Spring Recruitment - Your Time

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." Interfraternal Brother John Wooden.

John Wooden is known as the greatest college basketball coach of all time, winning 12 NCAA Division I Championships in 14 years. As a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon, the Founders asked us to recruit men based on personal worth and character. If you ask any Teke from across the TKE Nation what defines membership, they will quickly recite that phrase. Why do you think that is? They didn’t just say this for us to ignore 110 years later and members don’t keep saying this to hide behind words. It is on the forefront of our minds and should be. No other organization can say they admit men based on these ideals and have done it for as long as us. When we recruit men each year, we must keep in mind that they will one day lead the chapter in one of two directions – positively forward or negatively backward. So, we need to look for aspiring leaders to guide the chapter, the campus, the community and beyond.

There are several qualities you can identify during any recruitment event in a young man coming out of high school, or in their college career, that can show you their potential to lead. The following list is produced to help guide your efforts in recognizing gems of talent. As with any one of us, we were not born leaders – there is no such thing. But, we were all born and have learned traits that, if polished and refined, can produce an amazing man capable of great things. 

• Honesty - People who consistently tell the truth are unfortunately uncommon in today’s world. Being an honest person puts you in a limited group of people.
• Trust - Being honest over time starts to build trust, and trust is when you really start to become an influential man. You can identify this trait during the new member process.
• Love - It sounds weird that you need to show love in order to be a good leader, but it's necessary. Showing they have a soft side, does not make them weak. Rather it shows that a man is genuine in his efforts.
• Compassion - A man that shows compassion for others (for example through service and philanthropy) is very important. Finding out they were or are involved with service will show they care and understand the importance of giving.
• A "Can Do" Attitude - Leaders know how to find a way to make things happen, and if they can't find a way, they make one.
• Will to Win - Leaders have both the will to win, and the hate to lose. Both are just as important.
• Learn - Our environment is always changing, and as a result we must learn to adapt to it. Men who are great at learning from both their successes and failures are invaluable assets to the chapter.
• Respectfulness - To be respected you first must show respect. Men who treat others with more respect than they expect to be treated with in return are very valuable members.
• Persistence - This goes along with the "can do" attitude. It's great when men know that their fellow Fraters will never give up or quit.
• Courage - It's not always going to be easy, but a member having the courage to tackle new challenges and problems will ensure future success.
• A Listener - A leader must meet the needs of those around him, and in order to meet those needs, he must be a good listener.
• Likeability - Fraters like men who are like them. Members are great at finding ways to connect with others by finding things that they have in common.

These twelve qualities will not be in every potential new member, but find a few of these and he is sure to be an excellent member of your chapter. The reason being, you can help him learn the other qualities during membership.

Where do you find these men?

Men with these amazing qualities will not flock to your door - you have to go get them. You must show them how their involvement with TKE will enhance the skills they already have and they will learn more to diversify their portfolio. So let’s go out and get them…but how?

First, your chapter should keep a running file containing the names, addresses, cell phone, and Email address of all prospects that you identify. Update and expand this list as the recruitment program continues. Several methods can be used to identify prospects for this file:

• Fraternity Forum - This is an activity conducted on many campuses by the IFC. If your system is having a Fraternity Forum, ensure that you are prepared. Set up a table that displays the many facets of membership in TKE, make sure that the table is always well-manned, train members in the skills of conversation that they will need when working at the table, and be sure to get contact information for prospective members.
• Recommendations - Ask professors, coaches, deans, and sorority women for names of students that they think would make good Fraternity members. When you get these names, you also get an easy introduction - simply tell the prospective member that he was recommended by the Professor or Coach as a potential Fraternity member.
• Residence Hall Lists - The name, telephone number, and year in school of students are usually contained on these lists, and may be available through the residential life office.
• Incoming Student List - This list of new students can be very helpful and may be available from the admissions office.
• Student Directories - An excellent resource for names, hometowns and other information.
• Alumni - Fraternity alumni can often identify new men on campus who may be interested in joining your chapter.
• Information Table - During registration or the first few weeks of school, man a table at the student center. Take down names of prospects that stop by or indicate interest.
• General Functions - Your chapter can sponsor a contest, social activity, or campus event. Have a sign-in book to get the names of all who attend.
• Classes - All of your Fraters attend classes with unaffiliated men who may join a Fraternity. Classes are easy places to start conversations and make friends with potential Tekes.
• IFC List - On many campuses the IFC will provide all fraternities with a list of freshmen and other men who are interested in joining fraternities. Do not rely on this list to be your only list.
• Friends - Have all chapter members sit down and come up with a list of friends or men they know who are possible recruits. Ask each Frater to submit at least three names.