Welcome to
Panhellenic
Formal Recruitment
2010!
What am I getting
myself into!?
When you join a sorority,
you join Panhellenic, which
consists of approximately
700 women at Eastern Illinois
University working together
towards similar goals.
What is Panhellenic?
• The Panhellenic Council, or PHC, is basically
the governing council of all of the sororities
on campus.
• Every Greek woman on Eastern’s campus is
a member of the Panhellenic Council.
What is a Gamma Chi?
• Gamma Chi’s are women that were
selected to help guide you through your
Recruitment experience.
• Each of them is part of a sorority already.
• They are here to help you and will answer
and address any questions or concerns you
may have throughout the Recruitment
process.
• You will meet your Gamma Chi on Thursday
September 9th, 2010 at the “Gamma Chi
Meet ‘n’ Greet”
• Don’t be afraid to go to them with your
thoughts and feelings, they are completely
disaffiliated from their chapters and will be
completely unbiased.
• If for whatever reason you know what
sorority a Gamma Chi belongs to please do
not disclose this information to anyone else.
Recruitment Schedule
Gamma Chi Meet ‘n’ Greet
Thursday September 9th
Location: Grand Ballroom
Time: Starts at 5:00 PM
• You will meet your Gamma Chi, the woman
that will be guiding you through the Formal
Recruitment process.
• A brief introduction/orientation will also be
held to help you become acquainted with
the Recruitment process.
Slideshow Night
Friday, September 10th
Location: Grand Ballroom
Time: Starts at 5:00 PM
• You will be viewing a slideshow made by
each chapter. This will give you some
exposure to each chapter before first round!
• Each chapter will also have an Informational
table set up in the back, if you have any
questions afterwards.
First Round
Saturday, September 11th
Location: Grand Ballroom
Time: Arrive at 9:30 AM
ROUND ONE:
1- 11:00-11:30
2- 11:40-12:10
3- 12:20-12:50
4- 1:00- 1:30
5- 1:40- 2:10 (LUNCH)
6- 2:20- 2:50
7- 3:00- 3:30
8- 3:40- 4:10
9- 4:20- 4:50
10- 5:00-5:30
You will be visiting all 9 sororities on this
day. Rounds will be 30 minutes long with
a 10 minute break in between.
On this day, there are ten rounds but
only nine Sororities. The extra round is
added to give everyone a lunch break.
(Food will be provided for you by
Panhellenic).
You will return to the Union around
5:30PM to fill out your ranking card and
then you will be free to leave!
Second Round
Sunday, September 12th
Location: Grand Ballroom
Time: Arrive at 9:30 AM
ROUND TWO:
1- 11:00-11:30
2- 11:40-12:10
3- 12:20-12:50
4- 1:00- 1:30 (LUNCH)
5- 1:40- 2:10
6- 2:20- 2:50
7- 3:00- 3:30
8- 3:40- 4:10
You can be invited back to up to 7
sororities on this day. Rounds will be
30 minutes long with a 10 minute
break in between.
On this day, there are eight rounds but the
maximum number of Sororities one could be
invited back to on this day is 7. The extra round
is added to give everyone a lunch break. (Food
will be provided for you by Panhellenic).
From this day on, some women will be invited
back to as many chapters as possible on that
given day and some women may be invited
back to less.
It is really important to keep an open mind and
realize that you are just that much closer to
finding the sorority where you feel at home! Do
not get discouraged and remember that you
can talk to your Gamma Chi about your
feelings, questions, anything!
You will return to the Union around 4:10PM to fill
out your ranking card and then you will be free
to leave!
Third Round
Friday, September 17th
Location: Grand Ballroom
Time: Arrive at 3:30 PM
There is no extra round added
on this day.
ROUND 3:
Remember, some women will
be invited back to 5 chapters
and some may be invited back
to less than that. Do not get
discouraged, you are that much
closer to finding the Sorority that
fits you!
1- 5:00-5:40
2- 5:50-6:30
3- 6:40- 7:20
4- 7:30- 8:10
5- 8:20-9:00
You can be invited back to
up to 5 sororities on this day.
Rounds are 40 minutes long
with a 10 minute break in
between.
You will return to the Union
around 9:00PM to fill out your
ranking card and then you will
be free to leave!
Fourth Round
(Preference Day)
Saturday, September 18th
Location: Grand Ballroom
Time: Arrive at 11:30 AM
There is no extra round added
on this day.
ROUND 4:
Remember, some women will
be invited back to 3 chapters
and some may be invited
back to less than that.
1- 1:00-1:55
2- 2:05-3:00
3- 3:10- 4:05
You can be invited back to
up to 3 sororities on this
day. Rounds are 55 minutes
with a 10 minute break in
between.
You will return to the Union
around 4:05PM to fill out your
ranking card and then you will
be free to leave!
Bid Day
Sunday, September 19th
Location: Grand Ballroom
Time: Arrive at 1:00 PM
This is the day that women will be extended bids to
the sororities.
Each chapter will then host some sort of welcoming
celebration for their new members.
You will also find out what Sorority your Gamma Chi
belongs to!
What should I wear?
First Round
Saturday, September 11th
Eastern Wear!
This is a very casual day and it meant for you to get a feel for
each of the sororities.
Jeans, shorts, flip flops/sandals, and an EIU themed shirt would be
acceptable wear for this day. We would not recommend
wearing sweatpants/workout shorts, heels, or fancy clothing
on this day.
