Austin Arias

The “Balancing Act”: Person, Student, Student Leader

As leaders, we want to balance it all – academics, involvement, and a personal life and we often put on the ACT as if we do it all so well. It seems all three need our attention at the same time and saying no does not seem like an option. You do not want to let yourself or anyone else down.

In “The Balancing Act,” we will talk about how to be a person, student, and student
leader by all three working in harmony versus in perfect balance. You will understand
how to better prioritize, keep mental health a focus, not waiver from academic pursuits, and lead more effectively by building a collaborative, values-driven team all working toward organizational success.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of attending this program, students will learn:

• how to recognize the common practices of student leaders that prevent growth and development for themselves and organization, like struggling to say no, lack of delegation, and competition,
• how to incorporate person-first behaviors into one’s daily life, while still upholding their responsibilities as students and student leaders,
• strategies for how to integrate person-first behaviors into our daily lives, while still upholding our responsibilities as students and student leaders, and
• how to create a culture of positive student leadership on their campus, utilizing their advisors, mentors and/or supervisors.

Ready. Set. Recruit.

For too long, our recruitment practices have been focused on outdated techniques that don’t accurately represent our values and the lifelong benefit of joining a fraternity or sorority. Plus, we have shifted away from building relationships during the process. Our campuses have changed, so the same set of events, recruitment training, and marketing techniques no longer work. It’s time to assess what you are doing and use your purpose to reframe your work.

Let’s create more meaningful, inclusive experiences to explore membership, focus on building authentic relationships that foster belonging, and create a framework more current members can buy into. Reimagining your recruitment into a values-focused growth strategy will help you find those ready for membership more effectively.

*This program is applicable to student organizations, fraternities, and sororities and will be customized based on audience.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of attending this program, students will learn:

• how to assess their current recruitment tactics and understand their effectiveness,
• how to create a culture of recruitment strategy in order to maximize chapter and council success, utilizing all members to create collaborative action,
• how to be more inclusive throughout the recruitment process to acknowledge the identities of all potential new members, and
• the importance of relationship building and meaningful conversation in both recruitment and creating a sense of belonging for potential new members.

Make Your Founders Proud

What would it look like if we refocused our community’s actions to be in alignment with what our founders intended? Would your founders recognize your organization today? Make Your Founders Proud challenges leaders to take a more critical look at the state of their communities and chapters to determine what must change to ensure their legacies continue. It’s time to get to the root of the issues and create actual solutions.
Through honest dialogue and tough conversation, this program encourages all to look beyond competition and ego, take accountability for their actions, and understand how they can help create a more sustainable, inclusive, and forward-thinking fraternity and sorority movement. We have the potential to be the organizations our founders always hoped for. Let’s make them proud in a way that is both authentic to our values but has evolved to better meets the needs of today’s communities.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of attending this program, students will learn:

• how to identify the current issues plaguing both their community and fraternal movement,
• how to understand how those issues affect the health of their membership and organizations,
• how to address concerns around diversity, equity, and inclusion in their community,
• how to more effectively build relationships with one another to inspire collaborative action, and
• how to determine a plan of action to confidently tackle their community’s issues and opportunities for success.

Your First Year Advantage

​Your first year of college can be filled with challenges and excitement. You want to find your people, explore your interests and get settled into your major. While it may feel overwhelming, let’s help you realize your first-year advantage. The time is now to set yourself up for success. Through sharing his own difficult turned rewarding college journey, humorous stories and experience from his everyday work, Austin helps students embrace their new adventure from the start. Students will walk away with a toolkit they can use right away to explore but not overcommit, find belonging and create an action plan for success.

Learning Outcomes

As a result of attending this program, students will learn:

• how to recognize and address common feelings preventing first year success,
• how to create first year action plan combining personal wellbeing, academics,
  and involvement,
• how to better identify which opportunities are best for them, by recognizing their interests, talents and identities, and
• how to best utilize campus resources and peers along their journey.