Raising Visibility & Chapter Outreach

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