Second Round
Sunday, September 12th
Cute, Comfortable, and Casual!
This is also a very casual day.
Jeans, shorts, flip flops/sandals, and a comfortable and casual shirt
would be acceptable wear for this day. We would not
recommend wearing sweatpants/workout shorts, heels, or fancy
clothing on this day.
Third Round
Friday, September 17th
Cute, Comfortable, and Casual!
This is also a very casual day.
Jeans, shorts, flip flops/sandals, and a comfortable and casual
shirt would be acceptable wear for this day. We would not
recommend wearing sweatpants/workout shorts, heels, or
fancy clothing on this day.
Fourth Round
(Preference Day)
Saturday, September 18th
Dressy Attire!
Preference Day is a very special and exciting day for the
Sororities. On this day you will see some of the rituals of the
chapters that you visit and will get to see the women one last
time before making your final decision.
Dresses and heels/dressy shoes are acceptable wear for this day.
We would not recommend wearing jeans, shorts, sweats, or
any casual wear.
Bid Day!
Sunday, September 19th
Cute, Comfortable, and Casual!
(Try to wear a light shirt; at your Bid Day event
you will be given a t-shirt to wear)
Tips for
Potential New Members
(That’s you!)
• Be interested in all of the sororities
- You will be remembered and you may decide you really like a sorority even
if you initially did not care for them
• Be polite
- Even if you are really not interested you should still be polite and thank the
individual you met for showing you around
• Look at each sorority as a whole
- Try not to judge it by the one or two women you met.
• Ask questions
- It can be very intimidating for both you and the sorority women to have a
conversation with someone they do not know. It will help the conversation
and be a sign of your interest and you will learn more about the sorority.
• Smile!
- Have a good time with Recruitment, it is a process that opens up a ton of
doors for you!
• Be mature in your decision making
- Be realistic about which members you felt most comfortable with.
Do not be influenced by other’s opinions.
• Sorority members are just as nervous and anxious
as you!
- They have all been through recruitment themselves and know exactly how
you feel!
• Get plenty of sleep
- The days will be long and tiring and a good night’s sleep can help keep you
on top of your game 
• Try not to speak negatively about any Sorority.
- While you may have not been interested in that particular sorority, another
girl in your group may have really loved them, or vice versa, so it is extremely
important to not badmouth a Sorority. If you need someone to talk to, please
talk to your Gamma Chi
• Don’t be afraid to decline refreshments or
food
- You will not offend the Sorority!
• Involve your Gamma Chi in your decision
- Your Gamma Chi will try to answer any questions you may have for
her and will do her best to guide you successfully through the
Recruitment process. She is here as your friend and you should feel
free to go to her with any problem, thought, question, or concern
you have.
• Think if these are the women you want to
spend the majority of your college years with.
• Be yourself and enjoy Recruitment!
Just so you know…
• Recruitment is mutual selection
- You are choosing a sorority as well as the sororities are selecting new
members
• Chapters are not required to offer bids
to legacies
• You will not be allowed to carry a
purse or cell phone into any chapters
during Recruitment.
• A prospective member may not
contact, visit, or associate with any
sorority member except during the
Recruitment events (and vice versa)
• Do not interpret any remark made at
an event as an assurance of an
invitation back or an invitation to join.
- Sorority women do not know and are not allowed to extend such an
offer on behalf of the entire chapter. If this does occur, please inform
your Gamma Chi.
Frequently Asked
Questions
What should I expect
when walking into a
Sorority house?
Each Sorority is different in the ways they organize their
Recruitment time. At most chapters the girls will be lined
up on their stairs, waiting to greet you. They will then lead
you to their large chapter room or to their individual
rooms for conversation. Most will have scrapbooks and
other items to show you that will help you get a better
feel for their sorority.
What does it mean to
“maximize my options”?
Maximizing your options means that if you visited five sororities in
a day, you should list all five sororities on your ranking card. For
example, you decide you only like three of the five sororities you
visited and you decide to only list those three on your ranking
card. By doing so, you decrease your chances of receiving an
invitation back to those three sororities. However, if you list all five
in the order you prefer them chances are greater that you will
receive an invitation back to the sororities you like.
So all in all, it is much better to rank all of the sororities that you
visited than to just list the ones you prefer.
Will I automatically get
into a chapter at the end
of the week?
Sometimes it works out that a few girls will not be placed
into a chapter and this could be for multiple reasons, such
as the individual not maximizing her options. All of the girls
will not get their first choice and some may not receive
their second choice either. Just remember to keep an
open mind because your perception of a chapter may
change once you start really getting to know the girls!
How do I decide which
group I prefer?
Think of if you would be happy spending your time
with these girls. Do you share the same interests and
personality traits? Do the values of the chapter align
with your own personal values? Think of what you
would like to contribute to a sorority and how your
goals fit in with those of the chapter. In the end, it is
your decision and your decision only!
I’m going to miss part of
Recruitment. Am I still
able to participate?
Yes you will still be able to participate however you should
be aware that chapters may not invite you back because
they did not have the chance to meet you. However, this
being said, you should not be skipping class or work or any
other important obligation to attend Recruitment events
because you are in college first and foremost to get an
education! Please tell your Gamma Chi if you will be
unable to attend any event/round.
If you have any questions
please feel free to email:
Ally Dinkle V.P. Recruitment
aedinkle@eiu.edu
Lauren Patterson V.P. Recruitment Elect
lepatterson@eiu.edu
Good luck with
Recruitment 2010! 