Downloadable Chapter Activities Sheet
Chapter of the Year Winner Applications – feel free to use for chapter ideas!
Service to the Community
- Volunteer at local events or local establishments
- Raise money for and construct “free little libraries” around your city
- Fundraise for local groups
- Create surveys for local businesses
- Volunteer to tutor/mentor underclassmen or high school kids
- Hold a clothing, canned food drive, or blood drive
Sociological Development and Application
- Develop a “Student Research Series” composed of mock conference sessions where students can present their research and receive feedback in a welcoming and non-threatening environment
- Attend existing speaking events on campus as a group
- Create your own symposium (AKD symposium grant available)
- Watch films/documentaries as a group and critique during and after each film with a new leader
- Attend and present at conferences (AKD student research grant available)
Recognition and Awards
- Hold and induction ceremony
- Invite a guest speaker (AKD initiation speaker grant available)
- Have an outstanding senior award and/or other recognition
- Have students submit their papers to AKD’s Student Paper Competition
Career Development and Professionalism
- Hold a workshop on etiquette for attending a professional conference
- Hold a workshop on resume development
- Invite alumni members from the department to talk about where they are now, how they made it there, etc.
- Hold a panel discussion on what to do with a sociology degree
- Hold a panel discussion on how to apply to graduate school
- Volunteer to staff the Alpha Kappa Delta table at a regional sociology meeting
Campus-Based Service Activities
- Host a film night with a discussion at the end
- Set up a voter registration table on campus
- Participate in your campus’ Student Organization Resource Fair
- Hold a campus-wide presentation with a visiting lecturer on a topic of interest
- Collaborate with another chapter for an activity or event
Other Ideas
- Publish a chapter newsletter
- Maintain a chapter website or Facebook/Twitter page
- Add new members to your department website
- Send a press release announcement to your local news, campus, administrators, etc. about chapter activities, new members, chapter news, awards and recognition, etc.
- Connect with the sociology club to develop membership and identity of AKD in advance of eligibility (start early)
- Hold meetings and have a regular meeting time
- Have officers/students come up with a plan for the year before classes begin (student-driven)
- Integrate AKD into the way you think about the activities of the department – talk about it in advising meetings, preview days, classes, etc.
Gain the Attention of your Dean
- Communicate with your Dean or Chair and, if appropriately within your University, whenever there is good news
- Tell your Dean and Chair and the campus PR unit whenever AKD awards your chapter with anything (funding, student paper competition, etc.
- Think about what your Dean values and translate that into what the chapter and students value