It is that time of year again. For many students, it is the time to decide if they are going to rush a sorority or fraternity, a decision that will potentially change the path of their college careers. Formal Panhellenic recruitment takes place each spring, allowing the national Panhellenic Greek organizations to choose new members for their respective groups.
Approximately 20 percent of the College’s students are involved in Greek life, as a part of the eight sororities and nine fraternities on campus. The Greek population averages a GPA of 3.123.
Philanthropy events are a big part of being involved in Greek life, and sorority recruitment even involves a philanthropy round for potential new members to learn about how the sororities help their respective charities. In addition to doing work with their philanthropies, Greek organizations participate in many social events, such as Greek Week and Homecoming.
Erica Paolucci, junior urban elementary education and math/science/technology double major, is the treasurer of the Panhellenic Association, and a disaffiliated member of her sorority for the duration of recruitment. Paolucci understands how many students might feel anxious about rushing a sorority or fraternity when they get to college.
“I originally didn’t want to join one, but all my friends were doing it and we decided to go out together,” Paolucci said. She said that many students rushing will have a lot of anxiety and feel overwhelmed by the recruitment process, but that it is worth it. “That was me two years ago, and I know what they’re feeling and what they’re going through.”
This weekend, the first round of rush took place for the eight sororities. The “round robin” allowed for each girl to talk to the sororities and rank their top six sororities in hopes of returning to them the next day.
Final bids will be given out Wednesday night, and that is when the girls will decide whether or not to sign the bid for the sorority who gave it to them.
“It is really exciting knowing some of the girls will be a part of your organization,” Paolucci said of the recruitment process.
For fraternities, the rush process is a little different.
Instead of each potential new member going to every organization each day of rush, the students get to decide which fraternities they want to see, and they only go to those they want. Robert Mika, the Inter Fraternity Council (IFC) president, explained that there are many differences in the rush processes, but the biggest is that the boys going through recruitment can pick which fraternities they want to see, rather than being forced, at least initially, to go to all of them.
The men’s fraternity formal recruitment is a dry rush period. Any consumption of alcohol in the presence of fraternity members is a violation of this policy, resulting in sanctions for those involved. Those rushing also need to attend rush sessions for the fraternities they are considering.
To prepare for recruitment, the current sorority and fraternity members must work extremely hard in ensuring everything goes smoothly. Paolucci said that there is a lot of preparation before the potential new members come in everyday, and that each day it entails a little bit more work.
“You don’t know how much goes into it until you’re doing it,” Paolucci said. While sorority recruitment is now over, men’s fraternity formal recruitment runs from Feb. 10 to Feb. 22.
All are encouraged to contact IFC or Panhellenic Council with any questions or concerns pertaining to rush.
