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III. Summary of Findings
A. Attitude and perception of Pi Beta Phi and today's Greek system
The Mississippi Beta Chapter alumnae interviewed for the feasibility study were
asked several questions concerning their attitudes and perception of the chapter and
Greek life in general. The answers to these questions are summarized in the
following paragraphs.
Nearly every interviewed alumna spoke highly of her membership in Pi Beta Phi.
Alumnae cited numerous lifelong friendships, networking opportunities, leadership
skills, a sense of community, a support system, and strong sisterhood as reasons for
their positive attitude. Many alumnae spoke highly of the friendships they have
maintained since their time in Pi Phi. A 1990s alumna said, "It goes without saying
that Pi Phi helped me form lifelong friendships with women that I still keep in touch
with today, 27 years later!" Through these friendships, women were inspired to
grow into the women they are today. A 2010s alumna said, "Pi Phi gave me lifelong
friendships but also fostered an atmosphere for intellectual growth. The
organization pushed me to be my best self." A 1960s alumna summed up the
feelings of many alumnae well, saying, "Pi Phi gave me so much like a wonderful
group of friends that were my support system to share campus life with."
Interviewees were then asked to describe their basic interest toward the Mississippi
Beta Chapter. As shown in Chart A, 97% of alumnae described their attitude toward
Pi Phi as "Very Interested" or "Interested." This is an above average level of
interest compared to other Pennington & Company studies and is a positive
indicator that alumnae who have a high interest in the sorority may be more likely
to support a future fundraising effort for the Mississippi Beta Chapter.
