Since 1913, Greek life has been part of Florida Atlantic University’s campus. Now, its leaders share what the recruitment process is like and what potential members can expect.

Fraternity and sorority recruitment traditionally occur nationwide in both the fall and spring semesters, and Greek life organizations at FAU have already begun preparing for spring recruitment. 

Members say the recruitment process for sororities and fraternities at FAU offers an opportunity for students to connect, make friends and find their ideal fit within the community.

“The spring semester is coming up, and we begin getting our schedules and events planned now; just trying to get as much time as we can altogether to make the best events that we can and the most productive events,” said Aaron Fayette, recruitment chair for Sigma Chi and a business management major. He added that Greek life organizations plan rush events well in advance to create a smooth process. 

Lily York, a business management major and recruitment chair for Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, said that for FAU students considering rushing a sorority or fraternity, understanding the recruitment process and what to expect can make all the difference.

Fall recruitment is more formal and attracts larger groups, while spring recruitment is relaxed and more “intimate,” according to York. This gives potential new members more one-on-one time with Greek life organizations she shared. 

“For this past spring recruitment, we did a beach picnic event and a vision board night, and I honestly found that it created great conversation because it was more informal than formal fall recruitment,” York said. 

According to Nicholas Cilurso, president of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity (PIKE) at FAU, the fall semester is typically the busiest time for recruitment, with larger numbers of students participating. 

“You can expect about half of the size for spring as compared to the fall,” he said. 

York said sorority fall recruitment at FAU consists of four rounds, where Greek life organizations rank potential new members, primarily focusing on philanthropy and sisterhood values.

“Our goal is to show potential new members that these are your next four years, and you’re writing your own story,” York said. 

Recruitment rounds

At FAU and other universities nationwide, sorority recruitment rounds are as follows:

• Open House: The first round of recruitment and where potential new members visit each sorority to meet members, learn about the chapter and get a feel of the sorority’s personality and values.
• Sisterhood: Potential new members learn more about the sororities’ bonds, values and traditions, giving a deeper look at the chapter’s culture and friendships. 
• Philanthropy: Potential new members learn about each sorority’s community involvement and charitable efforts. 
• Preference Day: Potential new members choose which sorority they want to visit. The selection must be mutual between the potential new member and the chosen chapter, according to York.

  

However, this past fall semester at FAU, FAU’s Panhellenic Association reduced the process to three rounds, combining Open House and Sisterhood into one round.

York said each round offers more in-depth conversations and an opportunity for potential new members to explore if the sorority aligns with their values.

One of the key differences between fraternity and sorority recruitment at FAU is the way events are structured. Fayette said fraternities may host public and private events, allowing brothers to introduce potential new members to others in the chapter. These events vary depending on the fraternity. Sororities follow a more formal schedule for fall recruitment with clearly defined rounds and stages where potential new members meet with each sorority, York says.

At FAU and other universities nationwide, fraternity recruitment rounds are as follows, according to Jean Luma, the president of FAU’s Interfraternity Council (IFC), the governing body for fraternities on FAU’s campus:

• Meet the Greeks Night: A pre-rush event where new members meet the fraternities. 
• IFC BBQ: A pre-rush event held on FAU’s housing lawn where new members have the chance to meet FAU’s fraternities while playing lawn games and eating food. 
• IFC Orientation: An educational event for potential new members where they learn about IFC and the rush process. 
• Open House: A similar event to IFC orientation, where FAU fraternities are present. Each fraternity’s recruitment chairman provides information about their values and what being in that fraternity entails.   
• Fraternity events: Events vary by fraternity. In the past events consisted of  bonfires, cookouts, a “meet the brothers” event, and athletic events. Pike hosted a “Hooping with the Brothers” night this past fall semester. 
• Bid Day: A celebration for potential new members at the stadium. At that point, new members have received their bid from a fraternity.

  

Ryan Anthony, another recruitment chair for Sigma Chi who is double-majoring in multimedia journalism and sports studies, explains the importance of showcasing the fraternity’s values during recruitment week.

“Rush week is a big focus for us to show who we really are. We try to show the potential new members throughout rush events and rush week that we care about our school, connections, and improving overall,” said Anthony, who joined as a freshman in 2023.

To Anthony, one of the most common misconceptions about fraternity recruitment is the belief that brothers will judge or pressure potential members to change who they are. 

