CMAA Pen Pal Program

Entry Details

The CMAA Pen Pal Program would be a way for student members to network and engage with each other across chapters and states. The program would be a way for students to connect with their peers during their time in school and even into their professional careers in the club industry. Student members would be able to submit an interest form to join the pen pal program, and based on their responses, they would be connected to a student member from another chapter somewhere else in the country. The goal would be to have student peers collaborating, connecting, networking, and maybe even meeting in person all across the United States.

Implementation

When this idea was originally pitched to student members at Kent State University, there was a unanimous yes for interest. Students are extremely interested in growing their network, connecting with their peers, and learning about clubs all over the world. The Pen Pal Program would be implemented by CMAA at a national level to involve as many students and chapters as possible. There would be an interest form created where student members from any chapter can submit their contact information (email, phone number, LinkedIn, etc.) that they want to share. Students would also answer a few short questions about their general interests, hobbies, and goals in the industry. Those responses would be reviewed, and students would be connected to another student with similar answers from another chapter! From there, the possibilities are endless! Letters, emails, texts, phone calls, LinkedIn connections, and even in-person visits would be possible. Students could visit their pen pals and tour clubs in a state or area that they may never have seen otherwise. Within our chapter at Kent, students are very close-knit and connected in a similar way to the Pen Pal Program. Bringing this to the national level would allow for the creativity, collaboration, and celebration of the club industry to grow among young club managers entering their professional careers.