More than 500 women participated in sorority recruitment on campus last week, mingling with potential “sisters” and getting a glimpse of the Greek life. But days of entertainment means weeks of preparation, Greek officers said.

Clare Edwards, Panhellenic Council president, said along with the co-directors of Rho Gamma and the Panhellenic recruitment team, she spent more than 35 hours training Rho Gammas – recruitment guides – how to lead potential members and help the women choose a sorority.

“We had a great time preparing for recruitment,” Edwards said. “It was a great experience. I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Sarah Walkup, president of Delta Gamma, said the chapters start working on recruitment in the summer but that the real work begins once the women start registering for recruitment.

“We work about 10 to 12 hours a day during Spirit Week – the five days before recruitment,” she said. “Spirit Week is the time we get together to spend time with each other – bonding time.”

Walkup said recruitment is a full-day process, as well.

“We spend a lot of time and effort in recruitment, and we end up pledging some amazing women,” Walkup said.

Emily Grierson, assistant of recruitment for Sigma Kappa, said the chapter worked about 15 hours a day during Spirit Week and recruitment.

“The long hours were really hard, but everything went really smooth,” Grierson said. “We had a great turnout.”

Sarah Walkup’s sister, Mary Walkup, a freshman business major from Edmond, Okla., said the recruitment process was hectic at first but she was glad to join her sister by pledging Delta Gamma.

“I really wanted to find a group that I had things in common with,” she said. “And since I’m from out of state, I wanted the opportunity to meet new people.”

Caitlin Lippert, a freshman political science major, pledged Kappa Alpha Theta.

“Recruitment is an experience you can’t plan for, but it’s a great experience,” Lippert said. “I’ve come into contact with some great girls.”

“I chose Theta based on the girls I met in the house, the conversations we had, and I chose the place where I felt most comfortable,” added Lippert.

Lisa Baity, a freshman premajor, said she decided to go through recruitment because she thought it would be a good opportunity to meet new people as well, however her busy schedule made it difficult.

“(My coach) has a policy that freshmen athletes can’t rush, at least not in my sport,” Baity said. “Freshmen aren’t allowed to rush because running is such a time commitment.”

Out of about 570 women going through recruitment this semester, Sarah Walkup said it is not unusual for the chapters to experience problems with students’ schedules.

Grierson said she noticed about 30 women drop out of recruitment last week for different reasons, such as health problems or family emergencies; Panhellenic rarely knows the reasons, she said.

“We try to accommodate all those women with special needs or schedules,” Walkup said, “but sometimes they have to drop out.”

After recruitment, Mary Walkup said the week was a bit overwhelming, “but in the end, you find the place where you belong.