UMD Greek life recruits new members

At the beginning of each spring semester, people stop and stare as hundreds of women, dressed in heels and carrying their latest handbags, herd their way across Route 1 to kick off formal recruitment at the University of Maryland. This year was no different with 776 potential new members.

Women’s recruitment started Friday at 5 p.m and will end Sunday, February 4th. The process consists of five rounds, including house tours, philanthropy round, skits, preference, and bid day, where the potential new members run from the Memorial Chapel to their new chapter house.

“I love skits round!” said Delta Gamma president Rachel Norris. “It’s a time when we really get to show off our personality and come together as a chapter.”

After each round, the potential new members participate in a mutual selection process.  Through this process, the PNMs  pick which houses they would like to go back to and the sororities invite back the women they think would best benefit their chapter.

Although recruitment takes a large amount of time, perseverance through the snowy weather, and sometimes even heartache, the girls who remain in the process have strong reasons for wanting to join Greek life.

“I chose to go through recruitment because I want to make the life-long friendships that many people develop in sororities. I also want to get more involved in philanthropy, which is a huge part of Greek life at UMD,” said sophomore Shannon Atran.

A unique aspect of women’s recruitment is that the potential new members have the opportunity to meet all 15 chapters, including the new chapter, Alpha Xi Delta.

“I am looking forward to seeing every sorority and meeting people from the sororities so that I know which one is best for me,” said freshman Kim Turner.

While the women interested in Greek life must undertake this detailed process, men interested in joining a fraternity get to enjoy a week of comparatively laid-back social events. These events can range from barbeques to poker tournaments to athletic events. Guys’ recruitment began on Friday with the “IFC Recruitment Kickoff: Greek 101,” where those interested could learn about each of the university’s chapters and what they have to offer.

Sophomore Ryan Alphonso, a brother of Zeta Psi, said, “The thing women’s recruitment does well that the guys’ falls short with is that the girls get to see every house. Guys may miss out on one fraternity’s events and never have the chance to get to know the brothers there at all.”

Although the processes might be different, both recruitment methods lead to the same goal of allowing individuals to join an organization that will allow them to grow.

According to Alphonso, guys should consider going through recruitment, even if they are unsure if they will pledge or not. This opens doors for the future and “gives guys a chance to add meaning to their college experience and to become a part of something fun and beneficial.”

Similarly, Norris said, “When you join a sorority you’re joining an organization filled with girls who share similar values to you. It automatically connects you and helps you meet people and form relationships with girls you may not typically have gotten to meet.”