TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — Days before the University officially welcomed students, Troy University National Panhellenic Council (NPC) sororities welcomed their new members home.

TROY’s Bid Day comes after months of preparation and recruitment.

“We have actually been planning for Bid Day probably since January,” said Katie Cone, Phi Mu Recruitment Chair. “All summer long, planning every day with my amazing team.”

“The first week was Spirit Week,” said Alpha Gamma Delta Recruitment Chair Maddie Giles. “It was six days of working all day long preparing our members for the potential new members. We welcomed in 35 new members and we were so excited for them all to be here.”

Many sorority members told TrojanVision they are proud to welcome in new members, are excited to have more people help with their philanthropies.

“Here at AOII, our philanthropy is the Juvenile Arthritis Foundation,” said Vice President of Recruiting Halie Williams. “We do lots of events to support that. We do ‘Shop Out.’ It’s actually a boutique. We get all the sororities to give clothes to be sold and we dress AOII up as a boutique. You can shop here.”

“Our philanthropy is Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals,” Cone said. “We donate all of our money directly to Children’s of Alabama and Birmingham. We have fundraisers all throughout the year to raise money for them and we also have visits each year where we go to the hospitals to see the children.”

“For Alpha Gam our standards are loving, leading, and lasting,” Giles explained. “Those are our core values and our philanthropy is fighting hunger. Our mission is to fight hunger but also just to serve the community that we’re placed.”

With Bid Day now over, attention turns to TROY’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) fraternities. This year’s IFC Rush Week begins Monday. Aug. 21.