The ladies of Oakland are going Greek. Sunday, Sept. 28 was bid day for the PanHellenic Counsel. The sororities involved are Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Sigma Tau, Gamma Phi Beta and Phi Sigma Sigma.

Bid day is the last day of recruitment.

“The idea of bid day is for potentials to line up in the gold room and state where they belong based on a bid they received from their top sorority,” Alpha Sigma Tau member Alexis McCullum said. “I didn’t have many girl friends in high school. I joined because I was looking for a close sisterhood and also wanted to be more philanthropic.”

Senior Sarah Carson, who is studying business in human resources, decided to go Greek.

“I came in as a sophomore and these women helped to build me up,” Carson said.

Sophomore communication major Paige Stefan joined Alpha Sigma Tau.

“It wasn’t exactly what I expected, but I made a lot of friends and met a lot of new people,” Stefan said. “My most memorable experience would be the bid. Everyone seems close and you are finally home and with your sisters.”

Saturday, Sept. 27 was preference night.

“This is the night when potentials will just know where they belong. It’s the time when the chapters will embrace them,” Rho Gamma Jenna Blankenship said.

“Everyone always cries during preference night,” McCullum said. “It’s an emotional and intimate experience where everyone come together and share secrets.”

A Rho Gamma is a recruitment counselor, selected by the PanHellenic Counsel.

“There’s no stigma,” Blankenship said. “It’s more diverse compared to previous years.”

“It’s really rewarding to be a Rho Gamma because you get to help potentials discover where they belong,” fellow Rho Gamma Sydney Edelmann said. 

Edelmann, a senior majoring in business management at OU, said they’re in the process of adding a fifth chapter next year.

This year’s recruitment did well in terms of numbers.

“Each year it’s getting larger and larger,” Phi Sigma Sigma member Lauren Kayser said. “All the growth of Greek life is really exciting.”

Each sorority has its own goal and signature events. Adrianna Czostkowski and Sarah Bacon gave some insight on the different community services for which each sorority is known.

“Phi Sigma Sigma is known for their male pageant called Mr. Phi Significant,” said Adrianna Czostkowski, a junior at OU majoring in HR management. “My advice to students who want to go Greek would be to just go for it and don’t be afraid if you’re a transfer or a freshman.”

“Alpha Delta Pi is a part of the Lion’s Share Challenge for the Ronald McDonald house, which is to assist in housing for families with children in the hospital,” said Bacon, a senior at OU majoring in elementary education. “The sororities look for nice quality women who will be leaders and have academics as a priority.”

Sophomore and finance major Atalie Stewart is a member of Alpha Sigma Tau.

“We go to Pine Mountain Settlement School in Kentucky, which is a camp for under privileged children,” Stewart said. “We go each year to help out and chaperone.”

“Formal recruitment is only during fall semester,” Greek adviser Alison Webster said. “If girls miss the opportunity of formal recruitment, they can always look out for chapters’ recruiting later, which is called an informal recruitment.”

Ashley Trefney is a graduate assistant for student organizations and Greek life. Trefney shared her advice to students aspiring to go Greek. 

“I’d tell students to go in with an open mind and have fun,” Trefney said. “All goals are to better the community and themselves.”

According to Webster, informal recruitments can depend on size, however historical African American sororities recruit all year round.

“Multicultural sorority, Zeta Sigma Chi, is currently doing their informational week,” Webster said.

Interested students may go online and complete an application for $10.

For more information go to www.oakland.edu/gogreek