Recruitment in the Midst of a Pandemic
By: Isabel Glover
Tags: Sorority, Pandemic, Recruitment

(HAMMOND, La.) Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, sorority girls at Southeastern Louisiana University had to go about Recruitment Week virtually for the 2020–2021 school year compared to previous years where the process was fully in-person.

Southeastern Louisiana was founded in 1925 and started out with only 40 students. Today, the university’s total enrollment is at 15,403. Within the 95 years it has been open, 2020 has been truly one of a kind because most classes and events are being held virtually in response to the pandemic.

Recruitment is an experience that aspiring sorority members dream of their whole lives. The process is known to be an exciting event for new members. Although, this year, the recruitment process was held virtually to follow the safety guidelines set in place by the CDC.

President of Phi Mu, Alyssa Pardee, experienced the transition from in-person to virtual recruitment at firsthand.

Pardee said, “Recruitment in past years consisted of in-person events within our chapter house between active and potential members where they attended in-person recruitment parties over a period of four days and an in-person Bid Day where they find out which organization they received a bid from”

This year’s recruitment was held quite differently.

Pardee said, “This year, every recruitment event was completely online in which the girls attended Zoom calls for each sorority where they engaged in conversations with active members from each house, however, the potential new members still had a similar schedule when comparing that aspect of recruitment.”

Director of Student Engagement, Marjorie Parker, gave some insight on the effect that virtual recruitment had on this year’s number of new recruits.

“We had less potential new members this year compared to last year,” Parker stated. “We expected the decrease due to the COVID-19 conditions and the switch to a 100% virtual recruitment.”

With the switch to a completely virtual recruitment came the grievance of some of the most anticipated in-person events.

There is a downside about the virtual process. According to Pardee, the new members missed out on the opportunity to meet all the active members at their chapter house and were unable to take part in a true Bid Day and “run home” experience.

Freshman Phi Mu member, Emma Helton, personally did not enjoy the virtual recruitment process.

“I have dreamed of recruitment all my life and having to make connections through a computer screen was undeniably nonideal,” Helton said. “Recruitment certainly did not fulfill my dream.”

On a more positive note, Pardee said it was not nearly as stressful on the potential new members as it tended to be when it was in person because the girls found comfort being in their own home.

However, freshman Alpha Omicron member, Victoria Hickey, had a great, virtual recruitment experience.

“I truly enjoyed recruitment, the process was much better than what I had expected,” Hickey said. “I loved building connections with all of the girls in the comfort of my own home, it was an overall fun experience.”

Pardee said that many people questioned her ability to get to know and connect with someone through a computer screen.

Pardee commented, “As unideal as it sounds, it genuinely worked out just as if we were in-person.”

Although there was a lot of learning and readjusting to the recruiting process, President Pardee believes the transition from in-person to completely online recruitment was “well done.”

According to Pardee, recruiters worked with what they had to make the process as smooth and enjoyable as possible considering the unfortunate circumstances.

“It was the last thing I ever expected to have to go through serving as Chapter President,” Pardee commented. “But I am proud to say that we were able to successfully recruit these women through a completely virtual process.”

The sororities must follow safety precautions as they continue throughout the pandemic.

“We are continuing to hold meetings over Zoom or split up into groups following the CDC guidelines,” Helton stated. “We continue to wear masks during our meetings.”

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