I am a big college football and basketball fan. If you follow these sports at all, you know that the new and very different thing affecting both sports is the Transfer Portal. This is where a student athlete can decide he or she is leaving a school and they list themselves as available on this portal or website. They then can be immediately eligible at another school. They do not have to set out a year or lose a year of eligibility as they did prior to this. The result has been major movement as student athletes go from one college to another. I was watching a basketball game on TV this past week when one of the players was playing at his third four year college. Wonder where he will play next year?
One of the things that has struck me is the football and basketball players at my school will announce their intentions to enter the Transfer Portal on social media. In that announcement, most of them will say how much they have loved it here, how great people have been to them, and how grateful they are for the opportunity that was given them and then, now I am leaving. Perhaps, they are not being totally honest, but I think in many cases they are. People often say, If they are happy, why are they leaving.
The last ten years or so, College Ministers (and others) often have asked what is the main difference I see in students from now to when I started in college ministry in the dark ages. Long before the Transfer Portal, my answer was, lack of loyalty. That is my answer now on steroids.
I think quite likely these students were happy where they were. Some leave because they are mad or feel they have not had the opportunity they deserve, but I think most leave just to go somewhere else and do something new and different.
So, how does that affect college ministry? I believe we must (just like coaches) be re-connecting students every year. We cannot assume that students will stay involved in our ministry just because they have been involved this past year.
So, what are some ways we do that?
1. Personal relationships and Investment - We have to make sure that students know that we care about them personally and individually. They are not just a cog in the wheel of our overall ministry.
2. When they leave, we have to let them go with GRACE. - This is hard and I know it. When a student you were counting on and have invested in a great deal walks away to another ministry, it hurts and stings. It is a personal hurt. Yet, I think we must ask the Lord to bless them and try to continue a warm relationship to them. Why? Well, they might circle back. But, more importantly, it is about their not feeling they were used and we are done with them. Because, we want them to serve in a church leadership role in their years to come. How we treat them in leaving and later can have a huge impact on that.
3. Stairstep leadership roles and opportunities. By stairstep I mean, there are different opportunities available in different years. Sophomores can do this. Juniors and seniors can do this. There are things to look forward to and to work toward. Maybe where your ministry offers different Spring Break trips, there are trips for freshmen and sophomores and a Juniors and Senior trip. Maybe, this is out of the realm of possibility for you. But, think about the possibility of stairstepping your roles in different ways.
4. Realize it is not just you! A Youth and College Minister said the other day that he thought this year's college freshmen had the maturity of high school sophomores. Due to Covid, they missed normal junior and senior years and that had to have some affect.
5. Summer Connections with Upperclassmen Matter More. Of course, summer will continue to be key in reaching and connecting to incoming freshmen. But, is there something different you could do related to returning students. What about having a mid-summer picnic for upperclassmen to come back and see each other, etc? Or, what about two or three regional picnics? Send them a newsletter mid-summer with different news that would be of interest to them.
NONE OF THESE IDEAS IS WONDERFUL! But, here is the take-away. Admit to and be aware of the growing reality of lack of loyalty in this generation and try some different things. Let us know what works for you. Please!
Arliss Dickerson's new book, Tips for College Freshmen: 124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades, is available at amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.
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