Name: Leslie Epstein
Age: 20
Major: Political Science and Legal Studies, Certificate in Criminal Justice
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Can you briefly explain what the Panhellenic Association is and what they are responsible for?
The Panhellenic Association Executive Board is a group of ten women responsible for governing the chapters encompassed under the Panhellenic Association. Each member of the board is responsible for a different aspect of sorority life. For example, Kari Wolter is the Vice President of Civic Engagement and coordinates community service projects in which women can participate, like the All Dressed Up event held April 2nd.
What is your position on the Panhellenic Executive Board?
I am the Vice President of Internal Recruitment.
What kinds of things do you do? What responsibilities do you have?
In general, I, along with my fantastic co-Recruitment Chair, Kate Bothe, am in charge of formal Fall Recruitment as well as informal Continuous Open Bidding (COB) in the spring. My responsibilities for this job change daily, some days it’s doing more administrative and behind the scenes tasks, like scheduling for recruitment, and others are more active, like training Rho Gammas and educating sororities about recruitment.
Outside of recruitment, I am also responsible for helping the other great members of the board with whatever help they may need, be it with an event they are planning or just general support. It’s great to be able to lean on one another whenever we’re having trouble with something or just need advice.
How and why did you get involved in the Panhellenic Board? Is it a competitive process?
I’ve always been the type of person who loves being involved. Last year, I was one of the assistants to my chapter’s recruitment chair and loved every second of it. When recruitment ended in the fall, it was a great feeling knowing that the time and effort I’d put into recruitment had such a positive effect on so many women. Those experiences I’d had working on recruitment for my chapter encouraged me to get even more involved with recruitment this year and apply for the Panhellenic Board.
As far as competitiveness for being on the Panhellenic Executive Board, it is a very selective process for each position. As a member of the board, you are not only responsible for your own personal duties, but also for supporting the other women on the board with whatever help they may need. For example, I know come recruitment in the fall, Kate and I will need all of the help we can get because it is such a complex process. Also, as member of the board, you no longer represent just your chapter but the entire Greek community as a whole. As representatives of the community, it is important for us to set the example and be positive leaders both in the work we do for Panhellenic and in our own lives. Everyone on the board is as responsible as they are reliable, and I am fortunate to be able to work with all of them.
How much time do you commit per week to Panhellenic?
As it is with my responsibilities, the time commitment is ever changing. Some weeks are jammed packed with meetings and other weeks are less time consuming. In general, I attend our executive board meeting, a Panhellenic delegate meeting, as well as hold two office hours each week for anyone who may need to come talk to Kate or me. The fall will be the most hectic time of the year, but also the most fun and rewarding, and I can’t wait for it to start!
How do you balance these commitments with schoolwork?
Keeping busy has always helped me manage my time better. Having a consistent schedule and knowing when certain tasks need to be done really helps me prioritize my time. Also, at the beginning of each semester our board sits down and plans out the schedule for the rest of the semester. That way, we can plan well in advance for any conflicts that may arise and plan accordingly. In general, balancing my schoolwork with Panhellenic work is not difficult. I consider them to be equally important, so I put just as much effort into one as I do the other.
Moreover, my two advisors, Becky Koltonski and Chrissie Nelson, are phenomenal. I couldn’t ask for better advisors. They are always there to answer any question and provide exceptional guidance. I know I can always turn to them, and the rest of the board, if I ever need help.
Greek Affiliation?
The lovely Alpha Chi Omega J
Fun Fact?
I’m a diehard St. Louis Cardinals fan. Go Cards!