Helping Women Find Their Panhellenic Homes
In April of 2015, after a long month of hoping and praying, I was tapped to be a Recruitment Guide for 2015 Panhellenic Formal Sorority Recruitment in the Fall. If you're not familiar with Greek Life or Panhellenic, Recruitment Guides (better known as "Rho Gammas") are active members of a Panhellenic chapter that serve as a mentor, role model, and confidant during the formal recruitment process to a group of women (their "Potential New Members [PNMs]" in their Rho Gamma group) going through. In order to remain unbiased, Rho Gammas are required to disaffiliate from their chapter through the summer and the period prior to recruitment. Their affiliation is kept a secret from everyone, including their Rho Gamma group, until "Bid Day," the day following the end of formal recruitment that their group of PNMs find out what chapter has extended them a bid to join. Rho Gammas undergo fairly extensive training on how to counsel their PNMs, as well as education on the Panhellenic chapters in the community and their various information.
I started the process with 12 women in my group, but as typically happens during the process, many decided it was not for them and chose to withdraw. On Bid Day, I found myself with six women in my Rho Gamma group. Losing half my PNMs was upsetting, but if my position had taught me anything, it was that Greek Life truly is not for everyone, and that's okay. My PNMs were truly incredible. They were strong, confident, easygoing, and accomplished, and I am happy to say that all six of the women in my group ended up in their first choice Panhellenic home!
When I was tapped as a Rho Gamma, I did not realize all the hard work that would come with the position. I attended countless meetings over the summer and through the beginning of fall semester, learned excessive amounts of information on the Panhellenic community, and got far too little sleep during recruitment. Though the work was hard and tiring, I can honestly say that being a Rho Gamma was the most rewarding experience of my college career. Seeing my beautiful Rho Gamma group babies flourish in their respective chapters and knowing that, however briefly, I got to be a part of their Greek experience, is amazing. I am humbled by the fact that a few have even told me that, because of me, they hope to someday be Rho Gammas as well. I am excited to see the accomplishments these women make in the remainder of their college careers.
My time as Rho Gamma helped me grow in my confidence, showed me that I can be a leader, and helped me make amazing friends in the Panhellenic community. I was tapped at a time when my self-esteem was at an all time low, and my faith in myself had fallen. In all honesty, didn't see myself as ever being capable of doing anything of significance. It seems so simple to say that a few short months of being a Rho Gamma could have changed that, but they did, and for that, I am extremely grateful. Being a Recruitment Guide gave me the drive to further my passion for Panhellenic and recruitment by taking the next step - applying to be the Rho Gamma Director for Fall 2016 recruitment, which I am happy to say that I was chosen for!
I started the process with 12 women in my group, but as typically happens during the process, many decided it was not for them and chose to withdraw. On Bid Day, I found myself with six women in my Rho Gamma group. Losing half my PNMs was upsetting, but if my position had taught me anything, it was that Greek Life truly is not for everyone, and that's okay. My PNMs were truly incredible. They were strong, confident, easygoing, and accomplished, and I am happy to say that all six of the women in my group ended up in their first choice Panhellenic home!
When I was tapped as a Rho Gamma, I did not realize all the hard work that would come with the position. I attended countless meetings over the summer and through the beginning of fall semester, learned excessive amounts of information on the Panhellenic community, and got far too little sleep during recruitment. Though the work was hard and tiring, I can honestly say that being a Rho Gamma was the most rewarding experience of my college career. Seeing my beautiful Rho Gamma group babies flourish in their respective chapters and knowing that, however briefly, I got to be a part of their Greek experience, is amazing. I am humbled by the fact that a few have even told me that, because of me, they hope to someday be Rho Gammas as well. I am excited to see the accomplishments these women make in the remainder of their college careers.
My time as Rho Gamma helped me grow in my confidence, showed me that I can be a leader, and helped me make amazing friends in the Panhellenic community. I was tapped at a time when my self-esteem was at an all time low, and my faith in myself had fallen. In all honesty, didn't see myself as ever being capable of doing anything of significance. It seems so simple to say that a few short months of being a Rho Gamma could have changed that, but they did, and for that, I am extremely grateful. Being a Recruitment Guide gave me the drive to further my passion for Panhellenic and recruitment by taking the next step - applying to be the Rho Gamma Director for Fall 2016 recruitment, which I am happy to say that I was chosen for!