Stillwater, Oklahoma – March 24-27, 2017

Submitted by: John Zellar, Tau Beta Sigma Treasurer

The SW District Convention is an annual event where members of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma gather to vote on possible changes to the constitution and its structure, they participate in workshops and committees, and network with other members from across the Southwest District. This year, the 2017 Convention was hosted by brothers of the Alpha chapter at Oklahoma State University, and sisters of the Alpha Omicron chapter at SHSU. Tau Beta Sigma chapter hosted 800 KKY and TBS members in this three-day convention, in which organizations had the opportunity to attend workshops, clinicians, and exchange many professional opinions in regards to the fields of music education and music therapy. The convention also provides opportunities to gain leadership skills specifically aimed at benefiting chapters and marching bands at home. Additionally, participants benefited from communication workshops, team work sessions, and various bands; jazz, kazoo, etc., followed by the annual banquet. On Sunday, members participated in informational and business meetings to discuss district constitution, officers, and overall direction. As one of the host chapters, the SHSU chapter was responsible for registration, set up, and overall logistics. They were also responsible for coordinating various workshops and sub-committees held for the district, which required one of their members to be a delegate at these meetings.

The knowledge gained from this convention included a greater understanding of how to work as a team, and how to coordinate a big event. The SHSU chapter committee, along with the other school’s committee, worked diligently since last May, to organize this event and ensure that it ran smoothly. In order to do the job effectively, this required team effort. The convention also gave members an opportunity to work on their communication skills, and gain a greater sense of comradery. When faced with the challenge of hosting these conventions, many chapters buckle and split causing rifts throughout the chapter. The SHSU chapter accepted the challenge with resolve to be a great chapter, and because of this, their chapter was nominated for various TBS national awards. Natalie Lambert, SHSU Alpha Omicron Chapter President received the award for Southwest District Host Chapter.