WELCOME
BACK! This year, your Collegiate DECA National Officer Team is excited to kick off the year and THRIVE in all we do for your professional organization. We are ready to embrace our team’s program of work, which is designed to take Collegiate DECA to the next level. Throughout this year we want to share our experiences with you, and we invite you to share your chapter’s activities, successes, and challenges with us. We know that you all have heard, at one time or another, that TEAM stands for Together, Everyone, Achieves, More. We are here to serve you as a team and support your needs to THRIVE. As the new academic year begins, your national officer team looks forward to the opportunity to bring us all together, and take time to communicate with all our stakeholders – students, advisors, and chartered association leaders. We are ready for a productive year and challenge you to THRIVE for excellence and make this year even better than the last. Ask us for assistance, or advice. We are here for you, and together we will all THRIVE. We hope you had a wonderful summer break, filled with opportunities to learn and grow. We now encourage you to set three long-term and three short-term goals that you would like to achieve between now and the end of the academic year. Lastly, we challenge you to commit to this year to THRIVE!
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES Collegiate DECA’s Comprehensive Learning Program Integrates into Classroom Instruction As an integral component of academic instruction, Collegiate DECA activities can provide authentic, experiential learning methods to help members succeed in college and prepare for careers.
Applies Learning Collegiate DECA members put their knowledge into action through rigorous project-based activities that require creative solutions with practical outcomes.
Connects to Business Partnerships with businesses at local, national and international levels provide student members realistic insight into industry and provide internships and career opportunities.
Promotes Competition As in the global economy, a spark of competition drives our members to excel and improve their performance. Campus competition teams also bring recognition to students and academic programs.
Collegiate DECA
Update!
DECA Week is now DECA Month! Chapters can do a variety of events to promote Collegiate DECA at their institutions. Whether your chapter selects a week that is best for your schedule or celebrates DECA all month long, Collegiate DECA is thrilled to join your movement. Your national officer team challenges you to make the most out of November. Take advantage, as members across the globe will be participating in philanthropy work, membership development, promoting the organization, and working towards stage recognition by completing the Leadership Passport Program. Plan NOW to THRIVE during DECA month.
Collegiate DECA
Excitement! Demi Hall, Collegiate DECA Vice President Hello Collegiate DECA members! As the 2012-2013 national officer team, we look forward to working with you throughout the year! We have been working hard all summer to plan dynamic conferences, develop exciting programs, and create new resources to help you and your chapters thrive. At national officer training in June we developed the program of work for the year. We agree that increasing membership and boosting our communication with our members is important to us. We have incorporated new ideas to help us achieve our goals and engage more members like you! We have introduced a brand new membership campaign, offering you strategies to accomplish your goals, and highlighting events from chapters across the country. In the first issue of The LOOP, you will find information about the Collegiate Leadership Academy in New York City, the Leadership Passport Program, and your national officer team.. If you have questions, suggestions, or would like to share what your chapter is doing, please email us at askcollegiatedeca@deca.org. To contact your national officer and to read their bio, go to www.deca.org/about/8/. Keep reading to stay in the loop and encourage your fellow Collegiate DECA members to sign up for The LOOP, today!
NOVEMBER IS NOW DECA MONTH! Develop your chapter membership NOW so you can take advantage of your DECA Month activities such as leadership conferences, community service projects, campus competitions, and the Leadership Passport Program. SPECIAL PROMO: All chapters who accomplish any of the campaign goals will be recognized on www.collegiatedeca.org and will be entered into a drawing for one room upgrade (to a Studio Suite) at ICDC in Anaheim, CA. Three winners will be drawn.
