Students crowd Alumni Hall for women’s recruitment kickoff

Throngs of women filled the Indiana Memorial Union Tuesday night, waiting to crowd Alumni Hall and hear about what being in a sorority means at the event, “Greek Opportunities for Women.” The program was the first of many that make up the formal greek recruitment process for women.\nThe meeting included a presentation from the IU Panhellenic Association and the opportunity for students to visit booths staffed by members of each of the 19 sororities on campus.\nThree freshman girls chatted as they waited to enter the event.\n“We travel as three,” freshman Olga Lutsenko said. \nShe said she and her two friends, freshmen Vanessa Yudell and Sammy Levin, were hoping to get into the same sorority.\n“We want to, but it’s okay if we don’t,” Lutsenko said.\nThe trio said they were all certain they would join a sorority before they came to IU.\n“It’s part of the college experience,” Levin said.\nNot every student in attendance had her rush experience mapped out.\n“I want to meet new people,” freshman Angela Ridgley said. “That’s the main reason (I’m rushing). (I’m looking for) a tight-knit group of girls who I can talk to.”\nRidgley said she thought sororities were simply looking for “girls like them.”\nInside, sorority members sat by their respective chapter’s booths that showed pictures of philanthropy and social activities. Junior Kristin Lippet waited at the Phi Mu booth to meet students and talk to them about the “truth” of being in a sorority.\nSorority members are hoping those girls are “well-rounded – leaders, athletes and academics,” Lippet said.\nPi Beta Phi senior Alex Gutmann said the women she met this year were “wonderful.” She encouraged girls to “be themselves” while rushing.\nGutmann also said women should be looking for more than a “party place,” a place to do philanthropy and \nperform academically.\nFreshman Nicole Sloan had a similar viewpoint.\n“I think (being in a sorority) helps you meet a good group of people to be friends with, and they do good things for the community,” Sloan said.\nAfter the crowd assembled, Panhellenic played a slide-show explaining IU’s sorority life and set to Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” and other classic hits. After it, Panhellenic Association President Stephanie Grohovsky took \nthe stage.\n“It’s hard to imagine just three years ago I was sitting in your exact same seats,” Grohovsky said. \nShe said being in the greek community showed her it’s not all about “walking around campus wearing letters” and partying. She began to tear up as she talked about how greek life has changed her IU experience.\n“I know I’m a better person because I am greek,” Grohovsky said.