Student Activities Training Programs

You have probably attended one of Del's sessions at a National or Regional Conference. You may have thought:

"I wish the rest of my board could hear this..."

Now they can!

Design your own Programming Retreat, Workshop or Training Program. Select the educational programs that fit your needs, and Del will present them for you.

These programs are perfect for training a new programming or union board, or for reinvigorating your current activities committee. Each educational program session is approximately one hour. Del can present a single session, or you can select as many as four to create a training session or retreat that meets your group's' needs exactly!

Chose one or more of the following programs, and have Del present them on your campus, for your students and staff:


Creative Ways to Pack the House!

(60 mins approx.)

You can't just post a status update on Facebook and expect people to attend your event-- promotion doesn't work like that.  It takes Creative Marketing! At this session, you'll learn about using proven concepts in advertising to promote your event.  If you don't have a big budget, you must use these ideas to pack the house!  Even if you can afford to buy big ads, creative marketing will help you do a better job promoting your events while spending less. Looking for ways to get more students to attend your events? Are you tired of presenting programs when nobody comes?  This session will teach you how to use the latest social network marketing-- including Facebook, Twitter, HootSuite and broadcast texting-- along with the tried-and-true low tech methods of posters and fliers. Learn how to promote ALL your events. There's no excuse to not pack the house!

Creating a High Powered Student Activities Board

(60 mins approx.)

The students on your campus can be a powerful source of both ideas and energy for your programs. Learn how to get the students involved in your campus activities with this session. Whether you are starting a new board, or trying to revitalize an existing board, this session will help you. Covers board structure, responsibilities, committees, recruitment, involvement, and branding. It may the answer to your student apathy!

Sixty Awesome Program Ideas in Sixty-Minutes

(60 mins approx.)

This session is an interactive presentation, designed to produce at least sixty free or inexpensive ideas for events and programs! Your board can be remarkably creative-- let's brainstorm some cheap (less than $300) ideas for easily-produced programs.  Over the course of an hour, we'll generate program ideas for various topics, seasons, holidays, and more. If your board needs more inexpensive program ideas, then this session is for you.

Secrets of Recruitment

(60 mins approx.)

Ever notice that some organizations have lots of active and involved members, while other organizations struggle to survive? There is always a reason, and often that reason is one word: recruitment. This session will teach you to recruit more (and better) CAB  members, while also teaching you how to get those new members involved. If you want your Campus Activities Board to flourish, then you need this program. You can never have too many volunteers!

Avoiding Burnout

(60 mins approx.)

Burnout:  a state of mental, physical and emotional exhaustion.
When the alarm clock goes off, do you hit the snooze button and roll back over?  Does your life and job remind you of the film "Groundhog Day"?  At one time you were excited about your role on campus and eagerly embraced each day.  Wouldn't you like to keep that enthusiasm alive-- or bring it back to life? This session may be the answer.  Del Suggs, noted Leadership Development trainer, author and APCA "Best Campus Speaker" will inspire you with this quick lesson in Attitude Restoration.  Learn to recognize burnout in yourself, and some simple steps to regain the joy in your life and work.


Contracts and Riders 101

**Awarded Best Educational Session at NACA South Conference**

(60 mins approx.)

Baffled by the volumes of contracts sent to you by agents? Overwhelmed by the band's rider that asks for things you can't deliver (like alcohol) or seemingly foolish requests (like no brown M&M's...). This session can help you make sense of it all! Disclaimer: the presenter is not an attorney, and will not offer legal advice! But he will help you understand which items in a contract are negotiable and which items are "deal breakers!"

DIY Surveys with Google Drive

(60 mins approx.)

One of the little-known attributes of Google Drive (formerly Google Docs) is that you can use it to create and compile surveys.  And, the price is right-- it's free.  If you are tired of the restrictions on Surveymonkey, Survey Console, and Zoomerang, then this session is your solution.  Come and learn to create your own surveys, and if you have your laptop or tablet you can create one on the spot.  We'll also discuss best practices, and how to get the most accurate results.

