Membership Intake or Recruitment

Sorority and fraternity-affiliated students are retained as full-time undergraduate students at a higher rate than non-affiliated students.

• Sorority & Fraternity Life (SFL) comparison to all Illinois State University (ISU) undergraduate population (data reflects new, full-time students who returned from their first fall semester to the next academic year)
  • Fall 2023 to Fall 2024
    • SFL Members
      • Overall= 90.2% (395/438)
      • Fraternity= 84.4%
      • Sorority= 94.7%

• • • Illinois State University Undergraduates
      • Overall=81.4% (3,365/4,132)
      • Male Retention= 78.7%
      • Female Retention= 83.4%
      • Non-Binary Retention= 84.2%

• • Fall 2022 to Fall 2023
    • SFL Members

      • Overall= 93.8% (375/400)

      • Fraternity= 91.1%

      • Sorority= 94.9%

• • • Illinois State University Undergraduates
      • Overall= 81.3% (3,232/3,974)
      • Male Retention= 79.0%
      • Female Retention= 83.2%
      • Non-Binary Retention= 76.2%

• • Fall 2021 to Fall 2022
    • SFL Members
      • Overall= 94.4% (221/234)
      • Fraternity= 91.9%
      • Sorority= 94.9%

• • • Illinois State University Undergraduates
      • Overall= 80.3% (2,694/3,353)
      • Male Retention= 78.6%
      • Female Retention= 81.6%

Sorority and fraternity members graduate on time at a higher rate than their non-affiliated counterparts (Note: Illinois State University uses a six-year graduation rate as its benchmark)

• Sorority & Fraternity Life (SFL) comparison to all Illinois State University (ISU) undergraduate population 
  • Fall 2018 (Reflects students who began in 2018 on the 6-yer rate)
    • SFL Members
      • Overall= 81.7% (451/553)
      • Fraternity=67.4%
      • Sorority= 86.1%

• • • Illinois State University Undergraduates
      • Overall= 64.5% (2,369/3,669)
      • Male Graduation= 57.0%
      • Female Graduation= 70.3%
      • Non-Binary Graudation= 60.0%

• • Fall 2017
    •  SFL Members
      • Overall= 77.8% (439/564)
      • Fraternity= 67.4%
      • Sorority= 83.2%

• • • Illinois State University Undergraduates
      • Overall= 66.3% (2,209/3,331)
      • Male Graduation= 59.4%
      • Female Graduation= 71.3%
      • Non-Binary Graduation= 60.0%

• • Fall 2016
    • SFL Members
      • Overall=82.2% (467/564)
      • Fraternity= 72.5%
      • Sorority= 87.2%

• • • Illinois State University Undergraduates
      • Overall= 67.0% (2,465/3,681)
      • Male Graduation= 60.5%
      • Female Graduation= 71.8%

• Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Omicron Pi, Chi Omega, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Zeta, Gamma Phi Beta, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Phi Sigma Sigma, Sigma Alpha*, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Zeta Tau Alpha.  

*Sigma Alpha does not participate in Panhellenic Primary Recruitment. For students who are interested in joining Sigma Alpha, please contact Sorority and Fraternity Life and/or the chapter President. 

Panhellenic Primary Recruitment Dates: 
Recruitment will occur during Welcome Week (August 13 – 18, 2025), and students will be required to select a move-in slot before the end of the day on August 13. 

1. Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at 7 p.m. - Meet your Rho Gamma:  
   Meet your Rho Gamma night is an optional orientation event that will provide you with an overview of the recruitment process and the opportunity to meet with your Rho Gammas as well as other PNMS. Rho Gammas are members of the Panhellenic Community that serve as a mentor and guide, to counsel you through the recruitment experience. You will be assigned to Rho Gamma groups alongside other Potential New Members.  
2. Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 8 a.m. – Welcome Round:  
   Welcome Rounds will give you the opportunity to visit all 11 chapter houses where you will meet active members of the community in person. This will give you a space to get to know each other and learn more about the chapters as a whole. 
3. Friday, August 15, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. – Philanthropy Round:  
   Philanthropy rounds will take place in the chapter homes, and you will visit a maximum of 8 chapters on this day. This round provides you with the opportunity to learn more about chapters philanthropies, their involvement within their designated philanthropies, and the events that coincide such as events, awareness campaigns, community service, and fundraisers.   
4. Saturday, August 16, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. – Sisterhood Round:  
   Sisterhood rounds will take place in the chapter homes, and you will visit a maximum of 5 chapters on this day. This round allows you to learn about the chapter and the importance of their sisterhood within. This includes the qualities, traditions, involvement, and shared values of the designated chapter.   
5. Sunday, August 17, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. – Preference Round:  
   Preference round is the final day where you will visit a maximum of 2 chapters. You are invited to have longer and meaningful conversations with current members in order to narrow down your choices for bid day. This round is often one where PNMS can connect deeply with the sororities they are most interested in.  
6. Monday, August 18, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. – Bid Day:  
   Bid Day is the last day of recruitment where you may receive an invitation (bid) to a singular chapter to become a new member. Chapters often host activities and celebrations following the Panhellenic wide Bid Day event.   

