Thousands of freshman and sophomore boys flocked to Dunn Meadow on Saturday, September 8 for the start of Interfraternity Council Recruitment. Sporting their Sperry boat shoes and Ralph Lauren polos, these guys were dressed to impress.Each fraternity had a booth set up with their letters and trophies in hopes of attracting potential rushees.
Interested students walked from booth to booth, mingled with the each other, and signed their names on a sheet so that rush chairs would have their contact information. On Sunday, September 9, the potential new members were able to go on house tours. This gives the guys a chance to get a sense of what each fraternity is all about. Each potential new member is required to go to at least eight houses for tours. President of IFC, Matt Adams, thinks that this encourages them to talk to many people and not limit their opportunities. Her Campus IU had the opportunity to interview a number of men and get their perspectives on the rush process.
HCIU: Why did you decide to rush?
Andrew Beck, freshman: Andrew decided to rush because he has friends in houses. Although he has some houses in mind, he’s keeping his options open.
Nick Wang, freshman: Nick has friends who are encouraging him to rush .
Kristopher Tremblay, sophomore; Garret Enright, sophomore: These two sophomores are interested in rushing because of all of the opportunities that fraternities have to offer, especially for networking and building connections.
Wyatt Wunnenberg, freshman: “When you talk about IU, you have to talk about Greek life.”
Greg Goodin, freshman: Greg wants to make connections and build friendships. He thinks it will also help with his academics. “I was a little biased because my brother is in a fraternity here, but I am trying to keep my options open.”
HCIU: What do you look for in potential new members?
Mike Zervic, Delta Chi: “We look for quality guys over quantity. We want guys that reflect our values: justice, education, character, and friendship. We are also the most winning-est fraternity.”
Brian Myers, Sigma Alpha Mu: “We look for quality gentlemen that embody the characteristics of our fraternity: brotherhood, honesty, dedication, and drive.”
HCIU: Why did you decide to apply for a position within IFC?
Matt Adams, Vice President of IFC: “I was the director of recruitment last year, and I really liked it so I decided to go for vice president this year.”
Andrew Esstman, President of IFC: “I was the president of Sigma Chi last year and I like high-level strategy work.”
Rush lasts for about three weeks, according to Adams. Each chapter has to submit their pledge class to IFC by September 29. This gives potential new members ample time to decide which house they think is best for them, and it gives the houses time to decide who they would like to have in their newest pledge class. These next few weeks will be hectic for the guys on both sides, but all agree that it’s worth it in the end. As a member of Sammy said, “It’s cool to see the future of the house and to know that it’s in good hands.”