Iowa State greek recruitment numbers on the rise

Kappa+Kappa+Gamma+sorority+sisters+cheer+as+their+new+members+run+toward+them+on+Aug.+19+on+Central+Campus.

Ryan Damman/Iowa State Daily

Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sisters cheer as their new members run toward them on Aug. 19 on Central Campus.

Lindsay Calvert

The greek community is seeing a correlation with the rising enrollment numbers at Iowa State.

There were 472 women on the first day of formal recruitment, the highest number since 2000, said Lisa Nickell, vice president of recruitment for the Collegiate Panhellenic Council. Of those 472, 84 percent of the women went through the entire process and joined a sorority.

The sororities in CPC voted to increase total from 85 members to 91 members to accommodate for the high interest in sororities. Total is the maximum number a chapter can have before they are no longer allowed to informally recruit. Total has been 85 since 2005 when they decreased the number from 93 members.

There are 440 members currently in fraternities. Josh Knust, Interfraternity Council vice president of recruitment, said the membership has typically been around 390 at this point in the year.

The spiked interest in the greek community started with Greek Getaway last spring for the fraternities. There were 172 men in attendance, compared to 120 the previous year.

Maria Wahl, vice president of membership for Pi Beta Phi, said this year was a strong recruiting year for Pi Beta Phi. The sorority currently has 103 members, compared to 81 members last year. Pi Beta Phi is not participating in informal recruitment this year as they typically have done in the past, Wahl said.

It is nice having a larger chapter with more diversity with women from different backgrounds and experiences from all walks of life, Wahl said.

This summer was the best recruitment summer Phi Kappa Psi had, said Evan Todtz, summer recruitment co-chairman of Phi Kappa Psi. The fraternity graduated its largest class last spring.

“We compensated for our 39 graduating seniors and then some,” Todtz said. “We had two great vice presidents of recruitment this year who were a great resource and very organized. They made a lot of opportunities and kept us motivated.”