Welcome to NSSLHA Roundup, where we spotlight the voices of our members on topics that inspire and connect us! This month, we’re exploring effective strategies for recruiting new members to NSSLHA chapters nationwide. From engaging campus events to innovative social media outreach, our members are sharing their successes in building vibrant communities. Join us as we highlight insights from four National NSSLHA members who are making an impact on their campuses and inspiring others to get involved.
This month, we will be hearing from four National NSSLHA members:
This month, we will be hearing from four National NSSLHA members:
Tierra Smith
Hampton University
Jennica Neilson
University of Utah
Katie Kreis
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Gage Putnam
Maryville University of St. Louis
What has been your most effective strategy for recruiting new members to your NSSLHA chapter?
Tierra Smith
Hampton University
Our chapter’s most effective recruitment strategy is a consistent, varied approach to outreach. We engage potential members through multiple channels, including word of mouth, social media, campus events, and by setting up tables with snacks and positive affirmations in our department. Recently, we added interactive social media posts, such as ‘Trivia Tuesdays’ and ‘A Day in the Life as a CSAD Student,’ to boost engagement and promotion. This year, we established committees to promote active participation. When members are engaged and take ownership of their roles, they’re more likely to advocate for the organization and inspire others to join.
Jennica Neilson
University of Utah
We have found that having candy and incentives when you sign up is effective. We also have a deal for graduate students on to save on cost.
Katie Kreis
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Our chapter’s most effective strategy for recruiting new members is attending the involvement fairs at the beginning of the school year. We also target the freshman classes to get as many freshmen as we can to join.
Gage Putnam
Maryville University of St. Louis
In our chapter, we focus on making a presence on campus both virtually and in person. We focus our virtual efforts on marketing through our campus-wide televisions and using our Instagram to connect with other campus organizations and students. Our in-person efforts stem from being present on campus, with many events open to the general student body, such as our Sunset Yoga and Trivia Night, where we encourage students, athletes, and even family members to join. By implementing these ideas and practices, we have seen substantial growth in our chapter.
Let’s talk about tabling. Does your NSSLHA chapter table at school events? If so, what do you do to get people to interact with your table?
Tierra Smith
Hampton University
Hampton’s NSSLHA Chapter actively participates in school events to increase exposure and educate others about our chapter, goals, and field. As a smaller chapter, we’re dedicated to raising awareness about Communicative Sciences and Disorders, a field many people are unfamiliar with. After sharing brief information, we often spark genuine interest. At our table, we go beyond simply providing information; we also offer interactive activities. A crowd favorite is teaching people how to write their names phonetically, making the experience fun and engaging!
Jennica Neilson
University of Utah
Yes! We use signs and candy as well as NSSLHA pins, lanyards and other things if in budget.
Katie Kreis
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
This was our first year going to the involvement fairs. To get people to interact, we had a game that they could play.
Gage Putnam
Maryville University of St. Louis
The Involvement Fair is our college’s most attended campus activity fair. We encourage every member of our executive board to attend and bring new ideas of involvement to the fair. This year, we included free stickers (CMSD-related) and candy.
How do you use digital platforms (social media, emails, website) to recruit new NSSLHA members?
Tierra Smith
Hampton University
We have a dedicated social media chair, co-chair, and committee that work together to brainstorm and create eye-catching posts. These posts include reminders about upcoming events and meetings, fundraising initiatives, recaps of our activities, interactive trivia questions, and educational content related to national holidays and awareness days. Furthermore, several pages, including our department and members, frequently share our posts on their profiles, which enhances awareness of our page and encourages others to explore our content in greater depth. Reposting serves as an effective strategy to draw more visitors to our page.
Jennica Neilson
University of Utah
We use digital platforms to highlight the benefits of being a member of NSSLHA for grad school applications.
Katie Kreis
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Our chapter uses Facebook, Instagram, and GroupMe. For recruiting new members, I would say that Instagram is our biggest hit.
Gage Putnam
Maryville University of St. Louis
Our chapter is very involved on social media; we try to interact not only with the college community surrounding us but with other NSSLHA chapters as well. We have heard time and time again how a student stumbled upon our Instagram, which leads us to continue to build and post a following focused on our amazing chapter. We also have integrated a personal touch to our account with new “birthday spotlights” where are member is shouted out on their birthday. Finally, our Instagram bio holds a link to a Google Form, which can direct new members to our Slack channel for the General Board.
What are the biggest recruiting challenges you face on your campus, and how do you overcome them?
Tierra Smith
Hampton University
The biggest recruitment challenge we face on our campus is the general lack of awareness about our major and field, making our organization less appealing compared to more popular groups. Additionally, as a smaller chapter, our limited size can hinder our promotional efforts; the more members we have, the greater our ability to raise awareness and increase turnout. To address these challenges, we remain consistent and persistent, continually seeking new ways to grow and develop. Hampton’s NSSLHA Chapter is always strategizing our next steps and exploring how we can improve.
Jennica Neilson
University of Utah
Having a small major, we overcome this by contacting professors and making announcements in the CSD 101 course to get people who are just beginning the program introduced to NSSLHA.
Katie Kreis
University of Nebraska – Lincoln
Our biggest challenge is getting the freshman to join. They are new to campus and are trying to figure out how to be a college student. To get them to join, we tell them what NSSLHA is and all the opportunities it will give them.
Gage Putnam
Maryville University of St. Louis
The biggest challenge for our chapter in terms of recruiting is finding CMSD majors during involvement fair events; we feel that not enough new students are aware of our presence at these events or even what NSSLHA is. We have been working with faculty who teach our introduction to CMSD courses to introduce NSSLHA and allow our President and Vice President to come and present to the class, directly getting new members in a classroom. We have found this to be beneficial, if not more beneficial than traditional tabling events, when finding new students majoring in the CMSD field.
Look for more member recruitment and retention ideas on the National NSSLHA website.
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