HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF YOUR PI GAMMA MU CHAPTER?
Some chapters have traditions that span the whole of the organization’s existence while others have only been recently chartered. But whether yours is an older chapter or a recent one, preserving and recording for posterity that history and those traditions is important.
The Pi Gamma Mu Board of Trustees created Chapter Heritage Grant to encourage chapters to explore and record their histories. Recipient chapters will receive $300 to support the research costs necessary to bring these heritage projects to fruition. All chapters are encouraged to apply. There is no deadline; however, funds are limited, and awards are granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Awardees are expected to produce a deliverable (e.g., book, journal article, website) that will be shared with Pi Gamma Mu. Evidence of this work must be submitted to Pi Gamma Mu within 6 months of receiving funds.
Recipients of the heritage grant must wait 10 years before applying again.
Chapters often have resources to explore their histories unbeknownst to them. Advisers may have chapter files inherited from past advisers that have been largely unexamined. Such files may contain information on past officers, members, projects, publicity, etc. that could be important in writing a chapter history. Also, many college and town newspapers are preserved in university libraries and are a valuable resource for doing such research. Individuals may also possess oral knowledge of their chapter’s activities: current and past advisers can be interviewed along with past officers. A chapter history is a nice item to place on your chapter website and Pi Gamma Mu headquarters is also eager to collect and preserve these documents. Chapters may also want to give thought to renewing the older tradition of electing a chapter historian.
To be eligible for a grant supporting the writing of a chapter history, chapters must have been in existence for at least ten years, but chapters can begin and are encouraged to preserve their history as it unfolds.
For a sample chapter history, check the “Negotiating Between Antecedents, Precedents, and Innovations: The Pi Gamma Mu Story at Penn” by Roger Lee Mendoza (https://pennpgm.webs.com/ourpennchapter.htm).
As chapters learn more information about their PGM histories, there are numerous approaches that can be taken when it comes to sharing their stories. The list below identifies a number of themes and topics which provide choices for organizing materials. Depending on the chapter history as a chapter, some themes/topics are likely more relevant to some chapters more than others.
First steps should likely include some general information about the chapter, for example, when was chapter started, who were the firsts officers, sponsors, chapter’s official designation, and gaps in when chapter may have been inactive. Much of this data is available from Headquarters so that may be your first place to start. A basic timeline containing important dates, names, activities might also be useful.
BASIC CHAPTER INFORMATION:
POTENTIAL THEMES/TOPICS TO EXPLORE:
In general, try to provide readers with a “sense of the chapter” over time.
POTENTIAL SOURCES/RESOURCES
For a sample chapter history, check the “Negotiating Between Antecedents, Precedents, and Innovations: The Pi Gamma Mu Story at Penn” by Roger Lee Mendoza (https://pennpgm.webs.com/ourpennchapter.htm).
Applications may be completed using the online form, or the application may be downloaded and sent to Pi Gamma Mu Headquarters by mail or email.
Mailing Address:
Pi Gamma Mu
1000 Millington, Suite B
Winfield, KS 67156
Email Address: [email protected]
Completed applications will be reviewed by Pi Gamma Mu. Notifications will be sent to the chapter sponsor within a few weeks of receipt.
Chapter Heritage Grant Application Form