Sororities at Marist? Everything You Need to Know About Rushing

Members of Kappa Kappa Gamma at Bid Day on Feb. 22. Photo by Abigail Hartman '28 and KKG members

Even at a small school like Marist University, Greek Life plays a big role in certain students’ lives. From afar, rushing a fraternity or sorority looks intimidating. Upon closer inspection, the process of becoming involved in Greek Life is less daunting than it may seem. 

When looking at schools, Abigail Hartman ‘28 had an interest in joining a sorority at schools down south, which requires a significantly larger commitment to Greek Life. After deciding on Marist, Hartman had no initial plans to rush.

“Just try it. My biggest thing is: It's better to leave with dislike than regret,” said Hartman, who rushed and ultimately received a bid from Kappa Kappa Gamma (KKG).

President of Alpha Sigma Tau (AST), Christina Cirrincione ‘26, noted, “With other sororities at other schools, they're always being put against each other. Here, sorority life is much more of a broader community.”

Though certain universities with sorority rivalries may give the impression that they don’t cooperate well, the four sororities at Marist work together to plan the rush week events for the potential new members (PNMs). 

The first night of rushing resembles speed dating; PNM’s speak to pairs of sisters from each sorority for two-minute intervals. The conversations are meant to be simple and stress-free, as they are intended to act as a way for PNMs to get to know some of the sisters.

“I was nervous beforehand, but it was very simple,” said Hartman.

Though the pressure might feel like it’s on the PNM’s, members of each sorority were just as nervous, if not more.

“I honestly felt more nervous as a member trying to rush girls than I did when I was rushing as a PNM because I wanted to impress them so bad,” said Cirrincione.

After speed dating comes informational night. The PNMs are separated into small groups where they can learn about each sorority’s philanthropy, dues pricing, events and a deeper explanation of what each sorority stands for. 

“That’s the night [when] you start to filter out what sorority you want to be in because you get more of an insight,” said Hartman, who felt herself beginning to gravitate more towards KKG at this part of the process.

KKG’s philanthropy is focused on mental health and well-being, and they fundraise for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Hartman worked with mental health organizations throughout high school and is mental health first aid certified, which helped her feel a strong connection to KKG’s philanthropic mission.

To lower the stakes and make Night 2 a more comfortable experience for PNM’s, Marist’s chapter of AST took a different approach. 

When making this change, Cirricione thought, “How can we make this better for the girls that are currently rushing?”

Instead of sitting across from each other at tables, Cirrincione and the rest of the Executive Board set up blankets on the floor to foster an enjoyable environment.

“When you have a line of girls sitting behind a table, staring at you and spewing information out at you, you don't feel that connection as much,” explained Cirrincione. “This allowed us to have a much more relaxed environment because we don't want to put too much stress on the girls that are rushing, because I've been there, and it's a lot.”

The third night was similar to the first, allotting time for PNMs to meet with sisters again, but this night was even more casual. 

“They were familiar faces at this point, so you got to talk to them more personally,” said Hartman.

Following the three nights of rushing, PNMs hear back from sororities on Friday. That's when they get their “prefs” back – seeing what sororities want them. Each sorority then hosts an hour-long pref party on Saturday, where PNMs can continue to familiarize themselves with girls in each sorority. 

“I don't think any of us [see] it as a competition. The rush process isn't about who we want; it's about who the PNMs want. And that's what makes it so unique,” said Cirrincione. 

That night, the PNMs rank the sororities and wait to hear back over the next few days. On the following Saturday, each sorority hosts a bid day celebration and invites the PNMs they’ve selected to offer a spot in the next group of sisters. 

After joining a sorority, members can run for executive positions to play a role in major sorority decisions. Between the Vice President of Operations and Member Development, there are many opportunities to get involved and contribute to the sorority’s mission. 

“[Running for president] was something that came naturally to me from being in AST and watching my sister; she's always been an inspiration to me,” said Cirricione, reflecting on her sister’s time as President of AST. “That's what gave me the push to think: ‘How can I make this my own?’, which I really think I have.”

However, some sisters choose to remain a member throughout their time at Marist, contributing to the sorority in other ways. 

“For now, just being in it is a really good experience. It’s already a lot of fun, and I’ve made a lot of new friends, which is why I wanted to rush,” said Hartman. 

Regardless of what sorority you may end up in, both Cirricione and Hartman emphasized that the sororities are not competing against each other but rather working together. 

“You have friends intertwining in every single sorority,” said Cirrincione. “That's what's so special about being in Greek Life at Marist, because it's not make or break for your experience, but it just continues to add to it and contribute to it.”