Re: Help with College Bowl Recruiting

tfmichael1 · Mon, 04 Jun 2001 08:05:40 -0700

nhutcracker_44 asked for ideas on "recruiting and
creating interests" in academic competition participation.
In response to my request for particulars, the
author added that (s)he is with the University of
Houston-Downtown, an undergraduate-only school of 8,000 with an
existing team.

First, I will again point to the
links to Mr. Hurst's and Mr. Hentzel's respective
essays on starting a new program. Although the poster is
requesting ideas for an ongoing program, both essays contain
several suggestions that may be applicable. I also note
that my essay on funding programs, linked to at the
same place, also has ideas on soliciting sponsorships
that may help improve a program. Links to all three
essays are at:
<a href=http://www.umich.edu/~uac/mac/maize/community.html target=new>http://www.umich.edu/~uac/mac/maize/community.html</a> .

As for the specific situation, I offer
the following ideas: First, I could find no mention
of the program on the UofH-D's web page. Whether
it's a club team, or one sponsored by a department,
visibility on a University's official site (or at least a
mention that you exist) can be valuable. Prospective
students visit these web pages, and awareness about a
program can start to be created here. At the very least,
there should be a link or a pointer to a page for the
team where information on practices, events, etc.
would be available.

Under "Student Events," the
UofH-D official page mentions two events that could be
useful in recruitment. The Student Activities Fair in
September, and the Crossroads Festival in October, are both
events where a team could have a table and/or run
demonstration games. Those, and other university-wide events
early in the academic year, can provide wonderful
opportunities for meeting and recruiting new players.

As
I mention in my essay on funding, an intramural
tournament is not only a funding source but a recruiting
tool. UofH-D may already have one; if not one should be
set up. The IM offers a university-wide activity that
showcases what a team does, and provides an opportunity for
the curious to participate. Existing team members
should just run the tournament, rather than play; or if
the have to participate (to be eligible for CB/ACU-I,
for example) then they should be limited to no more
than one current member per team.

UofH-D is
understandably proud of its diversity, and that pride can work
for a team's recruiting efforts. Other clubs and
organizations (both academic and social) can be encouraged to
enter teams in an IM. 

Those are some general
thoughts. I encourage the poster to respond with specific
questions either here or directly to me via email (add
_at_... to my id).

Tom