Ayda

As an incoming freshman at Purdue, I decided, very nervously, to go through Panhellenic Primary Recruitment. I had no idea what to expect or how much joining a chapter would shape my college experience. Once I joined, I immediately knew I wanted to get involved, so I ran for Sophomore Representative on our Invitations Committee, an entry-level position on our recruitment team. What started as a small role quickly grew into a genuine passion for recruitment and helping other women have the same positive experience I had. The following year, I ran for Vice President of Membership, where I expanded our Work Week and recruitment efforts and helped lead our chapter through a successful recruitment process.

Through that role, I worked closely with Purdue Panhellenic’s Vice President of Recruitment, who encouraged me to apply for her position when my chapter role ended. I was initially intimidated by the responsibility of serving on Panhellenic, but I took the chance, applied, and was offered the position. Since then, serving as Vice President of Recruitment has been one of the most transformative experiences of my college career. It has challenged me to grow as a leader, communicator, and professional while giving me lifelong friendships, meaningful connections, confidence, and skills I will carry far beyond college.

My Panhellenic experience has also opened doors I never expected. Because of the professional experience I gained through my role, which is viewed by many employers as comparable to an internship, I felt confident pursuing opportunities outside of Purdue, including studying abroad between my junior and senior years. That experience gave me an entirely new perspective on culture, career growth, and the world around me. Looking back, I never could have imagined that the nervous freshman who signed up for recruitment would eventually be leading recruitment for the entire Panhellenic community. Joining a sorority at Purdue is so much more than the cute pictures, sisterhood events, and living in a house together, it is an opportunity to discover your passions, challenge yourself, build confidence, develop professionally, and create experiences that will benefit you long after college.