How to Run a Successful Student Organization

Involvement while you’re in college looks good on resumes, creates opportunities that you may not have had access to, even establishes bonds with people you would have never met. Joining clubs, organizations, and teams fosters these positives that can help you grow as an individual. What happens when you are placed in a position to run a student organization? You’ve never been in a leadership position before but you’ve put in the time and work— here we are! Being a follower or one amongst the crowd is sometimes easier depending on your personality. Someone has to lead the pack and now it’s you. Luckily, I am in that position now and I’m here to guide you on how to be the best student organization leader you can be.

Getting the obvious out the way, you have to join or start an organization.

If you are starting from the ground up, identify an untapped niche. What does your campus need? What can people join that makes an impact on them and your campus? What are you truly passionate about? Once that is established, get all the proper paperwork done and become an official organization!

The truly hard part is out of the way, now it's time for total world domination. Well, that last part is soon to come, let's tackle the organization first. Most people don't start at the top unless they started it from the bottom. If you joined an organization, then putting in hard work and being active will show other members that you are invested and serious.

When your opportunity presents itself, take it! Executive board elections are coming up and you want the top spot… president. Prepare to explain why you deserve this spot, come with innovative ideas on how to advance your organization and constructive criticism on how it can be improved… by you, respectfully that is. What do you know, it worked, like we knew it would and now your president. Now what?

Step 1: Identify what kind of leadership you want to practice.

The crux of any organization is its team and most importantly is leadership. The varying types of leadership allow people to fall into at least one if not multiple categories.

For instance servant leadership, serving your audience and team, reminiscent of Nelson Mandela. Alternatively, laissez-faire leadership, a more relaxed approach that puts more responsibility to on the team rather than the leader. Identify your personality type and what influence or relationship you would like to have with your team members. When this is established you can move on to the people who will be closest to helping you achieve your goals!

Step 2: Create your perfect executive board.

Most companies and organizations have an executive board or board of advisors. This can be viewed as checks and balances. One person with sole control over an organization can assume a dictatorship approach.

A vice president, treasurer, secretary, event planner and philanthropic chair are typical positions within an organization. Some schools may have specific positions they require in the formation of a student organization. Although this is not a job per say, your intent is to be successful and make an impact on your team and campus. The people you choose to hold these positions should be as interested and invested as you are. Holding elections or interviews will eliminate personal bias when choosing executive members. This step is leading to the fun aspects of running a student organization!

Step 3: Plan out your year/semester.

Failure to plan is planning to fail, right or so we have heard a few times. Planning in advance can help alleviate problems you may face in the future such as booking event space or conflicting dates with other organizations.  Your school creates a calendar or schedule for the following year in advance, and those resources are there to help you with your own organization planning. There are hundreds of other organizations on any given campus and they also plan events, meaning spaces, times and dates are limited so the sooner the better. Even a rough draft of things you want to tackle per semester gives you a strong foundation to build on.

Things come up that we cannot necessarily plan for but having a blueprint will never work against you. Brainstorm with your executive board over the summer for events, fundraisers, bonding events, etc. for the fall. You can use the same tactic in the fall for the spring semester. Plan to be successful and failure will stay at bay.

Step 4: Inspire your team/delegate.

You are new to your position so building familiarity only increases the likelihood of success for your organization. Team members want someone they know and feel comfortable following, what better way to build that relationship than bonding. Bonding events can be going to group dinners if it's an all-female organization watching your favorite show, crafts, road trips or attending an event together on your campus. The bonding doesn't have to break the bank but it should be intimate enough that relationships have the opportunity to develop.

All the hard labor and planning has been done and now it’s time to relay the strategy to your team. Their excitement and involvement may spark more ideas that you and your executive board might have missed. Inspiration doesn't have a long drawn our Braveheart speech but your involvement and attitude could be all the inspiration they need. Most people are deterred from leadership roles because the responsibility and commitment seem to be too much. Factor in school, jobs and other priorities and leadership opportunities can be missed. Delegation alleviates some of the responsibility and pressure off your shoulder, that’s what your executive board is for. Money and fundraising fall on your treasurer. Keeping notes and important information from meetings fall on your secretary. Volunteer opportunities and hours fall on your philanthropic chair. Making sure everyone knows their role and aiding in their completion and understanding creates a well-oiled machine that doesn’t tire you out at the end of the day. 

Step 5: Leave your mark on campus

What is the point of starting or leading a student organization? Because it looks good on a resume? You’re a freshman that’s seeking relationships and a crowd to be a part of? You are passionate about a subject and the organization appealed to you? Do you want to be involved on campus because you have an infinite amount of school pride? All of these reasons will suffice but something drove you to become involved and whatever your reason you want to be successful and leave a mark. All of these steps will get you there. Granted there will be unforeseen obstacles on the way to said success but that will make it worth it. Apply all of these steps and see your leadership role in your student organization flourish and inspire you and others.