As club recruitment winds down this week, student leaders should take care to expand their focus from attracting new members to retaining those they already have.

Most underclassmen looking to get involved on campus are primarily driven to apply to student organizations because of the missions of those clubs. However, at Georgetown — where social life is almost exclusively organized around student groups, as opposed to Greek life — it is not difficult to see why some students choose to commit to clubs simply because they offer a vibrant social setting. Though Georgetown offers a diverse array of student groups that cater to most students’ interests, it’s unfortunate that some of these groups suffer from low recruitment numbers or retention rates because they don’t prioritize fostering a sense of community among their members.

To bolster numbers and retain members, student groups should emphasize the importance of social structures or put such constructs in place if they are lacking. These efforts do not necessarily have to include alcohol or throwing parties every weekend, or spending money in general. Social success tends to depend more on participation than a price tag.

The attraction of a club, after all, is not just the chance to engage in a subject in which one is interested but also to engage with peers who share that interest.