PUSH America Website "Letter"

June 22, 2011
Attention: Mr. Chadwick F. Coltrane
CC: PUSH America Website Staff


Dear Mr. Coltrane,

Hi, my name is Jonathan Robinson, and I am an active member of the Pi Kappa Phi-Theta Alpha Chapter at the University of Southern Mississippi. You might recall who I am, for I participated in The Journey of Hope philanthropy event my sophomore year in 2009. Recently, in one of my classes at The University of Southern Mississippi, English 333, I was asked to select a website of interest that I care about and critique it basically in an informal SWOT analysis style. I have participated and worked with PUSH America, and attempting to spread funds and awareness about people with disabilities, and that is why I picked your website to critique. I truly care about PUSH America and all the events its offer and by participating in this activity I hopefully can return to you some friendly but helpful critical advice. In case you are unfamiliar with what a SWOT analysis stands for, I will be more than happily to tell you. In a short sentence, a SWOT analysis (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat) is an overall assessment of an item, company, product, or even a website.
Let’s begin with the letter S (Strength). After researching PUSH America’s website, I found several strengths within the website. I found it very easy in searching for the PUSH America website, even though I figured it was an organization, I knew to type .org at the end of the web address, but if someone who is unfamiliar with PUSH America, I found it to be clearly found as the first related link after searching PUSH AMERICA in the Google web address search bar. The layout of the website is very optimal and simple, but containing a lot of links to offer a variety of different information about PUSH America. The Organization of the web page is unbelievably organized and easy to direct traffic to different links on the web page. The website provides an incredible amount of information about our philanthropy such as history, facts, pictures, quotes, newspaper articles, donation selections, events, how to join a team, and the list goes on about all the variety of information and selections that the website provides to the reader.
Next, I will discuss the letter W (Weakness). One of the major weaknesses that I discovered is not even on PUSH America’s website. There is another identical site of Push America that is established by the Pi Kappa Phi-Eta Phi chapter. I am happy to see other chapters participating and promoting our philanthropy, but it’s an outdated website that is in non affiliated site that is attracting web-traffic to another PUSH America sight and not allowing for a smooth layover from a search engine to directly to the original PUSH America website. I am sure that you are aware of this situation but I think it is deflecting potential donors and cliental of PUSH America to another website that isn’t well kept up or attractive as the actual PUSH America website. Since, the website is owned and operated by a Pi Kappa Phi property then it should not be hard to rid the website of the Internet. Another weakness that I found that could contribute to somebody not fully understanding any of the philanthropy events is there should be more physical images and videos that somebody could understand. There are plenty pictures of participants and fraternity brothers in the act, but I think there needs to be more information on the actual events. It’s perfectly described in text, but in today’s society a website needs to be more physical and viewable attributes towards these events. Finally, I think the website could use more curb appeal. In saying this, I think the website could use a make over and more of an enthusiastic layout and structure. I understand that the point of the website is not to sell people on a website but more of the philanthropy, but it needs to be a strong eye catch.
Next, I usually would imply Opportunities in this analysis, but the PUSH America website provides plenty of opportunities to future fraternity and non-fraternity associates to acquire access in these variety of philanthropy events. The website gives excellent opportunities for people to donate, track events, enroll in events, and to even create your own PUSH America challenge.
Finally, I will discuss the letter T (Threats). As we were taught in our associative program, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity is the only Fraternity that owns and operates its only philanthropy in the world. In recent years, I have noticed the absence of publicizing Pi Kappa Phi in any PUSH America event, and I know the reason is that fraternities usually have terrible reputations. I understand in keeping a positive and a clean reputation, but by eliminating the Pi Kappa Phi name in majority of philanthropy events and in marketing ideas is causing many fraternity brothers to be discouraged to volunteer for these events. I think this is a huge threat because only Pi Kappa Phi brothers can participate in these events. Since, Pi Kappa Phi started PUSH America, I think we should embrace the fraternity’s name and is partnership.

As I stated in my first paragraph, this is a friendly letter from a brother’s opinion on your website, and I hope it is found to be helpful and informative. I thank you for all the opportunities and blessings that PUSH America has provided for me.

Thank You,

Jonathan D. Robinson
Theta Alpha, The University of Southern Mississippi 230