Home is a term many use to describe the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, whether as “home of the College of Business and Economics” or “home of the DIII football powerhouse.” However, others may be more inclined to call their association with their Greek life houses, brothers and sisters home. Beginning Feb. 4 and going through Feb. 14, both sororities and fraternities are welcoming more UW-W students into their greek homes.
The goal of spring recruitment for the four Whitewater chapters of sororities, according to Norah Derosso, is to “Assist young women to find their home in Greek life.”
Derosso is a sophomore who has a major in communication health and corp. with a marketing minor. Currently, Derosso holds the title of co-recruitment director of the Panhellenic Council (PHC), alongside Liz Perryman.
“As a PHC recruitment officer, my position is from January to December, and we are already planning for the fall recruitment,” Derosso said. “We book out rooms and organize women to complete surrounding tasks, to help women find their homes in Greek life.”
However, spring recruitment is not the same as the more well-known fall recruitment. It has the same end goal but the process has some differences.
“Fall is considered more formal and all chapters participate and spring is informal because chapters can all do their own thing and informally recruit,” Derosso said.
Since spring recruitment is more informal, typically each chapter will host two to four different events before bid day. The events are more of a free-for-all that reflects what the chapter feels like or works toward their philanthropy. A highly expressed benefit to this type of recruitment schedule is it is easier for women to find their Greek homes in a less demanding and more flexible environment, it’s beneficial for those who have narrowed choices of houses and have less time to give daily.
“When I was a freshman and came to Whitewater in the fall of 2022, in the spring I went to the PHC info night and I knew that night that I wanted to go Greek,” junior Tri-Sigma member Kaitlin Geisler said. “Throughout the whole process, I felt absolutely no pressure and stress, the process was so spread out I felt like I had more time to go to things and just think everything through. The spring really fit me and I genuinely have no regrets, I feel like everything worked out for me the way it was supposed to. I found my sisters for life and it really didn’t matter that I waited a semester. I think everyone’s timelines aren’t the exact same, but there’s something for everyone for sure.”
Statistically speaking, each chapter has a certain number of members they can add to their chapter each recruitment. The campus total is 70, meaning they can add as many as needed to get to 70, but can not go over 70 members.
On the other side of Greek life at UW-W the goal of spring recruitment for fraternities according to Ashton Gillespie is, “all about the opportunity for new members to find their home away from home.”
Gillespie is a junior studying management with an emphasis on leadership development. Currently, Gillespie holds the title of recruitment director for the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and works alongside IFC President Jordan Draws.
“Every recruitment season brings a breath of fresh air into fraternities with new members joining the organizations; it allows for chapters to grow in numbers as well in character. Characters that very soon will be making a positive impact on the UW-Whitewater campus and the greater community,” Gillespie said.
Much of the behind-the-scenes for fraternity recruitment is controlled by the recruitment chairs who schedule events and purchase materials or necessary supplies for the upcoming events. According to Gillespie, “social media has become one of the most valuable ways to get chapter names to stand out.”
Most fraternities use social media to create rush videos, posters, banners, and many other digital and physical posts to get their names out there for potential new members.
For both sororities and fraternities once potential new members have attended events and meet with chapters bid day arrives. All fraternity chapters submit their bid rosters to Gillespie and Draws to look over. Once bids are approved and returned to chapters they make their bids on bid night.
This year’s bid nights are Feb. 13 for IFC and Feb. 15 for PHC.
Spring recruitment may not be as formal and glamorous as fall requirements, but it still holds tons of value to the Greek community as a whole.
“The amount of Greek unity is like no other and to see everyone who has put so much blood sweat and tears into our chapters is very uplifting and something I am very proud of,” Derosso said.
“Spring recruitment to me is the learning time for our fraternities. It’s always great to meet new people who will be finding and taking in the future of fraternities here at UW-W,” Gillespie said.