THRIVE with your chapter this year by starting strong and aiming high! STUDENT MEMBERS Connect with new groups of students on your campus, and find ways to reach out to former high school DECA members. ALUMNI MEMBERS Invite them back to help members prepare for competition or judge at a campus competition. PROFESSIONAL MEMBERS Engage faculty and administrators across campus, and network with your local business and community leaders. They can join as members of your chapter through the online membership system. Find cool ideas and strategies for membership development on the following page. For more details, ideas and resources, visit www.deca.org/ membership/college. For each level, your chapter will be recognized as long as you increase by the total number of members for each respective level (60/30/15). No reporting is necessary. Just submit and pay for your members by the deadline. For questions about the campaign, email askcollegiatedeca@deca.org.
Reaching Target Markets for Membership Development Fidelmar Rivera, Collegiate DECA Vice President Who wants our stuff and knows about what we do? Who might want our stuff if we talked to them about it? How can we share what we do, and use the right message, so that people want it and use it? I know this doesn’t sound too scientific, but it is the basic way target marketing works in real life. Many of the examples below are strategies we used to start a chapter on my campus last year, and what we are doing to grow our chapter this year. College Students Take advantage of the fact that being included in “college life” is something virtually every student looks forward to—college organizations that can provide networking opportunities and friendships, while at the same time help students learn and prepare for their careers, are hard to come by. Collegiate DECA offers all of these. Getting college students involved within Collegiate DECA is simple—promote it. Visit classes that fit in our academic career clusters and give a presentation about what Collegiate DECA is all about. If they are in these classes then they have at least shown an interest in that area that relates to DECA. Students are also looking for leadership, philanthropy, networking, and other opportunities to build their resumes and get ready for the professional world. Students can experience all of these through Collegiate DECA. High School DECA Alumni (now on your campus) Past DECA members have prior knowledge of the organization and what DECA has to offer. The most important key to recruiting former high school DECA members is to introduce the organization as a new continuation of their high school DECA careers. Many former high school students might be burnt out of DECA, and think that Collegiate is just more of the same. The truth is, we all had very different experiences based on where we went to school, what our advisors were like, and who are friends were. Remind students why DECA is the best professional student organization, and explain to them how they can take DECA to the next level in college. Advertise a “calling all DECA alumni” function in your school paper, on bulletin boards, etc. Collegiate Chapter Alumni Alumni members are always looking for ways to give back to the organization. Invite them to be guest speakers so your members can listen to real success stories. Ask your alumni to help students prepare for competition, giving tips for role-plays, presentations or case studies. Advisors + Other Faculty and Administrators One of the most important roles of a chapter is that of an advisor. Explore the possibilities by looking into different types of advisors. Get different departments at your institution involved. Whether it’s the communication professor helping members with public speaking, or the English teacher providing assistance by proofreading prepared written events. Remember, we have something for every major on campus. Even those who are not actual advisors can be very involved with your chapter. And, if they don’t know what your chapter is doing it is very difficult later when you ask for their support. Business and Community Leaders Invite guest speakers to talk about their companies. Look for an HR specialist who can speak about interviewing skills. Students in all majors can benefit from a presentation on interviewing skills. Professional members can provide resources to have an on-campus competition. At my chapter we asked Target to sponsor an on-campus competition at the University of New Mexico. Target provided us with material to host our competition, and the event was open to any student at the university. What our chapter accomplished was offering a highly publicized event for DECA members and non-DECA members, providing an opportunity for professional development, refining their competitive skills, and networking. Actively seeking the involvement of professional members through Collegiate DECA will also enhance your chapter’s visibility on campus.
To learn more about this year’s Membership Campaign, and to find more membership development ideas and resources for your Collegiate DECA chapter, go to www.deca.org/membership/college/.
Equipped with knowledge and experiences, Collegiate DECA members are ready to THRIVE in their chapters, schools, communities and careers. THRIVE challenges energized Collegiate DECA members to succeed vigorously as they prepare for careers. This is your opportunity to thrive personally, thrive as a chapter, and thrive as an association. See what Thrive means to our team. “When I think of the word “thrive” I think of a perfectly seeded and flourished crop to be harvested. The seed has been planted in our classrooms by our teachers; we flourish in competition and other leadership building activities and are prepared to be picked up by some of the best companies to work for!” Elsa has been designated to work with the members of: Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.
