The Journey
         A newsletter for Phi Theta Kappa chapter advisors, chapter officers, and regional officers.

Ideas for Creative College Projects
      to Help Your Chapter Reach Your Five-Star Goal

Has your chapter set its eyes on garnering five stars this year? Are you already making plans, hosting events, and checking off requirements faster than you can say five star? Did that momentum grind to a screeching halt when you reached Activity #2 in Level Five?

Ugh...the college project! What will you do now? Give up and settle for four stars? Think again!

When the thought of a college project conjures fear in the minds of Phi Theta Kappans, chapters often fail to realize that the college project is designed to benefit both the chapter and the college. The project need not be complicated to be effective.

"The college project requirement was instituted to assist chapters in building a win-win relationship with their college administrators," says Mike Watson, Associate Director of Phi Theta Kappa. "By assisting the administration in meeting its objectives, chapters often lay the groundwork for receiving future support."

When your chapter is committed to pursuing that challenging fifth star, ask your advisor to schedule a time for key chapter leaders to meet with the college president. Use this time to discuss the college's mission statement with the president and ask how your chapter can assist in accomplishing institutional goals.

When planning your chapter's college project, remember, the sky is the limit. Below are a few examples of roles chapters can play in helping colleges achieve their goals this year.

Orientation Success Stories.

The chapter at Northeast Iowa Community College-Peosta was asked to devise a new student orientation program which promoted a family friendly atmosphere to students. The chapter used the student-to-student approach and created a 36-page survival guide for new students. During the first week of school, Phi Theta Kappans offered the guides to new students and identified themselves as resource persons for the new students.The feedback from  the faculty and administrators was so positive that this project will continue at the beginning of each academic semester.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

The environment is a priority issue with many leaders today. Help your college reach its goal of becoming earth friendly by creating and operating a  campus recycling program.

Celebration Times.

Help your college recognize a special event, such as a significant anniversary, by sponsoring a celebration to involve both the campus and community.

Cheap Labor.

Are budget cutbacks a part of today's harsh reality on your campus? If so, wow your college administration by offering to perform office duties free of charge for faculty members whose clerical staff's salaries were cut from the budget.

New Students Wanted.

Many chapters have their members serve as recruiting teams for the college, visiting local high school "College Days" to personally endorse the community college as a viable educational choice. These members also serve as valuable tour guides for potential students, parents, alumni and donors visiting the campus.

Volunteerism Value.

When Illinois Central College's administration enlisted the help of the chapter to encourage volunteerism among students and faculty, the East Peoria  chapter wasted little time in launching their campaign. To increase awareness, they constructed a bulletin board used solely for featuring family agencies that needed volunteers. They later saw the fruits of their campaign as the entire campus joined the chapter's service activities which included helping  with school supply and teddy bear drives, as well as building homes for needy families and collecting baby supplies for HIV-infected babies.

The range of ideas for college projects is virtually unlimited. With a little input from your administration and a little effort from the chapter, that fifth star is well within reach!

Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society
Center for Excellence
1625 Eastover Drive
Jackson, MS  39211
800.946.9995