What Does Headquarters Actually Do - PECs

Chris Niles
Chief Innovation Officer

What does Headquarters do? We exist in the academic arena. We work with students. And a large part of what we do is educational programs. We are in the business of building better men for a better world, and one of the most valuable ways we do that is by supporting both undergraduate and alumni members with informational programs and educational opportunities. For many fraters, an educational program might be the first exposure to other Tekes beyond their own campus, and it is often a highlight of the undergraduate TKE experience.

The Regional Leadership Conferences (RLCs) have been very successful and have made a huge impact in the last 10 years. The student feedback from these events is hugely positive and there is no better indicator of this than the fantastic growth we have seen in the past few years. We recognize, though, that attending an RLC requires a significant commitment, and that is why I am so excited by what we are doing with the Province Education Conferences (PECs) for the Fall of 2014.

PECs are designed to be the most accessible of all of our programs. A PEC is typically a 1-day, drive-in event at a minimal cost. This is the chance for every Teke – and even those not yet initiated into the bond – to gather with others, learn how to become better men and make the fraternity stronger, and celebrate TKE. I encourage each of you to attend, and I challenge you to attend with your entire chapter or colony.

Here's a quick listing of what we are doing right now to make a great PEC experience for you in the fall:

• We are making plans to have a PEC in every province across TKE Nation so that they are closer and easier for everyone to get to.
• Regional Directors are identifying a key volunteer in each Province to serve in the role of Coordinator and working with them develop a volunteer committee to support the program.
• A member of the Professional Staff of TKE headquarters will be in attendance at every PEC next fall in order to help with on-site logistics and to present one or more sessions.
• Headquarters will be providing a modest financial contribution to each province for this event. Along with the possibility of additional donations/sponsorships, provinces should be able to keep the registration fee below $20 in most cases.
• We are currently developing a variety of online resources to support these events:
  • An interactive Event Planning Guide to support the volunteers' planning process
  • An automated promotion system including online postings, email blasts, and press releases along with support for additional customized communications
  • A virtual "bookshelf" of outlines and other resources for high-impact sessions
  • Online registration for all attendees

We are investing to make more PECs happen and to continue building stronger, more impactful events for everyone. I hope you will take advantage of this great opportunity and be in the first "class" to earn their PEC badge on MyTKE.org.

There are a lot of exciting developments in our educational programming. Keep your eyes open, too, for online TKE modules starting next fall. And start making your plans now to join us in New Orleans for Conclave 2015.