Potential Leadership in House
 

Hello GC!

I am about to go through recruitment at a Big 12 school and I was wondering if there is a way to ask if there are leadership positions available as a freshman during recruitment. I was very involved at my high school and would love to continue having leadership positions in college, especially in a sorority.

Is that a question I should even ask during recruitment? Would that help me, hurt me, or do anything at all for me? Is recruitment even the right setting for such a question? If so, how do I ask that?

Thank you so much!

REMOVE YOU REAL NAME FROM THIS ASAP IT WILL MAKE YOU LOOK CREEPY TO THE ACTIVES FROM YOUR SCHOOL READING THIS.

It's great that you want to be involved...ask about it casually and you'll be fine. Just don't be a creepy PNM.

I agree with what Sydney said!


In addition, keep in mind that MOST incoming freshman will not have as many leadership positions open to them as maybe a member who is a second semester freshman, sophomore, or upperclassman. This is because most chapter leadership positions are reserved for initiated members.

Having said that, your campus might have a Junior Panhellenic Association in which all new sorority members belong. You will typically have leadership positions in that open to you, in addition to being a representative to the Jr. Panhellenic Association from your chapter. Some sorority chapters also have leadership positions within the new member class: class president, VP, etc. You should note however, that not all sororities will have new member class leadership positions such as this. It also may vary from campus to campus depending on how large an average pledge class size is.

Hope that makes sense!

I was my "Pledge Class President", though looking back, I'm not sure how much leadership that actually entailed. But I think it's a good idea to let them know that you wouldn't be a passive member of the organization, should you become a member. Definitely let them know that you want to be involved, help whenever possible, and try to make it an even better organization throughout your years there. There is a fine line between that and saying something like "I WANT TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE SORORITY NEXT YEAR!" at your first recruitment party, however. :)

Thank you all for responding so quickly! Wow! :)

That all makes perfect sense! But how do I say that I want to be in a position of leadership without sounding cocky or overbearing? I definitely do not want that impression during recruitment.

I think saying something like, "One aspect of sorority life that appeals to me is the opportunity for leadership development while I am in college." is completely appropriate.

That way it allows you to express your interest in that aspect of sorority membership but doesn't sound like you expect to be chapter president next fall.

If it feels appropriate during the flow of the conversation to turn it into a question, even better. Ask what kind of leadership development they have for their members. Or tie your interest into your major if that fits.

One thing to keep in mind is that leadership selection varies from group to group. Some groups do elections where people "run" for office. Other groups do selection by nominating committee and so running or jockeying for a specific office is a no-no. I doubt that this will come up and it isn't something you can ask about, but thought I would mention it.

I hope it goes well for you! Come back and share your story! :)

I would not commit to taking a heavy leadership role during my freshman year. You've never been to college - first you want to make sure you can handle your courseload (plus sorority in general, if that's your choice), THEN move into a leadership role, should that be your choice.

Just food for thought.

If you're at a Big 12 school, the chapters are fairly large and you'll most likely be a sophomore or junior before you get anything that's not an appointed office.

Also, just FYI, leadership positions in any college extracurricular can be very very different than what you're used to in high school. It's OK to say something like what TriDeltaSallie suggested, but quite frankly, it would be in your best interest to just sit back for a while and look at how things are run before you bite off more than you can chew. In a sorority or in ANY college activity you get involved in.

Please listen to those cautioning against putting too much onto your college plate at once. It's just fine to tell sorority members that an aspect of sorority life that appeals to you is the opportunity to learn how to be a leader through positions within the sorority. But then relax for a while. Personally I was given a very important and involved office as a second semester freshman-and that should never have happened. If you end up in a sorority and there are opportunities to be a pledge class officer or Junior Panhellenic officer, try those positions first and THEN, next year, if you think you still want a leadership position go for it.

