Greek life on campus often offers freshmen a smoother transition to college life by providing community. That process, however, might look different for transfer students who were involved in a fraternity of sorority at their previous school.

All sorority members who transfer to U of I have the opportunity to immediately participate in the coinciding sorority, said Renee Durack, vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Council.

Eddie Kahle, sophomore in engineering and vice president of recruitment for the Interfraternity Council, said though there are no restrictions against transfer students who are already active members of a fraternity joining the fraternity’s U of I chapter, this decision is ultimately left to each chapter.

Transfer students who are active members do not have the chance to experience traditional recruitment events, like socials and movie nights. The purpose of these events is to introduce new students to a variety of sororities, so they aren’t as necessary for transfer students.

Corrinne Hillard, sophomore in LAS, was a member of Delta Gamma at Southern Methodist University in Texas and is now an active member at Illinois. Hillard said the only thing she missed by not going through the recruitment process at on campus was the stress of rushing.

“Considering that rush is such an intense and somewhat difficult process, I was glad that I did not have to live through that experience all over again,” she said.

Although the process of joining a Greek chapter might be simplified for transfer students, it is also limiting. Both Durack and Kahle said that once an active member in one chapter, one cannot join another fraternity or sorority on any campus.

And while the name of the fraternity might be the same, each university chapter is different, Hillard said. She and Mike Goldberg, sophomore in AHS and transfer student from the University of Arizona, attributed this to the varying atmospheres of different campuses at large.

Goldberg said that he is not involved in his fraternity on the U of I campus and he could not join the fraternity that he wanted to. Without the community he had in Arizona, he said that adjusting to a new school has been difficult. But, having friends who are involved in fraternities has helped him meet people, he said.

“Having friends in different fraternities and playing on the club soccer team has made the process of adjusting and making friends much easier,” Goldberg said.

Hillard, however, said that even though the Delta Gamma chapter in Texas and the chapter at U of I are vastly different, she has had no problem fitting in with both communities.

“Delta Gamma girls saved me from falling apart at such a difficult time,” Hillard said. “It has allowed me to meet so many people easily and transfer right into having a group of great friends.”