By Marj O’Neill ’21, assistant editor
As the busiest sorority recruitment season of the year approaches during COVID-19, sororities must adjust how they recruit new members.
LVC has three sororities on campus: Alpha Sigma Tau, Gamma Sigma Sigma and Kappa Lambda Nu. All three sororities will be recruiting new sisters who are eligible to join based on GPA requirements and their number of LVC credits.
Sorority recruitment typically lasts one week, consisting of information sessions to learn more about being in a sorority and socials where those interested can meet sisters of different sororities. At the end of recruitment week, on what is known as “bid day,” the sororities invite those sisters who are eligible and those who fit their values to become members of their organization. With COVID restrictions on campus, recruitment will look a little different this year for all three sororities.
“We have been reaching out to girls via social media platforms to recruit them,” Hannah Wintermute, head of recruitment for Kappa Lambda Nu, said.
Alpha Sigma Tau and Kappa Lambda Nu were both allowed to host in-person events since last semester in adherence to state and LVC COVID-19 social distancing and mask guidelines. Both sororities have hosted a mix of virtual and in-person events to accommodate everyone’s comfort levels. Gamma Sigma Sigma was only recently given permission from their national board to have in-person recruitment socials and service events.
“Simply put, virtual recruitment has been difficult. We have never done this before,” Maci Kerlin, the membership vice president of Gamma Sigma Sigma, said. “We’ve found ways to make things work by playing trivia, watching Netflix and playing the popular game ‘Among Us’ all from the comfort of our own desks.”
Making these new adjustments to recruitment comes with new challenges for each sorority to still make meaningful connections with potential new members to gain new members.
“Many people find Zoom to be awkward and hard to connect with others on,” Aimee Bealer, the vice president of growth for Alpha Sigma Tau, said. “The college doesn’t have many spaces that allow for a group of 50+ people to appropriately social distance, which is totally okay, but it has caused a lot of anxiety for me.”
Despite the setbacks and challenges of sorority recruitment during a pandemic, the sororities have still managed to bond and cultivate a sisterhood.
“Throughout COVID we have all done a great job checking in on one another, ensuring we are all succeeding in classes and extracurriculars,” Kerlin said. “We’ve maintained sister bonding activities throughout this challenging time. Our president, Erica Coles, has continued to boost sister morale and has kept a positive attitude through this time.”
For Kappa Lambda Nu, sisterhood has become all about communication.
“We have been in constant communication throughout the pandemic,” Wintermute said. “Not a day goes by that we do not talk to one another and I think that is a testament to the bond sisters should share and the one Clio [Kappa Lambda Nu] has been so blessed to create.”
Recruitment week this year begins the week of March 1 and bid day is on Saturday, March 6.