Parents FAQ

How can the sorority be beneficial for my daughter?

For most students, college is a time of constant change—but Tri Sigma can provide a supportive community and a home away from home. It's a safe place to reach potential, gain valuable transferrable skills (e.g., time management, resiliency, public speaking, conflict resolution, goal setting, networking, etc.), receive academic and personal support, and prepare for life after college. There are also opportunities to earn scholarships, attend leadership programs, and develop a passion to help others through philanthropic service.

Members not only benefit from their collegiate experience—but also have the ability to remain involved beyond college as alumnae. Having a network of supportive women across the country can ease the transition into "the real world" and be a tremendous resource throughout life.

What is required of my daughter to join the sorority?

Each chapter has specific scholarship, financial, and participation expectations of its members. Your daughter will need to meet the required GPA and/or amount of study hours; pay all dues and fees on time; and attend the minimum amount of chapter events and activities in order to remain a member in good standing. If you or your daughter has questions about these requirements, please contact the chapter advisor or email sigma@trisigma.org.

My daughter is a new member—what happens now?

A "new member" is someone who has completed the first of three ceremonies, called Arc Degree. During this time, the date of initiation is announced.

The ideal new member program is 6-8 weeks. During this time, new members will be guided through Essential Sigma, a program designed to educate them on the sorority's history and operations. This period also includes study hours, participation requirements, a financial commitment, the opportunity to hold leadership positions, and a responsibility to uphold the values and standards of Tri Sigma. These responsibilities continue throughout the collegiate membership experience.

The new member program culminates with the initiation ceremony, called Triangle Degree. Your daughter will be considered a fully initiated member of Sigma Sigma Sigma at this time. As Tri Sigma history dictates, she will be expected to wear white attire for all ceremonial meetings.

What is your anti-hazing policy?

Tri Sigma has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against hazing. Any woman found accountable for hazing will no longer have the privilege of membership. Signs of hazing could include:

No time to study
Excessive fatigue or lack of sleep
Not feeling included or supported by the chapter
Activities or programming requirements every night of the week or consistently past 10 or 11 p.m. (a normal week should include 5-7 hours of meetings/activities)
Strange or secretive behavior regarding chapter programming
Excessive drinking
Requirement of carrying certain items around campus or completing tasks for initiated members
The appearance of mental exhaustion or withdrawal from a normal lifestyle.

While not all of these would be an indicator of hazing, it may be a red flag for excessive programming, bullying or mean girl behavior, or poor leadership. School comes first. If a member is not having a healthy, balanced experience, we’d like the opportunity to support her and advise the chapter in areas of improvement.

If you have any concerns, contact National Headquarters at 540.459.4212 and ask to speak with your chapter's assigned Chapter Services staff member. While we do hope to obtain the caller’s name and number for follow-up or in case we have additional questions to help us address concerns, we do not disclose the name or information of any caller reporting concerns.

How can I be involved with my daughter’s experience?

We encourage parents and guardians to be a part of this exciting time in their daughter’s life, and recommend the ideas below as just some of the ways you can get involved with her sorority experience:

Ask questions, look through pictures, and sift through the website and social media.
Discuss time management; juggling class, homework, and new experiences can be difficult.
Attend Family Weekend or other planned events for families and friends.
Consider shopping our official boutique, Purple & Pearls, to treat the Tri Sigma in your life (new members are entitled to wear all insignia except items with the crest or the badge), or a nice piece of jewelry to mark her initiation or another milestone.
See if the chapter or local house corporation has a Parents Club—or consider starting one!
Attend the chapter Founders Day events.
Make a financial contribution to the chapter’s philanthropic fundraising events.
Ask questions! Show your interest in recruitment, big sis/little sis, weekly meetings, and upcoming events.
Learn about other opportunities by getting in touch with the President, Chapter Advisor, or the House Corporation. New members should receive this information in the form of a contact list. There may also be a parents’ newsletter you can request to receive.
Be mindful of conflict. Create an open dialog with your daughter about the relationships she has and help her learn how to resolve conflict effectively. One often-used philosophy Tri Sigma employs is one presented by Douglas Stone in Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most.
Pay your daughter’s lifetime alumnae dues as a graduation gift.

What does an ideal experience look like?

The ideal experience is when your daughter is …

Excited about going to chapter meetings
Focused on academics and her scholarship goals
Relaying positive messages instead of those indicating fear, intimidation, or stress
Reassured that academics come first
Held accountable for actions and appropriate behavior
Learning new things about herself through her Tri Sigma experiences
Enhancing leadership and other personal development
Serving her local and campus community
Supported by the members and new members in her chapter.

Who do I contact if my daughter has trouble within her chapter?

If you have questions about your daughter's experience, she can be your first resource followed by the local chapter advisor, then either the campus or National Support systems. Nationally, each chapter has an assigned Regional Consultant, Assistant Director of Chapter Services, and Director of Chapter Services working to support and guide the chapter. You may reach any of these support resources by contacting National Headquarters at 540.459.4212.

We encourage you to visit the Join section of our website to read a parent letter from our National President and learn more about our national organization.