Spread the Word Tip #4: Get Competitive

With Accelerating Racial Justice 2013 applications due this Friday, we're reposting this short series from August 2010:

Our first three tips (#1, #2, & #3) were general things you can do throughout the year. Our

Eddie C won a prize bag for RAPP XXVI recruitment

fourth is more connected to a specific activity to participate in!

RAPP's a pretty non-competitive thing - after how, how do you measure a "top winner" in fighting oppression, individual awareness, or collective action. That said, a spirit of competition emerges at times. Here's a time I'm fostering it!

Announcing the RAPP Recruitment Contest!!!

From the data we collect during the application process, we know that word of mouth is our strongest recruitment tool. The information tables, flyers, classroom visits, announcements at trainings/meetings, and website are all important – but we know that most folks who join RAPP did so after hearing about it from people they know.

We want to do everything we can to encourage RAPPers to help with spreading the word about RAPP. So, we're offering a recruitment contest to give us all a little extra motivation!

There are two ways to win an awesome RAPP gift-pack!
1. The person who is cited as "how I heard about RAPP" on the most applications of who apply for ARJ 2013 wins a prize bag in mid-May!
2. The person cited most for RAPP XXIX wins a prize bag in September!

What do I win?
These gift-packs will continue to grow as I collect random cool stuff. At the point, we know they’ll include:
· Reusable shopping bag(s)
· RAPP swag
· UC swag - Bearcat supplies and apparel

How do I win?
Applicants write down how they heard about RAPP on their written application. If your name is listed on a submitted application, this counts as you having recruited them.

Applicants can list more than one person – in that case, all people listed get credit.

Spread the Word Tip #3: On-Line Presence

With Accelerating Racial Justice 2013 applications due this Friday, we're reposting this short series from August 2010:

When it comes down to it, the Spread the Word Tips will be about word-of-mouth promotion of RAPP. We know it's the most effective route we've had, so it's just a way of encouraging you to know that you're doing a great thing when you do things that encourage conversation about RAPP (like wear your RAPP t-shirt) and help debunk misconceptions about RAPP.

Today's tip is to remind you that these interactions needn't necessarily be face-to-face.

Hopefully, the work to create an "RAPP 2.0" on-line presence will help you in that. Based on what we've got, here are a few ways you can promote RAPP on-line. Please pass along your ideas on how we can do this better!

FACEBOOK

1. Are you a fan of our FB page? Or, I guess, in the newest iteration of FB, do you "like" our page?
   You can follow the latest goings-on on RAPP. Like things we post that interest you. Post links/photos/comments/ideas on our wall.
2. Want to let folks know how to join RAPP? Put this URL out there: www.uc.edu/sald/rapp/get_involved.html 
3. Post your thoughts on RAPP in your status. Post your RAPP pictures and let folks know what you were up to. That status feed can be creepy, but it also lets people know what you were up to and how you felt about RAPP.

YOUTUBE

RAPP has a YouTube Channel. While the videos are amateurish at best, you're welcome to repost them. Feel free to post them to your Facebook, send the links through Twitter, email them to friends, or play them when you're talking to friends.

Twitter

RAPP has a Twitter account under the profile name cinciRAPP. It was initially set up as a way for RAPPers to tweets reminding them about meetings and deadlines. That didn't take off, so now it'll be used for general reminders and info about RAPP.

Follow us if you're on Twitter. Reply to us. Let others know we're out there.

Blogging

Do you have a blog? Do you follow this blog? Have you blogged about RAPP? You can do much with RAPP and your blog - and in the spirit of cross-promotion, any time you blog about RAPP please feel free to post it on the RAPP wall. Odds are I'll mention it here, too!

Spread the Word Tip #2: Become a Mythbuster!

With Accelerating Racial Justice 2013 applications due this Friday, we're reposting this short series from August 2010:

Our first Spread the Word Tip was about wearing your RAPP t-shirt.

Today I want to talk about another way to help spread the word about RAPP: Mythbust for us!

In my past four years in RAPP, I've found some common misconceptions people have about RAPP. Let's debunk them now:

Myth #1: Grad students can't do RAPP. Bzzzt! Wrong! I personally know this to be incorrect because I did RAPP while completing my masters. Every year that I've been involved with RAPP, we've had great graduate students amongst our members. We've had people who've completed their bachelors and are completing pre-requisites to enter a masters program. We've had PhD candidates. RAPP is open to all students!

Myth #2: RAPP is only for liberal arts majors. Bzzt again! The last year RAPP members have represented ten different colleges of UC and the year before they represent eight. You can see the majors and colleges of RAPP XXV here. One of the areas of diversity we strive for in recruitment is academic diversity. Last year's RAPP represented 44 majors in fall quarter. While Psychology and Communications were the two most common, they were closely followed by Criminal Justice and Finance.

