Bar graph showing the number of new members recruited within all Ohio State sororities and fraternities each spring since 2022. Since the 2026 recruitment process is still happening, we included the number of sign ups from Potential New Members for this Spring semester. Graphic: Reegan Davis | Lantern Reporter
Recruitment for Ohio State Greek life has increased by about 55 percent since 2021, and this year’s season is expected to be no different.
Since 2021, Ohio State’s rush recruitment has steadily increased from about 1,200 members to almost 1,900, with a slight dip in Spring 2023, according to Ohio State’s Sorority and Fraternity Life member statistics.
The larger recruitment classes have led to three additional chapters joining campus this semester.
In the past two years, over 1,400 potential new members, or PNMs, have registered each spring, according to Alessandra Ciccone, the vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Board, also known as PHA, and fourth-year in health sciences.
The board posted on Instagram on Saturday there are over 1,400 PNMs registered for recruitment.
“My freshman year, the pledge classes were not this size,” Ciccone said. “Every chapter is probably seeing about 20 more new members than they did when I was a freshman, about three or four years ago. We’ve definitely seen an overall increase in the desire to be a part of Greek life.”
Although not required, the Interfraternity Council, also known as IFC, has already registered almost 600 students. It is projected to reach a member class of 700 students, according to Hunter Hartwig, the associate director for council leadership.
“From the Panhellenic Association recruitment lens, our registrations have been almost identical [to last year], which is great, because we didn’t have as large of an incoming class this year as we did last year,” Hartwig said. “We are still seeing the same number of registrations, which is really exciting.”
Due to the large number of PNMs in the 2025 spring semester, the university decided to open three new chapters for rush this semester, according to the sources.
Kappa Sigma is the new fraternity in IFC, Alpha Delta Pi is the new sorority in PHA and Alpha Kappa Delta Phi is the new sorority within the Multicultural Greek Council, or MGC.
“I think it’s awesome, because now it creates another community of girls that are going to be able to meet and meet potential best friends and get more learning experiences,” said Elise Montenora, the director of recruitment guides for the Panhellenic Association and fourth-year in communication and psychology. “It’s just exciting for me to know that more of the PNMs will be able to potentially find a forever home.”
The council members said the large turnout and registrants for spring rush this year is due to the popularity Greek life is gaining on social media.
“I think a lot of people didn’t really know about Greek life and saw it on social media and thought it was interesting,” Montenora said. “Or, their perceptions were changed by watching girls in sororities do social media. I think certain stereotypes were, in my opinion, broken.”
According to Hartwig, Ohio State’s new chapters will allow more students to find their place at the university.
“Students are still looking for that sense of belonging, so that is a big motivator for why students join clubs and organizations, and sororities and fraternities are no strangers to that,” Hartwig said. “We are just one of the options that students have, and if they want that experience they’re going to register for recruitment and check it out.”
