by TARYN RIPPLE
Recruitment week is one of the most significant times in the year for Greek organizations at Drake University. During this period, students who are interested in joining a social fraternity or sorority have the opportunity to explore each group’s mission, members and values to help decide which would be the best fit for them.
Recruitment week was officially kicked off on Wednesday, Sept. 4 when members of the Panhellenic Council promoted Fraternity and Sorority Life and encouraged students to sign up for recruitment in Helmick Commons. Throughout the week, potential new members (PNMs) attended activities and meetings that prepared them for the recruitment process.
These sessions led up to two of the most important recruitment events for students rushing a sorority: Preference Day, and, of course, Bid Day.
Preference Day is an opportunity for PNMs to spend more time with a sorority of their choice. Aspiring members can meet and speak more intimately with the sororities they are most interested in joining. This year, Preference Day took place on Saturday, Sept. 7.
The next day, PNMs gathered in Olmsted Center for Bid Day. Each individual received a bid card, which told them which sororities wanted to recruit them as a sister. The new members then united with their new sorority sisters and celebrated.
Bid Day is just the beginning of becoming an official member of a sorority. From then on, recruits undergo their sorority’s initiation or pledge process. Each sorority has a process that is unique to them, so pledges across varying sororities undergo a different proceeding.
Sophomore Annie Wadsworth said that her favorite part of Greek life is the big/little system. Wadsworth, a Kappa Alpha Theta sister, explained that a “big” is an older member who is assigned as a guide to a new member to help them become more familiar with the sorority or fraternity.
“Natalie is fantastic,” Wadsworth said of her own big. “I probably wouldn’t have met her without the big/little system.”
Wadsworth said that she was looking forward to recruitment week and meeting new pledges.
“It’s about finding new women that want to join a sorority and helping them find one they can fit into,” Wadsworth said.
Sophomore Jessica Roberts also shared her thoughts on recruitment week. Roberts, who is a member of Alpha Delta Pi, said that she is most excited to connect with PNMs and strengthen her relationship with other members of the sorority.
“My favorite part of recruitment is getting to know a variety of different people and spending time with my sisters,” Roberts said. “Recruitment is about connecting with other young women in order to build lifelong friendships.”
