Collegiate DECA benefits from bringing new members to our organization and having our high school seniors join us upon graduation. Learn more about a few ways to help sell our division to those seniors and how you can connect with students in the high school division throughout the year.
Attending Meetings as a Collegiate Member
One way to connect with our high school division members is by attending chapter meetings to help promote our division. You may still have connections with your former advisors, or maybe you have found a new connection with high school chapters near your college. Taking the opportunity to reach out and snag some time to get in front of those students is a great tactic to have them move to the Collegiate division after graduation.
In addition, make sure to share your passion and explain how continuing DECA in college can be a great way to give back to the community and learn more professional development skills.
Volunteering at District and State Conferences
Take the opportunity to connect with our high school division by volunteering and giving back. Associations love to have their former members come back to help. Whether it is judging events or helping to ensure conferences run smoothly, this is a wonderful way to help the high school division and show how involved our members can be post-graduation.
Make sure to wear something that shows off your college and DECA spirit, and have some talking points ready to go in case you are asked to make remarks or say a word or two about your experience in Collegiate DECA.
Host Conferences on Your Campus
Recently, the Butler University DECA chapter in Indianapolis, IN, had the opportunity to host the Indiana DECA Fall Leadership Conference. This allowed the chapter and the university to bring over 350 students to campus for a day of networking, leadership development and competition prep. Through it all, high school members experienced a taste of college life and got to spend time with our collegiate members to learn more about DECA beyond high school and what college is like.
Many other collegiate chapters use opportunities like these; this is just one way to make an everlasting impact and connection with the division.
Sponsor High School Division Events
Connecting back to district and association conferences, if your chapter budget allows, take the time to sponsor a conference. Not only does the high school division get a bit of extra help with funds, but you may have the opportunity to get your chapter name on awards, documents, photos and more.
Some chapters use sponsorship to build an important connection, and many times, our high school division members will learn more about the Collegiate division thanks to those sponsorships.
Cross-Division Community Projects
Find a community group local to your college campus and a local high school DECA chapter. Work together to raise funds and awareness for your chosen organization and share your experience and success on social media. By collaborating on community projects, both chapters will have the opportunity to work together towards a common cause and help the community in the process!
No matter what your collaboration looks like, you will have the opportunity to show off our division and remind students that they can continue their journey with DECA into college. Take the time to reach out to the local high school DECA chapters or associations to see what you can do to support them. Or, take the time to tap into your contacts network and see how local chapters could benefit from collaboration with our Collegiate division.
