On the first Friday of every month at 8 p.m., Pitt-Johnstown Programming Board members offer bingo for students with a chance to win prizes.

Bingo had originally been held in the Mt. Cat Club in the Student Union, but, due to increasing popularity, it has moved to the seating by Brioche Dorée to accommodate more students.

According to Programming Board President Morgan Miller, bingo has been a university event since 2013 and seems to be becoming more popular.

“I think, roughly, there are about 40 to 50 students that come to bingo every month. Our biggest crowd for this year was around 60 students,” Miller said.

Miller said bingo is advertised via Twitter, email and on the blackboard by the Student Union Information Desk.

Miller said that during the week of bingo, Programming Board and E-Board members have a meeting to come up with a list of prizes they would like to give away at bingo.

“Sometimes, we like to do themes, such as back-to-school items or winter-theme(d) items.

“We then give our list to our adviser, Sherri Rae, and she goes and gets the prizes,” Miller said.

Senior Liz Lischick said that she has gone to bingo twice and heard about it from a friend who went every time last semester.

“I (have) won three times. I got a big case of water, Reese’s cups and laundry detergent,” Lischick said.

Lischick said she likes the prizes that are offered.

“It’s basic student wants and needs,” she said.

“Why spend $10 on laundry detergent when you could win it at bingo?”

Lischick said she thinks bingo should be held in the Cambria Room or the cafeteria because the crowd grows each month. She also said she wishes bingo was held two times a month and there could be cash prizes, too, in addition to the practical items already offered.

Lischick said she finds bingo to be an activity for students who do not want to go out to the bars and fraternities.

“I think the campus is mixed with people. Some want to go out and others want to hang around.

“The bars and frats satisfy the needs of those who want to go out, and bingo satisfies the others,” Lischick said.

Miller said she thinks the event is popular because it has an easy-to-remember date and time, and provides students who don’t want to go to parties as opportunity to do something.

“What college student doesn’t want to win free things?” Miller said.

Rae said that bingo started last spring semester, but it was held more sporadically than it is held now.

Rae said that Programming Board Special Events Committee Chairwoman Ogechi Duru, Morgan Miller and Clarissa Nepereny are the three students primarily involved with hosting and conducting bingo, but anyone on Programming Board can help out.

According to Rae, the first regularly occurring bingo night was held last September.

“The first crowd was around 20 people. Now, it has grown to around 60 to 70,” Rae said.

Rae said that she thinks bingo is an activity that will definitely be kept around.

“It’s been successful, and it doesn’t cost a lot per student to participate in, so it’s worthwhile and cost-effective,” Rae said.