Alpha Delta Pi, Delta Zeta and Chi Omega will spend this week getting to know more Northwestern women through Spring Rush.
DZ took advantage of the weekend’s warm weather, starting off Rush Week with a barbecue Sunday afternoon that featured music, food and tours of their house. Other DZ events this week include a pizza night, a coffeehouse starring a cappella group “The Freshman Fifteen,” and a philanthropy event.
Members of ADPi spent time with prospective sisters Sunday making a sign for the Ronald McDonald House in a philanthropy event, said Francesca Rodriguez, vice president of recruitment.
Rodriguez, a Speech sophomore, said ADPi is working toward the Panhellenic Association’s target goal of 85 members but has no expectations for the number of students to sign up this week.
Members of the sorority will focus instead on getting to know prospective members. ADPi’s events for the week will include a performance by the Titanic Players and an ice cream social.
“It should be a lot of fun,” Rodriguez said.
Members of Chi Omega declined to comment on their plans for Spring Rush.
The tone of Spring Rush is different from that of Winter Rush, said Emily Schultz, vice president of membership for Panhel. Schultz, a Speech junior, said Spring Rush is less formal than Winter Rush and that sororities use the week to recruit as many members as possible.
Schultz said houses that do not meet the goal of 85 women can take part in continuous open bidding until quotas are met.
“We have some room for some really great women that we think are out on campus,” said Mamata Myneni, a Weinberg junior and president of DZ. “We’re not looking at a certain number. Just cool girls.”
Panhel kicked off Spring Rush on Wednesday with an informational forum. The forum, an effort to get women excited for Rush Week, drew a good turnout this year, Schultz said.
Spring Rush affords unique opportunities for “creative and crafty” events coinciding with the celebrations of Passover and Easter, Schultz said. Activities sometimes include Seder events and the making of Easter baskets for charities. The events are held separately by the sororities, she added.
Myneni said one benefit of Spring Rush is that rush time is not regulated by Panhel like it is during Winter Rush. The women can spend 10 minutes or two hours with a chapter instead of a limited amount of scheduled time.
Peggy Yu, president of Panhel and chairwoman of spring recruitment, said she sees Spring Rush as “almost the best type of recruitment.” The informal nature often helps the members – both those seeking a sorority and those already in sororities – to find the best fit.
“We want both sides to be happy,” said Yu, a Speech junior.
