- Membership Expectations
- Recruitment Timeline
- Frequently Asked Questions
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Joining the Service Organization Community (SOC) requires a high level of commitment to service (on and off campus) and attendance at regular meetings and events. The requirements for SOC members are:
- 25 hours of off-campus service (at placements selected by your service organization) per semester
- 5 hours of on campus service and advocacy events per semester
- Weekly meetings
- Fall/Spring retreats
New members are not required to meet all the SOC hour requirements during the semester they join. However, all new members must attend the Advocacy Teach-In on March 29, 2025, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and a mandatory New Member Orientation session in March.
To be eligible for recruitment you must have a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative GPA.
All active members of the SOC are required to maintain a cumulative 2.5 GPA. Students who have between a 2.0-2.5 during recruitment are permitted to apply. Upon acceptance to an organization, these new members will be placed on academic probation and will be expected to raise their GPA to a 2.5 by the end of the spring semester. Failure to meet the 2.5 GPA requirement at the end of the spring semester will result in removal from their organization. To file an appeal, please fill out this form.
*Please note that many organizations do not consider seniors for membership.
Information Sessions
Information Sessions are not mandatory but highly encouraged as they provide information about service organizations and the overall recruitment process. All Information Sessions are the same, so you only need to attend one.
January
All Org Night
Recruitment kickoff begins with this in-person event in Burns Back Court. This is an opportunity to get to know more about each service organization. Students will get to hear from each organization's president, meet and speak with other service org members, and learn about service opportunities on campus.
Application Opens
The application will open at midnight (PST) after All Org Night in January. We strongly encourage you to take your time with the written application, as this is your chance to indicate which organizations you will apply to (feel free to start the application and come back to it after visiting individual organization's events!). At the end of your application, you will receive a link to schedule your interview(s) with each organization you applied to.
Recruitment Events
Recruitment events are hosted by each organization and offer potential new members the opportunity to get to know each organization and its members more intimately. Each organization hosts a few events throughout this period. Plan to attend the events of each organization that you are interested in to get to know current members and learn about their org!
February - Application Deadline
Interviews
Once your application is complete, you will be asked to schedule interviews with each organization you've applied to. Interviews range from 15-60 minutes, depending on the organization. During your interview you will be asked a handful of questions to get to know you better and see how you might fit into the community. This is also a chance for you to get to know the organization, so bring any questions you may have.
Potential New Member Preferences
Once you complete the interview process you will rank the organizations you applied for. The preference form will be emailed to you. You will rank only the organizations you are willing to join, as these preferences are used when determining placements.
Decision Letters Distributed
Emails are sent out indicating if you are invited to join an organization, wait-listed or denied. If you are invited to join an organization, you must confirm your acceptance in February.
Do I need to wear anything specific throughout recruitment?
Come as you are! Other than being fully clothed, there are no dress code requirements for any recruitment events.
How do I prepare for events?
It would be helpful to think about potential questions to ask at the events. Look over each org's social media and consider questions about their service placements, what it means to be a member and events they host for LMU students, etc.
How many orgs can I apply to?
There is no maximum, as long as you meet the requirements for each organization. We strongly encourage applicants to apply to at least three-four organizations, as the process is competitive. Last year, students that applied to three or more organizations were 25% more likely to be accepted into an organization than students that applied to one or two.
I'm nervous about the interview. What can I do?
First, know that these interviews are meant to be casual ways for the organization to get to know you. While it may be awkward, rest assured that all the interviewers desire for you to succeed in putting your best foot forward. Never interviewed before? Career and Professional Development can help, visit this page for pro tips and an opportunity to schedule a mock interview to practice.