Recruitment 2020: Zoom Edition

Photo provided by Taylor O'Reilly

COVID-19. The pandemic that swept the world and turned our normal upside down. Before, we gathered with shared hugs, good conversation, and close contact. Now, our new normal is social distancing, masks, and a barrier in communication. No one predicted a pandemic would sweep our world in 2020. Despite the barriers that come with COVID-19, we have been adapting, finding new and unique ways to communicate with one another and not lose touch. Because of the restrictions, rightly so, ordered by Ball State University, sororities had to get creative in how they would recruit their newest pledge class.

Like everything this year, recruitment took place on the most influential application of 2020: Zoom. Traditionally, Kappa Kappa is in a room at Ball State University's Student Center on campus. What would traditionally be a place to laugh, cry, share hugs and stories about ambitions and past experiences transitioned to Zoom, where sisters were challenged with thinking outside of the box to show over a digital barrier what Kappa Kappa was all about. Despite the disconnect from traditionally in person interactions to now over a webcam, Kappa Kappas were still able to shine their lights and recruit amazing women: 19 wonderful members of PC'20.

Throughout polish week and the practices approaching recruitment, there was frustration due to technical difficulties, happiness when practice rounds went smoothly, and nerves, not quite fully knowing what Zoom recruitment would really be like. Compared to how Kappa Kappa traditionally recruits, changes had to be made in order to adapt to the new digital platform.

Because of the hard work, perseverance, and love for Alpha Omicron Pi, Kappa Kappa successfully recruited 19 new members to our lovely chapter. Makenna Eisenhut, our New Member Educator, has began to create meetings for our new members so they can digitally learn and make connections with AOII.

The recruitment team was lead by the amazing VPMR Ali Thrasher, Assistant to the VMPR Abigail Bulmahn, and Bailey Dougherty. We also had help from the MS team, consisting of Kelly Asiala, Vic Shamel, Bri Hendrix, Alexis Bartle, and Nichole Doty. Other influential characters to the recruitment team were Makenna Eisenhut, rotation group leaders, class representatives, and our lovely advisors Julianna Shamel, recruitment advisor, and Rachel Boison, chapter advisor.