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DKG Practice/Program

Iowa’s Mu Chapter Connects via a

Six-Ring Bullseye

By Suzanne Bartels, Jill Brown, Constance L. (Connie) Hoag, and Kathy Verschoor

The Mu Chapter Bullseye Project (September 2020–April 2021) was developed
in response to our chapter’s struggle in recruiting and retaining members. This
initiative was envisioned to promote new members’ understanding of our Society
and enhance a sense of belonging.
Although our emphasis on recruiting and retention remained a priority, the
extent of the project quickly refocused. We recognized that all our members could
benefit from a “Mu-specific” plan for connecting, reconnecting, and revitalizing
our personal, chapter, and Society interactions. Strengthening and promoting
relationships while investigating the scope and sequence of DKG became our
mission.
In responding to those challenges, we created a Six-Ring Bullseye Project,
guided by “genuine spiritual fellowship.” We present our vision, revitalizing
strategies, and evaluation processes for “Mu Connect” in an interview format.

Q: What prompted you to develop the Project?
A: Our chapter had utilized the Society’s Membership Recruitment Plan in earnest
for 2 years and added 20 members to our chapter. We realized that, although we
were successful in gaining new members, we needed to retain those members, as,
historically, we had trouble keeping members once they joined.

Q: What are your current chapter dynamics and how did they
influence your project?
A: We represent 3 colleges and universities and 12 school districts, with
members coming together from 4 counties and 3 states. Mu symbolizes
midwest diversity in job descriptions, teaching positions, and administrative
responsibilities and has a representative balance between active and retired
educators. Intergenerational perspectives are significant to the dynamics, as
the chapter includes not only first-year members but also those with more
than 50 years of membership in DKG. The wide-ranging dynamics provided
extraordinary opportunities for sharing knowledge, experiences, interests,
and skills; for networking; and for generating new energy to strengthen our
relationships.

Q: How did the inductees transform the structure of Mu
Chapter?
A: They expanded our personal and educational perspectives, providing
expertise in Zoom and other social media. Their skills made electronic
meetings and chat rooms viable, facilitated statewide virtual connections,
and initiated an in-depth examination of the DKG website during a chapter

Collegial Exchange · 41