What is the Role of an Alumna Advisor?
Alumna Advisors are first and foremost educators. In this role, you will help develop our membership into leaders by providing information, presenting alternatives, encouraging responsibility and supporting creativity. An advisor walks a fine line between leading the organization and giving the organization the strength to lead itself.
Alumna Advisors should not assume a role as a leader, officer, or voting member within the undergraduate chapter. The various “hats” of an advisor can be placed into four categories: planning assistance, leadership skill development, resource guidance/policy interpretation, and transition.
Planning Assistance
The Alumna Advisor will advise our undergraduate members in planning projects, events or programs for their respective chapters. This may include planning a meeting or social, fundraising drive, community service event or sports event. Oftentimes, our membership is in need of assistance with logistics, sponsorships and effective execution of action plans for events. They may not know the right questions to ask or whom to contact to get their expected results.
Leadership Skill Development
Leaders come into their positions with various levels of ability. If the Alumna Advisor develops a relationship of trust, the undergraduate member will benefit from guidance in areas such as assertiveness, budgeting, time management, problem solving, decision–making and cohesiveness.
Alumna Advisors serve as liaisons between the university and the organization by providing information regarding university procedures and guidelines and making appropriate contacts.
• Create opportunities for the educational and personal development of undergraduate members.
• Have a knowledge of all plans and activities of the group.
• Discourage domination of the group by any individual or small groups.
• Assist in the orientation of new sisters.
• Be available to meet with members of the chapter at their regular meetings and events sponsored by the group. If the group meets weekly, plan on attending at least once a month.
• Provide guidance in the planning and evaluation of programs.
• Assist the group in setting realistic goals and objectives for the academic year.
• Promote closer involvement between students and chapter alumna members.
• Assist the group in abiding by all University policies, procedures, and regulations.
The most important aspect of advising is to remember that one’s main role is just that–to advise. The suggestions listed below are meant to help the Alumna Advisors work more effectively with the undergraduate chapter in the role of an Alumna Advisor.
• Point out issues relating to ideas presented by the undergraduate sister without imposing bias.
• If an idea is inappropriate, the Alumna Advisor should encourage the sister to consider other alternatives.
• Informal meetings are conducive to open and worthwhile discussion.
• If the sister asks “What should we do?” or “What do you think?” the question should be rephrased and handed back to her. The Alumna Advisor is there to assist the sister but not to solve the problem for the sister/chapter.
If you’re interested, contact the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it