Sage Gonzalez at APP’s Color Me Pi event. @ALPHAPIPHI_MU / INSTAGRAM
Emmanouel Sofillas, Managing Editor
Rush week is underway at Manhattan University, and one sorority, Alpha Pi Phi (APP) has opened their fall 2025 recruitment with a theme centered on self-expression.
With the theme, “Color Me Pi,” the sorority invites potential new members to express their personalities through the lens of color theory. During the first night of rush, women were asked to wear their favorite color as a way to introduce themselves both visually and authentically.
“The idea behind Color Me Pi is to embrace the unique traits and personalities that every woman brings,” Zoe Arcement, a sophomore and the membership development officer for APP, said. “We want potential new members to feel free to be themselves and see how their unique personality adds to our palette.”
Arcement also played a key role in choosing the theme. She mentioned how the concept is about more than just symbolism. While red might stand for passion or white for new beginnings, the goal with the event was to offer a welcoming space where individuality is not only accepted, but encouraged.
“We’re not asking anyone to fit a mold,” Arcement said. “We’re asking, how can your true colors add to our sisterhood?”
Founded in 2022, Alpha Pi Phi is the newest sorority on campus, and this semester marks its seventh recruitment cycle. As a smaller chapter, visibility has always been one of their main challenges. However, members say that intimacy also creates deeper bonds.
“Every member matters here,” Arcement said. “Whether you’re a potential new member, an active sister or an alumna, you’re part of the community. Everyone has a voice.”
Chapter president, Danae Cecena, a senior finance and economics major, emphasized that this year’s recruitment is especially important as the sorority looks to rebuild after many senior members graduated.
“We’re looking to bring in women who care about sisterhood, who want to support each other and who are excited to grow with us,” Cecena said. “Joining Alpha Pi Phi completely shaped my college experience. It gave me a support system and friends I know I’ll have for life.”
Much of the recruitment planning began over the summer, as sisters brainstormed outreach strategies and settled on the theme during virtual calls. Once the semester began, they launched a visibility campaign with social media posts and word-of-mouth marketing.
“We knew we had to be creative to stand out,” Ana Lama, a junior psychology major, said. “We wanted a theme that felt personal and that reflected who we are. Color Me Pi does that.”
As with many smaller organizations, the chapter relies on its members to take on multiple roles during rush.
“We all carry a big part of the workload,” Saige Gonzalez, a graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in mental health counseling, said. “But it makes us more connected. Everyone’s really invested in making it a great experience for the girls coming in.”
Each rush event is carefully planned, from set-up to follow-up. Members arrive early to prepare the space, go over talking points and remind one another to focus on creating genuine connections.
“We want everyone to feel welcome the moment they walk in,” Cecena said. “We talk with them about their lives, their interests and what they’re looking for. It’s not a performance – it’s a conversation.”
That approach resonated with many current members during their own recruitment experiences. Lama, who joined last semester, recalled feeling unsure at first but quickly realizing the environment was different from what she expected.
“It felt personal,” Lama said. “I wasn’t being pitched. I was being asked about who I was, and that stuck with me.”
Gonzalez agreed.
“Being in Alpha Pi Phi made me more confident and more connected on campus,” Gonzalez said. “It helped me find my place, and now I get to help others do the same.”
The sisters say one of the most common misconceptions about recruitment is that showing up means making a commitment. Instead, they encourage anyone curious to simply come meet the group.
“You’re not signing your life away,” Lama said. “It’s just a chance to get to know us and see if this feels right for you.”
“Everyone’s nervous at first,” Gonzalez added. “But once you walk in and see that we’re just real people who want to talk with you, it gets easier.”
For many members, the impact of joining Alpha Pi Phi goes well beyond social events. It’s about growth and a sense of belonging.
“My college experience wouldn’t be the same without this sorority,” Cecena said. “The connections I’ve made, the support I’ve felt – it’s something I’ll carry with me for a long time.”
As rush week continues, the message behind Color Me Pi remains simple and strong: there’s no one way to belong. Every woman has her own color to bring, and Alpha Pi Phi is ready to welcome them into the picture.
“We want girls to know that their individuality is what makes them valuable,” Arcement said. “Bring your color, bring your story-we want to see it.”