For many incoming freshmen, joining a sorority or fraternity is a way to have fun and make meaningful friendships that will last for the remainder of their college career and beyond.
On Thursday, Panhellenic sorority recruitment began. During recruitment, potential pledges visit every sorority to decide where they feel most at home.
Apart from the 31 greek organizations listed as Panhellenic or National Pan-Hellenic sororities, many women have found sisterhood in nontraditional sororities. Many of these alternative organizations offer a sisterhood focused on career advancement, service or faith.
Deborah Dickerson, a junior speech-language pathology major, said she chose to join Epsilon Sigma Alpha because of its focus on community service.
"When I was deciding which sorority to join, in addition to the social aspect, I felt like in Epsilon Sigma Alpha you could do more service and you feel like you are doing more good, she said. "You need to think of what you want to get out of joining. If you are a person who likes to do volunteering, then a service sorority would be what you want to go for."
Another option some students consider is a group focused on faith, such as Alpha Nu Omega, the only Christian sorority and fraternity on campus.
Adrianna Morris-Wiley, president of Alpha Nu Omega, said she wanted to join a group that would help her stay true to the values she already had. When she was a freshman, a friend asked her to join Alpha Nu Omega. Though she was initially unsure whether she wanted to be in a sorority, she said that she has not regretted her decision to join.
"I have gained a sisterhood that holds me accountable for my actions, that encourages me to do better in every aspect of my life and also allows me to share the love of God to all I come in contact with in a new way," Morris-Wiley said.
There are more than 30 honorary and professional organizations that allow students to connect to others with similar carreer ambitions and goals.
Professional organizations focus on connecting students from a particular major. Many of these organizations require members to have completed a certain number of credit hours toward their major and to maintain a particular GPA. Students are able to network with other students who are following similar career paths while making meaningful friendships along the way.
Nicole Vauter, a senior finance and business major, is a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, a professional business fraternity. She found out about the fraternity through flyers in the business college, went to an informational meeting during recruitment and pledged in Fall 2008.
"It is awesome to be a part of Alpha Kappa Psi," Vauter said. "I always have brothers and sisters in every class, which is great when it comes to group projects. ... We offer tons of professional, social, and service events that we all take part in and we always have a blast."
Vauter encourages students to take a look at all Ball State has to offer in terms of greek life.
"Alpha Kappa Psi has given me so much experience with networking, leadership and organizational skills, all of which will be extremely helpful in my future," she said. "Try something completely new; try something totally off-the-wall. Never in my life did I think I would be part of greek life on campus, but I gave it a shot and it turned out to be one of the best decisions I've made in my college career."
Morris-Wiley encourages women not to make hasty decisions when deciding if a sorority is right for them. As freshmen, students have time to look around before deciding what organizations they want to commit to.
"Go to different events and meetings held by the organization you would like to join and see what it has to offer besides parties and social events," she said. "Ask the hard questions: What is this organization doing for the community? What impact would joining this organization have in my life?"
Dickerson said the memories she has made with the girls in her sorority will stay with her in college and beyond.
"Personally my favorite memory is making friendships with the girls that I've met," Dickerson said. "I know that these girls are going to be my best friends for years to come."
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