Myth #3: RAPP is only about race. Bzzt at third time! While race is a large component of what we discuss, I like to say that RAPP is a "race AND" program - meaning we talk about race AND other areas of difference. RAPP has formally included gender in its work since RAPP IX (though the discussion began in RAPP VIII). Sexuality was formally included in the curriculum in 2000 and we've used the concept of intersectionality as a foundation of our work since 2003. We still follow a general race->gender->sexuality format through the three quarters, but we intentionally include other topics and encourage the group to wander through what they're interested in.

By helping break down these three myths, you can help us reach more students because they can see that they're eligible for RAPP and that their interests are welcome.

Spread the Word Tip #1: Wear That Shirt!

With Accelerating Racial Justice 2013 applications due this Friday, we're reposting this short series from August 2010:

Jojo at MainStreet Stride 2010

To help promote RAPP, you don't have to be like Jojo (XXIV) here and carry a sign everywhere. If you think about it, he has TWO signs in that picture - the one he's carrying and the one he's wearing.

I can't count how many times my RAPP t-shirt has started a conversation. This is true both with people I already know and with complete strangers.

More than once, someone on the bus or out at a park has read the quote on the back and sparked up a conversation with me.

Friends and strangers alike often ask me about the logo... or the Roman numerals... or what the second P is for.

Wear your RAPP t-shirt to classes. Wear it to student group meetings. Wear it to community events, religious services, work (if you can), and just out-and-about. Even if you don't talk with someone about it, it creates visibility.

Also, a few times a year we'll have "RAPP T-Shirt Days" where we ask folks to wear their t-shirt.  I hope to see you in your shirt then and on other days - I'll be wearing mine!

Tip #5 Follow-Up: Tabling Details

First, many thanks to our awesome recruitment leader Brice who'll be organizing RAPPers to volunteer at these tables.

As mentioned in Spread the Word Tip #5, whether you'll be able to help out for a bit, just want to stop by and say hi, or can send some potential RAPP applicants our way, make sure to know about these events where we'll be out with information and usually a table:

• International Student Welcome Coffee Hour - Wednesday, September 15, 4-6PM at the Myers Alumni Center
• Arts & Sciences Welcome Day Festival - Tuesday, September 21, 12-1PM on McMicken Commons
• RAPP Information Table on MainStreet - Wednesday, September 22, 12-2PM on MainStreet between TUC and the Steger Student Life building
• RAPP Information Table on MainStreet - Thursday, September 23, 12-2PM on MainStreet between TUC and the Steger Student Life building
• Hispanic Student Welcome - Thursday, September 23, 5-7PM in Mick and Mack's Cafe in TUC
• Asian Student Welcome - Friday, September 24, 5-7PM in 400 TUC
• Akwaaba Black Student Welcome - Sunday, September 26, 4-7PM in TUC's Great Hall
• Darwin T. Turner Scholars Welcome - Monday, September 27, 6PM in TUC's Great Hall
• LGBTQ Meet 'n' Greet - Wednesday, September 29, 4-6PM in the LGBTQ Center on the 6th floor of Steger Student Life Center

 If you have questions about these events, let me know.  If you're a RAPPer, keep an eye out for messages from Brice about volunteering at these events - it's fun and easy!  If you or someone you know is interested in RAPP, these are great times to interact with us to learn more about whether we're the right program for you.

Spread the Word Tip #5: Come to the Table

It's been a minute since the last Spread the Word Tip, so let's do a quick review:
#1 - Wear you RAPP t-shirt, it's a great conversation piece.
#2 - Help folks avoid common misconceptions about RAPP - let them know it's open to EVERY UC student and that we talk about race AND other topics.
#3 - Remember that "word of mouth" really also includes "word of fingers-and-keyboard" - our on-line presence is important.
#4 - You can win stuff for helping spread the word! Woot!

Now, on to #5 - Come to the Table.
RAPP does information tables at events three out of the four quarters of the year. In spring, we're out at WorldFest and the Student Activities Fair. All summer long we're out three days a week at Student Spotlight in incoming new student orientation.

We're approaching fall, which will involve many opportunities to stop by, bring friends to, or help out at RAPP informational tables. We'll be out a LOT this fall, keep your eyes on this blog and - if you're on the RAPP & RAPPORT listservs - on your email.

Brice, one of our recruitment leaders, will be working with me to organize volunteers to staff the tables. Help spread the word about RAPP by volunteering at one or more event. This isn't a complete list, and most don't have dates yet, but we'll hopefully be at the following events (links are to last year's event coverage):

• International Students Welcome - 9/15/2010, 4PM
  
• RAPP Info Tables on MainStreet - 9/22-23/2010, 12PM-2PM
• Asian Student Welcome
• Akwaaba (Black Student Welcome)
• Hispanic Student Welcome
• LGBTQ Student Welcome
• Student Activities and Wellness Fair
• Mick & Mack's Welcome Day Festival
• Turners Scholars Welcome

Hope to see you at these tables - either behind it staffing it or in front stopping by to say hi!

