As an alumna member who wants to get involved in Tri Delta's recruitment, your role is very important. You can help by identifying potential new members who will be attending college on a campus where Tri Delta has a collegiate chapter, promoting sorority membership to them and sharing highlights of your Tri Delta experience with them. Once you have identified potential new members and introduced them to the Greek system, you can focus on providing a Tri Delta reference for those women who you believe will make good members.
Reference forms can be found on the Deltas Only side of the Web site.
Follow these step-by-step instructions for writing effective references and getting them delivered to the collegiate chapter.
STEP 1: Identify potential new members.
Consider arranging a lunch date or an informal meeting with potential new members you know. The purpose of this meeting is two-fold: first, learn about her accomplishments and goals. You may ask her for a resume or a list of accomplishments. Second, talk to her about why sororities are looking for women like her and how sorority membership can help her achieve her goals. It may also be important to talk to Tri Delta legacies or legacies of other groups about what to expect during recruitment.
Complete a reference form (located on the Deltas Only side) or write a letter of recommendation.
Either a reference form or a letter of recommendation is acceptable. The only advantage to using a reference form is that you can be sure you are providing a complete reference and that you have included all of the information the chapter needs. If you choose to write a letter, for best results, be sure to comment on all five points of membership.
Frequently asked question:
How many recommendations/letters does a potential new member need? Should additional letter be volunteered?
One complete, well-written reference form or letter is all that is needed to invite a woman to membership in Tri Delta. Most campus panhellenic organizations require each member to register for recruitment. As a part of that process, each chapter will receive an information sheet that is filled out by the potential new member herself. So, from the start, the chapter will have two pieces of information to review on each potential new member.
If special Tri Delta friends or family members want to write additional letters, they should be short and written with a purpose. The writer should explain her relationship to the potential new member and include one or two important point(s) about why the chapter should consider her for membership.
STEP 2: Decide where to send the reference/letter
If you know there is an alumnae chapter in or near the potential new member's hometown, it is strongly advised that you send the reference/letter to the alumnae chapter reference chairman. The benefit of sending the reference to the collegiate chapter via the alumnae chapter is that in some cases, the alumnae chapter will have a relationship with the collegiate chapter and will ensure your reference/letter is received and reviewed by the chapter.
If there is no alumnae chapter near the potential new member's hometown or if you prefer, you may send the reference/letter directly to the collegiate chapter reference chairman. There is no penalty or disadvantage to sending the letter directly to the collegiate chapter.
For a complete listing of Reference Forms, Alumnae Chapter Reference Chairman and the Collegiate Chapter Reference Chairman, visit the Deltas Only section of our Web site, log on and you'll find "Reference Resources."
Frequently asked question:
What is the deadline for sending a reference?
It is best to send the reference as soon as you know a potential new member has made her college choice. Many chapters study references over the summer and use the information to prepare for recruitment, which for many chapters, happens before school starts or in the early fall. At the very latest, the reference should arrive at the collegiate chapter the day recruitment begins.
What you can expect after you write a reference.
Once you write a reference, your work is complete. Recruitment is a busy time for chapters and it is difficult, if not impossible, to return phone calls and inquiries from concerned alumnae members regarding potential new members. Please do not call the chapter during recruitment. If your reference form is complete, the chapter will have all of the information it needs. If the chapter needs more information, it will contact you.
What you can expect after recruitment.
Check to see if the collegiate chapter has a Web site. Most chapters post a list of new members on their Web site after recruitment is complete. Within 2-4 weeks after recruitment, if the chapter extended a bid to the woman who you sponsored, you should receive a postcard informing you of their decision.
Reference Form Procedures (References can be found on the Deltas Only side of the Web site):
FILL IT OUT: The form for 2009-2010 is new. It is available in an interactive format which allows you to fill in electronically. The data will not be "saved," but you can print out the form after completing it.
PRINT IT: Once you have filled it out, print it out and then sign it! Be sure to print a copy for your files if you want a copy. You can't save the completed form electronically.
MAIL IT: After you have completed your form, then you should mail it to the reference chairman. Postal addresses are available for the Alumnae and Collegiate Chapter Reference Chairmen directories on the main page of the Deltas Only section of the Web site.
You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download the Reference Form. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it here for free.
For additional recruitment information please reference the Winter 2008 Trident article on recruitment, "Recruitment Demystified ."
