Navigating Panhellenic Sorority Spring Recruitment With Active Sorority Sisters

Disclaimer: The below article was originally written for the Pace Chronicle and was revised for the Delta Phi Epsilon Alpha Rho website. Click here to read the full, unedited article.

To students interested in joining, Greek life can seem like a mystery, and navigating recruitment can seem like a challenge. Freshmen especially can go into recruitment season unsure of what lies ahead. What is recruitment weekend? What is a bid? What should students do to prepare for recruitment? Here, we’re breaking it all down to make you all the more prepared for spring Panhellenic recruitment.

First and foremost, women who are interested, that haven’t already, should fill out the Spring 2026 Recruitment Application by clicking this form. This lets our University Panhellenic Council (UPC) know that you are interested in going Greek! This form also allows Pace’s Fraternity & Sorority Life department to make sure you are eligible to participate on recruitment weekend. The form closes February 18th so make sure you complete it before then.

To be eligible to join Greek life, you must have completed at least one semester of college/university. That means freshmen can join a society in their second/spring semester. Upperclassmen or transfer students can join during either the fall or spring semesters. You must also uphold a 2.5 GPA to be eligible to join Greek life. Lastly, you need to attend a recruitment orientation. The recruitment orientation is on February 20th and is followed by the recruitment weekend on the 21st and 22nd.

Meet Delta Phi Epsilon

At Pace University, there are two Panhellenic sororities. Although they both practice sisterhood and hold philanthropies, they are also different in amazing ways.

In 1917, five women at NYU Law School wanted to find a community that was accepting of all backgrounds, religions, and races. They came together to find Delta Phi Epsilon, one of the first non-sectarian social sororities in the country. Delta Phi Epsilon, also known as DPhiE, was brought to Pace University in 1990.

National Colors: Royal Purple and Pure Gold

Philanthropies: The National Association for Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, The Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and DIMES for DPhiE

Symbol: The Equilateral Triangle

Mascot: The Unicorn

Hand-Sign: The delta, formed with three fingers, signifying the three core values: justice, sisterhood, and love

Flower: The Lovely Purple Iris

Stone: The Pearl

Open Motto: Esse Quam Videri (To be, rather than to seem to be)

Virtues: Justice, Sisterhood, and Love

To learn more about Delta Phi Epsilon, visit the Pace DPhiE website or the national website

Sorority Vocabulary 101

To many, sorority life lingo can be very confusing. Terms like panhellenic, bid, recruitment, and more can be overwhelming to those who are new to Greek life. Below is your guide to what each sorority term means and how it relates to your sorority journey.

University Panhellenic Council (UPC) – This is the council that oversees both social sororities on campus. UPC is a council composed of equal members from both organizations. It is a way for DPhiE and Phi Sig to work together on Greek life matters. Look out for upcoming UPC events this semester!

Panhellenic – the word Panhellenic comes from the Greek words “pan” and “Hellenic”. “Pan” meaning all and “Hellenic” meaning Greek. In this context of the word, Panhellenic simply means Greek Unity. This definition perfectly explains our use of the word as the purpose of the UPC is to unite Pace’s social sororities. Greek unity plays a vital role on campus by bringing organizations together and fostering a strong, supportive community that extends beyond individual chapters.

Recruitment Weekend – Think of this like an orientation into Greek life. During the recruitment weekend, you’ll meet sisters from both sororities and learn more about their philanthropies and sisterhood values. It consists of short, 45-minute rounds with breaks in between. Recruitment weekend is also known as formal recruitment; you may have seen something like this on social media. At Pace, our formal recruitment takes place over one weekend. Again, the Spring 2026 recruitment weekend is scheduled for February 21st-22nd. If you cannot attend these dates, contact UPC’s Vice President of Recruitment, Maya Matlick mm40897p@pace.edu or Assistant Director for Fraternity & Sorority Life, Shandreka (Dreka) McCullough smccullough@pace.edu to learn your next steps.

PNM – This stands for potential new members. It’s a term sisters use to refer to girls who are interested in joining a sorority.

Bid – A bid is a formal invitation to join a sorority and marks the start of your sisterhood journey. During each chapter, bids are decided through a confidential process and then extended to PNMs during recruitment weekend.

COB – The term COB stands for continuous open bidding; you may also here a sister use it to describe themselves “I was a COB” or “I was COBed”. In either instance, COB is a period where bids can be extended outside of formal recruitment. For example, if you are unable to attend formal recruitment, and a chapter is eligible, you still could receive a bid during this period.

Chapter – A chapter refers to a school’s section of a national sorority. For example, Pace University has a chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon and a chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma. Each chapter has a name to distinguish it from other schools with the same sorority. Pace is home to the Alpha Rho chapter of Delta Phi Epsilon and the Delta Omega chapter of Phi Sigma Sigma. The term chapter can also refer to chapter meetings. Chapter meetings happen weekly for initiated sorority sisters.