Spread the Word Tip #3: On-Line Presence

When it comes down to it, the Spread the Word Tips will be about word-of-mouth promotion of RAPP. We know it's the most effective route we've had, so it's just a way of encouraging you to know that you're doing a great thing when you do things that encourage conversation about RAPP (like wear your RAPP t-shirt) and help debunk misconceptions about RAPP.

Today's tip is to remind you that these interactions needn't necessarily be face-to-face.

Hopefully, the work to create an "RAPP 2.0" on-line presence will help you in that. Based on what we've got, here are a few ways you can promote RAPP on-line. Please pass along your ideas on how we can do this better!

FACEBOOK

1. Are you a fan of our FB page? Or, I guess, in the newest iteration of FB, do you "like" our page?
   You can follow the latest goings-on on RAPP. Like things we post that interest you. Post links/photos/comments/ideas on our wall.
2. Want to let folks know how to join RAPP? Put this URL out there: http://www.uc.edu/SALD/diversity/RAPP_Apply.html.
3. Post your thoughts on RAPP in your status. Post your RAPP pictures and let folks know what you were up to. That status feed can be creepy, but it also lets people know what you were up to and how you felt about RAPP.

YOUTUBE

RAPP has a YouTube Channel. While the videos are amateurish at best, you're welcome to repost them. Feel free to post them to your Facebook, send the links through Twitter, email them to friends, or play them when you're talking to friends.

Twitter

RAPP has a Twitter account under the profile name cinciRAPP. It was initially set up as a way for RAPPers to tweets reminding them about meetings and deadlines. That didn't take off, so now it'll be used for general reminders and info about RAPP.

Follow us if you're on Twitter. Reply to us. Let others know we're out there.

Blogging

Do you have a blog? Do you follow this blog? Have you blogged about RAPP? You can do much with RAPP and your blog - and in the spirit of cross-promotion, any time you blog about RAPP please feel free to post it on the RAPP wall. Odds are I'll mention it here, too!

Spread the Word Tip #2: Become a Mythbuster!

Our first Spread the Word Tip was about wearing your RAPP t-shirt.

Today I want to talk about another way to help spread the word about RAPP: Mythbust for us!

In my past four years in RAPP, I've found some common misconceptions people have about RAPP. Let's debunk them now:

Myth #1: Grad students can't do RAPP. Bzzzt! Wrong! I personally know this to be incorrect because I did RAPP while completing my masters. Every year that I've been involved with RAPP, we've had great graduate students amongst our members. We've had people who've completed their bachelors and are completing pre-requisites to enter a masters program. We've had PhD candidates. RAPP is open to all students!

Myth #2: RAPP is only for liberal arts majors. Bzzt again! The last year RAPP members have represented ten different colleges of UC and the year before they represent eight. You can see the majors and colleges of RAPP XXV here. One of the areas of diversity we strive for in recruitment is academic diversity. Last year's RAPP represented 44 majors in fall quarter. While Psychology and Communications were the two most common, they were closely followed by Criminal Justice and Finance.

Myth #3: RAPP is only about race. Bzzt at third time! While race is a large component of what we discuss, I like to say that RAPP is a "race AND" program - meaning we talk about race AND other areas of difference. RAPP has formally included gender in its work since RAPP IX (though the discussion began in RAPP VIII). Sexuality was formally included in the curriculum in 2000 and we've used the concept of intersectionality as a foundation of our work since 2003. We still follow a general race->gender->sexuality format through the three quarters, but we intentionally include other topics and encourage the group to wander through what they're interested in.

By helping break down these three myths, you can help us reach more students because they can see that they're eligible for RAPP and that their interests are welcome.

Spread the Word Tip #1: Wear that Shirt!

To help promote RAPP, you don't have to be like Jojo (XXIV) here and carry a sign everywhere. If you think about it, he has TWO signs in that picture - the one he's carrying and the one he's wearing.

I can't count how many times my RAPP t-shirt has started a conversation. This is true both with people I already know and with complete strangers.

More than once, someone on the bus or out at a park has read the quote on the back and sparked up a conversation with me.

Friends and strangers alike often ask me about the logo... or the Roman numerals... or what the second P is for?

Wear your RAPP t-shirt to classes. Wear it to student group meetings. Wear it to community events, religious services, work (if you can), and just out-and-about. Even if you don't talk with someone about it, it creates visibility.

Also, a few times a year we'll have "RAPP T-Shirt Days" where we ask folks to wear their t-shirt. Our next one will be Wednesday, September 22nd. I hope to see you in your shirt then - I'll be wearing mine!