In this Issue

Recruitment Growth

Elimination of Prejudice

Register for Convention

UIFI

Using Social Media

TFM

Chapter News

Pi Lambda Phi Paragon Volume XIV Issue V

March 2012

For those of you who may not have received one before,

the Paragon is an undergraduate newsletter that has in the

past been sent out as frequently as monthly. Created to

provide updates on what is going on within our chapters,

internationally and to give support on some of the

operational aspects of our fraternity that you all go through

on a daily basis. The Paragon is an opportunity to connect

on a larger level with what our brothers are doing around

North America. We hope you take the opportunity to read

through some of the below articles and updates and

continue to engage in our Fraternity, even beyond your

own chapter. We also look forward to sharing your

chapter’s news, activities and accomplishments through

the Paragon in the near future. Enjoy!

Recruitment Growth

Recruitment is the lifeblood of our organization. Over the

past three years Pi Lambda Phi has continued to see

increased recruitment numbers from our Chapters and

Colonies. We truly believe that has been a result of

increased training provided to our brothers through our

partnership with Phired Up and an increased level of

importance, preparation and planning towards recruitment

throughout our Fraternity. After a very successful 2011

Annual Leadership Convention in which over 100 brothers

spent almost an entire day working with and learning from

Josh Orendi about Dynamic Recruitment, Fall 2011 saw a

tremendous increase in recruitment results. With a 30%

increase in New Member Cards collected (F10: 254, F11:

329) and a 23% increase in brothers initiated (F10: 209,

F11: 258) compared to Fall 2010, your recruitment efforts

clearly impacted the growth of our fraternity as a whole.

With a Fraternity wide goal of 15% growth in recruitment

for the 2010-2011 academic year, we need to continue this

trend to achieve our goal with great Spring recruitment as

well.

With recruitment over for most of our Chapters and

Colonies for this semester, the importance now shifts to

retaining and properly educating and initiating your new

members. We can see the tremendous growth from Fall

2010 to Fall 2011 above, but the numbers also show the

difference between the number of men who are recruited

and the number of men initiated. From the numbers we

have collected so far this semester, we are behind on the

number of bids accepted compared to last Spring. To

achieve the larger goal of growth within our organization,

specifically by graduating more brothers from our

chapters, we need to continue to improve at each phase

that can affect graduating brothers. Recruitment is the

first and a vital step, but education, involvement and

academics all play a critical role as well. Let’s continue to

set goals and execute on them as an entire Fraternity to

continue to grow.

You can view more of the numbers from Fall 2011

Recruitment here.

Elimination of Prejudice

This semester has seen a lot of excitement around our

International Philanthropy the Elimination of Prejudice.

With multiple chapters and colonies hosting diversity

discussions of the Inaugural Eliminate Prejudice Day to

the opening of the 2nd Annual Video Contest around the

theme of LGBT Prejudices, and many of our chapters

hosting or planning spring fundraising events, there is a

momentum in the program and its continual development.

Here are a few things you can do to continue to engage or

begin engaging in the Elimination of Prejudice

Philanthropy:

Read the Elimination of Prejudice Story – The story

explains the history behind the program and its

connection to Pi Lambda Phi.

Read the 2012 Video Contest Launch Management

Plan – The Launch Management Plan explains the

steps chapters and individual brothers can take to

engage in the Elimination of Prejudice

o Sign up for your School’s Elimination of

Prejudice Fundraising Page– Further

explained in the Launch Management Plan

o Connect with Social Media

through Facebook and Twitter – Use your

voice to connect with our cause.

View and promote the 2nd Annual Video Contest –

This year’s theme is LGBT prejudices. Details on

the Pi Lambda Phi only Video Contest, available to

only undergraduate brothers, coming soon!

Help your chapter plan a fundraising event using

the Elimination of Prejudice Event Handbook.

Register for Convention 2012

Whether you are just beginning to think about your

summer plans, already have a job or internship lined up

or are enjoying the semester too much to have thought

about it yet, take a moment to mark your calendar for

August 2nd – 5th for Pi Lambda Phi’s Annual Leadership

Convention in Richmond, VA for what is sure to be an

exciting few days of brotherhood bonding and learning.

