From ice cream socials to open houses, formal recruitment proved to be a busy time for many sorority chapters in the greek community. All the planning leads to life-long bonds in sisterhood. 

“Upon joining the sorority right away, you not only meet women that are the same age as you but that are older,” said Ally Tack, senior in elementary education. “Through that you’ll get to meet a lot of women that are really going to be your lifelong friends.”

Greek Affairs works with the Collegiate Panhellenic Council to design a mutual selection process during formal recruitment. 

“It’s not typical for the group of women to all join the same sorority,” said Billy Boulden, director of Greek Affairs. “If all the women live in Maple together and they go through recruitment, now they have sisters from around the community and in their own hall that they can be friends with because they went through recruitment together.”

On Aug. 14, the girls were put into groups based on where they live on campus by the Office of Greek Affairs.

Once Welcome Weekend concluded Aug. 16 after various activities, which included visiting the 16 sorority houses, it was time to start selecting the houses.

During the following week, different events were designed to explore the values each sorority showcases and what each chapter can offer to each participating member. 

Throughout the week, there was a “value showcase” in which each house allowed the participating girls to explore the values of the organization, such as its philanthropy. On Aug. 18, open houses were constructed to provide an opportunity to learn more about the financial obligations of each chapter. 

As Bid Day arrived Thursday, each girl had their top two chapter choices in mind. Boulden said they always try to place an individual in her first choice, but chapters may remove someone from their list because of grades or a personality conflict.

“It’s a mutual selection process,” Boulden said. “The women that go through the recruitment process have just as much say in what organization she wants to be a part of as the chapters have.”

Of the 886 women who participated in the process, 739 were offered membership into a sorority on Bid Day. Some of the women were released from the process because their mutual selections didn’t match, and others were self-selected out of the process.

“I think anytime there is a selection process, it creates challenges,” Boulden said. The system was evolved as a way to maximize the number of women featured in sororities. Part of the challenge is that we want all sororities to be around the same size. It’s balancing that through the process as well.”

With 60 fraternities and sororities in the Greek Community, Boulden said it is easy to get involved.

As for girls who wish to rush formally in 2016, he advises, “Just be yourself. We’re able to see the best case for matching when the women are just true to themselves.”