I was involved in many different clubs and organizations in high school. I was on the Girls Lacrosse team, the Speech and Debate team and I also Co-Founded my own chapter of a global non-profit called “Days4Girls”. I was born and raised in Saint Louis, MO but grew a passion for meeting new people that led to me to move halfway across the country and commit to Arizona State University (ASU) for college.
Although I was SO excited to go to ASU, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t a little terrified to leave everything I had ever known. Going to college is scary, but going to a school that I only knew three other people at was even scarier. That’s when I decided to think about going through sorority recruitment
Some of my older friends had joined sororities, but I wasn’t completely sure what being in a sorority meant. I was still a little apprehensive, even after some research about the formal recruitment process. What helped my decision to go through recruitment was definitely realizing that so many other girls were in the same position as me! When I got to school and asked my friends how they were feeling, it was similar to my nervous yet excited attitude.
I believe that Recruitment was one of my most insightful experiences, I absolutely loved it! I was extremely nervous at first, but my Recruitment Counselors were so helpful and made me feel so confident going into every round. I really enjoyed talking to the women in all the different chapters, and they made me feel so welcomed at my new school!
I could have seen myself in many of the wonderful chapters at my school, the chapter that I ended up running home to truly stuck out to me with the kind hearted nature of all the women I talked to during recruitment. Running home to Delta Gamma on Bid Day will forever be a core memory that I will always hold close to my heart, it was the start of my love for being a woman in the Panhellenic community!
As I attended my sorority’s events and new member meetings every week I met new women who made me feel accepted, and inspired me with their stories. I was also meeting women in other chapters who I shared my Panhellenic experiences with.
I think that one of the best parts about joining a sorority was feeling like I was a part of something. Especially at a big school it was such a great feeling to know that I had many leadership opportunities ahead of me, and joining Panhellenic made ASU feel like a home away from home.
In November of my sophomore year I applied to be on my school’s Panhellenic Executive Council , and a few interviews later I was elected as the Vice President of Marketing.
This was such a rewarding experience for me because my story became full circle. As a potential new member (PNM) I remembered reading the Panhellenic Recruitment Booklet, but as the VP of Marketing I became the one who made that Booklet for new pnm’s to look at.
I could not imagine my college experience without my Panhellenic sisters, and I encourage everyone to give Recruitment a try, the sisterhood and beautiful experiences are truly unmatched!
Trinity Lopes
