The Director’s Corner: Colonizing: Hurdles to Success by Dr. Greg Byrne

Colonizing: Hurdles to Success! Colonizing: Hurdles to Success! Colonizing: Hurdles to Success! Colonizing: Hurdles to Success! Colonizing: Hurdles to Success!

Food for Thought for Colony Sponsors

by Dr Greg Byrne Associate Director of Bands University of Louisville

Building a successful overall band program involves many ingredients: setting and achieving goals, communication skills, teaching skills, organizational skills, preparation and on and on... Did I mention students? Oh yes, the students!

What would a band program be without the students? ΚΚΨ and ΤΒΣ provide a means to achieve a higher threshold of success within a band program. At the University of Louisville, Director of Bands Dr. Frederick Speck and myself know the importance of ΚΚΨ and ΤΒΣ to an overall band program. We are both members of ΚΚΨ and ΤΒΣ and have been involved with successful programs.

My experience as a sponsor originates with the ΤΒΣ Chapter at Auburn University. I truly believe that Auburn has one of the most successful band programs in the country. Major ingredients to that program’s success are the chapters of ΤΒΣ and ΚΚΨ. I clearly recall the days of colonization at Auburn and the few years that followed. These are the days I am reliving at Louisville.

Drawing from our experiences, we knew it was imperative to develop ΚΚΨ / ΤΒΣ chapters within our band program. The reasons were clear: (1) to develop a consistent core that would enhance the student’s band experience, (2) improve the overall retention rate of the band program, and (3) provide an alternate route for tapping into the leadership skills of our students.

The Louisville setting is urban. Most students live at home and have jobs and little time to invest in extra activities. We knew it was going to be a hard sell, but one well worth the effort.

As the colony sponsor, I anticipated some hurdles and put thought into how they would be executed. The first anticipated hurdle was the apprehension from other established organizations, namely Phi Mu Alpha and Delta Omicron. Without this foresight, the potential for an unhealthy climate was possible. I made efforts to educate these groups on the purpose of starting ΤΒΣ/ΚΚΨ before beginning initial meetings. Any projects these groups had already established within the band program were allowed to continue, and I showed support to these groups by encouraging students to become members of these valid organizations as well. This mistrust quickly disappeared.

Hurdle No. 2 was to stir enough interest in our students to become members. This was overcome by many informational meetings, lots of pizza parties, and consistent nudging before a small beginning core group materialized.

If you are currently a colony sponsor, chances are you have made it past the first two hurdles. Congratulations, because I believe the baton can now be passed to the students. Let your students run the race and complete the third hurdle as you stand back and cheer. Furthermore, as you cheer, rely on the help provided by National Headquarters, advising chapters, conventions and the like. We had visits from Col. Bonner, Kathy Godwin, Dollie McDonald, Scott Mackey, Kirk Randazzo, and Malinda Matney; visits from area chapters and advising chapters; phone calls from Derrick Mills and Dr. Golemo; letters, emails, cards etc.. This assistance doesn’t mean that your working role has ended, however. The sponsor should still be involved with projects and meetings and be an integral part of the dynamics of your organizations. Hurdle No. 3 is the colonization process. Through the fantastic work of Nationals the process seems cut and dried. A ten month, step-by- step plan is provided for our convenience. Sounds easy? NOT A CHANCE!

This is the hurdle that exposes growing pains, true commitment and the “Right Stuff”! A ten month process? Potentially, yet like any degree plan, the diploma is not presented until all requirements are met satisfactorily. For our ΤΒΣ chapter, the ten month process grew into well over a year. For ΚΚΨ, the process extended much longer. I view my position as an advisor, not a mover and shaker. In my opinion, the drive needs to come from the students, therefore the process was longer than usual.

This creates a self-weeding process. The students with the innate drive and conviction to honor ΚΚΨ/ΤΒΣ’s purpose (leadership and service) will endure. Those students will not only attract students of the same quality, they have the ability to identify those qualities in others.

Once the third hurdle is accomplished your chapter(s) will still experience growing pains. You will have to continue to nudge, encourage and educate these groups. Yet, your core will be solid and your band program will soon experience a higher threshold of success. A momentum will be established that parallels your own.

At Louisville, we have planted a seed and we can’t wait to smell the roses!