Many of our chapter Reges have already signed up as the

primary delegate of their chapter or colony and it is now

time to get more of our brothers to join them! If you are a

chapter officer, plan on running for an executive board

position at your next elections, are an excited and up and

coming leader or even an older brother looking to build

connections, take a few moments to register online to

make sure you do not miss out on all the great

accomplishments Pi Lambda Phi will be celebrating!

The International Headquarters is also working with Pi

Lambda Phi’s Educational Foundation to once again offer

alumni the opportunity to donate towards and support

additional delegates from their or other chapters attending

Convention. Once ready that link will be shared with you

so your chapter or colony can include it in upcoming

alumni newsletters or communications.

2012 Undergraduate Interfraternity

Institute Registration Now Open

Attention all undergraduate members! Do you currently

hold a position of leadership within your chapter? Do you

wish to hold a leadership position in the future? Are you

someone who simply wants to become a better leader? If

you answered “Yes” to any of the three questions then you

should strongly consider attending the Undergraduate

Interfraternity Institute (UIFI) host by the North-American

Interfraternity Conference (NIC) this summer!

UIFI is a five day institute that brings together the top

fraternity men and sorority women from across North

America for the common purpose of growing as leaders.

Attendees are provided the knowledge and skills to further

develop themselves as leaders within their chapter, council

and community through interactive, fun, challenging and

intentional workshops and sessions.

Over the years, numerous Pi Lams have attended UIFI.

Here are a couple remarks from your fellow brethren:

“Best decision I made after joining Pilam! UIFI is

definitely one of the top highlights of my college career.”

Dave Thewlis – OH Beta Tau

“Completely changed my outlook on Greek Life.”

Casey Clarke – VA Alpha Psi

Take advantage of the OPPORTUNITY and accept the

CHALLENGE. Attend one of eleven sessions this summer

to help you become one your chapter’s top leaders!

For more information about UIFI, go

to http://www.nicindy.org/programs/uifi/.

Using Social Media

Some people love it. Some people hate the idea of it. Some

people don’t understand it. Some people would find it hard

to live without it for more than a few hours. Social media

has had a tremendous impact on how people interact and

communicate and it is no different in the world of

Fraternities and Greek Life.

Social Media includes “web-based and mobile

technologies used to turn communication into interactive

dialogue… Enabled by ubiquitously accessible and

scalable communication techniques, social media has

substantially changed the way organizations, communities,

and individuals communicate.” - Wikipedia

As you are reading this you may have a Facebook page

open to read about or communicate with a fellow brother

or un-affiliated friend. For all the fun and casual things you

can do with social media, there are quite a few ways that

social media can help your chapter be successful.

Building Alumni Communities/Groups – For any chapter

looking to have better alumni relations or communications

with their graduated brothers, social media is a great way

to build those connections.

Linkedin Groups – Make sure your chapter has a

chapter specific LinkedIn group so that

undergraduate and alumni brothers of your chapter

can connect professionally. This can help all

brothers identify careers of interest and lead to

possible job opportunities. Our motto is “Not Four

Years, But a Lifetime,” and you have a tremendous

network available to you as a brother of Pi Lambda

Phi. Make sure you have a LinkedIn profile, your

chapter has a group and you are a part of the Pi

Lambda Phi International Group and leverage your

network to build connections that can continue to

pay you back for a lifetime.

Facebook Alumni Pages/Groups – read more

Total Frat Move – Good or Bad?

A simple question posed by one of our alumnus brothers

on his site ‘The Fraternity Advisor,’ which gives thoughts

on many topics that Fraternity men face every day in their

chapters. Check out his point of view on the website Total

Frat Move and the comments that followed as well as the

response, Another Perspective, by one of the most

nationally recognized names in the fraternity world!

- We highly suggest you read through the comments on

each of these stories as they also provide some great

perspective.

Tell Us What is Going On In Your

Chapter!

We want to know about all the great things our chapters

and undergraduate brothers are accomplishing! Please

contact your regional Leadership Consultant to share

information about any recent events or activities related to

community service, philanthropies, alumni relations,

campus involvement, individual brother accomplishments

or anything else you feel is worth sharing. We want to give

each of you a better idea of what is going on within the

chapters across North America and around you and it starts

with you taking a few minutes to brag about some of your

accomplishments or activities.

Check out a few of the things our chapters at Baldwin

Wallace and University of Wisconsin have been up to:

OH Beta Tau – SNAPS

WI Omega – Omegan

© 2005-2012 Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity, Inc. All Rights Reserved.