Wooden signs, chanting women meet recruits

They screamed, cheered and chanted while waiting for the arrival of their new group… They screamed, cheered and chanted while waiting for the arrival of their new group members.

The Panhellenic Association sororities held their bid night Monday outside the William Pitt Union.

The women held up wooden signs representing their respective sororities and chanted sorority slogans. Inside, where the potential new members sat at tables waiting to meet their new sororities, the scene was very different.

“I still have to meet all my sisters outside — the excitement continues,” said sophomore Ashleigh Kuhn, a potential member for Sigma Delta Tau. Kuhn sat at a table in the Lower Lounge with other new Sigma Delta Tau women.

Sophomore Bobbie Deem was also ecstatic about getting a bid from Sigma Delta Tau.

“I’m so excited, I have nothing to say,” Deem said.

On bid night, potential new members like Deem and Kuhn were offered bids from one or two of their preferred sororities. The women signed the bids from the sororities they wished to join and sat at tables designated for each sorority in the Lower Lounge of the William Pitt Union.

“I think it was the coolest thing — sitting at the tables,” said sophomore Stephanie Pergantis, who was meeting some of the other new members of Sigma Delta Tau for the first time.

Bid night is the last night in the rush process for the sororities. Starting over the weekend, interested women visited the sorority suites and talked to members as they tried to find which sorority suited their personalities best. Sororities had themed “parties,” similar to information sessions, where sorority members got to know each rushing woman.

A computer program was then used to match up sororities with potential new members. Women were invited back on Sunday for Preference Day, and those given bids were asked to attend bid night.

“In the end, it all clicked. I loved the idea of sororities more and more, especially what they stood for at Pitt,” said freshman Lily Carr, who received a bid from the women of Theta Phi Alpha.

The newly admitted were led outside and announced to their energetic sisters.

After the event, according to Theta Phi Alpha president Alison McBee, their new members received sorority pins.

“Then we do icebreakers and things like that,” McBee said.

Spring rush is not as formal as fall rush, because potential new members do not have to visit each of the suites and sorority houses.

Usually, spring rush does not attract as many women as fall rush, but according to Panhellenic Vice President of recruitment Katie Marchewka, spring rush went very well.

“We are very pleased,” Marchewka said.