For the past couple of weeks, recruitment processes for both sororities and fraternities have been taking place around campus. Some students think Greek life does not hold a great role on our Marquette campus, and although that might have been true for a long time (fraternities and sororities have been a part of our community for 100 years), Greek life is definitely becoming increasingly popular the past few years. Here at Marquette, Greek life serves the university mission and fosters student involvement and personal growth.
Sorority recruitment took place last week between Tuesday, Jan. 20 and Sunday, Jan. 25. During formal recruitment, only five Marquette chapters are involved in the process: Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Phi, Alpha Xi Delta, Sigma Kappa and Pi Beta Phi; which are all National Panhellenic Conference chapters. Marquette is also home to three associate chapters, Alpha Omega Epsilon, Sigma Lambda Gamma and Delta Xi Phi, which hold separate membership requirements. Kappa Delta will also become a part of Marquette’s Greek community this year, and will hold its own recruitment process in February.
This year’s formal sorority recruitment theme was “limitless possibilities,” a philosophy inspired by Cirque du Soleil. This theme was chosen to represent the purpose and opportunities of Greek life on the Marquette campus. This year, around 400 girls participated in the recruitment process, which consists of six days of various events that allow Marquette women to get to know each sorority individually, and sorority women to meet potential new sisters. The process is based on mutual selection, where both the girls and the sororities must choose each other in order to be matched. On Sunday, Bid Day, new members were introduced to the Greek community. Each chapter added around 50 girls.
What is given a great emphasis during recruitment is that the process is all about the potential members. The Recruitment Staff encouraged girls to look for a sorority whose values are compatible with theirs so that each girl is best matched with a sorority.
As for fraternities, the recruitment process is not only shorter, but seems much simpler. Fraternity rush week extends from Monday, Jan. 26 until Friday, Jan. 30. In Marquette, men have the chance to join: Delta Chi, Kappa Sigma, Omega Delta, Sigma Chi, Sigma Lambda Beta, Sigma Phi Delta, Triangle and Sigma Phi Epsilon. Each fraternity hosts house tours and social events which allow for interactions between potential new members and current fraternity men. The rush week set up also encourages potential new members to really get to know each fraternity individually. At the end of the week, the fraternities offer membership to those who have connected with the current fraternity members.
Fraternity rush week is still in progress. For more information, contact fraternity members directly. Girls who have missed their formal recruitment this year may still contact associate chapters, and look forward to Kappa Delta’s upcoming recruitment process in February.
