Written by: CampUs4
7/3/2011 3:05 PM

20 Ways to Recruit Students

By Steven Tramel Gaines

We’re nearing that time of year again—when we set up tables on campus and tell students about the ministries in which we serve. It’s only six weeks away for many of us.

When I was a rookie campus minister a few years ago, I was clueless about this important type of ministry opportunity. What should I do? What should I say? Oh, I’m supposed to have a sign-up sheet? And giveaways should be advertisements?

I thank God for a few experienced campus ministers who showed me the ropes. Dottie Metropol of the Presbyterian Student Association in Spartanburg was especially welcoming, friendly, and helpful.

Here are twenty suggestions for on-campus recruiting. About half of them are adaptations from Benson Hines (link below), and I learned the rest from Dottie’s mentoring and my own experience. In writing this list, I’m thinking specifically of campus ministries that are connected to local congregations. If your context is different, feel free to modify the suggestions as necessary.

1. Pray before, during, and after the event. If possible, arrange a group of church members to pray over the recruiting effort while it’s happening.
2. Plan early. One year I ordered shirts for our table workers to wear. On the day of the event, the shirts hadn’t arrived. That was a painful way to learn an important lesson!
3. Do some research to learn what the university expects and prohibits at the promotional event. You probably can find that information on the invitation or the university’s website. If you don’t receive an invitation, ask student life staff and other local campus ministers until you discover what you need to do to participate.
4. Show up early and stay until the event is over. Don’t pack up early, even if other organizations do. Staying until the end shows students and university staff that you’re committed to the campus. When you arrive, check in with the person in charge of the event, express your gratitude, and find out where you should set up. When you leave, thank the event director again and voice your ongoing availability to partner with the university. During the event, greet and say similar words to other important campus personnel (e.g., the dean of students, the director of student life, the director of housing, even the president).
5. Be nice. Don’t tell students why they should avoid other ministries!
6. Begin ministering to students at recruiting events. Don’t wait until they’re active in your group.
7. In a friendly way, showing a genuine interest in each student, explain the benefits of being involved in a campus ministry and a church, and explain the specific benefits of the campus ministry and church you’re representing.
8. Provide major details that will help students decide whether they want to try the ministry/church, but don’t overwhelm them with too much information. We usually hand out small brochures with decent print size and plenty of pictures and white space, and we don’t try to cram every detail into them. Students at recruiting events don’t need to know our entire histories and theologies; they just need an invitation.
9. Tell how the ministry/church cares for students in tangible ways and how students can get involved (especially in worship, youth ministry, children’s ministry, community service, and missions).
10. Mention connections you have to the campus (e.g., students, graduates, faculty, staff).
11. Have an appealing event planned in the next few days, and invite students to it. Good ideas include food and games—anything that provides an informal opportunity for students to get to know each other. Assure them that their participation in that event doesn’t obligate them to anything, and be sure to tell them it’s free!
12. Let students know that you’re available for them no matter what ministry or church they choose, even if they choose not to be involved in any.
13. Listen for students’ needs and be ready to adjust the ministry accordingly. (But have a ministry plan. Be intentional. Don’t just wait to see what ideas spontaneously strike you.)
14. If possible, play a looping video or slideshow with exciting background music. The pictures and video footage should give a glimpse into various components of the campus ministry. Pay special attention to (A) aspects that are most central to your group’s identity and personality and (B) features that best relate to the needs and interests of students on your specific campus. Recruiting videos and slideshows usually are most effective and authentic when made by students who are active in the ministry. Unless you know that your table will be close to an electrical outlet, make sure you have two well charged laptops (one as a backup) to play the video or slideshow.
15. Give good directions. And if your ministry activities are more than walking distance from campus, offer transportation for students who need it.
16. Give freebies that are creative and useful. The gifts can help you stand out from the crowd, and innovative thinking can lead to long-lasting impact.
17. If possible, get an intergenerational mix of people to work the recruiting table. Include student leaders and church members of other age groups. Equip and motivate all table workers to interact well with students.
18. Have at least one student worker at the table at all times, but work in shifts so each worker can walk around for a few minutes to visit with leaders of various organizations. Our networking with others in friendly ways is one means by which God impacts the campus culture.
19. Pray for and care about all the students, but don’t feel like a failure if only a few get involved in your group. Some students put their names and contact information on interest sheets to avoid feeling guilty for taking giveaways. (Remember the interest sheets!) If the event allows you to establish a lasting connection with just one student, it’s worth the money, time, and effort. Even if you don’t get that kind of connection, God can use the event to impact the campus in ways you can’t see now.
20. Look at what other organizations are doing to connect with students. After the event, reflect with your coworkers and prayerfully brainstorm ways you might do a better job at the next recruiting event.

Click here for more ideas. What other suggestions can you share from your experience? 

Steven Gaines, Editor-in-Chief of Campus CrossWalk, is a campus minister in Spartanburg, SC.

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