Greek Life Planning for Virtual Recruitment

Bria Arseneault-
Fraternity and Sorority recruitment is an event on campus that runs from mid-September to early October and occurs in both the fall and spring semesters. It is an opportunity for students to join an organization and gain new friendships and experiences along the way, whether you are an incoming freshman or a returning student. 
There are three sororities on campus: Alpha Sigma Tau, Phi Sigma Sigma, and Sigma Sigma Sigma. There are also three fraternities on campus: Alpha Phi Delta, Sigma Pi, and Sigma Tau Gamma. Phi Sigma Sigma have hosted an event in the fall semester called “Rock-A-Thon” where the sisters stay overnight on the quad and raise money for their philanthropy, the “Kids in Need” Foundation. Sigma Sigma Sigma has hosted an event called “Teeter Totter” where the sisters raise money for their philanthropy, the “Tri Sigma” Foundation. Sigma Pi’s philanthropy is “Our Father’s House” and Sigma Tau Gamma hosted a “Game-A-Thon” event where they donated all proceeds to the Special Olympics.
On Tuesday, August 11, the schedule for sorority recruitment came out and was set to begin on Sep. 10 and was to be in person. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the guidelines set by the state and the university, recruitment was pushed back and now starts on Sep. 24 with their “Meet the Sisters” night, where you get to meet the sisters of the three sororities on campus.
“I understand that this being new this semester, happening for the first time in history, many students feel anxiety and overwhelmed, but when you break it down, it’s all about building connections, which can happen in any type of setting,” said Coordinator of Greek Life and Student Leadership Reba Putorti when asked about keeping the recruitment process true while being virtual. President of Panhellenic Council Sarah Barrett also mentioned that they wanted to provide a “genuine experience for everyone involved, while still keeping everyone safe.” 
Sarah also gave insight into how the rounds of sorority recruitment will work. Round 1 and Round 2 of course are virtual, but instead of being in person, they will be in breakout rooms where the chapters and potential new members can still establish a connection. 
When asked about possibly having in-person recruitment in the spring, both Sarah Barrett and Reba Putorti said that there is hope for in-person recruitment, but the future is far away and nobody really knows what the next semester is going to bring. 
If you are interested in signing up for recruitment, here is the link to fill out: https://forms.gle/DsPxVjPboRZzy8r96