La Voz

The International Music Society gets members interested in their club at last quarter's club day.

If deciding which club to join isn't a difficult enough process, then trying to get people to join a club certainly is.

Some wonder if using candy to motivate students to join your club may give the club a minute of fame, but in the end, only be left with an empty bag of fun-size Twix and a ghost of a signature and e-mail address.

Sanjay Chandra, co-president of South Asian Student Alliance, has found that motivation by food can work. "Incentives are great ways to attract fresh blood into the group," says Chandra.

But just incentives are not enough. "Remember to be patient when attempting to recruit new members. Fifty people might join a club for a slice of free pizza," says Kurt Pham, an officer in International Student Volunteers.

"If you found a handful of people who are really passionate about the club, or manage to spark someone's interest in the club who wouldn't normally check it out, then you have been successful in attracting a good club base," says Pham.

Pham says he doesn't like attracting students with food, but agrees that it works. "I would say that technique is good for luring new members to the table. Also about three-fourths of the people on the signature lists usually come and check it out," says Pham.

It's also helpful if club members are friendly and engaging with prospective members.

Pham says that when he was looking to join a club he was more inclined to join if the officers were warm and welcoming or if certain clubs appeared more creative and out of the ordinary.

"I'll be attracted to a club if I see someone wearing a Japanese kimono or wearing some sort of uniform that looks really noticeable," says Pham.

Through experience Pham has found that it is counter-productive to just set up a table and not try to actively recruit students.

"Students would just usually pass by them since they don't see anything happening," says Pham.

Lisa Bartus, the president of Phi Theta Kappa, uses a more traditional method to recruit new members.

"Because we have strict requirements, we found the best thing to do is inform students about us so they can either join right away or make it a personal goal," says Bartus.

Phi Theta Kappa is one student organization where not all students are allowed to join right away.

"All students who are in Phi Theta Kappa maintain a minimum GPA of 3.5, must have a minimum of 18 completed units at De Anza College and be currently enrolled in a minimum of 3 units," says Bartus.

She said joining Phi Theta Kappa "was one of the smartest things I ever did."

Another motivating factor for students to join clubs is friends. Chandra admits that a strong incentive to join any club is the company of other club members.

"Definitely the prospect of hanging out with people outside of the collegiate setting; meaning, being able to make friends, real friends, that you can hang out with and share common interests," says Chandra.

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