Fraternity and Sorority Life at Truman has largely returned to in-person activities during Fall 2022 after many recruitment activities had been canceled because of the pandemic.
Senior Joe Kessler, president of the Interfraternity Council, explained that potential recruits have been able to meet with fraternities in-person and get a closer look at the environments of each respective fraternity.
“Compared to last year it’s more focused on letting potential recruits going and meeting individual chapters in person and seeing those chapters’ individual spaces and houses, so they get more of a feel for the environment in which they would spend a lot of their time in if they were to join a chapter,” Kessler said.
Junior Zach Stellhorn, IFC vice president of recruitment, said in-person meetings have helped improve numbers and make connections between potential members and fraternities.
Fraternities worked during Truman Week to recruit freshmen into their organizations. They hosted games on the Quad and invited the new students to their fraternity houses so they could learn more about organizations they were considering.
Kessler said there have been more opportunities for new students to meet people on campus and in different organizations this year with more open in-person events.
Aug. 28 FSL hosted a barbecue to introduce students and allow them to socialize with members of different sororities and fraternities on the Quad. FSL has not held this event for the past several years because of COVID restrictions. Later in the semester, other events, such as tabling, will take place. Sep. 8, the 12 social fraternities on campus will present at a recruitment assembly to talk about their fraternities to prospective members.
“I’d just say to check it out,” Stellhorn said. “I know my freshman year, I was set on not joining a fraternity. Then my second semester came around, and I thought I’d give it a try, and it’s probably been the best decision of my college career. Give it a try and check out as many fraternities as you want because, at the end of the day, we want you to go where you best fit in, and I think there is a spot for everyone to fit in here.”
Junior Lucy O’Connor, social chair and events planner for Sigma Sigma Sigma, said Panhellenic recruitment will begin Sep. 6 and will end Sep.11. She explained the numbers are looking good this year, with around 88 women signed up for Panhellenic recruitment and around 40 signed up for IFC recruitment.
O’Connor said they have had more personal engagement with prospective members, with more in-person events being held this year. Those interested in joining a social sorority can visit the organizations they are interested in and then decide, O’Connor said.