The Fall Semester is in full swing and ODPhi chapters and colonies around the nation have kicked off their recruitment weeks in hopes of bringing in quality men to select for prospective membership in their Fall 2019 lines.
Differing from traditional rush in mainstream fraternities, Recruitment week in Omega Delta Phi gives brothers and prospects the opportunity to learn more about each other, gauge interest, and learn what the qualifications of membership are. A series of events are coordinated by the Recruitment Commitee and attended by prospects yearning for a bid.
The events range from social events, service events, to Meet the Men informational sessions where brothers present all info pertaining to prospective membership. Brothers also get an opportunity to share their experience in the brotherhood with potential prospects and get to share testimonials of how the fraternity has impacted their lives.
Service, being the light that ODPhi shines upon the world, is unequivocally a requirement in the Recruitment process. As a way to show prospects through action, the recruitment cycle includes a service effort that the entity hosts and executes in their campus community or in the area they are present in. In the past, brothers have undertaken service projects with Adopt a Highway/Adopt a Street, Habitat for Humanity, Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), or the United Way.
College football being well underway and being a pivotal part of the college experience, and thus for the brotherhood as well, is also a component of the recruitment experience. Many chapters host tailgates where they celebrate their school spirit and traditions and where they give prospects a glimpse of their local rituals on gameday. This is also a great opportunity to showcase the brotherhood and the camaraderie and fellowship that comes along with being a Knight of Omega Delta Phi.
Recruitment is an exciting time for our colonies and chapters; it gives them an opportunity to get to meet interested Men who have the potential to become great Men of Vision, Men of Purpose, devoted to their communities, campus, and to the ideals of Omega Delta Phi.
Some entities have started thinking outside the box for recruitment events, in order to avoid doing the same types of events during each cycle. This semester, the Alpha Chi Chapter at the University of North Texas hosted a Knights at the Ballpark event where they treated interests to a Texas Rangers baseball game at the Ballpark in Arlington.
“Our recruitment budget was pretty solid so we decided to go all out for this event; its great to showcase the brotherhood and camaraderie so that we don’t have to tell the interests about it; they see it for themselves” said chapter President Juan Torres.
Auburn University’s newly formed Multicultural Greek Council will be collaborating on a recruitment event to bring attention to the only two culturally based organizations on the Alabama campus: Kappa Delta Chi and Omega Delta Phi. Since the 13th fell on a Friday and spooky season is approaching, the Auburn Knights and Penguins are coming together to host a Horror Movie Knight at the Student Union. It will be a way to celebrate the macabre day while enjoying snacks, a great horror film, and bringing awareness to the mission and values of the two organizations.
The Delta Knights of Texas A&M collaborated with the women of the Lambda Alpha chapter of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority, Inc. as part of both chapter’s recruitment events. The Knights and Panthers had a Tye Dye event where they made tye dye tshirts and got to know each other better while also showcasing their organizations to interested members.
The Beta Lambda Chapter at the University of Idaho hosted a bowling social for interested men looking to learn more about the brotherhood and to get to know the brothers on that campus. Bowling or game knights have always been pretty popular selections for recruitment events and the Idaho Knights executed this perfectly.
While the Beta Lambda brothers bowled, the Kansas State University colony decided to get sandy and put together a sand volleyball game with their interests. As a new colony, the brothers decided on this because it seemed like an abstract and fun event, which they felt the interests would be drawn to. Both entities at the University of Idaho and Kansas State University will round out their recruitment cycles with service events.
Recruitment efforts are well underway across the ODPhi nation and expectations are high at the chapter, colony, and at the national level. Time will tell how successful this recruitment cycle will be but as Honorable Knights, the task is ours for the taking.