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GREEK RUSH OPENS THE DOOR FOR MORE STUDENT INVOLVEMENT

Fall recruitment for Greek chapters begins on Aug. 27

MaryAnn Fernandez | News Editor | news@stumedia.boisestate.edu

When Echo Dassinger, international business major and member of Alpha Omicron Pi, experienced a rollover car accident, the first people to contact her were her parents and other family members. According to Dassinger, her sorority sisters were next. This support from her sisters is what Dassinger deems as unconditional love, and she explained that she would not trade her sisters for anything in the world.

Each year during the beginning of the fall semester, Boise State’s 21 chapters offers students, like Dassinger, the opportunity to join a sorority or fraternity in the weeklong event called ‘Greek Rush.’ Greek Rush is an annual event which helps students discover and learn more about the several different chapters on campus.

Fraternities:

This year Greek Rush kicks off on two different dates within the fraternity community. First, the Inter-Fraternal Council recruitment begins on Aug. 27, although individual recruitments for the several different fraternities start on Sept. 2.

According to Austin Lamb, president of Delta Upsilon and political science and Spanish major, Greek Rush allows any interested student the chance to explore and learn more about Greek societies on campus. Also, almost all Boise State fraternities and sororities participate.

Lamb added that while Greek Rush is not the only way for students to join a Greek organization, it is the most common method.

At the end of Greek Rush, the Greek organizations will give ‘bids’ for students they believe are a good fit within their organization.

Lamb explained that while Boise State is a growing university, Greek Life is flourishing.

“Our Greek organizations are young and still developing, which means the freshman class has the unique power to determine the identity of Greek Life on campus,” Lamb said. “That’s a big responsibility.”

Sororities:

Similar to the fraternity Greek Rush dates, the Panhellenic recruitment begins on Aug. 31, with individual sororities recruiting future members on Sept. 1 and ending on Sept. 3. Previously, Greek Rush for sororities began on Friday which caused conflicts with the students’ class schedules. This year, though, the Panhellenic Council has changed the dates to allow for more women to participate in the recruitment.

Katelyn Murphy, general business major and sisterhood chairman member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, said that sorority recruitment gives women at Boise State a chance to learn more about sororities and their values.

“During sorority recruitment, you could meet your closest friends and discover things about yourself that you didn’t know before,” Murphy said. “Sororities aren’t how they are portrayed in movies. Most of the women are kind, smart, ambitious and want to change the world for the better.”

During sorority recruitment, you could meet your closest friends and discover things about yourself that you didn’t know before.

Katelyn Murphy, sisterhood chairmanmember of Alpha Sigma Alpha

According to Murphy, sororities at Boise State are different than they are on other college campuses. At Boise State, sororities support and help motivate other sororities.

“Boise State has fostered a supportive environment between Greek organizations,” Murphy said. “No matter which sorority a student may end up joining, they have the opportunity to develop relationships with women in other sororities.”

Murphy explained that the process of Greek Rush within the Panhellenic community lasts for four days. On the first day, students will get to meet each sorority and have conversations with current members. On the second day, the student will pick up to four sororities to learn more about their service events and philanthropies. The next day, “Preference Day,” allows women to discover each of those sororities’ values. Finally, “Bid Day” is when the women bid for a sorority, which essentially is their invitation to join their organization. Their bid is a formal invitation to join the sorority.

Dassinger said that being part of Greek life has given her the opportunity to develop lifelong leadership, service and relationship skills. Additionally, it has helped her define a set of values that has molded her life and moral compass. Dassinger added that joining a sorority has changed her life in a positive way.

Dassinger said that her experience with Alpha Omicron Pi has been unforgettable and that the relationships she has developed within her sorority have helped her through difficult moments in her life.

“Going Greek will give you friends for life, and you will learn and practice the meaning of true and unconditional love,” Dassinger said. “I know that when I went through recruitment, I had no end goal of going Greek. It was just an opportunity that presented itself for me, and I took a leap of faith.”