Baseline Resources#

Introduction#

Membership Experience is an integral part of membership in Alpha Delta Pi. During a member’s collegiate experience, they will participate in a well-rounded set of opportunities which touch on all aspects of collegiate sorority membership and also prepares them for life after college as an alumna member. Membership Experience activities and opportunities should be meaningful, inclusive, and engaging. These are effective and valuable tools for developing skills in individual members and building relationships in the chapter.

Membership Experience Activities#

The overall membership experience is cultivated through the connections we have with others and to the organization. This is enhanced by Membership Experience activities which include:

• Alpha Member Experience, including Alpha Education
• Delta Member Experience/Education
• Chapter Retreat
• Sisterhood Activities and Gatherings
• Ritual Ceremonies, including Initiation
• Ritual and Heritage Education

Role of the Membership Experience in Creating the Well-Balanced Person#

The Creed of Alpha Delta Pi is a guide for all members not only as individuals but collectively as a chapter. It states, 

“I believe that I must strive to become a well-balanced person by following the dictates of the four points symbolized by our diamond-shaped badge: first, strengthening my own character and personality; second, watching my attitudes toward my fellow-beings; third, recognizing the value of high education standards; and fourth, developing faith and loyalty.”

How do we make this actionable?

Membership Experience programming can provide skills and strategies to help chapter members become well-balanced people as chapter members and in their personal lives. The goal of Membership Experience is to provide programming that addresses needs of chapter members. These needs will vary throughout their membership, and it’s important to consider this variance to ensure each member feels supported and has opportunities for growth available to them throughout the entirety of their collegiate membership.

The definition of what it means to be well-balanced will vary by each member. However, there are some general concepts and considerations for what this means based on the values and ritual of Alpha Delta Pi.  A well-balanced Alpha Delta Pi maintains high academic standards and strives to live out the values of Alpha Delta Pi each day. They are a leader in their chapter, campus and community. They strive to maintain their health and wellness, and they seek help and support from available resources as needed. They are loyal to their loved ones and create meaningful relationships. They also give their time and talents to others who are in need.  The Alpha Delta Pi membership experience provided by chapters should then strive to create a holistic experience that allows members to learn, grow and succeed in these areas.

First 30 Days: Vice President of Membership Experience (VPME)#

Thank you for your commitment to Alpha Delta Pi and ensuring the success of your chapter! The First 30 Days Checklist is designed to introduce you to your role and resources available to you. While this is not an exhaustive list to govern your entire term of office, it can get you started on the tasks you will need to complete during your first 30 days in office. This resource should be used as a supplement to Leadership Planning Workshop and any training provided by your campus community. Tasks in each section are listed in the recommended order of completion.

Review Contact Information#

• Logon to Pride Online and ensure your contact information is up to date.

Meet with Your Contacts#

• Meet with the outgoing Vice President of Membership Experience to transition your roles. This is an individual meeting between the outgoing and incoming VP of Membership Experience. This should not be done during the Leadership Planning Workshop.

• Discuss plans for additional transition meetings if needed and establish communication expectations for questions that arise throughout the year. 

• Transition any chapter files and paperwork, hard copy or digital, you may need.

• Review the current Membership Experience Planner and create a strategy for completing the upcoming tool.

• Review the monthly report expectations.

• Meet with your Membership Experience Advisor.

• Introduce yourself, exchange contact information, and discuss expectations for the upcoming year.

• Ensure you both have access to all ME reports, tools and resources.

• Email or meet with your Membership Experience Director.

• Introduce yourself and exchange contact information.

• Discuss expectations for the upcoming year and how you plan on communicating.

• Meet with the Membership Experience Team (Director of New Member Experience, Director of Ritual Education, Ritual Education Specialist, if applicable, Director of Alumnae Engagement, and Sisterhood Program Specialist).

• Discuss the purpose of membership experience within your chapter.

• Discuss your roles and the scope of responsibilities.

• Discuss success, challenges, and issues you might expect during your terms of office.

• Discuss communication expectations and dates for team meetings.

• Discuss how you might want to collaborate across your areas of responsibility.
• Review Team Budgets

Attend/Watch#

• Attend any Membership Experience virtual training (or watch recordings) and review new resources provided. 
• Attendee any/all relevant training offered by your campus Panhellenic and/or Fraternity/Sorority Life office. 

