Sigma Recruitment!!!

[BlueEyedButrfly]

Hey everyone! Sigma Iota Theta is going to be holding their first ever recruitment/rush and I just wanted to start a thread so I can share what happens! Our recruitment schedule begins Thursday, February 15th!

Thursday 2.15.07 - Informational
Friday 2.16.07 - Ice cream sundae party
Saturday 2.17.07 - Philanthropy day
Sunday 2.18.07 - Board game night
Tuesday 2.20.07 - BID NIGHT!

We are wicked excited about everything!!

[BlueEyedButrfly]

Activities Day was today! We have over 20 girls who are interested in rushing Our rush week begins tomorrow night with an informational/get to know eachother...wish us luck!

[LouisaMay]

I would love to hear how it went Enjoy meeting your future sisters.

[BetteDavisEyes]

Good Luck! I hope everything works out great for you guys!

[BlueEyedButrfly]

Approx. 25 signed up for rush....14 actually came out to our rush events...AND...

We have selected 6 AMAZING girls to make up our Alpha pledge class!!! Tomorrow night is Bid Night - we can't wait to tell them!!!!!!

[LouisaMay]

Congratulations!!! Do you have some nice festivities planned for your new sisters?

[LPIDelta]

Congrats! You are on your way now!

What about the women who were initially interested but did not attend recruitment events--have you made any plans to follow up with them?

[BlueEyedButrfly]

To answer Heather's question (I know, VERY delayed answer)...we are holding an informational at the end of the month for ladies who are interested but were unable to attend rush week. We will hold a couple of events but it's not going to be nearly as time consuming as rush week was. We're also thinking about using an interview type process this time around.

Unfortunately, we have lost 2 pledges and a 3rd is on her way out. Has anyone ever had a problem with girls who wanted to join but did not want to commit?? It's like pulling teeth to get some of these girls to do sisterhood events (and yes, they're fun events! lol). It really annoys me bc we told them all from day one that being in a sorority (esp. a brand new sorority trying to get off the ground) takes commitment.

Luckily, those uncommited girls are the girls who have left or are in the process of leaving. So, we have 3 girls left who are totally commited to the sisterhood and helping Sigma Iota Theta become a success

I'll keep you all updated

[Drolefille]

Have you tried getting the new girls input on what events they'd like to have? See if you can have some sort of exit interview with them to figure out what you can change to make things better. But if you just have girls who want letters with no commitment, you're better off without them.

[LPIDelta]

^Agreed.

I think interviews sounds like an interesting idea. What you need to consider is that you can't wait for women to come to you, you will have to go to them. You may want to start visiting other organization meetings on campus--like student government or campus activities or honor societies--and talk about the sorority and ask people to recommend leaders/potential members that you can invite to events. You want to go where your leaders are to find the people that will be most committed. Also, I don't know if you have dorms, but check to see if you can go door to door to meet women on campus.

And of course, you'll need to prepare for the fall when you will have a whole new freshman class to market to.

[BlueEyedButrfly]

Dro -

1 girl told us she had no time. the 2nd girl told us she didnt think she should be forced to do things with us. which, we don't force people to do anything they don't want to do -- isn't that hazing? BUT if you're joining a sorority you should expect to have times where you hang out with your sisters, right? I mean, why join a sorority if you don't want to hang out with new people? The 3rd girl who is on the fence is complaning that she has no time and is about to take on other things that will take up more time.

I feel that the 2nd girl was only doing it bc her friend did, her friend happens to be the 3rd girl who is on the fence. Also, I feel that the 3rd girl just wants the letters.

I agree that if they're only in it for the letters then we're better off without them.

[Drolefille]

You'll always have some women who only attend required events, but it's ok to have some things be required that aren't just chapter meetings. As long as the whole chapter is required to attend it's not hazing. (For example a workshop on self-defense for women)

[SigmaPezY60]

It's really important to include the Alpha Class in the process of creating your sisterhood. When my sorority started out in 1992, the Founding members and the Alpha class pledged together so that everyone was on the same page.

A lot of what our founders and the Alpha Class did was work towards recognition from the IFSC at NJIT. But it went beyond the Alpha Class....each class helps make my organization what it is today. It is surely a different organization than our founding 14 years ago and even 2 years ago since I was active...but each class brings new ideas to the sorority and pioneers the next wave of changes to make the sorority even better.

You want to make sure that when you are recruiting new members, that they know how important they will be to the founding of your organization. And their input should be just as important as the founding members'. The women who step up and accept the challenge of being part of your Alpha Class are leaders who want to be part of something new and exciting on your campus.

One thing my chapter started doing last fall was having a sisters only retreat weekend. When I was active it was like pulling teeth for all of us to find time to have sisterhood socials on a regular basis, so it's nice to know that my chapter finally figured it out. They still have other sisterhood events but the only one that is mandatory is the retreat.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me, as we're still somewhat young, so my alum are able to vividly remember our beginnings and things that worked and didn't.