Starting Student Chapters

[Dan BRINEGAR <HBDeBenu -at- AOL -dot- COM>]

A coupla weeks ago I read Steve Cascone's article in  _Technical
Communication_ on "The STC Vision."

Among the many goals that caught my eye we the points on the need to "foster
cooperation" between industry and academe, promote training, apply research,
and broaden participation to "include other disciplines of technical
communication."

I believe that *I* could help support these goals by actively participating
in the creation of a student chapter in the Phoenix Metro area.

o  An official student chapter with meetings at the various campuses in this
area could recruit industry and academic leaders to participate (many are
active in the pro chapter).;

o  The student chapter could compile and publish to interested parties the
latest news and research on the growth and evolution of technical
communication (Hey, theis stuff excites me, somewhere among 15000 college
students online inthe PhxMetroArea there must be someone else that excited
about communication and technology).

o Naturally, activities within the student chapter could help today's
students develop the skills and connection to become candidates for
leadership positions in tomorrow's professional chapters and industry
development teams.


When I asked for input from STC'ers at work, I got great support from Pete
Daniels (Past President of Phx Chapter), and Steve Cascone (Manager of the
Society's Leadership Training and Development Committee) offered to
"facilitate formation of a student chapter: setting up a session to help us
decide what [we]  want to  accomplish; then a full- or half-day Leadership
Training workshop to get the chapter off the ground."

Hey, with support like that, how can we lose? Input and advice from other
student chapters and their leader/membership will be greatly appreciated....

Dan Brinegar
Contract Info Developer (Phoenix STC)
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 934-2513