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portion of recruitment for our organization is word of fundraising, making it possible for students to at-
of mouth and face-to-face encounters. We encourage tend for a small amount of money. The leaders also
our members to talk to first-year students about their expressed to the new students how many opportunities
own experiences at Crane and within our chapter. Our were provided by ICACDA to learn things that were
organization prides itself on being a supportive and not necessarily covered in course work. IC alumna Re-
uplifting community, and our students are welcoming, becca Saltzman states:
kind, and genuine. These warm interactions have been
both effective and sustainable for boosting recruitment. A big part of our recruitment process was
Lastly, we have a mentor/mentee (M&M) program about sheer presence in the school. ACDA
that pairs up first-year students with upperclassmen in was everywhere; we helped with high school
order to provide a familiar face in both the club and visits, sold t-shirts, and had a lot of cool, well-
around campus. We hold specific bonding events and attended events like the music read-throughs
provide opportunities for the M&Ms to attend our and workshops with amazing professionals. It
events together to foster that feeling of familiarity and was well-known that we had won outstanding
belonging. This program helps retain members; up- national chapter for several years and, even if
perclassmen actively seek to return to our club to be we hadn’t, our reputation was that of choral
mentors. excellence. When thinking about all the orga-
nizations in the SOM (music frats, etc.), ACDA
was the most consistent and active. People
Indiana University: Anything involving food (ice want to be a part of something that has a great
cream socials, pizza nights, etc.)! Joint events with our reputation and demonstrates how amazing it is
NAfME student chapter have also been a success, in- all the time.
cluding faculty workshops and roundtables.

Ithaca College: Recruiting began during the summer What does your chapter programming look
on social media and continued heavily during audition like? What kinds of sessions and activities
week; signs about the first meeting were posted at the do you offer, and how often do they occur?
choral audition site. Leadership also helped coordinate
collaborative pianists for students. This was a great ser-
vice to the school and to those who auditioned. Also, SUNY Potsdam: Our chapter has over twenty events
ACDA members were present during auditions to an- each semester that include our weekly lab choirs, bond-
swer questions and be supportive of and friendly to ing, and guest speakers. Our lab choir gives students
new students. the opportunity to teach a music lesson to their peers.
The first meeting was held during the first week of These can include anything the student wants to im-
choral rehearsals. There was a scavenger hunt as well prove their teaching skills on, ranging from an elemen-
as an introduction of ACDA leaders and choral faculty tary general music lesson to a high school choral re-
members. The ICACDA recruited not only those in hearsal. Sign-ups occur at our general interest meeting
vocal music education but also instrumentalists, com- at the beginning of every semester. We encourage our
position majors, and performance majors. By joining first-year members to sign up and offer to pair them
ACDA, they had instant community with students from with upperclassmen if they are not comfortable with
all levels (first-year students through graduate students). teaching by themselves. In addition to our lab choirs,
There were also leadership opportunities even for first- we have one guest speaker and one bonding event per
year students. Students also joined to go to the regional month. Our guest speakers include alumni, professors,
and national conferences. The chapter did a great job and notable choral musicians. Our bonding events in-

CHORAL JOURNAL November/December 2024 Volume 65 Number 4 47