As the fall semester begins, the time to explore hundreds of opportunities at Grand Valley State University is upon new and returning students. Among the 450 registered organizations on campus, the Greek community welcomes hundreds of new members each year during formal recruitment.

During the last week of September, the fall semester’s formal recruitment process occurs in four rounds ending with Bid Day. Annual events hosted through the Panhellenic Association, such as Campus Life Night and Meet the Greeks aim to raise awareness about Greek life happenings.

However, each chapter is required to meet a quota of accepted members. Last year, Corrine Laratonda, vice president of recruitment, said the quota for each chapter totaled around 115 women.

This year’s numbers are expected to increase from previous semesters.

“During the recruitment process, it is the goal of each sorority to find quality women to meet quota,” she said. “It is important to note, due to the growth of Grand Valley, the quota this year has increased, but we are still in the process of receiving the exact number it will be.”

As the quota changes, she said several factors play into this number including: the number of women proceeding with the recruitment process, the student population and the size of the pledge classes from the previous year.

“There’s not one particular sorority that receives more members than the other. It is something that we aim to keep as even as possible,” said Malayna Hasmanis, GVSU Panhellenic president. “We just seek to provide the opportunity for each woman to find their home within a sisterhood in our Panhellenic community.”

From philanthropy to living in a sorority house, sisterhood can provide an enriching experience for those who go Greek. However, there is more to the recruitment process than meeting quotas.

Women from every chapter on campus serve on a team acting as mentors to those new to recruitment. These leaders, or Rho Gammas, temporarily dissociate from their respective chapters to perform the role as an unbiased counselor to 15 sorority women.

“Rho Gammas are extremely important within the recruitment process,” Hasmanis said. “This role is pivotal for the women. As they embark on this, they serve as a great sounding board, a wealth of information about all of the sororities, as well as a great confidant for the women going through.”

Laratonda said over the past few years, around 60 Rho Gammas served from a variety of chapters around campus. No required amount of Rho Gammas are needed, but the goal is to select at least one woman from each chapter.

After application, the interview process is conducted by the vice president of Rho Gammas on the Panhellenic executive board, along with the vice president of recruitment and the president of the Panhellenic Council.

“It is considered a huge honor in the Greek community,” Laratonda said. “Rho Gammas are leaders and friendly faces for their group of girls, and they help them make find their home in our Greek community.”

To become Rho Gamma, any sorority woman within the Panhellenic community can apply after they have participated in recruitment for their respective chapter at least once. Hasmanis said the women train throughout the semester to gain more experience.

Reflecting on previous years, Hasmanis said she expects this fall’s recruitment to be a success due to strong collaboration within the Panhellenic community.

“There has been a lot of great collaboration, as well as a shift in making our recruitment as values based as possible,” she said, “to ensure that the women going through recruitment are sure to see the true possibilities and meaning behind going Greek.”

To find out more about the Panhellenic Association, visit www.gvsu.edu/greeklife/pa.