Page 19 - 2024_Mag_90-4

Viewpoint

Start at the Top

By Claire Smith
Member recruitment in Delta Kappa Gamma typically starts at the chapter level.
Members invite friends and colleagues to a meeting. Chapters advertise by
volunteering at an area school or local charity. Revitalization efforts concentrate
on chapter programs and projects. In an effort to “involve” her, the new member is
given an easy task or duty within the chapter.
There are two reasons for this emphasis. First, chapters are “the heart of DKG”
(Go-to Guide for Chapter Members, 2015, p.7). Respect for chapters is part of our
tradition. Second, it seems intuitive, less intimidating, and generally easier to start
a newcomer out at the local level.
But … is this approach working? In spite of membership committees and
revitalization endeavors, Society membership continues to drop (LeBlanc, 2023).
This may be due to a lack of a welcoming spirit in a chapter culture (Woodley,
2023). Having fewer members translates to less dues and fewer volunteers left to
create chapter programs and projects. Is there another approach that we could use
to attract new members?
Maybe, instead of starting at the chapter level, we should consider starting “at
the top.” The first things we should share with a prospective member should be
the most appealing and attractive things that DKG represents and offers. Clearly,
events and opportunities at the state organization level and above far outweigh
anything a local chapter could possibly offer. The prospective member is a thinking,
professional woman who is computer literate, usually very busy, but with much
to contribute and a thirst to learn. By “starting at the top” as we share about the
Society, we give her a definite sense of the depth and breadth of DKG’s mission
and values. She learns that DKG is worth her time, her money, and her professional
commitment. Then, when her interest has been piqued, she can be directed to a
local chapter.
So, what exactly can we share? What can we tell a prospective member ABOUT
the Society before we enroll her in a local chapter? Below are some suggestions,
together with reasons why they might appeal. The list is not exhaustive. Neither
should the recruiter attempt to complete them all!

Sharing on the International Level
The international level of the Society gives members a global perspective. An
outsider is probably unaware that DKG exists in 17 countries and that the Society
holds regular conferences and conventions to bring members together. An inquirer
may enjoy hearing about and meeting members who went to Finland or Japan or
Puerto Rico or New Orleans for a professional gathering.
DKG is a multinational organization, with English as the lingua franca.
Members for whom English is a second language thus have a “two-for-one deal”
when attending a professional event conducted in English or when reading the
Bulletin: Not only are they receiving top-notch professional development, but they
also have the chance to use their English. To a lesser extent, the bonus also holds
for the other languages represented in the Society. Opportunities exist to “brush
up” one’s knowledge of Spanish by exploring home pages and Facebook pages from

Collegial Exchange · 17