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FLORIDA GULF COAST IMPLEMENTS SUCCESSFUL BMS THIS FALL
 Justin Stubelt, Florida Gulf Coast '11, was looking for a way to leave his legacy on his chapter. He knew that other chapters in the state had been successful with the Balanced Man Scholarship, so he decided to give it a try. A year later, he and his chapter brothers are glad that's where he chose to put his effort.
The BMS has become an integral part of the chapter's recruitment process, and Florida Omicron has raised its goal to 25 new members this semester. "It's important," Stubelt said. "We've been seeing BMS guys around school, talking to them and hanging out with them. We have 24 finalists and our goal is to get half of them."
It also helps that the vice president of recruitment served as a member of the BMS committee. The committee sent out 1,400 scholarship applications, and interviewed 60 applicants, to get down to the pool of finalists. Sixty-three chapter brothers then attended the awards reception in the nicest ballroom on campus.
"It was very professional," Stubelt said of the reception, which had over 160 attendees. In addition to the undergraduates and alumni of the chapter, several university officials attended, and each finalist could bring three guests. Finalists were encouraged to bring their parents. "It wasn't just the finalists who were impressed, it was the parents. They realized, 'Hey, these guys have it going on.' Kids will call home and ask what fraternity to join, and I think that was key to have the parents come."
The evening was also a great opportunity for the chapter to strengthen its relationship with the university. University President Dr. Wilson Bradshaw attended, and Dean of Students Michele Yovanovich was one of the speakers for the event.
Stubelt knows that this year's BMS was a tremendous success, and he is already looking for ways to improve on it. After spending this summer conducting interviews over the phone, the committee will hold next year's in person, during the freshman orientation week. He is putting that plan together now, so that younger brothers can take the lead after he graduates.
His advice is simple for other chapters who are interested in starting a BMS. "It's all about planning," he said. "This is not something you do in a semester; this is something you do in two semesters."
No wonder he's already looking ahead to next year.
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