Sorority recruitment is a rush in more than one ways. This weekend, over 300 women will be in the Rocky Top Student Center attending three straight nights of socializing with and learning about the women of Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Phi Sigma Sigma in hopes of recieving a bid on Monday. It is hectic, nerve-wracking from both sides, and over all, a whole lot of fun. You may ask, “Who is brave enough to take on planning such an integral part of Greek life?” Well, Keighly Rector, your Vice President of Recruitment is! And 24 hours before it all begins, HC QU is getting inside her head…
What made you decide to run for VPR?
When it came time for elections within my chapter, I struggled to find a position that I felt was a good fit for me. I knew I wanted to become more involved within Greek Life, but hadn’t originally considered the Panhellenic Council. However, when someone mentioned the possibility of running for Vice President of Recruitment and it immediately clicked! I had been a Recruitment Counselor the previous year and really enjoyed promoting not just my own sorority, but all four. It was such a wonderful experience to help new generations of women discover where they were meant to be, just like I did when I went through recruitment.
What are your goals for formal recruitment 2011?
As a Panhellenic community, we have experienced an incredible year of growth and development. There has been a much stronger focus on coming together as a community, rather than four separate chapters. The cooperation and support that I have seen among our four sororities over the past year has been truly inspirational. I’ve seen members offer to donate unused recruitment supplies to other chapters. At recruitment events, there were sisters introducing potential new members (PNM’s) to sisters of other chapters, not just their own. The competitive attitude that we’ve seen in past years has all but disappeared. And in its place, there is a strong, unified group of women, all wearing different letters, but all bonded together by the same values and a goal of offering the gift of sorority membership to as many women as possible.
If you could give any advice to the PNM’s going through this weekend, what would it be?
There are two key pieces of advice that I could give potential new members. First, be yourself. You are an amazing individual and should not have to change for anyone, especially a sorority. If your personality does not click with sisters of a specific chapter, then it’s not the right one for you. If you stay true to yourself throughout the process, you’ll find a group of women with whom you feel comfortable, accepted, and loved for exactly who you are. Second, follow your heart. There will be so much information to take in about each organization, from philanthropies to founding values to educational programs and more. While all of that is certainly important, I believe that at the end of the day, there will be something deep within you that will surpass all those details and guide you in the right direction. If you listen to your gut feeling, you will end up exactly where you were meant to be.
What has been your favorite part of sorority life at QU?
Without a doubt, my most memorable experience as a member of Greek Life at Quinnipiac has been my time on the Panhellenic Council. It has given me the opportunity to connect with extraordinary women from other chapters and work with them to continue our growth as a community. I will never forget the bonds I have made, the laughs I have shared, and the memories that will stay in my heart for years to come. When I joined a sorority, I not only gained sisters within my own chapter, but Panhellenic sisters as well. And these are the women who have made my college experience one that I will treasure for a lifetime.
Good luck to Keighly, all of the sorority women on this fabulous campus, and all of the potential new members hoping to add a chapter to their lives this weekend!