Commonly Asked Questions

“Am I supposed to dress a certain way during recruitment weekend?”

Recruitment weekend is nothing to be intimidated by. However, many girls do decide to look nice for the occasion. Many girls describe it as “brunch attire.” Common outfits consist of nice jeans, sweaters, skirts, casual dresses, or nice tops. The sororities want to see the true you! Therefore, wear what you feel comfortable and confident in. However, maybe leave the sweatpants at home for this one.

“Do Pace panhellenic sororities haze?”

Absolutely not. Hazing is something that Pace University Greek life takes very seriously. Hazing is a criminal offense that Pace University does not take lightly. According to the Pace University Hazing Policy and Procedure, hazing in “student organizations is prohibited in any form both on campus and off campus.” Any concerns about hazing can be directed to Assistant Director of Greek Life, Shandreka McCullough, at smccullough@pace.edu or the Office of Community Standards at OCS@pace.edu. To learn more, access the Pace University Hazing Policy and Procedure document.

“How will I know which sorority is right for me?”

The beauty of Greek Life is that every organization is different in its own special ways. It all depends on which organization you click with the most. You can ask yourself the question of who you feel most at home around. Who do you feel most comfortable with? Who can you see yourself having a sisterly bond with? However, a sorority isn’t just made up of its members. You should also consider what philanthropies you most resonate with and what ideals you feel most strongly about. It’s okay to feel unsure. After all, both Panhellenic Sororities are amazing. At the end of the day, there is no right or wrong answer. Follow your heart, and you will be led to an amazing sisterhood no matter what organization you join.

“Who can I go to if I have questions?”

We understand that the entire recruitment process can bring up a lot of questions. That is why Pace hosts an orientation for those who signed up for Spring Recruitment. Here you will be introduced to the Panhellenic recruitment team, and they will give you a rundown of what to expect. On top of that, we are lucky enough to have incredible student recruitment counselors who are here to assist you in your Panhellenic journey! You can reach out to Maya Matlick at mm40897p@pace.edu, Danielle DeRubbio at dd39125p@pace.edu, Alexia Frusciante at af61176p@pace.edu, or Leanna Salame at ls03994p@pace.edu. You can also reach out to Assistant Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life, Shandreka McCullough at smccullough@pace.edu.

“How do I know if panhellenic sorority life is right for me?”

Deciding whether you want to go Greek can be a difficult choice to make. If you’re looking for a way to get more involved on campus, create connections for your future, to forge friendships, gain leadership experience, and/or raise awareness for a philanthropic cause, then a Panhellenic sorority could be right for you. There are a multitude of reasons to join a sorority, but the truth is only you can know if it is right for you. Something that can help in your decision-making process is to get to know the community you would be joining. Go to a UPC event and meet people, ask them questions, tell them you’re unsure, and learn why they decided to join Greek life. At the end of the day, this choice is a personal one, and it comes with a commitment. Our advice is to weigh out any positives and negatives, but don’t be afraid to do something out of your comfort zone. Trying new things is what college is all about!

“What is the time commitment like when you join a panhellenic sorority?”

When joining a Panhellenic sorority, the time commitment can vary. Each chapter has weekly chapter meetings and events that they host and/or attend each semester. Chapters also consist of positions that each have their own time commitment associated with them. These positions can consist of tasks like event planning, fundraising for philanthropic causes, social media, and much more. Nonetheless, the main priority for the Panhellenic Sorority community is always education. Sisters often thrive in sorority life while also participating in sports, clubs, internships, jobs, and honor societies. It is absolutely not impossible to balance sorority life with your regular life. Chapters are also able to be lenient and flexible with their schedules to make sure all educational, familial, medical, and religious priorities are met.

“What should I bring with me to recruitment weekend?”

There are no right or wrong items to bring to recruitment weekend. I suggest a tote bag or any sort of bag you can bring the essentials in. Bring the things you keep on you when you go out for the day: water bottle, gum, lotion, lip gloss, an emergency snack… etc. But you don’t technically need anything except yourself, so it is really whatever you feel comfortable with.

If you still aren’t sure if Greek life is right for you, the best way to decide is by getting to know the people already in it. A great opportunity for this is attending UPC events. UPC events are a light-hearted, no-pressure way to get to know sisters from both panhellenic sororities. As a bonus, they are always a fun way to fill up some free time! We also highly recommend attending a Meet the Greeks event! They happen semesterly, and it’s a great way to introduce yourself to every opportunity Greek life has to offer. For the Spring 2026 semester, Meet the Greeks will be on Thursday, February 5th, at 3:30 pm in the Boudreau lounge.