“Thrive means working at your optimum ability. It means going after your dream relentlessly.” Michael has been designated to work with the members of: Colorado, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming.
“Thrive means being the best that you can be. You don't have to be the best overall, you just have to give it 110% and do your personal best.” Jessica has been designated to work with the members of: Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and the District of Columbia.
“For me, to thrive is to work toward a goal despite obstacles that may get in your way. In pushing yourself to step outside of your own comfort zone, you grow within your own self, and are able to push yourself further than you may have thought possible.” Demi has been designated to work with the members of: British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec, England, Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Washington.
“It means to flourish into the professional that you want to become. We thrive when we do what we love and our goal is to provide opportunities to find your passion, whether it be competition or networking. Collegiate DECA wants for you to Thrive.” Fidelmar has been designated to work with the members of: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Vermont, Philippines, Mexico, Guam and Puerto Rico.
Thrive This Year with New Collegiate DECA Resources Jessica Tormey, Collegiate DECA Vice President
This summer, your national officer team has been working hard to create new resources to help your chapters thrive this year! These resources are designed to help your chapter promote themselves and Collegiate DECA on your campus and in your community. Download these resources and personalize them with your chapter name and information. One of the first resources we updated were the Elevator Speeches. These speeches are great for promoting your chapter to administrators, community members, and potential members because they can be delivered in approximately 30 seconds and highlight the excellent opportunities that Collegiate DECA provides for members and campuses. After talking to members during our campaigning in Salt Lake City, we realized how important it was to create a guide for chapters that provided some insight into raising funds. This prompted our Finding Financial Assistance Resource. This resource provides chapters with information on asking for donations, organizing fundraisers, and utilizing campus resources. In addition to information, there are templates for chapters to download and personalize. An important component of success is being able to track what went well and what could be improved, especially for important events like fundraisers. Because of this, the national officer team created an After Action Report resource. After Action Reports provide chapters with the tools to reflect on events they held. This allows chapters to build on successful events and lay a foundation for future leadership teams. Chapters will see a sample After Action Report and a template to create their own. To better align with the Program of Work, the national officer team also created a resource to accompany the Leadership Passport Program. This resource features a completed Passport Program with tips for chapters who have never participated in the program before. The national officer team has also updated resources for holding on-campus competitions and creating competition teams. These updated resources will help chapters who are looking to provide members with opportunities to compete before association and international competition. Hopefully these resources will help your chapter thrive throughout the year! If you have ideas for new resources, please feel free to contact one of the national officers or email Collegiate DECA at askcollegiatedeca@deca.org.
The PREMIER EXPERIENCE for
Collegiate DECA members looking to ENHANCE their LEADERSHIP skills . YOU are invited to ATTEND the COLLEGIATE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK NOVEMBER 15 - 17, 2012
The Collegiate Leadership Academy is one of the most talked about events Collegiate DECA hosts each year. The CLA is held in New York City; this conference has leadership activities and events geared to increasing your leadership and professional skills. The CLA venue takes place at the historic Hotel Pennsylvania, right across the street from Madison Square Garden and within walking distance of Times Square. Aside from the adventure that is New York City, this Leadership conference gives you the opportunity to see the magic behind such industries Hotel Pennsylvania as Sports and Entertainment Marketing; International Business and Finance; Advertising and the Madison Avenue District; Hospitality, Restaurant and Culinary; and Fashion Merchandising and Retail Management. Allowing the attendees to see the “behind the scenes� of each industry gives participants the opportunity to see what it could be like working in advertising agencies on Madison Avenue, on the floor of the NYSE, for large hotel chains or restaurants, in the fashion districts, and so much more. The possibilities are endless and the conference itself is ever-changing, offering new experiences each year for students. The CLA also gives students the opportunity to work on an industry specific case study with other participants, which will provide the student with a unique resume builder. Times Square This year the Collegiate Leadership Academy will be held November 15-17. For more information, please visit www.deca.org/conferences/4.
