By Diane Wideman
Lakeland, Fla.
When Ryan Marsh first walked into a Delta Sigma Pi recruitment event nearly two years ago, he didn’t really know what to expect. He recognized some faces, saw the suits and name tags and immediately felt the professional tone of the room. “I wanted to enhance myself on a professional scale,” Marsh said. “I wanted to use the organization to better myself so I could turn it around and better my career.”
Marsh, a graduating senior who has served as Vice President of Pledge Education and later Vice President of Professional Activities, has watched DSP’s Lambda Psi Chapter at Florida Southern College grow steadily — not just in size, but in visibility. And for him, it’s pretty clear what helped drive that: the chapter’s growing use of social media.
The numbers back it up. A chapter that used to sit around 40 brothers has climbed closer to 60, according to Chapter President Frances Gonzalez, who previously handled the chapter’s entire digital presence as Webmaster. This fall, DSP initiated 18 new brothers, one of the biggest classes the chapter has taken in a while.
For Gonzalez, that rise wasn’t accidental. It was the result of being more intentional with how the chapter presented itself.
“When I was Webmaster, my main goal was to make high-quality designs and take photos that captured DSP’s essence,” Gonzalez said. “We wanted to highlight our four pillars — Service, Professionalism, Brotherhood and Scholarship — and make sure people could actually see that online.”
Instagram ended up becoming the main tool. Marsh said it was basically his guide before he ever showed up to his first event. “That was how I found recruitment events,” he said.
Engagement jumped during recruitment season. Gonzalez reposted every recruitment day on the Instagram story, and the views showed that people were paying attention. “People who liked the posts were more than likely going to come this time around,” she said.
Some posts surprised her with how much attention they got. “The horse volunteering event got so much attention,” Gonzalez said. “People loved those photos. It was a fun way to show who we are while doing service.”
For Marsh, the content that really made a difference wasn’t just the professional highlights, but the stuff that showed the personality of the chapter — bonfires, formals, alumni mixers and the national events that brought brothers together. “Seeing everyone together really shows the brotherhood,” he said. “You see the professional side, but you also see that we actually have fun. That matters when someone’s deciding if it’s a good fit.”
Gonzalez said the chapter’s branding has shifted from being mostly internal to more outward-facing and polished. National DSP accounts now repost the chapter’s content more often, which has helped broaden its visibility.
But keeping up with everything wasn’t exactly simple. Gonzalez managed the chapter’s entire digital presence on her own — graphics, photos, captions, planning — though she leaned on her committee for ideas and feedback. “It was a one-man show,” she said. “We’re not just marketing our chapter. We’re representing DSP on a national level.”
Marsh said he hopes future officers keep the momentum going but also stay timely with posting. “If something happened a month ago and it gets posted now, it’s like, okay,” he said. “But when I see something go up a day or two after, that’s cool. It shows we’re active.”
Gonzalez wants to see the chapter continue to highlight members individually and stay consistent with the fraternity’s four pillars. She’d like to see birthday posts return and more national DSP content shared. “The way we’re heading now looks great,” she said.
For Marsh, who graduates this semester, the impact of DSP goes far beyond its Instagram grid. “We’re a brotherhood. Everyone is going to have your back,” he said. “What you put into DSP is what you get out. And it can do so much for you — not just while you’re here, but after you graduate.”
With membership climbing and the chapter’s online presence stronger than it’s ever been, DSP’s investment in social media seems to be paying off — one post, one event and one new brother at a time.