Recruit. Retain. Grow!

When I joined the DECA staff a few years ago to serve as the assistant director of the college division, membership recruitment was the furthest thing from my mind. My experience as a student member, an officer, and as an alumni supporter was always focused on the quality programming that Delta Epsilon Chi offers its members. Whether I was receiving the benefits, promoting the benefits or delivering the benefits – it was simply so obvious to me the value that membership in Delta Epsilon Chi brings to students that it never occurred to me that everyone else wasn’t out there shouting from the rafters and bringing new members in every single day – after all, I always did that because I believed in the program. (The IT folks at Johnson & Wales in Denver hated me because each morning I’d reset the homepage on every computer in the business building to the Delta Epsilon Chi website – I’ll bet they were pleased when I graduated!)

But, sitting at my desk in the national headquarters in Reston, VA – there is a very different picture painted. I get emails from frustrated members saying, “Where are you?” “Why aren’t you on my campus recruiting?” and “Who is my advisor?” My politically correct response is always, “the staff can’t be everywhere so here are some resources for you to use to start and develop your chapter.” Honestly though, I’m frustrated too. I want to be on every campus hanging up posters, marking up sidewalks with chalk, holding rallies and collecting membership dues! But there simply isn’t enough time or money to send staff to every chapter – let alone to be out starting new chapters all the time. We do all that we can to support membership development while also working really hard to provide innovative, in-depth, hands-on career and leadership programming.

So who’s job is it to find an advisor? To recruit new members? To plan high-quality on-campus activities?

It’s YOUR JOB!!!!!

YOU! The interested, dedicated, career-seeking college student.
YOU! The chapter officer, committee member or wannabe leader.
YOU! The individual who believes in the value that membership can bring to students and wants to bring that value not only to your own college career but also to the academic experience of your peers.
YOU! Who wants to set himself or herself apart from your peers as you interview for new jobs.
YOU! Who wants to leave a legacy of action, opportunity and success when you graduate and leave your college campus.

The National Officers and the staff are here to support your efforts. There are membership PowerPoint presentations, recruiting flyers and information all available on our website. Have you seen our new membership video? Ask to play it at the beginning of freshmen and sophomore business classes and I’ll bet you’ll have a league of new members lining up to join. Have questions? Email me! Or call! We are all here to support the membership growth efforts of our chapter members.
We are here to support YOU! Happy Recruiting!!

Kyle Walton
Kyle_walton@deca.org