Building Campus Community

(60 mins approx.)

Everyone wants to feel like a part of a community. It's so important, it's probably in your college mission. But how do you create a sense of community? In this presentation, we'll look at ideas to break down the barriers between students, faculty, and staff. We'll also consider creating new traditions to carry the community forward for years to come.

Branding Your Program Board

(60 mins approx.)

You know your Campus Activities Board ROCKS. So why doesn't anybody else know it? Come to this session and learn how to brand your program board into the minds of your student body. If it works for Victoria's Secret and Coca-Cola, it'll work for CAB!

Instant Assessment!

(60 mins approx.)

How would you like to present a program, then just click a button to review the completed assessment? Sound too good to be true? It's not! Del has developed a way to do just that. At this session, you will learn to develop easily assessed learning outcomes, create an assessment tool using Google Drive, and discover how to get your students to complete the assessment survey at the event on their cell phones.

Expresso Yourself with a Great Coffeehouse Series

(60 mins approx.)

How do you present solo artists, comedians, small bands, films, poetry readings, and open mic shows in the same program series? That's easy-- it's called A Coffeehouse Series. The hottest new program idea is coming straight out of the past, even if it's decaf and smoke-free!

Bigger Crowds and Better Shows

(60 mins approx.)

It takes more than just booking Norah Jones or Dave Matthews to have a great concert. Okay, bad example. But what if you can't afford major acts? Are your programs destined to fail? Absolutely not! This session is a potpourri of promotion, production, scheduling, and planning ideas to help lift your programs out of the doldrums. Relevant to any type of program from major concert to coffeehouse to comedy club.

Cafeteria Shows: Making The Best Of It

(60 mins approx.)

The Cafeteria is both the best place and the worst place to present a program. It's the best because you've already got a crowd; it's the worst because a performer needs more than just a crowd to be successful. This session covers the elements involved in presenting a performance and targets those which specifically apply to cafeterias.

Conflict Resolution: Getting Along With Each Other

(60 mins approx.)

Everybody gets along on your Program Board, right? Most of the time that is the case-- but once in a while you get those leaders who just constantly butt heads. This session defines conflict and its root causes, and can give you the tools you need to deal with it when it occurs. Even if you don't need it now, sooner or later you will!

Programming for a Commuter Campus

(60 mins approx.)

Non-traditional schools have a difficult time meeting the programming needs of their students. It can be an exercise in frustration to present wonderful events in empty rooms. This session will discuss the differences in programming for non-traditional schools: without residence halls, older (or mixed age) student populations, "suitcase colleges" and more. We'll also come up with useful strategies to meet the program needs of these students.

Family Friendly Programming

(60 mins approx.)

As more and more non-traditional students return to campus, activity programmers are faced with a new challenge: providing programs for older and mature students, and students with interests outside of traditional campus life. "Family Friendly" programs can serve these students, by providing events which appeal to both the student and their families. These programs need not exclude traditional students, as there are many programs which have a broad audience.

Creative Uses For Small Acts

(60 mins approx.)

Do you have lofty ideas, but a small budget? Or maybe you've found the perfect small act, but don't know how to present it. Or, maybe you just need some new ideas to liven up your programs. This session will review the very basics of programming, and discuss some creative ways to present easily produced acts on your campus.

Residencies: Getting the most from Artists

(60 mins approx.)

If you're looking for a way to pull your campus community together, then consider an Artist-In-Residence. By presenting multiple shows, you can reach out to the campus and community, and reach different audiences. You will also generate a positive image for your school and your programs.

The Business Of Music

(60 mins approx.)

**A Special Topic of Interest to all your campus musicians and performers!**

Designed to explain how the world of commercial music operates, it covers nearly all areas of music and entertainment. It includes live performance, recording and the record industry, publishing, radio, and more. It will explain the role of such professionals as personal managers, booking agents, entertainment attorneys, road managers, and others. It's a rare chance to "follow the money" from a voting member of The Recording Academy!