A Letter from our VP Recruitment…
Hi! My name is Emberlynn, and I am so honored to serve as this year’s Vice President of Recruitment for Panhellenic. Whether you’re feeling excited, nervous, curious, or a mix of all three, just know that you are exactly where you’re supposed to be.
When I first stepped onto Pepperdine’s campus, I was eager to join a chapter but I didn’t yet know how impactful my time with Greek Life would be. I thought I was signing up for philanthropy and a new way to make friends, but what I have found in this community has been so much more. I have found meaningful friendships, kind mentors, and a purpose in serving a community larger than myself. Truly, my time here at Pepperdine would not have been the same without Panhellenic.
Recruitment is all about being yourself! It is about discovering who makes you feel seen, valued, and encouraged to grow. You will meet women with diverse interests and histories, each with their own story and each excited to hear yours. The conversations you have during recruitment and the connections you make not only in your own chapter, but the entire community, will take you far!
As you begin this journey, here are a few things you should keep in mind:
Be true to your own character!
You don’t need to impress anyone or try to be someone else. The best version of you is the real one, and the most meaningful connections come when you’re honest, open, and real. Trust that the right people will love you for who you truly are, and not for what you think you’re supposed to be.
Keep an open mind!
Even if you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, lean into the process! Some of the best surprises come when you allow yourself to explore. The more open you are to make connections and have unexpected conversations, the better!
Enjoy it!
Recruitment can be a whirlwind, but it is also full of laughs, new friends, and core memories. It is also a long, hot weekend so rest! Hydrate! and enjoy each moment as it comes. Remember, you are not in this alone! Every potential new member is navigating the same process, and there is something uniquely beautiful about that shared experience. Me, your Rho Gammas, the rest of the Panhellenic Executive Board is here for you to lean on and so excited to meet you!
Sorority life is about finding the people and the experiences that will shape not just your time at Pepperdine, but beyond! Membership in a Panhellenic sorority is for a lifetime. If you’re on the fence, I encourage you to give it a try! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain!
We CANNOT wait to meet you!
With love and gratitude,
Emberlynn Witt
REGISTERING FOR RECRUITMENT
In order to participate in Panhellenic Recruitment, every Potential New Member (PNM) must register by filling out an application and paying a $20 registration fee. Set aside 10-15 minutes to complete this application to ensure your responses are detailed, thoughtful, and accurate. This information will be shared with all the chapters so they can get to know you prior to formal recruitment. It may not seem like it, but these details are important to chapters as they get to know you as a potential sister!
The deadline to register for fall formal recruitment is Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 11:59 pm
Optional PNM Intro Video: All PNMs can record up to a 90 second video to introduce themselves and talk about what makes them unique! Submitting a video is NOT a requirement to participate in recruitment but it is open to all PNMs who would like to submit one. Review Panhellenic’s guide to creating and uploading your PNM Intro Video here!
PRE-RECRUITMENT EVENTS
The first couple weeks of school are sprinkled with Pre-Recruitment events put on by the Panhellenic Association which are designed for all PNMs to get a feel for what sorority life at Pepperdine is like. PNMs will have an informal chance to meet the chapters, ask questions to the Panhellenic Council and Recruitment Guides, and to learn about the recruitment process. You can come to all, some, or none of the events! All events are FREE. Bring a friend, stay as long as you'd like, and enjoy what makes our Panhellenic community so special!
Panhellenic "Meet the Chapters" Night
Wednesday, September 2, 2026
5 - 7 PM, Location: Alumni Park
Picnic with Panhellenic Pre-Recruitment Event
Friday, September 4, 2026
5 - 7 PM, Location: Alumni Park
Final Panhellenic Pre-Recruitment Event
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
5-7, Location: Alumni Park
At each event, chapters will be tabling and ready to meet interested women. Stay for as long or as short as you want!
Meet The Rho Gammas!
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
6-8pm, Location: Light House
At each event, chapters will be tabling and ready to meet interested women. Stay for as long or as short as you want!
FORMAL RECRUITMENT
PNM ORIENTATION
Thursday, September 10, 2026
6:30-8:30 PM in Elkins Auditorium
Learn everything there is to know about the Formal Recruitment process, what to expect, and how to make the most out of Recruitment. PNMs will meet in their Rho Gamma + Rho Gamma groups.
**Attendance mandatory unless a PNM has class or has another valid commitment. Panhellenic will contact all PNMs not physically present.
OPEN HOUSE
Friday, September 11, 2026
PNM Meeting: 4 PM, Events: 4:45 - 10:30 PM (includes dinner break)
Location: Various locations on Main Campus. Rho Gammas will provide you with your first meeting location.
In this round, PNMs will meet all seven of our Panhellenic sororities and make personal connections with women in each chapter. They will get to know more about each chapter’s values and things that make each chapter special.
SISTERHOOD DAY
Saturday, September 12, 2026
PNM Meeting: 12:45PM, Events: 2 - 10 PM (includes dinner break)
Location: Various classrooms around campus
This round of recruitment gives PNMs the opportunity to learn more about each chapter’s philanthropy, service opportunities, sisterhood events & traditions, finances, and more. Each PNM will be invited back to between one to five chapters based on mutual selection from the night before.
PREFERENCE NIGHT
Sunday, September 13, 2026
PNM Meeting: 1:45 PM, Events: 3 - 7 PM
Location: Various classrooms around campus
PNMs will be invited back to one or two final chapters and participate in a special ceremony to help PNMs make their final preferences for sorority membership. Immediately after their last party, PNMs will make their final selections via electronic bid cards.
BID NIGHT
Monday, September 14, 2026
6:30PM | Location: Firestone Fieldhouse
PNMs will hear final remarks from Panhellenic and watch their Rho Gammas reveal their affiliation. After Rho Gamma reveal, PMNs will receive their bids to their new sorority and participate in a Bid Day celebration. This begins day one in your new chapter!
New Member Forum
TBD
The New Member Forum is a required seminar that gives every new member in the Panhellenic Community a foundation of what is means to be in a sorority at Pepperdine. New Members will participate in sessions which include: alcohol, belonging & inclusion, sexual assault, hazing education, and social responsibility. The University requires 100% of all new members of each chapter to attend this training. Not attending will result in a fine per member for the chapter.