This document discusses strategies for effective recruitment and retention of members for student organizations. It identifies three keys to meaningful membership as recruitment, activities, and appreciation. Recruitment numbers often drop off significantly from initial sign-ups to regular attendees. Reasons people join organizations include getting involved, meeting people, developing skills, and supporting a cause. Effective recruitment requires understanding the organization's goals and setting targeted recruitment goals. Retention relies on engaging new members through social events, involvement opportunities, and showing appreciation for contributions.

1. Recruitment & Retention:
Providing a Meaningful Membership Experience
Kim Blank
Coordinator of Student Activities

2. Overwhelmed?

3. 3 Keys to Meaningful Membership
o Recruitment
o Activities Fair
o Other publicity
o First meeting
o Retention
o Opportunities to engage
o Purpose & meaning
o Appreciation

4. What issues do you see?
• What are some recruitment or retention
issues you see in your organization?
RECRUITMENT MATH
87 sign-ups at Activities Fair
12 attend one of first three meetings
6 actually stick with membership in the org.

5. 4 Reasons People Join
Organizations
• Desire to get involved
• Desire to meet people
• Desire to develop
leadership skills
• Belief in a cause

6. Recruitment
o Not just about numbers
o More members ≠ Better members
o Do you need (and can you support) 50 new
members?
o On the flip side, don’t be exclusive just for the
sake of being exclusive
o Think beyond the traditional stuff
Do you have any ideas?

7. Recruitment
o Know and understand the goals and purpose of
your organization.
o Set recruitment goals—How many people do you
wish to recruit? What sort of characteristics
would an ideal new member possess? What sort
of programming will draw our target members?
o Get the current membership involved. They are
the current face of the organization.
o Design a visual element—use members’ artistic
talents to create memorable publicity materials.

8. Recruitment
• Remember your organization’s goals
• Remember why people join organizations
• Remember that some people are just signing
up for a free pen, because they’re signing up
for everything, or because they saw someone
cute sign up before them

9. Retention
September meeting
November meeting

10. Retention
o Contact people who show interest early– take no
longer than a week
o Make it fun! Involvement shouldn’t be a burden
o Hold a socially-centered welcome event
o Make the first formal meeting fun
o Get the new members involved immediately
o Orient the new members by introducing the mission,
goals, norms, traditions of the organization
o Get to know the members by planning icebreakers, etc.
o Remember their names
o Show appreciation for the members

11. Retention
• Use meeting agendas– some people just think
better this way & it gives a sense of purpose
to the meeting
• Balance those who are task-oriented and
those who are process-oriented
• Remember that your organization is only as
strong as its weakest link. Quickly try to
reengage disenchanted members.

12. Appreciation can be low-cost

13. Appreciation
o Be open to suggestions
o Give members responsibilities
o Delegate! Know how to lead & how to step back
o Hand out creative awards/certificates
o Have a social event (ice cream, pizza, etc.)
o Send someone to a workshop/conference
o Give prizes
o Identify potential & build on strengths
o Announce kudos at meetings
What do you currently do?

14. Any ideas? Questions?
• What is your organization doing currently?
• How can the people in this room help you
brainstorm or problem-solve?

15. Additional Resources
Student Activities Office
100 East Brooklyn Street
(Behind the Market)
Kim Blank
Coordinator of Student Activities
blankk@kenyon.edu

16. Sources
University of Virginia’s Dean of Students
Website:
http://www.virginia.edu/deanofstudents/stud
entactivities/?page_id=398
“Membership Recruitment and Retention” The
University of Maryland
“Give Them a Hand: How to Thank, Recognize
and Motivate Members” Student Leader