Mike Pham, Collegiate DECA Vice President Hello, Future Leaders!! I am Mike Pham, your Collegiate DECA National Vice President from Utah. I am writing to tell you about the life changing experience I had at the CLA last year. I participated in the Madison Avenue Advertising track which allowed us to visit J. Walter Thompson Advertising, one of the largest and oldest ad agencies in the world today. They represent such companies as Kraft, VW, and Macy’s. Being able to see the actual place that a lot of my favorite advertising work has come from was a very inspiring experience; even better, to listen to the professionals who had made it to that level in their career talk about how they got there, what they do on a day-to-day basis, and how to prepare myself to reach that level was nothing short of amazing. They gave us a case study of a project they had just finished working on, gave us the information they were given to work with, and allowed us to come up with our own ideas. I worked with a great team of individuals from all across our great organization, who are still good friends and business contacts of mine today, to come up with a plan that we presented in front of a panel of actual industry professionals--the very ones who had just finished their work on this project. Afterwards, JWT showed us what they had actually come up with and compared it to the work of all of the teams who had presented. It was an amazing experience to say the least and has definitely impacted my learning and desire to work in the world of advertising. Do you have your own story to share? Tell us on the Collegiate Leadership Academy Facebook page. Tell us your story by visiting www.facebook.com/pages/CollegiateLeadership-Academy/131712896845904?ref=ts
The Leadership Passport is designed to give chapters and members greater levels of year-long participation and enhance the benefits received from a membership year. Chapters & Members who work to fulfill the requirements in any of the designated levels will gain valuable learning experience for themselves and for the chapter. Chapters & Members obtaining Presidential and Gold Diamond level will be recognized for their efforts at the International Career Development Conference.
Passport Program for Chapters Executive Award Diplomat Award Presidential Award
Passport Program for Members Blue Diamond Award Gold Diamond Award
FOR STUDENTS: There’s something unique about DECA members. It’s not being at the top our class, or because we travel to some of the coolest cities, it’s YOU! You are the driving force behind DECA’s success and bring value and meaning to the organization’s principles. Without you it cannot THRIVE! DECA’s passport program gives you an opportunity to give back and share what makes you so great, whether it’s creating a marketing flyer for your chapter, writing a grant, or planning the chapter event of the century, it’s your time to shine. Choose activities that tap into your talent and step on stage at ICDC to accept your award just for being you! Take Elsa Tavares, Collegiate DECA President advantage of unique opportunities to lead and to get creative while problem-solving, all the while building friendships that last a lifetime.
FOR ADVISORS: You’re the vehicle that drives students to success, and the passport program provides a roadmap; a sense of purpose and pride while gaining campus support, and national recognition. The passport program is structured around DECA’s values and guiding principles, providing an opportunity for extended learning and growth. Students who participate often form closer bonds to each other and to the organization, driving them to persevere to overcome challenges and achieve their organizational, personal, and academic goals. As an Advisor you can integrate these activities into your chapter program of work, making it simple to show your students just how easy it can be to achieve success. Designed to enhance and promote DECA programming, the passport program activities will make you a visible and dynamic campus organization, subsequently gaining administrative support. Go beyond competitive events to deliver the DECA experience and strive to THRIVE with the Leadership Passport Program!
Go Beyond
Competitive Events Competition may get you going but the Passport will surely get you started. Last year at the International Career Development Conference Thurl Bailey, first round pick for the Utah Jazz, encouraged each member to find the spark that lights the fuse to the fireworks of their future! The Passport Program can be the first step to achieving individual and chapter success, designed to appeal to the different interests of members. Achieve your goals while making an impact on your local communities and going beyond social responsibility to become responsible, experienced leaders with integrity.
See what’s new this year with the Passport! Click the link below to find out more information and view a sample completed Passport award submitted by the Community College of Rhode Island – Liston campus. This chapter has found success and developed strategies to complete the program every year. Find out how you can. See you on stage!
www.deca.org/events/colicdc