Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Delta Zeta is #TrulyLifelong: An Open Letter to Our Graduating Seniors



As an alumna member of Delta Zeta, I love this time of year. My fellow alumnae and I have our social media newsfeeds full of images of our collegiate sisters in caps and gowns proudly clasping hard earned diplomas. We are so proud of you and the over 3,500 fellow Delta Zeta sisters who will transition from collegiate to alumnae members this year. We also know that our chapters, both collegiate and alumnae, can help you successfully make the transition beyond the college campus. It is our goal to help every Delta Zeta member stay engaged and connected to the truly lifelong sisterhood she joined as a new member. 

Founder Julia Bishop Coleman and her fellow graduating class of 1904. Julia Bishop Coleman stayed connected with Delta Zeta her entire life. 


Here are the six best practices for starting your alumnae life:

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1. Update your Contact Information. Before you leave campus, make sure to update your contact information. You may do so on www.deltazeta.org/member, or you can give your collegiate chapter the update to make on the Chapter Inc. Membership Menu – Actions- Edit Member Information. Please remember to update your email addresses to your personal email addresses vs. your university email addresses.

2. Download the Delta Zeta App. For members only, the new Delta Zeta App has built in communication tools which graduating members can take advantage of. From finding DZ sisters near you to connecting with individual members, the Delta Zeta App makes connecting with sisters after you leave campus easy!

3. Connect with Area and Local Alumnae Contacts. Ask your collegiate chapter to provide the contact information for your local alumnae groups. You can find information on Delta Zeta’s Alumnae Areas and State Alumnae Chairmen on our website as well as a list of alumnae chapters using our chapter locator.

4. Stay Updated on Chapter Happenings. The first few months after leaving campus can be hard. Make sure you keep connected to chapter happenings by being included on your alumnae communications from the start. Don’t let months, or years, go by before making sure you are included on official chapter communications to alumnae. This leads back to number 1 - making sure you have updated your contact information!

5. Look for Examples on How to Stay Engaged. Alumnae advisors and nearby alumnae chapter members are examples of women whose lives have continued to be enriched by staying involved within Delta Zeta. Consider asking women about the many ways to stay involved with Delta Zeta. You could also reach out to some of your chapter sisters who graduated in previous years about how they stayed connected. There are many ways to stay connected including Alumnae Chapter membership and volunteering.

6. Network Online. Stay abreast of all the DZ happenings by following our national and local newsfeeds. It is easy to stay engaged via social media (Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn/Pinterest) and finding connections to sisters is as simple as a click away!


What other ways do you connect recent graduates with Delta Zeta to make sure they stay engaged as alumnae?

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