Sorority rush week has officially started at Penn — at least for the seven established sororities on campus.
Even though Penn is preparing for the late February recruitment season of Zeta Tau Alpha, the eighth and newest sorority on campus, recruiters for the existing sororities aren’t changing their tactics. Outgoing president of the Panhellenic Council and College senior Darby Nelson described 2011 rush week as “a very standard list of events.”
According to Marlene Conrad, the ZTA extension director, the new sorority won’t officially begin marketing itself on campus until Jan. 31. However, neither Conrad nor Nelson are worried about the effect of late recruitment on regular rush season.
Though the seven existing sororities have not established a quota for new members yet, Nelson said that “the number of girls is so high this year.” The large demand will bode well for both the old and new sororities: “We will be able to maximize the number of girls and quality of girls going into each sorority, to make the best matches,” she said.
Still, the colonization of ZTA is unlike other sorority recruitments, Conrad said, because they have no precedent or reputation on campus. Instead, it is ZTA’s “job to go out to find women.” Their target recruitment base is “the kind of student that either has never considered Greek life or didn’t know much about Greek life.”
“I like the idea that it’s new,” said College sophomore Alicia DeMaio, who was originally opposed to joining a sorority. “It’s fresh and it doesn’t have a reputation yet.”
ZTA’s new member program will focus on the values of the organization and introducing the community to campus. Conrad mentioned plans of a “turquoise-themed week” inspired by ZTA’s sorority colors. A philanthropy week will follow under the banner of “Think pink, think Zeta,” as the group’s philanthropic focus is on Breast Cancer Education and Awareness.
In contrast, this week’s traditional rush will include many of the same activities featured in the past, such as a skit round and a philanthropy round, each taking place on a different night.
“I’m looking forward to the skits and the philanthropy round,” College freshman Meggie McCarthy Alfano said, “It’s more laid back, and we’ll get a better sense of where we fit in.”
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