By Mallory Harris | Staff Writer
While Baylor’s Panhellenic Council has already finished their recruitment season, it’s now time for Baylor’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) to step in. Being conducted through virtual platforms, this spring recruitment opens multiple opportunities for freshmen to meet the chapters on campus.
Due to the uncertainty of the pandemic, Plano senior Tim Wang, IFC vice president of recruitment, said the scheduling and organization of recruitment was a struggle. However, with deliberation from fellow chapter recruitment chairs, they decided to push up the start of recruitment to Jan. 25. This was largely done due to the fact that in spring 2020, the new member process was cut short from the pandemic.
“Originally, we were going to have it later in the year with the hopes of Baylor opening up stuff on campus, but with the COVID-19 regulations I reached out to a lot of the other recruitment chairs around campus,” Wang said. “One of the reasons why we decided to push it up a little bit was so if things were to clear up on campus a little bit, we would actually give them the ability to feel a part of something.”
Pushing through and adapting to new circumstances, Wang explained how these Zoom calls are a main way for students to find where they fit in best. With 30-minute time slots, each chapter is encouraged to get to know multiple potential new members even off-camera.
Normally, most fraternities plan fun rush events where members can easily interact with the potential new members, Wang explained. As his job is to bring all of recruitment together efficiently, Wang said the IFC wants students to feel welcome.
“Everybody gets a chance to learn about the fraternity and find a place where they fit in the best,” Wang said. “[At] IFC we’re trying to welcome in as many people from different backgrounds, and we want people to join the family. That’s the number one thing.”
Spring junior Dominick Ralph shared his experience from going through recruitment and how his time has been since joining Sigma Alpha Epsilon. From seeing where he could grow to being accepted by warm members, Ralph said he entered recruitment with an open mind. Since joining, Ralph described his experiences, from meeting lifelong friends, to serving his chapter as philanthropy chair, as incredible.
“I just saw myself in positions to grow in that fraternity and make the most out my college experience and grow myself as a person,” Ralph said.
While the days to virtually meet with the different chapters on campus have passed, registration for IFC recruitment is still open until Feb. 3 according to their website. As the spring recruitment is typically scheduled for freshmen, upperclassmen are also welcome to join during this time, Wang said.
Even though the format of recruitment is vastly different from years prior, the spirit of meeting potential new members is still running high, Ralph said. Despite challenges imposed by COVID-19, IFC spring recruitment is stepping up to the plate.
“My biggest advice is go to the fraternity that you see yourself fitting in with, go to the fraternity that you see yourself being friends with; don’t just go to a fraternity because your dad was there or because your friends are going there,” Ralph said. “It’s more about the people in the fraternity than it is just the name.”
