|
KNIGHTS
OF COLUMBUS
COLLEGE COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT
COLLEGE COUNCIL
MEMBERSHIP RETENTION
While the purpose of the college
councils initiative is to make the Order available to Catholic men in
college, it is also very important to note that college councils add
life and growth to the Order by bringing in young members. Neither of
these purposes is served if our college Knights graduate and do not
transfer. Such members are often dropped and that hurts the college
council and the Order at large. To help prevent such situations, the
following are some tips on the creation of transferable members.
College Knights Who
Transfer After Graduating Are
Cultivated
This begins when they first
appear on the radar of the college council as prospective members.
Prospective members must be given the impression that joining the
Knights of Columbus means a lifetime membership. The Order is an
international organization with councils all over the Americas and
the pacific. Our prospects need to understand that their membership
is transferable to any council anywhere. When asking new prospective
members to fill out the membership application, it is imperative to
ask them to use their PERMANENT OR HOME ADDRESSES. This
makes it easier to contact them after graduation.
Degrees
Experience shows that members
who make it through all the degrees are the ones who are most likely
to continue their membership after college. Attaining the highest
degrees in the Order brings greater understanding of the Order, its
purpose and the importance of our work. With this greater
appreciation comes the urge to continue to help in the good works of
the Order. The college Knight who comes to this understanding is the
one who will keep his membership active after graduation.
Graduating Seniors
As members approach their final
year in college, it is incumbent on the financial secretary and the
district deputy to meet with them. At this meeting graduating seniors
are to be encouraged to recruit a new member as their
"replacement" in the council. This ensures that even with
the departure of graduating seniors, members are not lost. It is also
important to remind graduating seniors of the choices they have:
1) Maintain membership in
the council until such time as they are able to transfer. This is
especially important for military college councils.
2) Transfer to another council
closer to the area of residence.
Graduates
So you have a long list of
graduated members from years back and you need to get them of your
roster. What do you do?
1) Contact the school's
alumni office and ask them for the updated addresses of the
people on the list. Let them know: "we're planning an event for
the Council and need to reach our old members."
2) Send the list to Supreme
Office Council Growth and Development Department. This will give
us the ability to contact these members and encourage them to transfer.
Taking the steps to retain
college council graduates is as important as holding a First Degree
to bring in new members. |
