Triangle Undergrad Leaders Come from All Over to LTW

TOM PENNINGTON

very January, Triangle hosts chapter officers from across the nation at its annual Leadership and Training Weekend (LTW). This is an opportunity for our campus leaders to gather together with National Council members, Fraternity, Foundation and Triangle Building & Housing Corporation (TBHC) staff, and our volunteer facilitators to learn lessons of leadership and to celebrate being in Triangle. This year’s program had a total attendance of over 160 students, faculty, staff and guests. LTW weekend is built upon five undergraduate officer/program tracks: • The Steven L. Miller Presidents’ Leadership Academy (SLMPLA) for chapter presidents, endowed by a gift from

Steven L. Miller ill64. • Th e Wakerly Service Learning Workshop, endowed by gifts from the family of John Wakerly marq69. • Our Elevate Recruitment Workshop for chapter recruitment chairs and assistants. • A Fin ancial Workshop for chapter treasurers and assistant treasurers. • The Lifestyle & Education Workshop for new member educators and brotherhood/membership chairs.

In addition, for this and the last two years, we’ve offered two additional tracks specifically for alumni: • The Fraternal Health & Safety Initiative (FHSI) is a “train the trainers” program that prepares alumni to be risk management educators for their chapter and others. Each participant is expected to deliver one of four risk education programs to chapters each semester – twice a year.

Triangle brothers in LTW Workshop.

• Our Triangle Recruitment Coach (TRC) track trains a lumni to be valuable recruitment coaches for chapters, teaching groups to plan and execute effective recruitment programs. The three-day program begins Friday as men fly and drive in to come together for the welcome kick-off and dinner. This year’s group was welcomed by Triangle President Joe Cerrato os05, Executive Director Tom Pennington, Triangle Education Foundation President Scott Bova and TBHC Executive Director Mike Fouts. Director of Chapter Services, Drew Hopson, served as lead facilitator and coordinated our amazing team of volunteer group leaders, both Triangle alumni and campus fraternity advisors from Indiana State, Johns Hopkins, Purdue and Saginaw Valley State. Most National Council members also were in attendance to interact with our students and provide opportunities to “Converse with Council”. Each track provided education, ideas and resources to our chapter leaders and allowed them to share knowledge and experience from chapter to chapter. The campground venue at Jameson Camp in Plainfield, IN provided a bunkhouse style living environment where members found it easy to make friends and have deep discussions. Food and beverage was all-you-can-eat and covered major meals and snacks between, so no one left hungry.

A welcome return to the schedule was the Saturday morning challenge course for the Presidents track. Presidents rose early and worked with trained course facilitators to learn team building and motivational skills. It also took them outside for a bit in what was generally a mild winter weekend. Overall, the results of the program were better education and training for our leaders, stronger communications between Council and chapters, and improved energy and enthusiasm within our members to return and lead their chapters. Our next LTW program will be held January 15- 17, 2021, again at Jameson Camp. This program, combined with our Herb Scobie Leadership School in even-numbered summers, provides strong leadership and service training for our men. Still more could be done. We need more recruitment training by region, to allow more than just a few members to attend. And we would do well to take our Scobie leadership program regionally as well, to get more men engaged and focused on being good leaders. If you might be interested in helping to endow a current program or to expand more programs regionally, contact Scott Bova at the Foundation. We have two endowed tracks today, but with additional support we could endow all tracks and take more of them regional. There simply is no substitute for on-site, hands-on training to a wider audience of members. s