Andrea Joyce is a junior at Penn State from Pittsburgh, Pa. In addition to majoring in marketing in the Smeal College of Business, she’s also currently minoring in media studies. She is a member of Delta Gamma sorority and has recently obtained a larger role in the Penn State Greek community by taking a position on Panhellenic’s 2016 Executive Council as the Vice President for Membership.
HC: What made you decide to go Greek when you came to Penn State?
AJ: Going Greek was always something I knew I wanted to do when I came to Penn State! I came from a small high school so I knew I wanted to join something to get involved with a variety of activities with a close group of friends. My parents and older sister all went to Penn State but were not in Greek life, so I thought it would be a great way to make my Penn State experience unique.
HC: Before even thinking about Executive Council for Panhellenic, did you hold a position on exec in your own chapter?
AJ: Yes I was Vice President of Membership for Delta Gamma. It was an amazing experience and taught me a lot about being in charge of such an important aspect of our chapter.
HC: So this experience was what led you to decide to apply for a position on Panhellenic Executive Council?
AJ: Coming to Penn State, I knew I wanted to be in a sorority but I never thought I would hold any position in my own chapter, let alone for the Panhellenic Executive Board. During recruitment, we had a Collegiate Development Consultant visit our chapter to assist us. She had been the Vice President for Membership on Panhellenic for Ole Miss. As I worked with Jennifer throughout recruitment, we talked a lot about her time as Vice President for Membership and she encouraged me to run for our Panhellenic Executive Council. It was something I had never considered and when someone I had only known for about a week opened my eyes to it, it made me realize it was something I should look into. With the support of Jennifer, my family and my friends, I found the courage to run and ended up being elected!
HC: Why Membership?
AJ: I believe recruitment is such a vital part of being a member of a sorority. While it is often viewed as an exhausting and time consuming process, I believe it should be viewed in a much more positive light. This is when we add more members to our chapter who will get to experience the friendships we have all formed with one another. I worked very hard to make recruitment a positive experience for my own chapter, and in turn, create a welcoming environment for PNMs [Potential New Members]. I hope to continue this positive outlook on recruitment with my work for the Panhellenic Council as a whole!
HC: What are some of your responsibilities?
AJ: My responsibilities consist of planning and overseeing the entire Panhellenic recruitment process. This ranges from planning all of the recruitment parties to watching and approving all sisterhood documentaries. I also meet with chapter recruitment chairs to advise them on their recruitment planning and educate them on the Recruitment Code of Conduct. Luckily, I have an amazing Overall Recruitment Team by my side to assist me in many aspects of recruitment preparations, and I look forward to an amazing time working together with them!
HC: Is there anything you’ve noticed that helps the Penn State Greek Community stand out?
AJ: Definitely! I think one thing that sets Penn State as a whole apart from other large state universities is our dedication to THON. Specifically for Greek Life, I think it should be commended that in addition to each of our national philanthropies, we devote lots of time and energy to this amazing cause. For me, THON ended up being a huge factor in why I chose Penn State. I love that being a part of Greek Life here means we can be so heavily involved in such an incredible cause while also being involved in our national philanthropic efforts and other forms of community service.
There it is, collegiettes. Put your heart and work into it and believe in yourself. Remember to not be afraid of what others might think of you getting involved with organizations that you are interested in. Do what makes you happy.