Sororities adapt to pandemic with hybrid recruitment model

Tri Delta New Member, Sarah Epley (left), and Pi Beta Phi vice president of recruitment, Lauren Roberts. MADDIE MANTOOTH, Staff Photographer

Sarah Epley, a sophomore business administration major, said she decided not to go through sorority recruitment as a freshman for two reasons: one, to first obtain an understanding of Chapman campus before jumping into Greek life, and two, to avoid undergoing this process entirely over Zoom during the height of the pandemic. But this year, she happily accepted a bid from Tri Delta.

“I didn’t really know what to expect from it, but I had a really fun week,” Epley said. “It was all very exciting, everyone was just very welcoming.”

After holding recruitment entirely online last year, Chapman University’s Panhellenic announced sororities were finally able to come face-to-face. Although their faces were half-covered with a mask as they recruited potential new members — also known as PNMs — sorority members couldn't wait to recruit and welcome their members in-person. 

However, with COVID-19 cases on the rise and the implementation of new testing requirements for continued campus access, the organization opted to hold the first half of events online and second half of events in-person. There were also smaller online teams of active members on standby in case PNMs were not able to attend an event in-person due to COVID-19 exposure.

“I didn’t mind it being virtual, but then once we went in-person it was really fun just being around people,” Epley said. “It’s sometimes easier to make a connection when you’re in (the active members’) physical presence, but I think either way, if they were fully virtual or fully in-person, it would’ve gone well.”

The fate of recruitment on campus remained uncertain for a while due to the unpredictability in spiking cases of COVID-19. Luckily, all eight sororities and one newly established sorority, Alphi Chi Omega, prepared for anything the pandemic might throw at them.

Lauren Roberts, Pi Beta Phi’s vice president of recruitment and a senior health science major, had to do more than just prepare for general recruitment. Roberts told The Panther she also had to have a plan in place for the unforeseeable amount of PNMs that would not be able to make it to the in-person events.

“We knew that it was a risk being in-person with a big group of people (because) if someone were to get sick we had to be ready for that,” Roberts said. “I think our girls did a really good job being aware that this is a special circumstance, and, if we wanted to keep the in-person format, we had to be safe.”

However, the amount of positive COVID-19 cases reported was minimal, according to senior business administration major Isabella Ierulli, one of this year's Rho Gammas (recruitment counselors). By the last day, there were hardly any PNMs who had to attend online, she said.

“I was really disappointed when I thought that it might go virtual because I was like, ‘Oh, that’s such a bummer,’” Ierulli said. “But I really think that I still would’ve had such good connections with my girls even if we hadn’t gone in-person.”

This hybrid model of recruitment was a first for Chapman’s Panhellenic. However, sororities like Pi Beta Phi took the opportunity to make the best of it. 

“We had planned decorations on Zoom, so even though it wasn’t a full room with complete decorations and outfits, we still at least had a little bit to show the PNMs that we’re excited, they’re all special and we want them there,” Roberts said.

Panhellenic was well-prepared for Zoom events due to conducting recruitment fully online last year, but the in-person experience still seems to be the preferred format.

“The energy and the excitement definitely heightened while we were in-person which makes sense,” Roberts said. “Conversations are stronger, because you can read body language. You can feel the excitement coming from the active members and coming from the PNMs.”

While there’s no telling what recruitment will look like next year, Ierulli said she made meaningful connections as a Rho Gamma despite the limitation of being partially online, and she advises others to not let possible online events stop them from participating. 

“It’s such a valuable experience, even if it is online, and I think that’s something that people should keep in mind,” Ierulli said.

For more on the sorority recruitment process, listen to episode 47 of The Panther Pod.