(Spencer J Eggers/ The Daily Campus)

Members of SMU sororities and fraternities gathered Sunday outside Sorority Row to celebrate Panhellenic Bid Day.

After a week of chants, bump groups and long nights, sorority girls met their new pledge classes.

“My favorite part about bid day is waiting for all the new members to come,” junior Pi Beta Phi member Kristin Miller said. “We’ve all been so excited for the past four hours. I can’t wait for everyone to be here.”

Recruitment for Panhellenic began on Jan. 11 with an orientation and went until Sunday, when potential new members (PNMs) received their bids.

Recruitment week is tailored so that PNMs can find the right house for them and for chapters to find the right fit of new members. The process is that of mutual selection.

PNMs first visited each sorority house on open house day.

The following day was philanthropy round, where each chapter explains its philanthropy efforts through crafts, projects and speakers.

Sororities then put on skits for the PNMs, highlighting their chapters’ uniqueness and what their sisterhood means to them.

On Sunday morning, PNMs went one last time to the houses, and each chapter shared more personal things about their sorority.

To many sorority girls, recruitment is not just about getting new members, but “one of the best times to bond with you sisters,” junior Alpha Chi Omega member Devon Ryan said. “It’s the only time we are all together without other obligations like school and work.”

“Recruitment week is extremely stressful, but I was excited the entire time,” freshman and a new member of Tri Delta Kat Kappos said.

“The week is worth it because you get to meet a bunch of people and finally join a sorority.”

This year, the PNMs met in Hughes-Trigg around 3:45 p.m. Once they received their bids, PNMs took part in the annual bid day run, where some run and some walk from Hughes-Trigg down Airline and to their new sorority house.

Fraternities, who had their bid day the night before, gather 20 minutes before the bid day run along the sidewalks and cheer on the new members to their respective houses.

“It’s been a lot of fun so far. It’s been a long week, but I’m happy on where I ended up,” James Stafford, a new member of Beta Theta Pi, said.

“Now I’m ready to cheer on the girls on their run with my new brothers.”

When the girls began running, the fraternity boys cheered them on, while the sororities welcomed them with open arms, gifts and even some tears of happiness.

There were also additional voices in the crowds.These were the voices of mothers, fathers and siblings lining the streets as well.

Ellen Smith, a Tri Delta alumna, came to support her daughter joining a sorority. “It’s amazing to be here at this place at this time with my own daughter,” Smith said.

Ann Horner, mother of an SMU student, came out to campus to watch her daughter run to her new sorority. Horner is an Alpha Xi Delta.

“I’m really excited my daughter decided to rush,” Horner said.

“Being a part of a sorority was such a great experience for me in college. You make the best friends in your life within your sisterhood.”

“Being a part of a sorority adds an entire layer of depth to your college experience,” Betsey Mowery, a Tri Delta alumna, said. Her daughter, Sarah Mowery, pledged Kappa Kappa Gamma.

New members spent the day, and some even the night, celebrating with their new sisters.

“Bid day is so exciting. It’s like Christmas but better. It’s the best Christmas present I’ve ever gotten,” Kappos said. 

Video shot and edited by Kent Koons [email protected] and Eric Sheffield [email protected]