I would agree with the women who say to take it slow. Enjoy your new member period and just being a member of a sorority. Leadership is great and I wouldn't change the opportunities I had for the world. But when you take a leadership position, your sorority experience and the way you interact with your sisters does change to a certain degree.

There is a lot to be said for enjoying the just being and doing for a bit before taking on what can be a lot of responsibility.

Sometimes, it's better to be a follower for a while. Get your feet wet and then worry about how you're going to lead everyone else. Leadership is an admirable trait, but no one wants to hear a PNM tell them that they're going to change/improve/make ABC THE BEST SORORITY EVAH!!.

Enjoy recruitment, and if you get a bid, Bid Day. Then enjoy your new member period. Don't look too much further than that for a while. You only get one go-around at being brand new.

Thank you TriDeltaSallie! That is a very professional way of getting my point across!

And that is a very good point 33girl. I do want a leadership position, but also see where you are coming from. Is there a way for me to show that I am interested in leadership freshman year (without the position) that would open the door for a potential position later on?

Good point. Leadership positions can be very fulfilling, but your interactions with your sisters WILL change, and that's another reason to wait. Have a fun, carefree freshman year.

Be an involved and enthusiastic new member. Do beyond what is required in your NM period. That's really the best thing you can do.

Yes, but you should wait until you get a bid first ;)

It's ok if you mention you hope to have a leadership role in the sorority you join, but I wouldn't go further than that until you're a member.

as a new member,you will probably have the opportunity to work on a committee within the sorority. you could then pitch in a little above and beyond on the committee, if you see that the time commitment will work with your class and study schedule. a few weeks into your new member period, i would imagine that you will be learning how the chapter is run and who does what, so a lot of your questions will be answered then. you can always ask the officer in charge of educating new members, or your big sister, when you get one.

usually all offices and chairwomenships are filled before new members join, so it is probably a moot point, but sororities love to have girls join who want to hold leadership positions. don't forget that you might be able to hold a leadership position in a campus organization, or in student government, which the sorority will love-it shows off the sorority very well.

Thank you so much Alumiyum, 33girl, Drolefille, and FSUZeta! You are absolutely right! While I do want to be involved in my chapter (if I get one), I don't want to be the girl that signed up to help with everything and couldn't handle it.

Bit of a swerve, but wouldn't you get the benefit of showing you're interested in leadership opportunities without the possible side effects of "OMG I WANT TO BE PRES. NXT YR!" if you simply express your interest at being extremely active on campus? Possibly get involved with student government? Ask how the sorority can help with that?

I definitely agree to everything that was said by others, but to add, there will certainly be opportunities to prove yourself both responsible and a leader during your NM period (if you do get a bid, of course). Some things that you may not even be thinking of are; completing and exceeding your study hours (as many chapters require you to attend or complete a certain amount of hours spent studying each week, both as a NM and an active), volunteering for things around the chapter house/chapter suite (ex: cleaning, decorating for upcoming COB parties that may happen in the spring), volunteering to be a part of a committee like others have said, applying for all-Greek leadership positions (ex: Greek Sing, Greek Week, especially positions that relate to your major), paying all of your dues on time, having an excellent attendance record, hanging out with your sisters as much as possible (how can you lead if you do not know the girls you are leading?), studying up on the history and policies of your sorority (not in an overbearing way, but to lead your sorority to success it could help to know where you came from), getting the best grades that you can so as to be an asset to your sorority.

Like with any group, you need to prove that you are responsible, upright, and truly care about the people you are leading in order to lead them. This is even true if you don't go Greek because college provides a myriad of experiences that have leadership opportunities. Be the best student you can be first, and lead by example in that, and then if you do receive a bid be the best sister you can be, and the rest will follow naturally. Best of luck with recruitment and make sure to stop back and let us know how it all goes!

This is very good advice, because leaders do not always have positions...and those with positions are not always leaders. If you concentrate on the above, you will have a full sorority experience, even if your name never makes it to slate.