When it comes to being successful in Collegiate DECA, having an active and driven chapter can have a lasting impact on a member’s life. What helps facilitate this success is having a chapter focused on these three factors: campus, community and competition.
Use this guide for implementing the Three C’s into your chapter’s culture!
1. Campus
One of the best ways to have engaged members is by getting everyone involved on campus in some way. Doing so also helps grow awareness for your chapter. Having a booth at a sidewalk-café, putting together a float for homecoming or going to sporting events as a group are all great ways to have members get involved on campus and make connections with other members. Also, do not be afraid to connect with other organizations around campus! Have other student speakers come in to promote their groups and events to help support other organizations on your campus (and hopefully you'll have the opportunity to do the same!)
2. Community
Being attentive to the needs of the community surrounding your chapter allows for unique experiences and lasting memories. The good news is, there are lots of ways to be active in your community! Chapters can organize food drives to raise food for a local food shelf, volunteer at a soup kitchen or even participate in a campus-wide service event to have a positive impact. For example, my chapter volunteers at the concession stand at the local hockey rink. By doing this, members get to work together as a team and have some fun while making tips! Another way to reach out to the community is by arranging fundraising efforts. This allows members to network and raise funds to help pay for your chapter's activities. You can also bring the community to you! Having community business professionals come to speak to your DECA chapter can be a great opportunity for your members. This individual could be a chapter alumnus, a faculty at your college or a local business executive.
3. Competition
Being well-versed in competition gives your chapter an advantage to be successful. To ensure that all your members—new and experienced—are ready to compete, your chapter must devote time and effort to competition preparation. Having meaningful workshops where the officer team or returning members walk through competition steps with new members has proven to be invaluable for empowering first-time competitors. Offering experience and knowledge to your new members gives them a head start and establishes a team bond.
Another option is to host a mock competition. Have faculty serve as the judges and use old case studies to help your members prepare. Offering a mock competition before your association-level competition or ICDC alleviates the pressure of not feeling prepared and presents another way to receive feedback before a real competition. This type of event can also serve as a great recruitment tool if you include prospective members.
It is as simple as that! If you focus on these three factors, you are bound to be taking your chapter to the #nextlevel.
