In a significant milestone for the Greek life community at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), the Panhellenic Council hosted its first successful four-day Formal Recruitment event since 2018. The event took place from Sept. 8th through the 11th and brought together sorority hopefuls and members for a memorable experience.
The return of the Formal Recruitment event marked a significant moment for CSUSB’s Greek life, which had faced challenges and disruptions in recent years. The last formal recruitment event took place in 2018, making this year’s event a highly anticipated and eagerly awaited occasion.
“Formal Recruitment has been an emotional whirlwind and I know the ladies of Panhellenic and recruitment counselors have been working non-stop for months preparing to execute this event for everyone involved.” Pineda said.
The event featured a series of activities and opportunities for prospective sorority members to connect with each of the participating sororities. These activities included meet-and-greet sessions, interactive workshops, and informational sessions about the various sororities on campus. It allowed potential new members to explore their options and get to know the values, missions, and sisterhood of each organization.
The Formal Recruitment event was met with enthusiasm and strong participation, as both prospective members and sorority chapters showed their dedication to the Greek life community at CSUSB. The event’s success was a testament to the hard work and determination of the Panhellenic Council and the sororities involved in its organization.
It was public knowledge that the Panhellenic Council was pressured by their national headquarters to plan this event for more than 100 hopeful new members. The four-day event only had 50 registered by the sept. 7th deadline.
With low numbers, the Vice President of Member Recruitment, Merely Ruiz, reported that they were still going through with the event as a learning opportunity for the future of Greek life.
“It was disappointing to know that we had low numbers entering this event but at the end of the day all the sororities and the members will have gotten to experience something that has never been done before.” Ruiz said.
Amidst COVID-19 safety measures at CSUSB, to ensure that students’ education could proceed safely, the Panhellenic Council implemented virtual greek life that was not taken well to the community. All sororities began taking members and prospective new members over Zoom and would hope for better days.Amidst these measures the Panhellenic community began to lose members and its respected fall Formal Recruitment events.
CSUSB’s Panhellenic Council is now focused on supporting the new members in their transition to sorority life and fostering a sense of belonging and community among them. As the Greek life community continues to thrive from COVD-19, it stands as an integral part of the CSUSB campus experience.
Em Hindz, a sophomore at CSUSB and a participant in the Formal Recruitment event, shared her experience.
“I was really excited to have the opportunity to join a sorority, and this event exceeded my expectations. It was a fantastic way to meet amazing people and learn about the different sisterhoods on our campus.” Hindz said.
The Panhellenic sororities follow a structured and formal recruitment process, which requires participants to register in advance. On the first day of formal recruitment, participants visit every chapter, and with each subsequent day, they visit fewer chapters until Bid Day. This recruitment process is a mutual selection process, where potential new members and the chapters both make choices.
Although the culture at CSUSB is vastly different from 2018, it is hopeful for better days following said structured formal recruitment process.
The Panhellenic Council, a student governing council, for the following respected sororities such as Alpha Phi, Alpha Delta Pi, Kappa Delta, and Zeta Tau Alpha all participated in the event. The Panhellenic Council spent countless months preparing for this long awaited returned event since their Dec. 2022 election.
The successful return of the four-day Formal Recruitment event has undoubtedly lifted the spirit of Greek life at CSUSB, leaving students and sororities eagerly anticipating the many opportunities and experiences that lie ahead.
