Well it was a really successful event. Thursday tends to be a slow day, I dont know why , but historically it has been. Anyway, last night was great. It was sports night, and being the advisor to the recruitment chair, I had been pushing for him to have the event at the medical center. Their athletic facilities are way superior to the dinky ones on campus. Also, theyre are more facilities...volly ball, softball, football and some basketball courts. His concerns were that it was too crowded there, (which it sort of is) so he decided to go to a local park and play football there. I was kinda hesitant about this, because I dotn just want them to focus on football, some guys liek soccer more or vollyball. But I chose to fight the battles I could win, so whatever.
It was a great event. Everyone seemed to have a good time. We had about 22 PNM's show up. There were about 8 who called to say they wanted to come out, but felt the need to study. Thats impressive that they called us to say they couldnt make it out tho. I think it is a testament to the type of personal relationship we try to build with the PNM's. Our goal is this. Have them see that we are just liek their close group of friends from back home, just with a little more structure. If they see that, the leap to fraternity life doesnt seem so daunting. Anyway, as it stands now (going into the event tonight), there are about 40 guys who are interested in our house. Our goal has been to sign 25 or so. (maybe a few more or less). The recruitment chair feels that there are 25-30 he feels comfortable giving a bid to.
Tonight is our poker night. Its really classy, The girls that are dating the brothers/good friends withthe chapter make all the food so its nice. There are all kinds of snacks and sandwiches, etc. Then a few brothers break the room up into gropups and gives a small poker workshop for those who dont know how the game is played. Then we begin the tourney and give a way prizes for the winners. Its a lot of fun and we hype it as one of our biggest. I'd expect between 40-50 PNM's will show up.
Tomorrow is the Alum BBQ. The alums host it and throw it and its a great event to let the PNM's se that its for more than 4-years, and a get sense of the fraternity as a whole (we have some alums from other chapters). Alums make great salesmen, too. Sat night is our night off. (Thank god).
Sunday is Pref Dinner. If you get an invite to the dinner, it means we are really interested in extending an invitation to join. its not guranteed, tho. We all go to a nice resturaunt, ($20 a plate or so) and eat, then have a speaker talk about the fraternity. and a few members and alums get up to talk about what the fraternity has done for them, etc. Then we explain to the PNM's how the process goes from then. At midnight, its no contact period for 14 hours.
Bids are given out by the school at 10am to 12 noon on Monday. Then STEPS happens at 2pm in quad. EVERYONE goes out there and the PNM's havent told anyone their decision ('cept the school) and the are all lined up by the Greek Advisor, brought up on stage one at a time, and their name is called and they say who they signed with. They then run down the steps and join their new chapter. Lots of whooping and holloring, etc. Its a great event. Theres a DJ, and its a GREAT way to be welcomed into the greek community.
So our numbers look like we'll sign around 25. Fortunately, this year it seems well be able to be a bit more selective than we have in the past. Which is cool with pretty much everyone. We could take 35, but I dont think we will. We tend to have too many discipline problems when we cast wioth a wide net.
I dont know when I'll be able to update again. Will try on Saturday to let everyone know how tonights event went.
Good luck to everyone else out there, regardless of what side of the process you are on.
