By Camryn Stroupe, Opinions Editor
With the spring semester at Ouachita comes the special time of Rush, where men and women attend social clubs’ parties to meet new friends and find the people they may call brothers or sisters for the years at Ouachita to come. Working behind the scenes for Women’s Rush is a special group of students known as Panhellenic. These women work tirelessly year-round on top of their regular classwork to make Rush a positive, successful experience for not only the clubs, but also the Rushees involved.
Senior Victoria Sprague served as Co-President of Panhellenic this year. “Panhellenic is a group of women who are members of a social club who willingly disassociate to be advocates for the women who are going through Rush,” Sprague said. “During Rush, Panhellenic members attend all of the parties with their respective groups. Panhellenic members listen to their Rushees if they are conflicted about clubs or what they like/dislike about a club. After each party, we go back to our clubs to help with voting. After club voting is complete, Panhellenic and some selected club members meet with Student Life to determine invites for the following day.”
Senior Emma Mackey has served on Panhellenic for several years, and knows the importance of Panhellenic in interclub communication during Rush. “We figure out when and where people need to be for Rush parties, who was accepted to what club, and so on,” Mackey said. “Without us as a through line, communication between clubs and rushees during Rush would be a far more difficult task.”
Senior Brooke Wright describes Panhellenic as being “Rush counselors” and speaks on how it influenced her decision to run for Panhellenic chair for her club. “We serve as intermediaries between the rushees and clubs to ensure an organized, fair, and fun Rush process,” Wright said. “There can be so much mystery and confusion surrounding Panhellenic, and I wanted to change that when I ran. Panhellenic is meant to be a wonderful resource, and I hoped to inform the rushees on how to use it to their advantage.”
Serving as Panhellenic chair gives club members a special chance to be a comforter and guide in a confusing process for the girls in their groups. Sophomore Lillie Tretter’s favorite part of the position is comforting the women in her Rush group. “I would say the best part of the position is being able to just remind the girls as they have doubts and worries throughout the week that everything happens for a reason and God will put you where you need to be,” Tretter said. “I get to pray with girls and really remind them that they will end up where they are supposed to be because it is in God’s hands. On the flip side, for girls who do not get the club they initially had in mind, I try to remind them to keep an open mind and maybe what your plan was for yourself, it wasn’t God’s plan. I remind them the importance of trusting in the Lord throughout difficult times, and that even though it might be devastating to not get invited back to the club you were hoping to, sometimes the biggest blessings can come from the unexpected.”
Being in a position such as Panhellenic comes with many lessons. Junior Bree Steinfeldt described how she has grown through the position. “I have learned how to be there and support those in a different way than I had before,” Steinfeldt said.
Panhellenic also provides growth opportunities, as it has for Sprague. “I was so quiet freshman year and wasn’t really sure I would fit into a club,” Sprague said. “I rushed and pledged and found my place. My club really encouraged me to hold leadership positions, this allowed me to grow. When I received the position of Panhellenic, I did not think that I would ever be a President, and I am so thankful for my club and Panhellenic for believing in me and supporting me throughout my time in Panhellenic and at Ouachita.”
As a first-year member of Panhellenic, Tretter has learned much through serving her Rush group. “One thing I have learned from serving on Panhellenic is the importance of empathy and welcoming people into your life even though you may not know them,” Tretter said. “I was able to help 17 girls through rush this year, and while that is not a big number, I know that many of them if not all of them found their home and the group of girls that love them endlessly no matter what. I learned that being open with people and being there to support strangers can form bonds you never knew you needed.”
The Rush process, though it sometimes seems mysterious, is a time that clubs across campus strive to ensure that the rushees find their homes. “Working together despite being from different clubs, groups or whatever is incredibly important,” Mackey said. “While we have things that set us apart from one another, we shouldn’t allow these things to divide us. Rather, we should come together to accomplish our goal—successfully organize events like Rush—while also pursuing campus unity.”
So, next time you see one of Ouachita’s Panhellenic members on campus, be reminded of the countless hours, meetings, and sacrifices made by these women to make Rush happen as smoothly as possible year after year. Through the difficult decisions and joyous celebrations, the women of Panhellenic serve each of their clubs well and strive to help each and every rushee find their home.
