As a girl at RPI, one of the most important things for me has been the opportunity to join a sorority on campus. As a new recruitment period comes along again, it is important to stress the benefits of taking part in greek life. For sororities, the Panhellenic recruitment period runs from January 28 through February 11. The five sororities represented on campus—Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Phi, Pi Beta Phi, Alpha Omega Epsilon, and Sigma Delta—are all taking part in Spring Recruitment.
Between 60 and 80 percent of females enter college unsure about the process of joining a sorority, and with the poor media coverage, the levels of uncertainty are heightening. However, joining a greek affiliation has life-long benefits academically, socially, and morally.
Academic achievement is the primary focus of college life and RPI sororities. All sororities maintain requirements to join and remain active, but academic support is always available. Each sorority has its own unique programs which focus on scholarship, including, but not limited to, tutoring, study tables and guides in the chapter houses, academic rewards, and trained learning assistants in chapters. At RPI, the GPA for greek women for many semesters has been above that of non-greek women, and statistics show that members of greek organizations have a higher rate of graduation than nonaffiliated students.
Greek life provides women with a significant number of leadership opportunities, both in the house and outside of it. Leadership development learned in sororities is essential in the workforce. One can learn valuable skills, such as communication, time management, and networking through greek leadership. There are opportunities for women to gain positions both on executive boards in the house as well as the governing council—the Panhellenic Association. Most sorority members who hold leadership positions also hold leadership positions in other campus organizations.
A great benefit of RPI sororities is the satisfaction that one gets from philanthropy and community service. Each sorority has its own organization which benefits from a number of philanthropic events each semester. The five sororities also come together for a number of causes, including last year’s Relay for Life.
Most importantly, sororities lead to lifelong friendship and bonds. A s cheesy as it sounds, the girls you pledge, work, and live with are girls you will form a bond with like no other. Sisterhood is the prime reason for the existence of greek life and the traditions and secrets in one’s sorority result in the respect, admiration, and love she has for that organization. This sisterhood is more than just a family for four years, but rather women you stay in contact with through networking, alumni events, and sincere friendship for the rest of your life. A bond with a sorority sister and the feeling one gets from truly belonging is the greatest benefit of sorority life at all.
So, the Rensselaer Panhellenic Association encourages all undergraduate women to get out there and make the best you can of the Spring Recruitment. It can’t hurt to try, and it could be a life changing opportunity.
