On-campus support is crucial to surviving and thriving
The work of AISES is known nationwide, and one important reason is its active base of more than 180 college and university chapters. Each group is uniquely committed to providing a support network for Native students as they prepare for STEM careers. So what’s the secret to starting — or building — a successful AISES College Chapter at your school?
The Basics: A Quick Recap
To start an AISES College Chapter, you should first recruit a minimum of eight members (who each pay annual dues of $25), identify a chapter advisor (usually a faculty or staff member), and begin to hold meetings of your organizing committee. Then it’s time to submit your application documents to AISES headquarters:
- a petition to form a College Chapter, along with a cover letter and verification of members
- copies of meeting minutes
- a signed copy of the AISES Code for the Governing of Student Chapters
- a letter stating that your school has recognized the chapter as a student organization
Now the Most Rewarding Part: Running an Active and Effective Chapter
AISES has ambitious goals that should be reflected in the work of every College Chapter. This includes recruiting members, conducting community outreach, and implementing successful fundraising campaigns. It’s also imperative that you have enthusiastic members serving in all leadership roles.
Recruit and retain members. Often when Winds of Change talks with readers who’ve moved on to impressive STEM careers, they say that their involvement with AISES began when they learned by chance about the organization through word of mouth, a poster on a bulletin board, or a story in a school newspaper. So getting the word out is critical. Sometimes it also helps to turn an upcoming challenge into a call to action. When Jayne Sandoval became president of the AISES College Chapter at Northern Arizona University (NAU) in 2017, she promoted the need to prepare for hosting the upcoming AISES Regional Conference, and was able to grow membership by more than 30 percent. “Looking back,” Sandoval says, “it helped to have that focus, and people became really energized by the opportunity.”
Establish and advance community ties. A significant aspect of AISES College Chapter work involves local outreach and service. Colleges and universities often have very supportive communities that serve as the basis for strong, mutually beneficial relationships. While your AISES College Chapter can potentially benefit from partnerships with nearby businesses and organizations as well as chapter alumni professionals, your chapter members can in turn contribute valuable services, such as mentoring younger students interested in STEM. Both on and off campus, part of your job as a College Chapter leader is keeping the big picture in mind as you set your group’s goals, plan activities, and work to make a difference with the people on your campus and beyond.
Fundraise to support your efforts. Whether you’re working toward smaller but meaningful amounts of financial support or more substantial funding, it’s a good idea to consider a range of fundraising options. When Sandoval led her NAU AISES College Chapter, one popular fundraising activity was hosting a Navajo taco sale in neighboring Flagstaff: the event was popular with local supporters, and every bit of money they raised was helpful. As a complement to that work, the chapter also pursued partnerships with large employers in the area, successfully attracting financial support for the Regional Conference from major STEM businesses in Arizona like Boeing, Intel, and Raytheon. “That kind of partner relationship can make a huge difference,” she observes, “and it was one of the reasons the conference was such a success.”
Establish strong and lasting leadership. There are aspirational aspects of leadership to keep in mind as you build your chapter — for example, motivating members and partners alike to reach for new levels of engagement. There are also essential accountabilities, such as staying on top of the budget and filing on-time status reports with the AISES national office. In addition, it’s crucial that you have newer and capable members involved so that they’re ready to take on leadership roles when others move on. As you keep people motivated about their AISES work, stay organized and in touch with the national office, and continue to attract new members, you will also be honing so-called “soft” skills that can serve you throughout your career.
In Short: Commit and Persist
As a lead player for an AISES College Chapter, you are making a commitment that will potentially touch many lives. It will be helpful to remember that you are part of a big, strong network with people who are cheering you on and resources to support your work. As you persist in your efforts, you will continue to grow in your role and discover how your chapter can deepen its impact. And the best part: you will be doing your part to keep the AISES mission marching on at colleges across the country.
Hannah Balderas, Three Affiliated Tribes (Arikara, Santee Sioux, and Little Shell Ojibwa), is a 2018 graduate of the University of North Dakota, earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a pre-medicine emphasis. A lifetime AISES Sequoyah Fellow, she also served as a 2015–2016 Region 5 Student Representative and 2016–2018 U.S. National Student Representative. Here she shares information and tips based on her experience with the AISES College Chapter at UND. The active chapter has been recognized several times for its support of Indigenous students. Most recently, it received the College Chapter Award for Outreach and Community Service during the 2018 AISES National Conference in Oklahoma City.
How did you become involved with the AISES College Chapter on your campus?
At the beginning of each semester, our campus had a student organization expo where all the clubs and organizations try to recruit students. As I was walking around the booths, I heard a “Hello, have you heard about AISES?” From then on, I was hooked.
What has proven to be successful for recruiting and retaining members?
We did a lot of things to get the word out about our chapter and AISES as a whole. We’ve spoken to classes and during orientation. We also reached out to professors who may know some students who would be interested, distributed flyers, and encouraged our friends or incoming students we already knew. I honestly think most of it was word of mouth. We’d mention it to someone, and then they would show up and continue to come. They would also talk to their friends about it, and so on.
Has the chapter faced any significant challenges?
Not a whole lot comes to mind in terms of challenges, but we did go through a transition when our advisor retired. She talked with us about a couple of faculty members to make sure we were a good fit. It did take some getting used to, but everything worked out.
What advice would you give to students who are trying to build or strengthen an AISES College Chapter?
Really try to talk to your friends and peers about AISES, and show them what being a part of the AISES family is like. Do activities together, hang out, and study with them so you can build and strengthen that relationship and encourage them to stick it out or join AISES. Even if they don’t continue or regularly attend meetings, they have knowledge about AISES and can share it with others who might be interested.
How has participating in the AISES College Chapter influenced your education experience or career choice?
The AISES family I had at my college made a huge impact on my career choice and educational experience. Without them, I don’t know if I would have made it this far. They gave me support and encouragement that I didn’t realize I needed to make the step to pursue medicine. I had support from my family in going to college, but my college family kept me there and helped me to strive for the courses and grades.
Did anything unexpected ever come from your AISES College Chapter involvement?
I didn’t expect to meet and connect with so many people from other colleges and states. I am really grateful for each encounter and words that were shared among everyone. Also, I was recognized by my university with a “Leader in Action” award, which is similar to a student spotlight.
What does AISES mean to you now?
AISES is a family — always has been and always will be for me. Our chapter and everyone else I met during my undergrad years will stay with me forever, and I hope to continue to expand that family.
