A Recruitment Q&A Spotlighting Three Chapters
With the spring semester reaching its midpoint, it’s time to reflect upon the successes and opportunities for growth from this past recruitment cycle. Whether your chapter was able to initiate twenty new members, or just one, there is always room for improvement and feedback. We decided to sit down with three chapters who had particularly successful spring recruitments and learn more about what went right, and what their challenges were. We spoke with the Zeta Xi chapter at the University of South Carolina (SC), who recruited 20 men, and were represented by President Ashton Reynolds, South Carolina ’19; the Chi chapter at North Carolina State University (NC), who recruited 12 men, represented by Recruitment Chair Gavin Brumfield, North Carolina State ’21; and Zeta Omicron at the Arizona State University (AZ), who recruited 33 men, represented by Recruitment Chair Daniel Hayes, Arizona State ’20.
Q: Is spring your main recruitment season?
SC: No, fall is by far our main recruitment season, however since COVID we have seen a larger proportion of PNMs (Potential New Members) rush in the spring.
Zeta Pi at Arizona State’s New Member Class
NC: Spring is not our main recruitment season; however, recruitment is a continuous year-round effort for us.
AZ: No, I would say Fall is usually our main recruitment season, as with the rest of ASU. Before the Xi class at 35, our largest Spring class ever was my own, the Kappas, at 24. However, this Spring we saw a very good turnout during recruitment week, and the 35 was our largest class in Chapter history, beating our previous class by 1.
Q: What worked well for you in recruitment?
SC: One of the main reasons we were so successful was the implementation of a second recruitment chair last fall. We were able to pull in a record class, so we decided to continue it in the spring. With the hard work of Jacob Asplen, South Carolina ’21, and Ric Dunleavy, South Carolina ’20, we were able to bring in the largest spring class on campus and boast a 96% bid acceptance rate. I know the recruitment process can be a very hectic few weeks and having a second chair really helps with organization. Another thing that worked for us in spring rush is the utilization of our fall class. We have found, at least on our campus, most of the spring associates are those who are roommates or friends of those who rushed in the fall. We make a point to have our fall classes reach out to their friends in the last couple months of the fall semester and bring them to some of our events. More times than not, they will follow their group of friends who are already in the chapter.
NC: Hosting events that target our brother’s hobbies and interests: Casino Night, Basketball, etc. During recruitment, many chapters have problems with brother attendance at events. However, when we started hosting events that were more specific to our brothers' hobbies and interests, we saw a huge jump in attendance and consequently were more successful in recruitment.
AZ: I think what worked well for us in recruitment is the honest and genuine conversations that our brothers have with every Potential New Member, whether they walk into our house or show up at our events. I always hear from our new Associate Members that what kept them coming back to our events was us being the first house they went to where they had actual conversations and felt like they were meeting genuine people. Many of them said that they felt as if our brothers were actually interested in getting to know them, as opposed to feeling like they were getting interviewed in other houses. In addition, I felt we were able to emphasize how strong our bond is at every event, as we had a great turnout with our activities and with their participation.
Q: Did you face any challenges?
SC: Usually one of the challenges we face in spring recruitment is the officer transitions. We hold our elections in November and often the newly elected recruitment chair is not prepared for the reality of the recruitment process. However, this year’s spring class shows what can be done if the chair(s) are prepared before they return to campus for the semester. All in all, we were fortunate to not face any major, uncontrollable challenges this rush, as we did in the fall. I could not have been happier with the organization and success of our recruitment chairs.
NC: COVID was a major setback this year. Brothers in our house tested positive and prevented us from being able to hold recruitment events for a short period of time.
AZ: I would say the main challenge is setting up and running every event as there is only 1 of me and more than 100 PNMs. Another difficulty is getting our name out, because we have only been Chartered for 5 years at ASU. However, we combatted this with a great marketing strategy on Instagram, as well as diligent on-the-ground recruiting—we made 800 rush cards and passed out almost all of them.
Q: What would you say to a group struggling with spring recruitment?
Zeta Xi at South Carolina’s New Member Class
SC: I will strongly recommend adding a second recruitment chair to any chapter, regardless of size. We’ve had back-to-back top 5 classes on campus since doing so. I can certainly attest to the fact that our recruitment chairs agree that having another equal partner throughout the process alleviates a lot of stress and makes pulling off a successful rush much easier. Along with this, make sure your new members are staying connected with guys in their dorms and classes, so when spring recruitment comes along you have a solid PNM list.
NC: Spring recruitment may seem like a challenge without the structure provided during Formal Recruitment, however, here are some things we did in order to be successful: 1) Host events that reflect your chapter’s interests and hobbies, 2) begin with larger events and transition to smaller group events that are ‘invite only’, and 3) motivate your chapter by providing incentives for coming out to recruitment events.
AZ: I would say you can never talk to enough people or pass out enough cards, be okay with rejection, and never be afraid to take risks. Many of the men we ended up with were not interested in joining at first, but after meeting our brothers and coming to a few events they realized that their idea of a fraternity was completely changed, and they ended up joining. I would also say this to anyone struggling during the recruitment period, recruitment does not last two weeks, recruitment should be all year round. I always emphasize this to our underclassmen; talking to everybody they meet in their classes, making connections well before recruitment week—this way many of the men that we meet are already very comfortable around us and know what we are all about.
Q: Any fun events that you’d recommend to other chapters?
SC: Spring recruitment obviously takes a lot of outdoor events we do in the fall off the table. However, we have found that with the smaller spring group, laid back events such as poker, going to basketball games, and football watch parties are often great ways to facilitate conversations between PNMs and brothers.
Chi Chapter at NC State With New Members (Front)
NC: We always have a really great time at our Casino Night. We normally place this event towards the end of recruitment, as it is a formal event.
AZ: The Associate Members this semester told me they really enjoyed our Grill Out with the Brothers, as well as the event we held in partnership with a Local restaurant Zipps. I would say the best events for recruitment purposes are those that have an activity of interest to the PNMs, while also keeping it relatively close to Campus to allow easy access. Also, any event where you can show PNMs any of your off-campus housing is sure to help. This allows for a more personal environment and allows the men to get to know us better, and us them better than at a more formal on-campus or venue event.