IFC, Panhel prep for coming spring rush

With the end of the semester approaching, members of the Greek system are beginning to gear up for the spring rush season. Rush will begin immediately following winter break. In the meantime, however, the InterFraternity Council has spent this fall "showcasing" the system to freshmen. This is the second year the IFC has held freshman rush in the spring. The Panhellenic Council held its second rush registration session on Sunday in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge. The event, like the first one held November 3, offered opportunities to meet current sorority members and to introduce prospective rushes to the process. College freshman Emilie Vasu said Sunday's event provided an informative introduction to the Greek system. She added that she hopes rushing and then joining a sorority will help her establish a "tighter group of friends." And College freshman Lesley Harper, who signed up for rush at the event, said she is looking forward to meeting both freshmen and upperclassmen during the period. "I really want to get involved in activities beyond my classes and my floor and rush will provide that," she said. Chi Omega President and College senior Katie Leeson described the sorority rush process as one where the students who are rushing and the sisters in the houses choose each other. "It's a very fair process," she said. "We're evaluating our goals for what kind of girls we want to attract to our house," she said. Panhellenic Council President and College senior Jessica Schreck said the sign-ups provided an informal way for prospective rushes to meet the sisters. "They could walk around and talk to sisters from all the different houses," the Sigma Delta Tau sister said. "We didn't want it to be a dressed-up occasion." But Harper said she was surprised to see many freshman girls dressed up for the event on Saturday. Panhel rush begins with open-house rounds on January 14 and 15, College senior and Vice President for Rush Florence Legaspi said. Freshmen can sign up for rush until December 3, but Legaspi said she may extend the registration period to encourage more people to sign up. Rush orientation will take place on the final day of registration, the Alpha Phi sister added. Showcasing events for the IFC included Greek Week's Meet the Greeks on Locust Walk, which provided a way for freshmen to learn about the Greek system in October. "We want to show freshman guys that fraternities offer a 'home away from home', " College junior and Sigma Alpha Epsilon brother Adam Silfen said. IFC President and College senior Josh Gottheimer said he expects a 10 percent increase in rush numbers thanks to the showcasing campaign and the addition of four new fraternities this year. A mandatory information session for anyone interested in rushing will take place following Thanksgiving break, Silfen added. And all freshman males interested in rush must sign up before January 12, the first day of open rush events. Invite-only activities will follow two rounds of open events during the first week of rush. Some freshmen said they will welcome the chance to meet people within the Greek system during the rush season. "I want to get in touch with the older classes and meet more people," Wharton freshman Keith DiMarino said. "Fraternity life seems to be part of the full college experience and I'm looking forward to that."