2020 Vice President of Membership

For starters, each sorority has a different name for its recruitment chair. Delta Zeta labels this position as Vice President of Membership! I was encouraged to run for the position at the end of my sophomore year. Mentally I wasn’t prepared to take on the role. My goal was to run for Vice President of Membership at the end of the first semester of junior year. Then, my term would end after the first semester of my senior year. What I didn’t know: I was about to receive AMAZING networking and leadership opportunities.

At the beginning of the summer, I started to plan for recruitment. Because of the whole pandemic, I formatted recruitment to be in-person, virtual, and hybrid. That way, there was a plan for whichever form of recruitment the College Panhellenic Council had chosen.  

For me, the easiest part was creating each format. For others, it wasn’t that easy. I submitted all my plans to my chapter’s national headquarters. Shortly after, the regional director invited me to present everything I had done for recruitment at an upcoming webinar!

 Don’t get me wrong–I was nervous. But the positive feedback I received was so rewarding! From then on, I collaborated with active members from schools like Arizona State University, Penn State University, and the University of Iowa. Together, we were able to generate so many ideas.

Fast forward to August. I come to find out that recruitment is completely virtual! So, I held two meetings for the members in my chapter. The first included all workshops. The workshops were for strengthening communication skills–skills that are definitely important for this new virtual environment. The second was mainly to practice each round of recruitment.

 In case you were wondering, yes, behind the scenes of recruitment is slightly exhausting. BUT this is where I grew more appreciative of sorority life. It was overwhelming not knowing whether we were returning to school or if we were going to reunite with friends. I developed a whole new perspective. The best thing I could do for each of us was to plan something engaging. This time recruitment was not about decorations, outfits, and glitter. It was about staying connected. An article from The Wall Street Journal mentioned that the more you connect with someone, the more likely it will have a lasting impact.

During the weekend of recruitment, I knew my days were going to be long. I would wake up and get ready before everyone else. Surprisingly, I wasn’t that stressed. All the important features like PowerPoints, videos, and activities were ready. I suggested that active members log on to zoom early before each event. That way, I was able to organize breakout rooms. Unintentionally, our chapter was getting ready for recruitment together – it was so fun! 

My advice for anyone considering the position–don’t let your anxiety get the best of you. Stay calm and set an example for everyone. You will receive lots of texts and calls for reassurance, questions, or advice. Answer them. It will create a stronger bond between you and that member. Ask an alumna for help. She will be more than happy to guide you. And remember, all your planning will pay off!

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