“I thought the brothers would talk down to me and not respect me, but it was nothing like I expected. They were super nice and genuine during the recruitment process and interested in who I was; that changed everything for me,” Anthony said. 

Criteria

“Alpha Xi Delta chooses potential new members who we believe will contribute to our chapter, be involved, help it grow, serve as role models for future members and sisters and prioritize academics,” said York.

Anthony stressed authenticity.

“It’s important to be yourself, and the idea of a fraternity is not what people think it is—it’s just a group of friends,” he said.

Fayette emphasized the importance of finding the right fit, adding, “At the end of the day, you’re there to try to meet people who are like-minded individuals.”

Cilurso touched on PIKE’s criteria during recruitment, which is based on four pillars: scholars, leaders, athletes and gentlemen. He said there is no limit to how many potential new members are chosen for a bid. 

Recruitment can be overwhelming, York noted, but persistence and authenticity will help potential members find the chapter where they feel most at home. She said that for sororities, FAU’s Panhellenic Association sets a limit on the number of members who can receive bids, The number varies per sorority. 

“Go into recruitment with an open mind, stick it out, and most importantly, go where you see the most growth for your future self; that is the best thing you can do,” said York.

Fayette added that the most important thing for potential new members is to be themselves. 

“You’re not rushing the name; you’re rushing the people. It’s about the connections that you make and how that can help you after school,” Fayette said.

Post-grad opportunities 

Max Bogle, an FAU and Sigma Chi alumnus, described his experience in Greek life as the “greatest decision I ever made in my college experience,” noting that he walked away with professional skills. 

“One of the skills I was able to put in my tool belt as a brother in Sigma Chi is communication skills,” Bogle said. “Learning how to relay information, how to communicate with others and the way I carry myself walking into a room full of people that I’ve never met before. These are small things that I would have found extremely uncomfortable before my time in Sigma Chi, and now in post-grad, I can’t imagine myself fearing it.”

Bogle held recruitment chair and tailgate chair positions in Sigma Chi, adding that those experiences taught him to keep a “level head in all situations,” which he said helps him with event planning and logistics in his current role as an account executive at NewDay USA – a mortgage-lender company.

“Being able to bring that experience to the table, especially having held positions within Sigma Chi, it gave me a leg up on a lot of the other applicants,” Bogle said. 

Bogle noted that he gained valuable life lessons as well.

“I think I was very well prepared for post-grad life… Being in a fraternity like Sigma Chi forces you to jump into the deep end of self-improvement and development,” he said.

Chloe Colbert, Alpha Xi Delta Sorority alumni at FAU and spring 2024 graduate, said a key takeaway from being in Greek life was the bonds she made with her sisters.

“There are many values from Alpha Xi Delta that I take with me throughout my everyday life. The most important one is sisterhood,” Colbert said. “I always want to be a text or phone call away to all of my sisters because without them I wouldn’t be here today.”

Her position on her organization’s executive board helped her acquire an internship at Wynn & Jade PR in Boca Raton, which has now turned into a full-time job as a public relations specialist.

“[Greek life] taught me to be accountable and it gave me a sense of the real world… Greek life is a lot more than what it seems, and I truly could not imagine my years at FAU without it,” Colbert said.

For those unsure about whether or not to rush, IFC recruitment vice president Lance Moore, encouraged students to give it a try.

“We have many pre-rush events hosted by IFC and our fraternities on campus that are free to anyone interested,” Moore said. 

Moore explained that IFC ensures the recruitment process is fair for all students, and advised students to participate in pre-rush events to ease any uncertainties about the process.

“The more events you attend, the more comfortable you become,” Moore said. 

Pre-rush events allow potential new members to get a feel for different chapters before committing to the formal recruitment process, helping them to make informed decisions, according to Moore. 

With seven sororities and eight fraternities on campus, potential new members have a range of options to explore. 

According to Luma, once members are initiated into a Greek life organization, they cannot join another, even if they transfer to another school. If a student transfers and wants to remain in Greek life, they can only apply to join the same fraternity or sorority at the new school if that chapter is available there. 

As spring recruitment approaches, more information for sororities can be found on FAU’s Panhellenic Instagram account.Information for fraternities can be found on FAU’s IFC Instagram account. 

Zoe Dahan is a contributing writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected].