Introducing FIMRC Chapters

FIMRC OFFERS CHAPTERSHIPS SO YOU CAN GET INVOLVED FROM CAMPUS

As the 2020-2021 school gets underway, many students will be going “back” to campus through virtual or hybrid learning models. And this new way of learning and attending school also means clubs and groups, including the more than 70 FIMRC chapters at colleges, universities, and high schools around the world will also be making adjustments to accommodate a virtual semester or entire school year. 

But going virtual doesn’t mean you have to miss out on an incredible chaptership year. Check out our list below for ideas on how to recruit new members, volunteer, fundraise for FIMRC, and just have an all-around great year as a FIMRC chapter!

Recruitment

First thing first- recruitment! Starting out your freshman year, or sometimes any year, can be daunting and students just want to find a place to fit in. Make sure you open the door to new participants and welcome them with open arms! 

• Check to see if your school will be hosting a virtual student activity fair where new students could check out your chapter. 

• Make sure you hold interest meetings virtually where interested students can learn more about your chapter. Try to advertise those meetings wherever possible like in student activity newsletters and on social media! 

• Create one-on-one connections with other students. Offer to have a virtual one-on-one coffee chat with interested students via Zoom. Or you could have interested students email any of the E-board members to learn more about the work your chapter does. Offering one-on-one chats might be more personal and less intimidating for new students.

Stay Connected All Year 

Once you’ve recruited new members, keep up with regular meetings and activities. Meetings are so important for staying connected, recruiting new members, and planning events!

• Hold virtual meetings (through Zoom, Skype, etc.) at least once a month with the entire chapter. You can even do “breakout sessions” via Zoom to break into smaller groups and have some ice breakers That will be important so that everyone can get to know each other.

• Don’t forget to also have separate meetings with just the E-board as well in order to plan events and fundraisers.

Keep The Fundraising Momentum Going

Chapters always host the best fundraisers! Many chapters host fundraisers unique to their school’s traditions while others host classic fundraisers like bake sales. Either way, you will most likely have to adapt your fundraisers this year to be virtual, so check out some ideas below.

• Stay healthy and support FIMRC at the same time through donation-based virtual workouts. Have someone from your chapter (or anyone willing) lead a virtual workout. You could just do a single workout- or make it weekly. Have someone lead a yoga class, HIIT class, or any exercise you enjoy. Suggest a $10 donation to participate or perhaps do a “class package” of a $25 donation for the month- four classes total. At the end of the semester, donate the funds raised to FIMRC.

• Live Stream Event- Ask a professor to host a talk on global health and ask for donations to support FIMRC to join- or require a $5-$10 donations to join and then send a virtual meeting link to those who have donated. Or, have a friend in med school? Ask them to host a talk providing tips on how to get into medical school and ask for donations in order to join.

• Have some exceptional adventurous chapter members? Set fundraising goals and have them carry out those challenges if the fundraising goals are met (if they are willing to, of course!). For example, set a goal of $100 and if met- the president of the chapter sends a video of themselves getting pied in the face. Set tiers of fundraising goals, for example, if you meet $200- have a chapter member dye their hair a crazy color- pink or blue. Keep going with the goals, and be creative! 

Advocate

Chapter members are always so passionate about global health, and use their platform to advocate and raise awareness of global health in their own community. Here are just a few examples of some possible virtual advocacy events! 

• Host a virtual book club. Pick out an interesting read on global health, such as  “The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anne Fadiman or “Half the Sky” by Nicholas Kristof. Assign parts to read each week and meet weekly to discuss what you learned. A book club would be a great social event for members to get to know each other as well. We encourage you to also tie in some really great discussions on current events by choosing a book about racial disparities in health, such as Just Medicine:  A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care by Dayna Bowen Matthew or The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.

• Host a virtual career fair.  Ask an alumnus to speak with the chapter and host a Q&A session. Try to get alumni from many different careers- physical therapists, pediatricians, and travel nurses in order to hear from diverse experiences.

Have Fun And Stay Engaged!

Of course, don’t forget to host some fun social events. Social events can almost always also be tied to advocacy, fundraising, and volunteering.

• Have a Global Health Trivia Night! Assign teams and ask questions related to global health. Members will test their knowledge, learn something new, and make new friends.

• Last but certainly not least, be sure to look for ways you can safely volunteer in your local community. Places like food banks probably need help now more than ever. Inquire with local food banks to see how you can help. Be sure to be healthy and safe and follow social distancing guidelines.

Last But Certainly Not Least- Volunteer With FIMRC!

• While international travel remains on pause, our virtual volunteer programs are a great way for your chapter to make a direct impact at one of our 10 project sites. As a chapter, you could organize a group to participate in our Virtual Global Health Volunteer Experience. Choose one week to participate and focus on one FIMRC Project Site. Through the program, you will learn about global health challenges on-site directly from FIMRC staff working in the community, develop a volunteer project together that directly benefits a FIMRC site, and even learn about the culture of the community through fun activities like a cooking video. Participating in the Virtual Global Health Volunteer Experience is the closest that you can get to the experience of volunteering at a FIMRC Project Site- and all from the comfort of your own home!

• Students interested in virtual clinical shadowing opportunities can organize group participation in our Virtual Global Health Fellowship. High School Chapters also have the unique opportunity to participate in our Virtual Global Health Leadership Training to learn about careers in both the healthcare field and international development!

We hope these ideas get you started off to a great virtual semester. Don’t forget to check in with your Student Activities Center as well as they would be a great resource to help you transition virtually. Be sure to email us at [email protected] to let us know how your events go. We are always here to help answer any questions!