This year, instead of dressing up in matching colors and hosting events on the Quad, bidding for a dream Greek Life family, among other events, will be held virtually, either through Continuous Open Bidding online informational sessions or by holding informal rush to their own discretion.

This will be done to limit personal contact, reducing the chance of a COVID-19 outbreak at Loyola, so that Greek life, which Loyola said makes 15% of the undergraduate student population, can stay safe.

Sororities in the College Panhellenic Council such as Alpha Chi Omega, Delta Gamma, Gamma Phi Beta and Theta Phi Alpha, are under Continuous Open Bidding which allows all students, virtual or not, to be a potential new member.

Allison Bringley, senior graphic design major and current president of Theta Phi Alpha, said she is excited for recruitment. This includes holding virtual events and meetings while trying to continue its value of sisterhood and brotherhood.

“I always felt that was a time when I really bonded with all sisters and that is what originally made me want to get more involved in the sorority.” Bringley said about recruitment.

Junior Gabby Murillo, member of Delta Gamma, having just gone through recruitment in the past few years said that recruitment is the time to distinguish each chapter and match its ideals to your own.

“I’m sure going online won’t be very different because all the chapters will work hard to ensure the experience is as close to the same as possible,” Murillo said.

Bringley said that Theta Phi week, a week long fundraiser including tie-dye, volleyball on the waterfront and other in-person bonding events in previous years, will be difficult to host virtually.

“Even though we can’t have social events, we’ll still have service events and fundraising opportunities that’ll allow potential new members to get to know other sisters and develop those close bonds,” Bringley said.

Theta Phi Alpha’s national philanthropy is Camp Friendship, a summer camp for children in and out of foster care. Usually Theta Phi would run a toiletry drive, but the sorority is implementing virtual fundraising called Crowdchange to raise money instead . Bringley said that she hopes her sorority shifts some efforts to COVID-19 relief in the area as well as homelessness as New Orleans approach hurricane season.

Murillo has high hopes for Delta Gamma’s philanthropy, Service for Sight.

“It will definitely be affected in terms of personal connectivity with each philanthropy, but I don’t think we will stray far from the deep rooted traditions we have in communication and helping out our communities.”