A total of 60 women have joined Baker University’s three Panhellenic sororities, and 51 men have joined its four fraternities.

“This was a really successful year,” Fraternity and Sorority Life Coordinator Katie Sellers said. “I feel really good about it.”

Sellers’ assessment of recruitment success is based on the numbers.

Alpha Chi Omega sorority brought in 22 new members, while Delta Delta Delta and Zeta Tau Alpha sororities each took in 19 new members. Zeta Phi Beta sorority, which is the fourth campus sorority but is not part of the Panhellenic Council, will recruit in the spring semester.

While new members continue to turn in bid cards, the running fraternity total is 51 men. Delta Tau Delta brought in 22 new members, Sigma Phi Epsilon gained 20, Kappa Sigma took five and Zeta Chi acquired four.

Sorority recruitment is a three-day process when women attend events at each of the sorority houses. On the first day, sororities discuss their philanthropies. The second day displays sisterhood in a series of skits at each house, and the final day is preference day when prospective recruits fill out their bid card.

The fraternities have a two-night selection process. The first night is a barbecue at each fraternity in an open-house style when men can come and go between the houses. The second night brings all four fraternities together to promote fraternity life as a whole. At midnight on the second night, the fraternities deliver bid cards to the doors of the men they wish to recruit.

Within the organizations, recruitment strategies differ. Some host specialized events prior to recruitment, while others wait to meet potential new members during the recruitment process.

Over this past summer, Sigma Phi Epsilon hosted three events for prospective recruits. They invited male students to play paintball, attend a Royals game and visit the house. The fraternity uses these events to have a first look at incoming recruitment candidates.

“This is one of the best classes since I’ve been here,” Sigma Phi Epsilon President Nick Shondell said.

Delta Delta Delta President Erika Mallery and her sorority sisters focused on qualities such as responsibility, respectfulness and commitment to guide them in their recruit choices.

“It was good to see the effort we put in over work week pay off with our new members,” Mallery said.