Khayla Gray
Reporter
Mississippi University for Women’s four-year social clubs celebrated one of the biggest events of the school year on Sept. 9.
Bid day is the announcement of new pledges joining their chosen social clubs.
The W’s four-year social clubs include: Lockheart Social Club, Troubadour Social Club, Reveler Social Club, Silhouette Social Club, Mam’Selle Social Club and Rogue Social Club.
Photo by Khayla Gray
Asia Duren, director of Student Life, saw firsthand how exciting it was to for students who participated in the weekend’s events.
“It feels really good to know that students want to be involved on campus, and that I am able to help with that,” Duren said.
There was a three-day process to get to this point. The potential new members, known as “PNMs,” went to various social parties hosted by the six four-year social clubs on campus.
The events started on Friday afternoon. The PNMs were split into six groups to make the process easier. Every group got a chance to visit each social club for its display parties. Display parties give the PNMs a chance to meet the ladies of each social club and learn a little history about each campus organization.
Throughout this process, both PNMs and clubs have the opportunity to accept and decline invitations to the parties after day one. After each day, clubs have to decide which young women they would want to invite back the next day. The goal is to match PNMs and clubs to their best fit.
The second day of parties are philanthropy-based parties. This is when each social club explains what it does for community service or what projects it is working on with other organizations.
Third day parties are called preference parties. This is the final day of recruitment before bid day. The members of each club will take the time to speak with each young lady who has been invited to the party.
After all parties are complete, each club will rank the young women in the order they would like to bid them. If both club ranking and PNM rankings match, the PNM will be chosen for that particular club.
The final event of the weekend happened on Monday. Bid day is the most exciting day for both PNMs and for social club members. The new pledges are revealed to their club homes.
Photo by Khayla Gray
Mallory Parker, president of the Lockheart Social Club, said she had mixed feelings about sharing her last bid day with her club.
“I feel sad but also happy. My favorite part was meeting all of the girls and this feeling especially before bid day begins. I know all of the girls are excited about finding out their bid.”
The bid day process is an exciting event for everyone. Each social club is on the gazebo lawn cheering each other on as they receive their new pledges. Members of each club are anticipating that feeling getting the young women they have connected with so strongly over the course of the weekend.
Each PNM takes a ride in a cart up to the gazebo on campus to meet their new social club home. They are welcomed by each member with music, excitement and open arms.
Dy’Janae McBeath, a freshman, loves her new social club home.
“I love it. I love them. I love how they are small, but very intimate. I love that because I am looking for a family. That’s very much what I want, and they are giving me what I want,” she says.
“I really got a chance to connect with new people- even the other clubs I didn’t join, McBeath said. “I still got a chance to meet other people and other pledges during this process.”