For the past two weeks, campus Greek life has been busy preparing for, and starting, their recruitment season for the fall 2023 semester. Throughout the first two months of the semester, Greek organizations across campus will be actively recruiting new members to join their fraternity or sorority. During this month, rushes will be held all throughout Greek life which are events designed for students to meet the different members of each fraternity or sorority to see if their personality and ideals match with that of the organizations.
Ethan Diehl, a brother of Sigma Tau Gamma, provided information regarding how this process works. Participants in the fraternity rushes are encouraged to rush as many different chapters as they please. At the end of the rush season, if a chapter finds that you align with their ideals and values, then they will extend a bid. This bid acts as an invitation to join the fraternity and it depends on each chapter the length of time to accept or decline this offer.
“Rush season is a great opportunity for guys to come out and meet a bunch of new people and see if they’re interested in Greek life. It’s a good opportunity to network and see what we have to offer.” Ethan said.
Sororities have a slightly different rushing process, to that of fraternities, involving multiple rounds of rushing events which consist of a method called Formally Structured Rushing (FSR). This process involves open houses and house events after which the potential new member ranks their preferred chapter. This semester, a new process, Partially Structured Rushing (PSO) will be implemented which gives students more flexibility while rushing. Kayle Elmblad, a sister of the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, mentioned, “I am genuinely excited for this new system and I hope we get enough girls this year that it will work out”.
Greek life at Michigan Tech has been around since the foundation of the school with the first fraternity, Sigma Rho, being founded in 1892. Today there are now multiple Greek organizations across Michigan Tech, including twelve fraternities and seven sororities. If you feel that Greek life is for you, you can visit the Fraternity & Sorority Life page on the Michigan Tech website, or find one of the many flyers throughout campus.
