[ASTalumna06]

First, ask yourself a few questions:
1.) What differentiates us from the other fraternities on campus?
2.) What kind of members are we looking for?
3.) What do college students like to do?
4.) What attracts students to organizations?

1.) Plan an activity that is different from what the other chapters are doing. Or, if you notice something that they’re doing right, work with that, but add your own personal touches to it.

2.) Are you looking for guys who are service-oriented? Plan a philanthropy that all students on campus can participate in. Do you want guys who strive for academic excellence? Offer study groups, or head to the library and strike up a conversation with a student who is working there. Are you looking for people who are interested in sports? Start an intramural team with the members you have, and interact with the other teams that you play against. Or ask some potential new members to join your team. Or play a pick-up game of football, and have everyone go around campus for 10-20 minutes asking guys to join you.

3.) You’re trying to appeal to college students. Think about what they like to do. I can tell you that one thing that guys love to do is eat. On my campus, one of the fraternities has a spaghetti dinner every semester, and all students are welcome, girls included. They have it on a Sunday, and in the fall semseter, it usually turns into a casual dinner/football party.

4.) Students are attracted to organizations for many reasons. Leadership opportunities are a major one, along with assistance in advancing their future careers. When a student is looking to join an organization, they’re looking for involvement and activities to keep them busy in between classes, as well as a way to increase their knowledge and experience in a variety of areas. Have an informational session throughout an entire day, scheduling 3 or 4 different times to have a short 10-15 minute presentation by a few of the brothers. Present to potential new members what your organization does, the benefits that are available to new members and brothers, and the life-long connections they will make that will last long after college.

And use the fact that you’re new to your advantage. Like I just mentioned, leadership opportunities are a big plus to joining an organization, and starting a chapter provides a lot of room for growth, and for a myriad of new ideas. Go find the high-quality students who are looking to have a large impact on an organization, and present the idea of Sigma Pi to them by saying that their motivation, creativity, and willingness to create something great is exactly what you’re looking for.

And first and foremost, be a potential new member’s friend. Don’t feel like you have to hold huge, extravagant events to attract people. If you currently have the manpower and money to do that, then go for it if you think it will work. But chances are, if you play a friendly game of football, for example, it will probably be a more effective way of interacting with people on a more personal basis, than if you were, to say, host a large concert.