On Monday, Sept. 7, Tarleton State Fraternity and Sorority Life held their Panhellenic Bid Day.

Bid Day is the last day of Panhellenic recruitment where potential new members, (PNM’s), receive their invitation, or bid, to join a Greek organization. However, with the ongoing pandemic, restrictions and precautions had to be put in place. All members and PNM’s had to wear a mask, maintain social distancing, and all chapters had to stay in town for Bid Day activities. Usually, an entire chapter would be present for the bid opening and PNM’s would open their bids all at once. But with capacity and distancing protocols, there were four rotations where 25% of the chapter could be present, and 25% of PNM’s would open their bids at a time.

“All the differences that were made for recruitment and Bid Day were made in every effort to keep our communities as safe as possible,” Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Stephanie Chambers said.

Chambers also oversees the organizing it.

The student leadership team consists of a Panhellenic Recruitment Chair, who works with chapter leadership, the Panhellenic Recruitment Team, the Potential New Members, and Chapter Recruitment Chairs who are women elected by their chapter to make sure the process goes well. Chambers stressed the importance of following the guidelines and procedures that Tarleton outlined to the student leaders, in order to keep everyone involved in Bid Day safe.

“As leaders in their chapters and on campus, it was crucial that they set the example, wore their masks and kept their distance throughout the day,” Chambers said.

“Every step of the way and during the planning process, they stayed positive and adapted to whatever we had to do to make sure recruitment 2020 was still successful,” Chambers said.

Although there were a lot of roadblocks and the process had to be restructured, the turnout and participation of Bid Day was definitely exciting for the organizers involved. Chambers reports that the enthusiasm from the chapters was at an all time high.

“Even through the mask and at a distance, you could see how excited the new members were to join their new sisterhoods and how much the members loved welcoming their newest sisters,” Chambers said.

“I am extremely proud of every person involved in this year’s recruitment,” Chambers said.

Not only was Bid Day a success for the leaders and organizers, it was a success for the members and new members.

“For me, Bid Day was so fulfilling,” Alpha Gamma Delta member Sara Rodriguez. Rodriguez said. She was eager to meet the new members and watch them run home.

“I was full of joy the entire time,” said Rodriguez.

Leaders and members of each organization worked hard to prepare for the new member arrivals.

“[Our] chapter is one that supports, loves, advocates, includes, serves and cherishes the new member’s values,” said Rodriguez.

“It was full of joy and laughter and it was one of my best moments and memories,” freshman PNM Kenzie Hyche said.

“Waiting for them to say ‘3, 2, 1, open your bids and run home’ made my adrenaline go out of control,” said Hyche.

Hyche says that receiving an invitation from Delta Phi Epsilon was the best feeling in the world.

“I feel like I am so welcomed there. I got to meet so many people who can become my best friends and sisters,” said Hyche.

Tarleton Panhellenic chapter handed out 232 bids at this year’s Bid Day.