HOT TOPIC: Attracting and Retaining Membership
Extra, Extra, Read all about it. The Hot Topic of the Month. Attracting and Retaining Membership!
Advertise: It’s really important to advertise. Be creative in your advertising. Facebook, Twitter, friends, teachers, family, creative posters. Do everything you can to promote SWE.
Free Food! Free Items! Auctions! College students love everything that’s free. We are poor and we will take anything that you throw our way. That’s how it works it in the world of college.
Offer Leadership Positions: Give potential leaders more responsibility. When they are given more responsibility, they feel more obligated to the club to more work put into the club. Therefore, you have strong members. These members will bring more of their friends, therefore it grows.
Attract Freshmen! Have a freshman Representative on the Executive Board. If this freshman is enthusiastic about everything, she will bring many people to join. If you have very active freshmen, you are increasing the longevity of the organization
There are many other ideas such as giveaways for being an active member or being present at the general body meetings, subsidizing national memberships, etc. Get creative and get noticed. There are millions of suns and stars in this universe and they are circling around one point and make sure that point is you! Therefore stand out, be positive, and have fun!
If you have more ideas, please email me: poojitha.ennamuri@gmail.com
**Section Spotlight: University of Louisville Summer Sleepover**
The UofL SWE section hosts an annual summer sleepover for the incoming freshmen class. The sleepover allows girls to meet both upperclassmen and girls they will see in their classes. It allows gives the freshman the opportunity to meet and talk to professors and professionals who understand the field they are working in better. This year’s sleepover was very successful! Twenty four girls attended the event; this was the largest number of incoming freshman girls that have attended since the sleepover began. Also, we started a mentor program with the freshman to make their first semester on campus even more successful.
The girls began arriving at four in the afternoon, allowing for early introductions and ice breakers. The ice breakers included a team work game that involved them not talking to each other. Soon after, members from PEACC (Prevention, Education and Advocacy on Campus and in the Community) came to discuss staying safe against violence and assault. At five, a faculty panel discussion began. Members of the panel introduced themselves to the girls and gave them the opportunity to ask questions about their intended field and the upcoming year. This was followed by a small professional panel, which discussed the various work opportunities.
After the panel discussions, dinner was served, giving both the incoming freshman and the upperclassmen the opportunity to get to know each other. After dinner, the mentors introduced themselves to their mentees. All the mentees were really excited about the program.
When dinner ended, the girls participated in a scavenger hunt to get them even more familiar with all of campus. The winning team was awarded gift cards to the movies and boxed candies. Although it took some of the teams a while to finish, everyone finished the activity and was rewarded with popsicles.
Once everyone was cooled off and relaxed from the scavenger hunt, they partook in a maze on a masking tape grid. Each girl had to make it through the maze with the help of everyone else. If a girl chose the wrong direction, she had to go to the end of the line. The game didn’t end until everyone made it through the maze. After these activities, the girls were given a chance to relax with a raffle, movies, and catch phrase.
The next day, the girls woke up early and attended one of two Engineering Calculus classes. They had the option of choosing either calculus II or III. This gave them the opportunity to see what it’s like to be in a college class. The sleepover ended at eleven with goodie bags and more games.
Section: University of Louisville
Event: Freshman Sleepover
Date: July 16-17, 2009
Submitted By: Lindsay Ferguson
Welcome to FY10 Region G Blog!
Hello Region G members!
Welcome to a brand new year for Region G! I am very excited for this new position. I would like to welcome you to our brand new Region G Blog.
As the Region G RCNE, I will update this blog with SWE regional and national news, along with monthly hot topics and posts from our Governor – Jessica Rannow, Regional Collegiate Representative (RCR) – Rebecca Murphy from Ohio State University and Collegiate Senator – Amanda King from Pennsylvania State University. Feel free to contact any of us if you have any questions or concerns.
If you like to contribute to the blog in the form of posts, pictures, videos, etc., please contact me. This is YOUR blog and if there is something you want to see, don’t hesitate to ask
