This February, over 2,000 chapter officers and volunteers will receive hands-on training at Carlson Leadership Academies across the country. This year’s program has been revised to make it more engaging and beneficial to our brothers who attend.

What to Expect
Many of the officer sessions have been redesigned to be more interactive and less like a classroom lecture. Expect to be challenged by long-time SigEp alumni and volunteer facilitators who have worked with undergraduate officers at the local level. Attendees will leave the weekend with a better understanding of their executive board as a team, a set of SMART goals for the upcoming year, best practices and an understanding of how to manage the risk and liability inherent with a leadership position in the Fraternity.

Once again, the recruitment training track is offered as a program distinct from the vice president of recruitment sessions. It will focus on core recruiting skills that any member in the chapter can use to find and recruit the best men on campus. Each participant will receive interactive training on the six steps of recruitment and learn how to implement and improve their chapter’s Balanced Man Scholarship.

Volunteer training has been enhanced as well. This year, CLA will feature a new volunteer curriculum to provide SigEp volunteers with relevant, practical education that helps them make the most of their volunteering efforts. Over the course of the weekend, you will have the opportunity to learn from professionals and long-time volunteers who are attuned to the needs of our members, chapters and AVCs. These sessions will focus on topics such as working with undergraduate leaders, four-year continuous development and risk management. The weekend also features capstone presentations from other AVCs and time with members of the National Board of Directors.

How to Prepare
CLA is a great opportunity to get together with chapters in your region to learn from them, celebrate with them and strengthen fraternal bonds with brothers outside of your own chapter. Ensure you can take advantage of every opportunity by preparing for the program. Consider the following, have you:

• Reviewed the notes from your chapter’s officer transition retreat, assessed your initial goals for your role and prepared to discuss these on Saturday afternoon at CLA?
• Asked volunteers and former executive board members who have attended CLA for the lessons they learned and how to make the most of the weekend?
• Met with non-officers attending the program to determine who will be attending what sessions and how they will make the most of the program?
• Written out a list of questions for your facilitators?
• Identified high-performing chapters attending your program and contacted their chapter leaders via www.sigep.org/chapters to arrange to meet? Meals are a great time to sit down with other chapters.

Who Should Attend
While officer training is designed for chapter officers and the recruitment track for recruiters and BMS Chairmen, the weekend will benefit any up-and-coming leaders interested in learning both leadership skills and SigEp best practices.

If you haven’t already, register for CLA today.

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