“I didn’t really think I was going to join one, but when I was looking at colleges my mom made me look at ones with Greek life because she had done it and she could see me wanting to do it.”, When asked if she felt that juggling sorority responsibilities and academics was overwhelming for her first year, she replied good-naturedly. In general, I wanted to join a sorority because PSU is such a large school and sorority life made it a more personal experience.”. Well, I gathered the courage to approach some sorority sisters to see what made them want to join the Grecian ranks, and there were some mixed motivations. Most of the girls we talked to said that their experiences exceeded their expectations. Together, women in a sorority commit to scholastic, philanthropic, and social development and participate in numerous event, service projects, and activities like other clubs at Penn State. Penn State Fraternities, Sororities Put on Notice by School President Penn State has implemented more aggressive measures to combat drinking, hazing and sexual assault in Greek organizations. Interested new members must meet the following Penn State University’s requirements to join a fraternity or sorority: Cannot be subject to any pending or current probation through the Office of Student Conduct. “I’m from really far away and I came here and I didn’t know anyone, and I really wanted a strong friend base.”. To start, I interviewed Amanda Fellin, president of Alpha Chi Omega, about her personal experiences joining her sorority and about what she sees in the girls who rush every year. All I heard was ‘You’re hot, you’ll get in,’ and, eh, I just didn’t feel like being judged by how I look. Some of these “negative” expectations, however, deterred other girls from joining sororities right away. Our sisterhood cultivates friendship, creating a network of sisters who guide us and strengthen our lives. ‘I had so much more fun because I joined a sorority’. Bid: An invitation to join a fraternity or sorority. The group stuff is mostly for serving the community.”, Gabrielle Peretti, a junior in ASA, agreed with this sentiment, going as far as to say: “It’s a home away from home, having sisters. Every winter, hundreds of freshman girls zip up their coats and rush the eight Panhellenic sororities at Penn. “Whenever I imagined myself in college, I imagined myself in a sorority just because it’s a good way to get involved, instead of a bunch of different clubs.”, Gabrielle Peretti (left) Alison Scotto (right), ASA. Joining a sorority at Penn State is one of the best ways for your daughter to get involved and find her niche at such a huge institution. Penn State Altoona is proud to support the long standing tradition of hosting a fraternity and sorority community to encourage students' growth, citizenship, and values. New Member Education: A period of education on the history, ideals, and values of a fraternity or sorority prior to initiation. This sorority helped shaped me into the woman I am today, by giving me the confidence I needed to achieve everything I set my mind to. Other girls, like Alison Scotto, a junior in ASA, had planned on joining a sorority for a long time. Family tradition factor seems to play a big role in a lot of the decisions made to join sororities. Per our updated privacy policy, we use cookies to track your browsing behavior on our site and provide you with ads or other offers that may be relevant to you. As an incoming freshman, I had no interest in rushing a sorority because I never really knew much about it. For the next ten days, Penn State’s campus will be swarming with hundreds of girls hoping to ~find their bridesmaids~ and echoing with sounds of cult-like chants from sororities preparing to welcome the potential new members into their suites. Yikes! That's all on top of living costs. “The sisterhood and friendships gained from Greek life are definitely a huge motivator for girls to rush,” Fellin says, “and I know most people truly find their place somewhere, considering there are about 230 members in each sorority.”. A sorority is a group of undergraduate women bound together by common goals, values, and friendships. AP, dual enrollment, and transfer … To view our privacy policy in full, click here. “Freshmen year was just a wreck, because I’m me, but I had so much more fun because I joined a sorority.”. I thought it would all get better after a rough freshman year of college … Students are consistently advised against joining any organization that is not in good standing with the University. The Panhellenic Council is the governing body of the 4 sororities on campus. Payment for the rental fee can be made to the Bursar’s Office, and is due on or before the Monday of the seventh (7th) week of … For example, Lily Holeva, a senior in Kappa Kappa Gamma, said that Greek life was a factor in her college choice. I just started my first week. The sisters of Delta Zeta are very excited that you are interested in joining the Greek community at Penn State by enrolling in Panhellenic Recruitment. Organizations to join There are 48 fraternity and sorority chapters currently active on Penn’s campus. Social fraternities and sororities at Penn State consists of a diverse group of men and women who help create smaller communities within the large university environment. Rho Gamma(Sororities): A Panhellenic representative who has no contact with their own chapter during membership recruitment and is available to guide potential new members through the recruitment process. Brace yourselves, because sorority formal recruitment szn is officially upon us.