If you're reading this page, you're already past the first step: interest. You've heard about AOE and you're interested in learning more.

The next step is to go through RUSH*. Rush is a series of fun events that the sorority organizes in order to meet people who are interested in joining the organization and, more importantly, so those who are interested can learn more about the sorority, our ideals and objectives, and meet its members.

We strongly encourage that you attend as many Rush events as you can, particularly meetings because it is your best opportunity to get to know us and our organization while there are no commitments. Attending the open meetings is the best way to see how the organization works and to get a sense of the things that we do.

After the Rush period (approximately two months), you must decide whether or not you wish to become a candidate. Candidate initiation is not a lifelong commitment, however you do commit to learning more about the sorority and its members. At candidate initiation, there is a ceremony at which you are welcomed into the organization as a membership candidate. You become part of a candidate class (others who are learning about the sorority at the same time as you) and you begin your candidate period.

The candidate period lasts approximately 4 months and serves many purposes. The first and most important purpose of the candidate period is for you to learn everything you need to know to become an active member. This includes learning more about our ideals and objectives, our traditions, our history, and also learning more about the girls themselves. This is also a time of bonding, through sisterhood activities you will bond with your candidate class and the active sisters. Your guide throughout this process is the membership educator. She will be the one responsible for teaching you about AOE and helping you complete the candidate process. She will always be there to address your questions or concerns. Also, at some point during the candidate period, you, and each member of your candidate class will be matched with an active member who becomes your big sister. Your big sister is, like the membership educator, there to help you, personally, to learn about AOE and its members.

Another function of the candidate period is that it is a time for you to demonstrate to us your dedication to the sorority. You achieve this by fulfilling your candidate obligations (which are explained in full after candidate initiation night), including active participation in AOE's meetings and events, by fostering bonds with the active sisters and the members of the candidate class, and also by demonstrating the proper respect for the organization and the hierarchy of its members. The candidate process is as much a time for us to learn about you as it is a time for you to learn about us.

If you have any questions about Rush, the candidate process or Alpha Omega Epsilon, please do not hesitate to contact the membership educator or vice president.

*[Important Note: AOE is not part of UBC's panhellenic organization. The panhellenic organization represents all of the social sororities and fraternities on campus. They do a collective Rush during which you go to events, learn about all the sororities and then choose between them. As a professional engineering sorority, AOE (and also Sigma Phi Delta, our brother fraternity) hold separate rush events.]