Joining a fraternity or a sorority in college is the dream of many incoming students. To generate interest in this semester’s recruitment and rush weeks the different Greek councils held a Greek Showcase Jan. 10 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., complete with brag tables and complimentary donuts.
Saint Leo University practices deferred recruitment, meaning that new students are ineligible to join Greek life until completing one semester at the university. This makes spring an important time for Greek organizations and potential new members alike.
Students interested in joining Greek life have 14 different organizations from three different councils to choose from. The National Panhellenic Council (NPC) is made up of national sororities Alpha Sigma Tau, Theta Phi Alpha, Sigma Sigma Sigma and local sorority Gamma Upsilon. The InterFraternity Council (IFC) consists of national fraternities Tau Kappa Epsilon, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and local fraternity Sigma Lambda. The third council, The Unified Greek Council (UGC) includes national fraternities Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Sigma Lambda Beta and national sororities Sigma Gamma Rho, Sigma Lambda Gamma and Lambda Pi Chi.
The National Panhellenic Council sororities and Interfraternity Council fraternities most often recruit new members with either a recruitment or rush week each semester. Interested students become familiar with each organization by attending a week of events. The Unified Greek Council sororities and fraternities recruit differently depending on each organization. Future members can attend different meetings and socials held by the organizations they are interested in to learn about the process required by that organization to become an official member.
At the Greek showcase event, “people came out while they’re getting free donuts and talk to each organization to get to know what they’re all about before recruitment” said the Panhellenic president Jen Connell.
Every organization regardless of council had a brag table and members present to meet interested students. To get a donut, “everyone gets a little postcard to be stamped at each sorority or fraternity’s table. After getting it stamped the postcard can be exchanged for a free donut!” explained Zeida Alvarez, the Panhellenic vice president of recruitment. The donuts were provided by “Craving Donuts” and came in a variety of flavors such as cookies and cream and chocolate peanut butter.
With recruitment weeks rapidly approaching, excitement at the event was especially high for organizations and their potential new members.
Sophomore Jenna Haddad exclaims, “I’m feeling excited and a little terrified.”
In anticipation of the upcoming NPC recruitment week Haddad explains that she expects the unexpected for recruitment, and can’t wait to meet the different Panhellenic sororities.
Regardless of which organizations different students decide to join, the university Greek men and women hope to grow together and see it’s community thrive.
