AA Recruitment and Retention

[Ottor 246]

I find myself relating to a lot of things you Brothers are writing about. We say, "Not four years, but for life." Then you graduate and they pat you on the back and send you an newsletter once in a while, and otherwise you're on your own. I'd love to see something that gives alumni an active part in the fraternity, instead of becoming grumpy old men. (Why, in my day...)

As far as newsletters and emails go, I say the more the better. If you want to get alumni coming back, remind them what they're coming back to. You'll never get more involvement by providing less information. I, myself, am a prime example. I stayed involved with my undergrad chapter (Phi-Tau at Shippensburg) until most of they guys I rushed had graduated. After that, I didn't attend a single event for about eight years. But the newsletters and emails kept coming and finally, one day, one of them made enough of an impression that I said "I have to get involved again." I started calling brothers (with phone numbers I got off our AA website) and this spring, I attended Ritual for the first time in eight years.

Anyway, realizing that it's too late to make a long story short, on Sunday, I was elected as a Memeber-At-Large of our AA.

Be patient with your brothers. The flame dims, but it never really goes out.