Benefits of Sorority Membership: 

1. Academic Support and Success – At Illinois State University, our Sorority members graduate at a rate 15.8% higher than non-sorority members. New Members within the College Panhellenic Council saw an average GPA of 3.17 during the Fall 2024. Sororities often have study groups, tutoring programs, and resources to help members succeed academically.  
2. Philanthropy and Service – Sororities bring incredible women together and provide outlets and support for us to do good in our community. In 2024, the College Panhellenic Council sororities completed nearly 13,000 service hours for the greater Bloomington/Normal community. To further their commitment to philanthropy, the Panhellenic Sororities raised nearly $175,000 in 2024 for local and national philanthropic organizations. Joining a sorority gives you an opportunity to become a part of and contribute to something bigger than yourself.
3. Friendships – You’ve heard about our “sisterhood.” Sororities provide a family and a home away from home. Your sisters will be there for you – to celebrate your wins, to support you through tough conversations, and to be there when you need a shoulder to lean on. Sisterhood is deeper than friendship and lasts far beyond our few years in college. 91% of members who join a chapter through Primary Recruitment are still active in their chapter the following year.  
4. Connections and Support – Sorority involvement helps to expand your connections to other students, advisors, professors, and even professionals inside and outside of campus.  You will always have someone on your side to support and encourage you through all endeavors.  
5. Leadership and Personal Growth – Sorority life offers opportunities to develop your leadership skills through chapter roles, council involvement, and university wide initiatives. These experiences help build confidence, communication, and problem-solving skills that prepare you for success after graduation.  Your fellow members will always help promote personal responsibility and achievement.  
6. Unity and Belonging – Our community is committed to creating an inclusive environment where all members feel valued and heard. Our community engages in dialogue, education, and action to foster a community where every member belongs. Membership means being a part of a movement to continuously grow and improve. We in Panhellenic make sure your voice is heard throughout the community.  

We want to share what participants from Primary Recruitment 2024 had to say about their experience:

• “The College Panhellenic Council was very welcoming. They always went around to all of the groups and asked us how we were feeling and if there was anything they could do to help us.”
• “Every single member that I talked to was always very helpful, and they genuinely were there to listen to how I felt and make sure that before I left the conversation, I felt better or just more clear on my stance than when I began the conversation.”
• “I loved the positive rho gammas and people I met throughout the process. Connecting people with the same final core value of finding a home away from home was so fulfilling. Everyone expressed that in their own ways. I feel now in my chapter that I found my true home, making this recruitment process one I would share with anyone.”
• “I'm glad I got to meet a bunch of new girls and get outside of my comfort zone.” 

We look forward to welcoming you to campus in August! If you have any questions, please contact Sorority and Fraternity Life at SororityFraternityLife@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-3212 Monday to Friday 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.  

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) host informal recruitment, which takes place throughout the fall and spring semesters. Chapters host most of the events individually for members and interested students to learn about the opportunities provided through membership. Students who are interested in joining an IFC fraternity must have a minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA. The Fall 2025 Interest Form is now live!

Fall 2025 Council-Sponsored Recruitment Schedule 

Thursday, August 14: IFC Recruitment Kick-Off and Cookout from 4-6 p.m. (Location TBD)

Monday, August 25: Basketball Recruitment Event at Hewett-Machnester Courts from 6-8 p.m.

Wednesday, August 27: IFC Chapter Tabling at Festival ISU; Quad from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.

• Chapters will also host their own schedule of recruitment events. It is encouraged to follow IFC on Instagram (@ilstu_ifc) for additional information regarding council-sponored and individual chapter recruitment events.

There is no council-run intake process for the culturally based organizations that are a part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and United Greek Council (UGC). Students interested in one of these chapters should attend NPHC and UGC week of events or chapter's week of events to learn more about the organizations and the intake process. If you need assistance in contacting individual organizations or to gain more information, please email the Sorority and Fraternity Life unit. You can also follow the SFL Instagram, NPHC Intstagram, or UGC Instagram for more details.