George Mason University President Alan Merten poses with members of the Gamma Phi Beta and Delta Chi Greek organizations.
At the beginning of the semester, students at George Mason University will likely find an eager sorority sister or fraternity brother walking around campus.
Proudly displaying Greek letters and a friendly smile, these students are often accompanied by a pamphlet encouraging others to rush their chosen organization.
“I thought it was very cool that so many sororities set up booths and got themselves out there, they really made me aware that I was welcome to rush,” said Elizabeth Lowe, freshman health, fitness and recreational resources major.
Sororities and fraternities started promoting themselves long before the freshmen class even stepped foot on campus.
“Pi Kappa Phi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon friended me on Facebook over the summer and got in touch with me and gave a lot of great information out,” said Brian Mottl, freshman government and international politics major. “And now that I’m here I’m rushing and going to events like broomball where the brothers are still super friendly and just all around great guys.”
Last weekend, Mason set an all-time-high with over 300 potential pledges rushing sororities. The pledges picked their top four sororities, narrowed it down to two and then learned if they were invited back.
While sororities aren’t looking for anything in particular, they do look for certain qualities in potential sisters. “[A] girl should be out there and want to get involved in a philanthropy and get out there, and have that potential sister quality,” said sophomore global affairs major and Zeta Tau Alpha sister Anna Zhang.
“The girls were super excited and did cheers every time we walked into a room like it was a party,” said freshman biology major and Chi Omega pledge Lauren Satyshur. “The rooms were filled with crafts of their philanthropy and the energy was just great.”
Several rushes claim to have recieved up to 50 new friend requests on Facebook from their soon-to-be sisters and even more wall posts welcoming them.
However, not shares these sentiments.
“The sorority girls are nice during rush week but I’m sure they’re not like on a daily basis; this rarely happens,” junior communication major Kristi Crutchman said, “I feel like they’re fake and it’s not going to be like that once you’re in.”
Others don’t join because they feel they will lose their individuality.
“I feel like it’s mostly about group identity and that’s never really been my thing, I feel like I’m too opinionated to be in a sorority,” said freshman conflict analysis and resolution major Marieke van Rijn.
Despite opposing viewpoints, the Greek community has made itself visible to the Mason community. More information is available on the Sorority and Fraternity Life website, located at http://si.gmu.edu/fsl.
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