Cougar Club Connect

Description

Cougar Club Connect has taken our chapter’s operations and relationship building to another level. Since implementing this initiative, our rapport with the professional chapter has strengthened greatly. As a result, we have been better able to support clubs both locally and regionally. Our members have had the opportunity to contribute to key events, from family events in Houston, TX such as The Briar Club’s “Boo Bash”, to professional events in Fort Worth, TX such as the Lone Star Chapter’s Yellow Rose Ball at The Fort Worth Club.

At the core of Cougar Club Connect is our chapter’s new W-9 status. As a result, our records suggest that we have seen a significant increase in financial support from area clubs in comparison to previous years. This added support has allowed our chapter to be in a position where we can expand outside the city of Houston, execute larger-scale events, and provide more students with opportunities to attend the CMAA World Conference. Overall, Cougar Club Connect has transformed our chapter’s involvement into sustainable, professional partnership model that benefits both the student chapter and the professional chapter.

Implementation

The implementation of this idea began with intentional research among the students to better understand their desire from the organization. What followed was an internal assessment of our chapter’s current model to identify gaps between the members’ expectations, and our output. After brainstorming as the student leadership team, we engaged with our chapter Liaison to discover realistic ways of implementing the core of Cougar Club Connect.

Through these discussions, the conclusion was reached that by transitioning into a W-9 organization, we would be able to formally support our clubs in a professional capacity. The initiative was officially launched at The Briar Club’s annual Halloween Boo Bash, serving as the model’s “Maiden Voyage” in a sense.

The members have received this opportunity extremely well. The model gives the members more autonomy since they are now able to participate in opportunities without being limited to the availability of the chapter leadership. Opportunities are communicated to the membership, and interested parties can sign up and participate. Through this model, students have been able to expand their professional networks, build individual relationships within the industry, and gain first-hand experience that strengthened their understanding of club management in practice.