Gamma Phi Beta - University of Alabama

THE CRIMSON CRESCENT 2 W hen Caitlin La mer Bidwell '07 first arrived on campus for sorority recruitment, she was a li le overwhelmed. "I remember going from house to house, listening to all the door songs, and trying to endure the Alabama humidity," she recalled. But a moment of vulnerability led to an unexpected connec on. "I fainted due to heat exhaus on during the second round inside the Gamma Phi house," Cait said. "The sisters inside made me feel so safe and cared for. I was mor fied at the me, but I could instantly feel the love from my future sisters, and I never looked back!" Some of Cait's favorite college memories stem from her me in the Gamma Phi Beta house. "Game days at the house were always a blast, and I s ll dream about Miss B's cooking," she said. Cait also found a sense of purpose beyond social life. "The chapter has always been adamant about philanthropy and scholarship," she said. "That emphasis on philanthropy s ll is important to me today. I raise money annually for METAvivor, a nonprofit dedicated to the specific fight of women and men living with stage 4 metasta c breast cancer." As a telecommunica on and film and theatre major, Cait found the house's loca on serendipitous. "Living prac cally in the shadow of Reese Phifer was a godsend," she shared. Though she ini ally pursued news, with internships at WVUA-TV and WTAE, her heart pulled her toward ac ng. "I wanted to take that chance and move to Los Angeles," Cait said. She had the good fortune during her first year in LA to get a role in the independent feature The Other One. "The lead actress was also the main producer on the film and shared insight about carving my path as an actress while also producing," Cait explained. "From there, my success has been due to hard work and surrounding myself with people who have the same mindset and vision." Looking back, Cait credits her Gamma Phi Beta experience with shaping her into the person she is today. One of her most cherished gi s was mee ng her Big, Katelyn Kline Wamsley '06. "She is originally from Los Angeles, so she helped me figure out the West Coast when I first moved here," Cait recalled. "I came to Tuscaloosa as a 17-year-old Yankee who didn't know a soul. Epsilon Lambda helped me learn how to navigate unfamiliar experiences anywhere in the world," she said. And yes, she even picked up "a great southern accent!" Now living in Los Angeles with her husband and their dog, Murphy, Cait con nues to chase adventure—whether producing films like FLUXX, filming the second season of Elkhorn, or traveling the world. "Life is too short to not be making memories with friends and people you love," she said. "Even the mundane daily life ones can be amazing." For any undergraduates dreaming of an entertainment career, Cait offers simple advice: "Create, create, create! Make that weird/bad movie with your friends; it'll always be a learning experience." If you'd like to connect with Cait or learn more about her film career, you can find her on Instagram at @caitbidwell or email her at caitbidwell@yahoo.com. CAITLIN LAT TIMER BIDWELL '07 TALKS FRIENDSHIP AND FILMMAKING A S i ster in the S potlight A S i ster in the S potlight Catch up on the highlights of Epsilon Lambda's fall 2024 semester! Shining Bright Sisters dress on theme for "Bloom with Gamma Phi," the chapter's recent recruitment workshop. ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS • 3.3 GPA (an increase from fall 2023's 3.27) • 123 members on the dean's list • 67 members on the president's list RHO LAMBDA • Abbie Leidig '22 • Courtney McCormick '22 · Panhellenic Affairs VP • Grace Sellke '22 GREEK AMBASSADOR (chapter's first in four years!) • Madelyn Henrie '23 ORDER OF OMEGA • Abi Yarbrough '21 • Hannah Classon '22 • Kaitlyn Dinwiddie '22 • Rachel Deuber '22 • Nevaeh Ezzo '22 • Madeline Hemmerick '22 • Courtney McCormick '22 · Panhellenic Affairs VP

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