Whether you are an incoming first-year student, a transfer student or a current student looking for her people on campus, your College Panhellenic Association and the sorority experience can offer a place for you to grow and develop as a person – if you are willing to be all in.
Have you ever taken some time to think about your core values? Perhaps you really value community service or maybe you care more about social justice. Students looking to join a Panhellenic sisterhood should take some time to explore their personal values before the start of any recruitment experience. This will help you navigate a values-based recruitment process hosted by any College Panhellenic.
Panhellenic Recruitment and Values
The Panhellenic sorority recruitment experience is rooted in values – we call this “values-based recruitment.” This type of recruitment helps our organizations and members focus on our founding values and recruit women who understand and are committed to living out the values of our organizations. This recruitment approach allows us to be more intentional in conversation, discover shared interests and values among chapter members and potential new members (PNMs) and define membership expectations and standards more clearly. It also provides PNMs an opportunity to make informed decisions through a fair and unbiased experience. That is why we want to help you find out what your values are, why they are important to you and how you can express your values to others.
Take some time to dive into the exercises below. They will help you center your thoughts and get in the right mindset going into whatever recruitment process might be on your horizon.
Values Reflection
Use the questions below to reflect on experiences in your life that may have helped shape your core values. You can also download this worksheet to help you find your values and reflect on ways you can express your values during sorority recruitment and in your daily life.
“A value is defined as a principle, standard, or quality considered inherently worthwhile or desirable. Individuals, groups, and whole societies hold values. Values are what motivate and fulfill you. They infuse your work and your life with meaning. In essence, a value is what is important to you.”
– Julie Jansen
Consider these questions as you work to identify what values are important to you.
- Identify times when you were the happiest. What were you doing? Who were you with?
- Recall times when you have been so absorbed in what you were doing that you hardly noticed the time. What were you doing?
- Identify the times when you were most proud. Why were you proud? Who shared your pride?
- Think about the things that you find the most meaningful. What do you think of? Try to include ideals, feelings and activities.
Finding Your Core Values
Below is a list of values. On a piece of paper or a separate document, write or type up every value on the list that is important to you. It can be as many as you want! If there is not a value included on this list, feel free to add it in to your list.
Your purpose in life has a lot to do with what kind of impact you want to make in the world and the way you want to live your life. This impact is defined and shaped by your core values as all actions in your life are defined by what you value.
- Now that you’ve got an idea of some values you care about, narrow your personal list down to your top nine values. Write or type them as you narrow down your list.
- It’s time to narrow those nine values down even more. Take some time to reflect. What about those nine values on your list speak to the impact you want to make on the world? How can you use these values to define the way you want to live your life?
- Go ahead and narrow those nine values down to your top three values. Type or write them as the list of your personal values.
Values Assessment Reflection
We hope this activity helped you to better define your core values. These exercises can take some time but should give you a chance to reflect on the things you care most about and how those pillars shape and drive you. Knowing what your values are is important in helping you grow and develop. They can also help us decide what kind of future we want to build for ourselves.
Use these quick reflection questions below to think about your values in the context of Panhellenic recruitment. Use this time to come up with some questions, ideas or things to share about yourself with sorority women during your time participating in Panhellenic recruitment.
- What do your values say about you?
- How do you work to maintain your values?
- How can you communicate your values during the Panhellenic recruitment process?
- Is it acceptable for your values to change or expand over time?
- Can you think of situations in which your values may shift?