Meet Jess. She’s the force behind AEPhi’s recruitment this year. Jess has an exciting recruitment season planned for this Spring semester. Today, we’re talking with her about what she has in store!
Name: Jessica Gregorio
Year: Sophomore
Org/Position: Alpha Epsilon Phi, Vice President of Recruitment
Why did you want to be VP of recruitment for AEPhi?
I knew I wanted to be AEPhi’s VP of Recruitment as soon as I was initiated as a sister last fall. Before I came out for Recruitment Week my freshman year, I felt so out of place at Emerson. I had yet to find my people, my momentum or a place I could comfortably be myself. I never even considered joining a sorority during my college years, but I went into freshman year with the determination to remain open minded. I would always say yes and go out for new things. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone once and for all. I took that leap into Recruitment and haven’t regretted my decision since. Each girl in that room was kind, honest and willing to answer any question or concern. They embodied a sisterhood, a group of extremely strong, inspiring women that I knew I wanted to surround myself with. After being initiated as a sister, I knew I wanted to be a part of making this experience come to life. I had felt so weary about Emerson and so unsure of myself. I wanted to be the leader who organized these uplifting events that had an aura of relaxation, warmth and support. Recruitment is where I met my people: to craft the backbone of this realization for others has meant everything and more.
What do you do/what are your responsibilities as VP of recruitment?
As VP of Recruitment, I hold a number of responsibilities that have helped me grow as an individual both personally and career wise. One of the most integral expectations of this position is to organize and plan each event that will occur during fall and spring Recruitment Week. I finalize event names, times and locations, and what theme these events will tie into. I also am in charge of decorating each of these spaces, crafting event elements and leading a marketing campaign that can reach potential new members across campus. I also communicate directly with the sisterhood about these occurrences and serve on AEPhi’s Executive Board each week. Though this is a very intrinsic position, the amount of help I receive cannot go without mentioning. My Recruitment Chairs help me do all of this in a timely, consecutive manner, while my sisters are always there to lend a helping hand. These ladies are my sisters and my teammates: recruitment wouldn’t be possible without their consistent help and support. Overall, Recruitment Week is extremely hectic, sure, but I love everything about it. It has built up my passion for marketing, communication and organization, all while making me a more confident individual. I never knew I could successfully lead a Recruitment, nor did I think I could ever do so as a sophomore. Yet here I was, designing marketing visuals, planning events and taking on a responsibility that I care deeply about! To be able to handle it all and craft the position in new ways has proved to me that marketing and entrepreneurship are notable careers I should continue pursuing.
What will next recruitment’s theme be?
The theme of Alpha Epsilon Phi’s spring 2017 Recruitment is ‘BΦss Ladies’ and I couldn’t be more excited about it. It’s all about embracing the boss, strong women in our lives (which is all of them), and associating femininity with well-deserved positivity and power. It’s about supporting and loving yourself, the women around you, and the entire female population. We are women, we are strong, and we cannot be silenced. Our events begin on Tuesday, January 31st and we sincerely hope you consider joining us. More information regarding these boss women and this boss week will be available soon!
What’s going to be new/exciting about Spring recruitment?
During each Recruitment Week, I always try to deliver something new that resonates with the theme being pursued. For BΦss Ladies, I knew I wanted to go all out. I don’t want to give everything away (gotta keep some things a secret for now!) but a lot of networking will be occurring. We’ll be having a powerhouse panel, a ‘ladies supporting ladies’ galentine’s event. So many new events will occur that really tie into supporting womanhood and the female presence on campus and beyond. Our marketing is also going to be new in that our promotional images will feature some of our own sisters. I wanted the advertising to be as real and honest as possible. To think that I’ll be curating this into a photo shoot (something I’ve never organized before) is really exciting. Be sure to keep an eye out for our campaign over winter break!
What are some of your favorite memories from last recruitment?
Last Recruitment was a whirlwind. I think what really sticks out is meeting all of the potential new members who emailed me, came up to me in classes and showed up to each of our events. I was so nervous about how everything would come together, but people actually showed up! People were interested and had seen my marketing images—what even? I had no idea my images and words could resonate with others, and I’m so thankful that everything came together successfully. Creating a Recruitment video over the summer was also a memorable experience. Our theme was ‘AdventurE is Φut There’ and I created a stop-motion promo entirely out of paper. I had never done anything like it before, and the fact that it was being shared on Facebook made my day (my year, really!). I was really proud of myself for trying something new. I’m not a VMA major in the slightest, so crafting a video was a pretty big feat for me. Especially considering that the only video I’ve ever made in the past had something to do with the ‘Harlem Shake.’ Yikes.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I definitely recommend that individuals consider joining a fraternity or sorority in the future. These organizations are so much more than their misconceptions and I can’t stress that enough! Taking that leap into Recruitment was something I never thought I could do, but remaining open minded and optimistic has granted me amazing opportunities. Joining AEPhi has given me a support system, a means of connections in the crazy, ever evolving realm of business and a great group of ladies to continuously look up to. If anyone has any questions about Recruitment or Fraternity and Sorority Life in general on Emerson’s campus, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Jess!