When planning for new members, it is important to keep in mind that the first few weeks of their experience will set the tone for the rest of their time with SigEp. Here are five essential steps for ensuring your incoming members hit the ground running:

1. Reach out to parents and new members from the start
Once the bid card is signed, the most important part is to follow up and make sure new members and their parents are comfortable with taking the next step.

Personal conversations and social media shout-outs are a great way to create a welcoming atmosphere, or even holding a senior panel discussion to have older members answer any questions that parents may have.

Following up with more formal information is an essential next step — this can be done efficiently through sending out a new member packet (separate info for member and parent) with:

Logistics of chapter operations, including financial obligations. 
Introductions from executive board members, including contact information and an explanation of what they do. 
Preview of the beginning of chapter programming. 
Preview of the Balanced Man Program.

2. Prepare current chapter members for the new experience
Reminding the current members of your chapter of their responsibilities as role models to new members is critical for a continuously thriving brotherhood. A simple, tangible way to accomplish this is by meeting with the up-and-coming brother mentors to discuss and establish an outline of interactions to have with their new mentee. Setting personal and academic S.M.A.R.T. goals with a mentee can allow them to think about what they want to do with their time as a SigEp early on, as well as give them an initial opportunity to be held accountable.

Having a brotherhood event with both outgoing and incoming members that is based in open discussion can allow plenty of tips and tricks of the trade to be passed down quickly. One year, our president even gave a quick PowerPoint presentation to the new members on how he learned to succeed in college by balancing his time and priorities. The simplest way to assure this is by having casual conversations and relating to their experiences each step of the way.

3. Prepare key leaders
Keeping chapter leadership ahead of the game is important for providing a fluid, engaging new member experience. There are several key players, including the vice president of member development, who structures new members’ perception of the Balanced Man Program and plans the larger events that make it beneficial. The vice president of programming ensures all events are thoroughly planned and advertised to ensure chapter engagement. The chaplain should prepare the Ritual to be an impactful experience that emphasizes values and ensures that all incoming members fully understand the entirety of the Ritual, avoiding confusion. The Sigma Coordinator is the direct point of contact for any questions that incoming members may have, as he will be with the new members throughout the initial stages of membership and will be able to relate the purpose of member development programming while also helping members with any challenges they may face while adjusting to college. He serves as a facilitator for day-to-day programming, making sure the takeaways are explicitly discussed and the schedule is followed.

4. Host a new member retreat
Merge Sigma Rite of Passage, casual bonding, and critical, thought-provoking breakout sessions together, not just for new members, but all members to begin the academic or calendar year. Ideally, the event will take place outside of the chapter house or typical meeting locations to provide a separation and focus on the engagement in your brotherhood and all chapter-related activities. Events can range from sport competitions and skits to lawn games, SWOT analysis, challenge group goal setting, or stories by the fire.

Above all, this gives members a clear sense of your chapter’s long-range goals and mission while allowing them to make friends in and outside their challenge group.

5. Host a new member orientation week
A new member orientation week will provide the opportunity to set the expectations of a SigEp in the chapter and the university community. Have all executive board members and any/all leadership positions involved in presentations and activities relevant to your chapter, your campus and your personal chapter culture to acclimate them and give them comfortability as well as an advantage coming into an entirely new environment. This is a great way to involve older members that have great insights, but are normally too involved elsewhere to hold chapter leadership.

A new member orientation week can also assist incoming members in understanding the negative stereotypes faced by fraternities, and how it is a responsibility of all members to actively present their chapter, and fraternity life as a whole, in a positive way. Activities can include a campus tour to showcase involvement opportunities, facilitated group workouts hosted by a member who is into fitness, seminars on sexual, social and mental health, or tips on how to succeed in difficult degree programs.