Review#

• Obtain and review Alpha Delta Pi:
  • Statements of Policy
  • Standards Code
  • Chapter Bylaws and Standing Rules (Pi Portal) 
  • Membership Experience Planner
  • Chapter Calendar
• Roles and responsibilities for your position
• Roles and responsibilities for your team
• Officer Digests: Collegiate chapter officer communications are sent directly to individual officers on a weekly basis. These are shared, as needed, on Sundays, in the form of an Officer Digest. Not every officer will receive a digest each Sunday.
• Review the Event Planning Guide for resources and risk reduction strategies for Chapter Retreat, Sisterhood Events, Initiation, and other events coordinated by the Membership Experience Team. Work with the Vice President of Event Management, Event Management Advisor, and Risk Management Committee to support the planning process.
• Review the Membership Experience resources on Pride Online.
• Explore Pi Portal to learn important tasks, including:
• Find a member’s year in school under Membership > Reports > Chapter Roster
• Find those members that have affiliated with your chapter under Membership > Reports > Chapter Affiliations
• Order Alpha Member Supplies under Finance > Actions
• Order Ritual Paraphernalia and Chapter Supplies under Finance > Actions
• Review the number of cancellations for your chapter under Membership > Reports > Chapter Membership Cancellations Summary

Membership Experience Team #

The purpose of the Membership Experience Team is to ensure the effectiveness of all chapter internal and external educational programs/activities. This team provides educational experiences for chapter members that supplement their academic experiences. These educational experiences are aimed at increasing sorority, personal, and interpersonal learning and growth.

This team is comprised of the following officers and advisory board members:

• Vice President of Membership Experience (VPME) – Chair 
• Director of New Member Experience (DNME) 
• Director of Ritual Education (DRE)
• Director of Alumnae Engagement (DAE)
• Sisterhood Program Specialist (SPS)
• Pride Leaders, if applicable, work closely with this team
• Membership Experience Advisor (ME Advisor) 
• New Member Experience Advisor (NME Advisor), if applicable

Monthly ME Team Meetings#

The VPME serves as chair of the Membership Experience Team and coordinates monthly meetings with team members in order to develop, plan, execute, and evaluate the chapter’s ME Plans. 

The Membership Experience Monthly Report serves as a tool for for chapters to utilize to help guide and evaluate their chapter’s activities. Each ME team officer is responsible for completing the questions related to their position – as a team, briefly review the information from your monthly report when you gather to meet and prepare for the following month.

It is due via email no later than the first of each month to your chapter’s Membership Experience Director (MED) a with appropriate advisors along with your chapter’s Collegiate Province Director (CPD) and Vice President of Operations (VPO) copied. 

It is sent to your chapter’s MED and CPD to offer a glimpse into the chapter’s health and activities. 

ME Due Dates#

As chair of the ME Team, the VPME is responsible to ensure all paperwork is submitted. 

The ME Control Log is a tool to keep you organized. Mark these dates on your calendar to stay organized! 

Membership Experience Planner (MEP)#

The Membership Experience Planner (MEP) is a planning tool used by the Membership Team to schedule and plan meaningful experiences each year. 

Developing the Plan#

Pre-planning occurs before the Membership Experience Team creates the written plan.

• The plan should be developed by the Membership Experience Team and then approved by the Executive Board. Each officer on the team shares the responsibility of creating the plan by focusing on the responsibilities of their office, as well as assisting the Vice President of Membership Experience with the coordination of the overall plan. The ME Team should work with other teams and their respective officers in planning the calendar and activities.
• Upon approval, it becomes the responsibility of the Vice President of Membership Experience to ensure that the entire team effectively implements the plan throughout the semester. It should be detailed enough that, should it become necessary, a new officer could step in and effectively carry it out.
• The plan should cover one semester, as well as any preparation that occurs during the summer/winter break, with the understanding that the plan can be amended and updated as the needs of the chapter change throughout the term, with the approval of the Advisors and collaboration with the Membership Experience Director (MED). By working on a semester basis, the Membership Experience Team is able to more effectively implement educational programs and create opportunities for building connections.

Completing the MEP is the first step to building a strong membership experience. Membership experience is much more than a workshop or program; it is a daily process.

• Throughout the development of the plan, keep in mind the policies and guidelines of Alpha Delta Pi, as well as your campus and local Panhellenic to ensure the plan is in compliance.
• The development and implementation of the plan is the responsibility of the entire Membership Experience Team. Although the VP of Membership Experience is the leader of the team and is ultimately responsible for the MEP, all the officers on the team play a significant role in its creation, implementation and success.
• In each Membership Experience Team meeting, the plan should be reviewed for progress and revisions.

Completing the MEP#

The MEP is created on a worksheet-style document with multiple tabs, providing a calendar for your chapter’s Membership Experience activities. The MEP you create is always for the next upcoming term. In the spring, you are making your plans for the following fall. In the fall, you are planning for the spring semester, where the next VP of Membership Experience will implement your plan.

Once the ME Team completes the MEP, present the plan to your ME Advisor, and request feedback. Allow them at least two weeks to review the plan.

Once your ME Advisor has approved, present the MEP to the Executive Board for approval. Email the MEP to your Executive Board at least a week before the meeting, so they can review the plan and offer feedback and questions.

• The Fall MEP needs to be approved by your Executive Board by your chapter’s last Executive Board meeting for the semester, and shared with your Membership Experience Director (MED) for review and suggestions by April 15.  
• The Spring MEP needs to be approved by your Executive Board by your chapter’s last Executive Board meeting for the semester, and shared with your Membership Experience Director (MED) for review and suggestions by November 15.

