PIPES SPRING 2011 sai-national.org a part of sisters' lives. Ideally wherever you wind up after college, whether staying near your school or venturing to a new time zone, there is a network of sisters you can connect with. Alumnae chapters are a great resource for discovering new things about different parts of the country if you relocate, and for learning from your peers about a vast array of subjects. Unlike in college where all members are generally the same age and over half are often music majors, in alumnae chapters there are sisters from many different walks of life. It is not unusual to peek into an alumnae chapter meeting and see a recent graduate sitting next to a 50 year member of the fraternity. That recent graduate may be a business major, and her elder sister may be a retired opera singer. The president who just called the meeting to order could be a stay-at-home mom. The dynamics of an alumnae chapter are unlike that of college, but the common thread of sisterhood is woven throughout. Johanna Wolf, Kappa Gamma initiate and secretary of the Raleigh Durham Alumnae Interest Group, left her college town after graduation. "SAI has been a huge part of my life and I couldn't imagine leaving behind this wonderful fraternity just because I finished school," Wolf said. "After I moved, going to an SAI meeting was the first social thing I did. It was the one place where I knew I had instant friends." As we all know, sisterly affection comes with its ups and downs, but SAI is a safe place where you can feel accepted. "We know each other's quirks. We share our lives and support each other," laughs Wolf. National Headquarters, the SAI Circle Social Network, and the SAI Listserv are great places to inquire about what alumnae chapters are in your area. If you wind up living more than 50 miles away from the nearest chapter, you can always affiliate with the International Chapter. However, if you crave the camaraderie of fellow sisters and prefer sitting around noshing on your favorite snacks and making plans for your next service project, then an alumnae chapter is the way to go. Just like in college, not every place has an active chapter and therefore it is up to you to help form one. That, of course, comes with its challenges as EXTENSION continued on page 32

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