Over 500 freshman and sophomore men gathered at Claudia Cohen Hall Monday night to sign their fraternity bids.
This annual event marked the end of fraternity rush — a 12-day process in which recruits are initiated into Penn’s 30 Interfraternity Council chapters.
This year, 546 bids were given out, according to Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski. This figure is consistent with previous years but includes some new members who received multiple bids, he said.
Outgoing IFC President and Wharton senior Shawn Woodhull congratulated new fraternity members at the event. He urged them to take pride in being members of “the oldest and most distinguished Greek system in the country.”
Current IFC President and Wharton junior Christian Lunoe also encouraged members to leave their mark on the Penn community. His plans for this year include launching a new IFC web site and formalizing the online registration process.
However, Lunoe emphasized that it would be “impractical” for IFC chapters to adopt an organized recruitment system similar to the one employed by Panhellenic Council sororities.
“It’s important to allow chapters to use their creative freedom,” he said.
Wharton freshman Tyler Alley, who received a bid from Phi Kappa Psi, agreed.
“The casual process of fraternity rush makes it less stressful,” he said.
College freshman Nick Calotta, who received a bid from Sigma Alpha Epsilon, similarly felt that open rush events were a “more natural” way to meet people.
“When you go to a fraternity that you’re really interested in, the conversation moved beyond where you’re from, what you’re studying, how was your break,” he said.
Both freshmen are excited about the pledging process, which will take place over the next two months.
“I’ve heard that it is the most fun I’ll never want to have again,” added Calotta.
Vice President of Recruitment and New Member Education and Engineering junior Jake Ferber has been working closely with new member educators in each chapter to develop productive techniques to help solidify pledge classes without hazing.
The IFC will be collaborating with Phi Delta Theta and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs to host a screening of the feature documentary HAZE — which deals with binge drinking and hazing rituals involving alcohol in fraternities — next Tuesday, Feb. 2.
