Social Change Model .... in Real Life!

So this week we're required to blog about how an experience we've had in our sorority or fraternity parallels with that of the social change model (or how we've used it). My sorority has only been around for about two years now..and I've only been President for these first few weeks of fall quarter...but here it goes.



This quarter I wanted to have a Chapter Retreat that would be deemed the "President's Retreat." It would require the president (me!) to do all the planning, workshops and coordination of the event. What for? What to change? Well, I wanted to change everyone's attitudes (whether positive or negative) about the upcoming year and get them excited about this year's events, recruitment, and general sisterhood! Since I had the CPLI letter in mind (that my facilitator sent me...) and the leadership training, I thought "What a great idea! I'll use the LEAP training as a workshop for us and make everyone excited to lead." As for the social change model - you see that I was definitely in tune with my individual values and passions: committment and consciousness of self. I was ready to go power up all my sisters!

As for the group category, I really wanted other sisters to lead some workshops. One recently went to UIFI Ohio State, so I hoped she could bring some wise words to our retreat. I asked another for leadership and team-building activities, and I asked our NME (New Member Educator) to create a workshop for recruitment (how-to, what to say, etc.). I hoped these collaborations (social change model word!) between myself and other officers and chairwoman would foster excitement and unity in the retreat and feelings of inclusion. After all, this was going to be a chapter retreat not a president lecture.

In the end, I never really got much collaboration from others. I planned the retreat myself, including all the workshops. No one was as excited as I was. The "society," or whole chapter in my case, was confused as to what the point of the retreat was. Strictly business? Fun? They asked why was it on a Saturday? "It's a game day!" they replied. "I don't want to wake up early on a Saturday, no offense," a few said. While some were excited / ready for the retreat, others weren't. They were confused about why we were having it and what was going to be talked about. So, my idea of "social change" and plans to change the chapter's attitude fell through because I thought the retreat was a good idea, but the whole chapter wasn't down.

I felt okay; we ended up cancelling the retreat but I wasn't mad. I slept in, watched the game with my boyfriend and did homework instead. I decided that we could use parts of the retreat in different capacities - such as the fun activities at our sleepover, a leadership workshop during a chapter meeting with hardly any new business and our NME would lead a recruitment-reminder workshop right before our upcoming informationals. It all made sense in the end to have it this way.

From this I learned that if I want to have an event, I should probably get all of my sisters' opinions first. Get their ideas, feelings and availability before I start planning! I learned to encourage collaboration and hound people down if they're not responding to you. I learned that in order for things like this to work, everyone's gt to be motivated, not just me.