Consultant Summer Training

by lakin shelton (Gamma Zeta, Kansas State University), chapter consultant 

As the month of June rolls around each year, a new team of chapter consultants (CCs) is off to Alpha Chi Omega headquarters in Indianapolis to kick-start summer training. Summer training for the CCs consists of two weeks of in-person training covering topics from leadership development to recruitment. The two weeks that each CC team spend together are a well-loved and highly anticipated event each year. New friendships are made while happy reunions take place for returning team members and staff.  Concluding our two weeks together in Indianapolis, we all return home to complete the next four weeks of virtual training.  

For many chapter consultants, this role is their first job out of college. Similar to companies across different fields, new hires work through a training program to best prepare for the role they are stepping into. For Alpha Chi Omega chapter consultants, this training is comprehensive of the many topics and areas we will oversee in our role. We take pride in our rigorous program that spans across six weeks and leave CCs well prepared as we hit the road in August. Alpha Chi staff members work diligently year after year to create the most up-to-date training materials and content to ensure that consultants are most prepared in their role. Being a chapter consultant for Alpha Chi requires a knowledge base in all areas of chapter life including but not limited to risk management philosophies and policies, member retention, recruitment, continuous growth of members, managing chapter budgets and working across multiple generations.   

Outside of our time in the office, we are able to bond as a team over meals and several fun activities during the two in-person training weeks. The 2024-25 consultant team comes from 12 different chapters ranging from California to Rhode Island. Being able to connect with sisters from across the country and learn about their Alpha Chi experience is a time-honored tradition for chapter consultants. Not only do our coworkers often become best friends, but we are able to be a support system for each other in our shared roles and beyond. Whether it is a trip to the Indianapolis Zoo or a night cheering on Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever, the CC team never fails to take advantage of our time together.  

Serving as a chapter consultant is a privilege and great responsibility. Each year the consultant team strives to not only better our chapters day in and day out, but also to become strong young professionals, and summer training is the start to an impactful year!