Fall 2018 Formal Recruitment
Welcome to the Garden of Theta!
Kappa Alpha Theta has a long history as the first Greek-letter fraternity known among women founded on the principles of attaining the highest scholarship, spreading the widest influence for good, and developing our members as leading women. Please visit the campus Panhellenic’s website for more information regarding the recruitment process and to register for primary recruitment. Our chapter is so excited to meet all potential new members (PNMs) throughout the primary recruitment process and cannot wait to welcome a new member class this year!
Involvement in Greek life provides students with a wide variety of opportunities to develop leadership skills, achieve academically, and increase involvement in the community through various service and philanthropy activities. Additionally, Greek membership can help make the transition to college smoother and more enjoyable for students by providing a support system found through the camaraderie of the Greek community.
Sign up for recruitment here!
1. Fill out the online application beginning August 1st.
2. Use the online payment system or send a check made payable to UCSC College Panhellenic.
3. Registration takes about 15 minutes to complete and includes a $25 fee that is non-refundable.
4. A confirmation email will be sent to the email provided to verify registration and payment. Please read through this email as it requires important information about formal recruitment.
5. Letters of recommendation are not required for recruitment. If you do have any from sorority or alumnae members, please visit here and follow instructions on how to submit a reference on behalf of a potential new member. For more information you may want to contact the sorority's national headquarters, as each organization has different processes for references.
6. Feel free to contact Matti Hogan, Panhellenic VP of Recruitment here or by directing any questions to the Contact tab and filling out a form. Or for Kappa Alpha Theta-specific question, please click here to email McKenna Jensen, our Chief Recruitment Officer.
We're so excited to meet you, see you soon!
Tips & Advice
Congrats on registering! Now what?
Nervous about Recruitment? Don't be!
Just in case, here are some helpful tips as you go through the Recruitment process.
Get to know people: Recruitment is a fantastic opportunity to meet other girls of all different hometowns, backgrounds, and even years in school. The friends you meet during Recruitment could end up sticking for life.
Keep an open mind: Regardless of anything you've heard about particular chapters or the Greek system as a whole, come in with an unbiased and positive outlook.
Ask questions: Get to know what Greek membership can add to your college experience.
Have fun and RELAX: Recruitment activities are planned as a way for you to get to know the personalities of the chapters in a relaxed setting, and for us to get to know you. We all want you to have fun!
Be yourself: This is the most important. We love you for being you. Stay true to yourself and let your personality shine through for us to see!
We are so excited to meet you!
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have any other questions, feel free to head over to our Contact page to submit a question or email our Chief Recruiting Officer, McKenna Jensen.
Are letters of reference required for membership of Kappa Alpha Theta?
No, a letter of reference is not required in order to receive an invitation to membership in Kappa Alpha Theta. However, if you would like to submit a letter of reference, please click here.
Who is eligible to write a letter of reference and how do I submit a letter of reference?
ou may write a letter of reference if you are...
An alumna member of the Fraternity in good standing
An initiated college member of the Fraternity in good standing who is a member of another chapter
An inactive college member of another chapter
An affiliated college member submitting a letter of reference to her original chapter
An unaffiliated college member submitting a letter of reference to a chapter other than her original
You can fill out the online letter of reference form on the Kappa Alpha Theta website. The online form, upon submittal, will automatically be sent to the chief recruiting officer (CRO) of the school where the PNM is attending.
What is a legacy?
A Theta legacy is defined as a daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter, or sister of a Kappa Alpha Theta. Stepdaughters, step granddaughters, step great-granddaughters, and stepsisters are considered legacies if their family considers them as such and if the family asks that they be considered as such on the legacy introduction form. These women all deserve special consideration.
There is no such thing as an indirect legacy (i.e., cousin, niece, etc.), and such persons are not given special consideration. However, we recognize that they may have special knowledge of and interest in Kappa Alpha Theta and are warmly welcomed and recruited.
What happens after recruitment?
Kappa Alpha Theta chapters initiate their new members between 4-6 weeks after Bid Day. This program covers the following topics:
Zero-tolerance hazing policy and risk management
Theta history
Scholarship
Leadership
Personal excellence
Ritual appreciation
In addition to these topics, Theta new members also complete Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP). Kappa Alpha Theta was the first women's fraternity to endorse and require that all members complete online alcohol education. ASTP is unlike most alcohol education programs because it acknowledges that college students may choose to drink. Rather than only trying to impose abstinence, it recognizes that any steps taken towards risk reduction are steps in the right direction. Through ASTP, Kappa Alpha Theta joins other interfraternal organizations in offering a program that focuses on risk management and educating our members through conversation and educational programming. For more information, please visit the Kappa Alpha Theta website.
From the moment a new member is offered a bid to our chapter, they become a part of our family. By offering them this bid, we promise to be loyal and loving sisters to them from that day on, for the rest of our lives. UCSC Thetas take this commitment very seriously and strive to cultivate an environment of love, support, and safety for our new members. This means a very serious commitment to our zero tolerance policy towards hazing. During their new member period, our new sisters learn about Theta's core values, the history of their new sisterhood and the commitments and expectations involved in being an initiated member of Kappa Alpha Theta. Within 48 hours of receiving their bid, new members go through pledge service and the initial module training, which covers the basic expectations of membership. Each week, new members will be taught a new module about a different subject regarding Theta by our New Member Director, Chief Education Officer, and any relevant guests. They will get to know their fellow new members and grow close with current sisters, developing deep bonds of sisterhood through activities like weekly Kite Sister dates. The week leading up to initiation is called Inspiration Week and is filled with fun activities, including big little reveal! At reveal, new members will meet their big sister who will serve as a guide, role model, and true friend during their time at UCSC and for the rest of their life. The new member period is a time of growth, learning, and exploring meant to help new members feel at home in their new family. This period is one of the most exciting times for a Theta, as you open yourself up to all the possibilities that being a sister holds!