Bid Day for Panhellenic Recruitment To Be Broadcast Live on UATV This Saturday

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Panhellenic Bid Day will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20, in the Chi Omega Greek Theatre, and will broadcast live on UATV.

"Bid Day is an exciting time for the Greek Community as thousands of U of A sorority members gather to extend bids to the new members to join their chapters," said Mackenzie Lantefield, president of Panhellenic Council.

Bid Day will be broadcast live by UATV and the production company Avad3 Events and simulcast into the Arkansas Union Theater, as an alternative viewing location.

"Through this live stream, alumni and friends from across the world can view this amazing campus tradition while it happens. The event will also be recorded and posted online for later viewing," said Parice Bowser, director of Greek Life. "This will give our new members the opportunity to view this incredible experience over and over in the years to come.  We are truly grateful for our campus partners and sponsors who make this possible!"

The ceremony will be broadcast live via the on-campus cable Channel 22, on Cox Cable Channel 214 in the rest of Fayetteville and on the UATV website - uatvonline.net. The live broadcast provides new opportunities for people interested in Greek Life.

"Having a live broadcast of this event will allow family and friends, who are unable to attend, the opportunity to share this moment from afar," said Ashley Bloxom, assistant director of Greek Life.

"The most important aspect of Bid Day is watching new members open their envelopes which reveals the chapter that has extended them a membership bid,"  Lantefield said.  "Later, each chapter leads their new members back to the chapter house or other set locations to welcome them into sisterhood."

During this process, University of Arkansas students can find comfort in the Greek Life community. More than 1600 women are participating in sorority recruitment, which culminates in the Bid Day Ceremony.

"This is such an exciting day as potential new members find their home away from home and the place where they belong," said Megan Rapp, vice president of recruitment. "It's an indescribably unique day that you will only experience once in a lifetime."

Free bottled water will be provided by Pepsi and Chartwells Dining Services.

National Panhellenic Conference, one of the largest organizations advocating for women, is the umbrella group for 26 national and international sororities.

If the weather turns rainy, which is possible according to the forecast, the event will be moved into the Arkansas Union where bids will be distributed to potential new members within their small groups, and the live broadcast will be unavailable due to logistics.