[22791] in APO-L
[APO-L] Extension - Market Niche
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Stephen Merrill)
Tue Jul 16 20:36:18 2002
Date: Tue, 16 Jul 2002 20:35:19 -0400
Reply-To: Stephen Merrill <samerrill@PREXAR.COM>
From: Stephen Merrill <samerrill@PREXAR.COM>
To: APO-L@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU
I wanted to enter into the discussion on extension, but also take it in a
different direction.
I am not certain that approaching high school students is a wise move for
several reasons
1. Lack of focus. My high school year was more focused on the events
leading up to and immediately post graduation.
2. High school students not knowing what they want yet (often same is true
for first semester freshmen).
3. How is APO different from other groups (social greeks, Circle K, Spring
Break service projects, etc.)
The latter is my real focus here.
For many years, APO was genuinely unique. We offered (and still do offer) a
Fraternal experience focused around providing community service, while still
maintaining a strong personal bond with the others in the chapter, and
providing social opportunities as well. As the Social Greek system has been
looking for ways to evolve, and in some cases, survive, and redefine
themselves, they have moved closer and closer to our model in Alpha Phi
Omega.
There are many Social Greeks that can now tout a service program that rivals
that in Alpha Phi Omega at many chapters. Just this past May, I attended
the campus community service awards at U of Maine. Pi Kappa Alpha was
recognized for the top campus community service award this year, with over
880 hours in a variety of different projects. Now, we in APO can likely
tout many more hours than this, (the chapter at U of Maine certainly can),
but I would hazard to say that 10 or 15 years ago, community service was not
as strong a focus for the Social Greeks as it is today. (For the record,
APO swept these awards the previous year, and had high honors the year
before that, so not getting the award this year was as much a case of
"sharing the wealth", as anything else.) Sigma Phi Epsilon is touting their
"Balanced Man Program", which emphasizes such principles as service,
scholarship, and leadership, and this is part of their up front recruiting
process. Whether or not the chapter implements it in this case is
irrelevant. The point is, in my observation, the Social Greeks have
diversified by becoming more like Alpha Phi Omega, and we have not changed.
Now at most chapters of Alpha Phi Omega, one thing that can still be said
over Social Greeks is the option of co-ed membership. Here we are also in
direct competition with Circle K, other campus based community service
groups, and the ever growing popularity of Service Spring Breaks.
You know we are different than these groups, and I know it as well, question
here to me is, how do we present it effectively to prospectives, both in
terms of new campuses, and on existing campuses. Our presentation has
changed very little, if at all, since I pledged back in the Fall of 1988.
It has served us well for many, many years, and most if not everyone who
reads this post, will be a proud product of it. But truth be told, I think
we need to change it, both for extension efforts, and for existing chapters.
We need to not change what we do in terms of day to day chapter operations,
but how we market and present ourselves, and what we have to offer.
When I started school, I had a typewriter, and computers were here, but not
widespread. The Internet? Cell Phones, only for the very wealthy, and
heck, college students of today have cell phones on a regular basis. Our
society has changed around us, and we have not changed our perception in
society.
Every campus is very different, and not all approaches will work the same
everywhere, and I realize this. I learned this very well during my three
years as Chair for Section 94, and any effort made on an individual campus,
needs to be reflective of that school's own personality. There are some
schools where you want to mention APO's connection to the BSA, because it
will attract quality new people, and other schools where it will attract
protests (BSA used only as an example, not wanting to debate this.)
Now, I am not going to spout off here without offering at least one area
that we can market ourselves going forward. To me, Alpha Phi Omega has been
a top provider of real world experience which can be directly applied to the
business world. Managing people (service projects, project chairs, exec
boards), conflict resolution, recruitment, fundraising, and interacting with
various groups on and off campus to name a few. What I just mentioned is
not unique to one chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, it is present at every single
one. This is something we can market and offer people, and most other
groups with whom we are in competition for people, don't present themselves
in this fashion.
And in doing so, we have one other thing we can offer. Right after I became
a Brother, one of the graduating seniors made a great comment about APO
which has stuck with me for many years. He said, "Alpha Phi Omega is a
great group because it allows you to try new things, challenge yourself, and
step outside of your comfort zone, and know that if you make a mistake, you
have a safety net beneath you to catch you when you fall." To me, this is
one of the most profound statements I have ever heard regarding APO, and it
sums up one way in which we can present ourselves to the right individuals.
I have ranted for way to long, and likely provided kindling for flames. I
will ask however that we all would do well to try and define APO's market
niche, and how we are unique from everyone else on campuses, trying to
attract quality people.
YiLFS,
Steve Merrill
Advisory Chair, Sigma Xi, U of Maine (Orono)
Past Section 94 Chair
