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Engaging Members from Young to Old. Mona Cavalcoli & Carol Walczyk, NJ Section Carl Larrabee , FL Section And others…. Presentation Overview. NJ Section’s Student-related activities NJ Section’s Retired Professionals Committee activities FL Section Mentoring Program
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Engaging Members from Young to Old Mona Cavalcoli & Carol Walczyk, NJ Section Carl Larrabee, FL Section And others…
Presentation Overview • NJ Section’s Student-related activities • NJ Section’s Retired Professionals Committee activities • FL Section Mentoring Program • All Join In – questions, discussion on challenges and successes in engaging younger and older members
NJ Section: Engaging the Young • Very Active Student Affairs Committee • Good participation among local colleges and universities • Active (and gaining momentum) YP Committee • Active Student Chapter at NJIT (NJ Institute of Technology)
Key Opportunities to engage college students • Section Conference: • Poster Competition • Student Trivia Bowl • Networking opportunities • Student teams for tank building • Volunteer opportunities (registration desk, bookstore, taste test contest, etc.) • Scholarships • “Why Work for Water?” traveling presentation • New: Filter Competition
Engaging Young Professionals • YP Committee: began as segment of Membership Committee • Became Full Committee about 2 yrs ago • Coordinate with SAC on all Conference Activities – put college students and YPs together • Coordinate Fresh Ideas Competition • Coordinate networking events – new WTP Tour + Happy Hour series • Past program “Lunch & Learn” • Teamed YPs with RPs on presentation opportunities at Conference
Engaging Older Professionals • Retired Professionals Committee: began as a dedicated effort to provide opportunities for involvement • “Living History” program • Booth/table at Conference • Teamed YPs with RPs on presentation opportunities at Conference
Engaging Older Professionals • “Living History” program • Video done each year, interviewing 2-4 individuals with long-term experience and knowledge of the industry • Video done by local high school • Video shown at RP booth at Conference each year • Challenge to make this more useful and bridge gap w/students
Younger-Older Engagement:FL Section Mentoring Program • Developed in last 12-18 months • Using application form that provides combination of professional level/personal interests • Section Staff and Committee/Board Volunteer(s) pair Mentors and Mentees and do email/phone follow up • Use priorities like: proximity, gender, employer, level of activity in Section, personal interests
Younger-Older Engagement:FL Section Mentoring Program • Program still in early stages, which allows for personal attention to pairings • Challenges: • Establishing criteria for matching • Getting program off the ground • Finding a champion • Going forward: Increasing participation
Younger-Older Engagement:FL Section Mentoring Program • Early Successes: • Actual pairings: anecdotal feedback from Mentees that they value having an experienced contact available to them • Measuring Future Success: • Grow number of ‘pairings’ • Ultimate goal: Mentees continue to be engaged in Section and go on to be leaders/officers
What Others are Doing: • KY/TN • active Students Committee and Student Chapter: some fund dedication • VA • Similar to KY/TN; model water tower competition • SC • Active committee; 2 chapters; model water tower; judge posters, science fairs • CA/NV, IN, KS, IL • Early stages of starting chapter(s); CA/NV has 4 chapters under YP comm; set of guidelines for chapter (CA/NV) • NC • 2 chapters, formal chargers, section provides some funding for activities • Intermountain, NEWWA • No chapters, active student committees and activities/events for students • CT • 2 chapters, but activity ‘iffy’ and need push from Section • MN • No chapters, no committee; active students due to active teachers/professors
What else? What are the challenges: • To student chapters? Student committees? • Getting students involved? Keeping them involved? • What are other Sections doing to engage older or retired professionals? What are the challenges to that?
What Else? What are the incentives: • What attracts students? • What are the activities that get them engaged? • What advice can we give to Sections just getting started with student chapters or activities? • How can we create opportunities for older members to stay involved? How can we facilitate more knowledge transfer? • How can Sections and the Association work together to engage younger and older members??