Delta Member Experience#

Overview#

As the oldest secret society for women, our founders set the way for us to grow as leaders and women. The Creed of Alpha Delta Pi clearly explains what striving to become a well-balanced woman is about. The goal of the Delta Member Experience is to meet the needs of chapter members in an effort to create a well-rounded chapter full of well-balanced women who strive to live out our Ritual and our Creed in their everyday lives by providing a roadmap to living our values and being better women. The focus of the Delta Member Experience is on our member’s engagement, understanding, and application of Alpha Delta Pi’s Ritual, Creed, and values. It includes Living Our Ritual workshops for each academic year, Renewing Our Bond programming for members who have been away from the chapter, an updated Chapter Retreat model, Delta Member Orientation for members who were recently initiated, Delta Member Reflections for sophomores and juniors, and a Senior Experience.

Below are brief descriptions of experiences and roles in the Delta Member Experience. Facilitation and planning guides for each session can be found in the “Resources” section below. Information on collegiate mentor and ambassador selection can be found further on the page.

• Living Our Ritual (LOR) 1, Discovering Me in Alpha Delta Pi challenges new members to learn how to apply the values they are learning through their ADPi experience. To be held close to Initiation, either before or after.
• LOR 2, Finding My Voice in Alpha Delta Pi challenges members to begin to learn how to apply their voice by using the values they learn through their ADPi experience. To be held annually for sophomores and/or sisters in their second year of membership.
• LOR 3, Putting My Voice into Action challenges members to learn how to apply their voice using the values they learn through their ADPi experiences. To be held annually for juniors and/or sisters in their third year of membership.
• LOR 4, Integrating My Voice challenges senior members to examine how their ADPi experience will continue as they prepare for the next phase of life. Occurs early in the fall semester.
• Renewing Our Bond is a welcome back process for our sisters who left the chapter and returned, including sisters who participated in study abroad or an internship program, those who were granted emergency leave (EMFL), and members affiliating with your chapter. To be offered as needed, at the beginning of the term.
• Delta Member Reflection is an interactive session where sophomore and junior members reflect on their personal development, form deeper levels of connection to one another, and create a plan for their next learning. Occurs annually.

**Insert DME/LOR documents

 

Chapter Retreat#

Purpose: to strengthen the bonds of sisterhood. 

VPME is responsible for overall planning of Chapter Retreat, with assistance from the Membership Experience Team.

Primary Recruitment Chapter Retreat#

Planning#

The Vice President of Membership Experience is encouraged to form a Chapter Retreat Committee to assist in planning and facilitating the retreat. Collaborate with your VP of Finance to determine the budget for your retreat. Identify a leader for each class (year in school) to serve on this committee. Each class may have class-specific programming, and there should be activities planned that encourage sisterhood and facilitate bonding. A theme is strongly encouraged to make your retreat more fun. Consider coordinating name tags, decorations, refreshments, and activities to maximize your theme.

Length and Timing#

Chapter Retreat should be held during the first half of the Alpha Program. Retreat can be a day-long event lasting up to 6-8 hours or a two-day event with overnight accommodations.

Location and Transportation#

An off-campus location is encouraged for Chapter Retreat; if budgeting is a concern, consider the possibility of holding an off-campus retreat every other year or what works best for your chapter. Make a plan for safe transportation to and from retreat for all members.

Attendance#

All Alphas and Deltas are expected to attend the full Chapter Retreat. Appropriate excuses should be listed in your chapter’s standing rules.

Any Alphas unable to attend Chapter Retreat should meet with the Director of New Member Experience to review educational material that may have been missed.

An advisor or approved alumna must be in attendance. All advisors are strongly encouraged to attend.

 

COR Chapter Retreat #

Planning#

A theme is strongly encouraged to make your retreat more fun. Consider coordinating name tags, decorations, refreshments, and activities to maximize your theme.

Length & Timing#

COR Retreat should take place within two weeks of finishing COR. COR Retreat should be no longer than 2-4 hours in length, depending on the number of Alphas.

Location#

Choose a location based upon the size of the Alpha class and chapter finances.

Attendance #

All Alphas and their Big Diamond Sisters are expected to attend the COR Chapter Retreat.

Any Alphas unable to attend should meet with the Director of New Member Experience to review educational material that may have been missed.

The Vice President of Membership Experience, Director of New Member Experience, and President should facilitate the retreat.

It is strongly encouraged that an advisor or approved alumna be in attendance.

Sisterhood Retreat#

A Sisterhood Chapter Retreat takes place at the beginning of a semester in which a chapter is not recruiting and if they have a budget for a super special sisterhood event. This is a ‘mini-chapter retreat’ that can last anywhere from 2-4 hours in length to a full day–it’s up to the chapter and what their needs are at that time. All chapter members are strongly encouraged to attend and an advisor or approved alumna should also attend. Contact your MED to discuss any requirements for your Sisterhood Recruitment Chapter Retreat.