Panhellenic Recruitment Q&A

You can find the sorority recruitment application at https://unl.mycampusdirector.com/  (starting May 15, 2019). The fee for applying is $100.00, which covers your t-shirt, bag, water bottle, necessary printed materials, and most meal expenses for the week. After you have applied, be sure to check your email for important information about the next step! If you have missed the deadline, you can still apply for open recruitment which will begin following primary recruitment.

Refer to the pictures included on this website as well as the Dos and Don'ts. Remember, the days are going to be long and hot! Your main concern should be comfort, as you will be doing a great deal of walking and standing in the sun.

Formal membership recruitment begins the week before the fall semester begins. Each day, you will attend recruitment events at various sorority houses and other locations on city campus, meeting women from each chapter and finding the chapter in which you could best see yourself. As the week progresses, you will attend fewer events for a longer period of time at each chapter. This will give you the opportunity to narrow your choices and devote more time to the chapters with which you feel the strongest connection. The chapters, in turn, will be participating in this mutual selection process and looking for the women who best embody their own ideals.

A recruitment event is a time for potential new members to learn more about individual chapters and for chapter members to learn more about potential new members. Potential new members will meet with and talk to various members of the chapters, learn about the chapter’s values, academics, philanthropies, and tour the house, if applicable. Remember, recruitment is a mutual selection process. Just as you are trying to positively represent yourself to the chapters, so are the chapter members working to portray a favorable image of their chapters to you. Most women are meeting you for the first time and will need to ask the same “get to know you” questions. Don’t be shy! The more you get to know the chapters and vice-versa, the easier it will be to select the chapter which is ultimately right for you.

Your application is important for chapters when they extend invitations for the second round of recruitment events. Be sure to fill out your application completely and honestly. There is an area included on the application for you to list your involvement. To best represent yourself, try to fill all ten lines as accurately as possible and avoid using acronyms. For example, write out “National Honor Society” instead of simply writing “NHS.”
Be sure to include:

• High school clubs and activities such as cheerleading, marching band, Student Council, Spanish Club, etc.
• GPA
• ACT/SAT scores
• Academic honors and awards including scholarships, National Honor Society, and other recognitions.
• Community activities (at your church, community centers, etc.).
• Volunteer work, philanthropic activity, and community service.
• Part-time jobs.
• Length of time you participated in each activity.

Also, please follow the directions for submitting information as outlined directly in the application and do not include an additional resume or photo with your application. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will discard any additional additional materials.

Letters of recommendation from sorority alumnae and active members are helpful in the recruitment process but not necessary. Each chapter has its own policy regarding these letters. Many chapters find them helpful in learning information about you that may not be evident from your application. However, personal contact at each chapter during sorority recruitment is the best way for sorority members to get to know you.

The forms for letters of recommendation can be accessed through the specific chapter’s website. If a recommendation is filled on your behalf the form should be mailed directly to the sorority house. Mailing addresses can be found under the Chapters tab.

Your recruitment guide, or Rho Gamma, will help you throughout the week in knowing where to go and what to expect. She will also serve as a coach or confidante if you have any questions or concerns about the recruitment process. Your recruitment guide will be responsible for a recruitment group, composed of other women on your floor or commuting as well, who are also participating in recruitment. These groups are an excellent way to meet and bond with your new neighbors and find support in your first week at UNL!

It is possible that during recruitment you may hear rumors about certain chapters or individual chapter members. Speaking unfavorably of a chapter, chapter member, or another potential new member could result in influencing someone’s recruitment experience and possibly hurting someone’s feelings. Your concern as a potential new member should be learning about those chapters in which you are most interested. If you encounter any negative comments or behavior from active members or other potential new members, do not hesitate to report it. Questions and concerns should be directed to your recruitment guide or the Panhellenic executive team.

There is always a possibility that a potential new member may become ill or have something happen to limit her participation in recruitment. Whatever the situation, don’t worry. Alert your recruitment guide and she will work with you to make other accommodations. The individual chapters are very understanding and will make the appropriate exceptions in these cases. To prevent illness, we recommend you eat before starting the day, and feel free to ask for water or a drink when you are thirsty. Also, remember that the days are long, so get plenty of rest.

I have a scheduling conflict during recruitment week. Can I still participate?