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Jul/Aug 2025 | Vol. 82 No. 4

Deeds of others now we’re reaping,

we for others stand.

By Dr. Beverly Hall-Maughan
2024-2026 International President

eeds of others now we’re for a long time, we no longer need the secrecy that was
Dreaping, we for others necessary for our founders. Chapter-level invitations

stand. These familiar words emphasize relationships and connections, which are
from The Delta Kappa Gamma foundational to DKG, but they do not always align with
Song remind us that what the digital and fast-paced world younger educators
we enjoy today was built by inhabit. Collegiate and early-career educators are often
visionary leaders who believed time-strapped, geographically mobile, and accustomed
in empowering educators and to online communities. Many younger professionals
advancing excellence in education. We stand on the are more likely to discover DKG through social media,
shoulders of incredible women who laid the foundation online searches, or our international website rather
of our Society and have carried it forward for almost than through face-to-face invitations. Increasingly,

a century. These lyrics, steeped in gratitude and potential members reach out online and through
responsibility, echo an important truth: the strength chat. It is disheartening when state organizations and
of DKG is due to the labor, love, and leadership of its chapters are informed about these inquiries, but do not
members. As we look ahead to #SecondCenturyDKG, follow up, leading many expressions of interest to go
we are called to carry that same spirit and strength unanswered. We are losing passionate, purpose-driven
forward with fresh eyes and a unified voice. women who want to be part of DKG simply because
To keep DKG strong for future generations, we there was no follow-up. This is a problem—but we can

must seriously consider how we recruit new members. fix it.
Our world and education have changed, and so have While DKG Headquarters can market our
the needs of our members, especially those just organization and generate interest on an international
beginning their journeys as collegiate students or scale, if there is no follow-up locally or if email
early-career educators still finding their way. DKG has addresses in MyDKG are outdated, those leads
much to offer—networking, leadership opportunities, are lost. We are witnessing an alarming number of
scholarships, professional support, mentorship, and a bounced emails and missed connections. These are
sense of community and belonging. Yet, despite these lost opportunities to grow and welcome new energy
offerings, recruiting and retaining younger members and ideas into our organization. This gap undermines

remains a challenge. Many potential members do not the Society’s outreach efforts and deters interested
know we exist, and if they do, they struggle to engage individuals who are eager to get involved but encounter
or do not always know how to get involved. To address silence. To truly build our next century together, we
this, we must critically re-examine how we approach need to think differently and unify our efforts on how
membership invitations and engagement. we welcome new members. This means speaking with
Our membership recruitment process starts, and one voice—internationally, at the state level, and within
sometimes ends, with an invitation extended from the chapters—working together toward a common goal.

chapter level. While this invitation method worked well One idea gaining traction is See PRES p. 3

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