The return of the sisterhood

In-person recruitment  for the first time since 2020

KYLIE DURHAM / ASST. NEWS EDITOR / THE USD VISTA

For the first time since the transition to an online learning format in 2020, the seven chapters of USD’s Panhellenic Council held recruitment in person this year. Students on campus could sign up for a four day recruitment process that involved participation in different social events to meet all seven chapters. The process began with work week starting on Jan. 17 and continued until the Potential New Members (PNMs) were given their bids on Jan. 24. 

The seven chapters that participated  in the Primary Recruitment process were Alpha Chi Omega, Alpha Delta Pi, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Alpha Theta, Kappa Delta, Kappa Kappa Gamma and Pi Beta Phi. All seven chapters are a part of the Panhellenic Council, which falls underneath Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) at USD. While each chapter is known for holding different core values and participating in different philanthropies, all seven strive to support their members in both academic and personal growth.

The excitement of holding a Primary Recruitment process on campus was undeniable for everyone participating this year, especially the classes of 2024 and 2025, who had  in-person leadership positions for the first time. 

During the height of the pandemic, the chapters had to transition to online and carry out their responsibilities during Zoom meetings. However, after two years of online Primary Recruitment, the Panhellenic Council is now able to host unrestricted in-person events, providing all the participants  opportunities to interact with those in the chapters. 

For those in leadership roles, their responsibilities varied this year, as they have only previously been involved in a virtual Primary Recruitment. USD junior Abby Stallard, current President of the Kappa Delta chapter, discussed her thoughts on how it felt to be back in person.

“It was nice to see actual people and make an actual connection with someone, like a physical person,” said Stallard. “People downplay that aspect of it, and it’s a lot more important than people play it out to be.” 

Stallard was not the only one happy to be back in person. Paynton Black, a junior at USD and member of the Gamma Phi Beta chapter, reflected on the difficulties of conducting Primary Recruitment over   Zoom in the past. 

“The thing about Zoom was that when I was undergoing recruitment and talking to Potential New Members, someone’s microphone may have not been working, or the Wi-Fi was cutting out. Especially on the first day, you really only have five minutes to talk with each girl, so if your camera isn’t working, forget it,” said Black. “You are not able to develop as strong a connection if your Wi-Fi is messed up, as opposed to being in person and having those full on conversations.” 

USD senior Teren Grey, who served as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion on the Panhellenic Council, shared similar thoughts about the format. 

“Recruitment online was a very difficult experience not only in terms of technology, but it was hard to get a sense of a chapter’s energy, especially through a computer screen,” said Grey. 

Although all three women shared excitement about being back in person, they also acknowledged the changes that COVID-19 brought about for the chapters on campus. Despite best efforts, the chapters struggled to maintain the same outreach from previous years as the world rapidly shut down during the pandemic. They had to quickly shift their philanthropic efforts to continue investment in the community. A chapter’s designated philanthropic cause is an opportunity to support a local cause or focus on promoting awareness towards a specific organization. 

Grey felt disconnected from her chapter’s philanthropy, and provided her opinion on the matter.

“I think [the philanthropies] have shifted  since COVID, because for a lot of the philanthropies, you feel that community when you are doing the events,” said Grey. “I think we were still bringing awareness to our philanthropy when we were in COVID, it was just a bit more difficult because a lot of time it felt like you were throwing money at the problem rather than coming together as a community to recognize the organization we are raising money for.”

Stallard also recognized the importance of focusing on a chapter’s philanthropy.

“I want to impose the value of community service because I think we are really lacking on that, especially from COVID,” said Stallard. “Just bringing back that aspect of serving our community, and through serving our community,  we are bettering ourselves professionally and personally.”

In addition to revamping the philanthropic aspect, all seven chapters are ready to be fully back in person with brand new members involved. Black expressed her most anticipated part of starting a new chapter year.

“I would say I am really excited just to get to know the new members who have joined,” said Black. “We are all immersing ourselves and doing events and sisterhood things. Just having everything in person will be so much better in terms of generating connections.”

With new goals in mind since the shift back in person, the current members of the seven chapters at USD are ready to experience once again what an in person sisterhood can be like.