Transcript Student Benefits PowerPoint

THE WILDLIFE SOCIETY:
IS STUDENT MEMBERSHIP
IN TWS BENEFICIAL?
University of Maine
TWS Student Chapter
First Name Last Name, Subunit Officer Title
Subunit Name
The Wildlife Society
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
IN PROFESSIONAL
AND SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES
• Influencing Legislation
and Public Opinion
• Information Sharing and
Communication
• Networking
• Collective Problem
Solving
• Professional
Development
• Ethical and Professional
Standards
• Preserving History
INFLUENCING LEGISLATION
AND PUBLIC OPINION
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In democratic societies, individuals
can make a difference. However, in
today’s complex political environment,
there is strength in numbers.
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Professional and scientific societies
represent their members with key
decision makers in government.
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TWS comments on important
legislation and policies affecting
wildlife and wildlife professionals.
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TWS develops technical reports and
policies on important issues in wildlife
management and conservation.
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TWS keeps its members informed of
critical issues.
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TWS informs the public and media
through press releases.
INFORMATION SHARING
AND COMMUNICATION
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Knowledge is power. Working wildlife
professionals and students need to stay
current on news, issues, skills, and research
findings.
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Information sharing and dissemination is a
key role of professional and scientific
societies.
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Information sharing and dissemination at TWS
occurs through a variety of integrated venues:
-Technical print and online publications (JWM,
Wildlife Monographs, technical reports)
-Member electronic newsletter (The Wildlifer,
Wildlife Policy News)
-Popular print and online magazine (The
Wildlife Professional)
-TWS Web site
-Chapter, Section and Annual Conferences
and Meetings
NETWORKING
TWS Central Mountains and Plains Section
Annual Meeting, 2006
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Nobody gets to where they are in life
without the help of others.
•
An ability to interact and network with
other professionals is a critical benefit of
professional and scientific societies.
•
TWS Annual, Chapter and Section
Conferences are ideal places for wildlife
professionals and students to establish
and maintain networks.
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Students benefit from an ability to interact
with and learn from working professionals
(and vice versa).
•
These connections are a source of
scientific collaborations, internships,
graduate study opportunities, jobs, and
life-long friendships.
COLLECTIVE
PROBLEM SOLVING
•
More heads (brains) are better than
one.
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As a community of experts,
professional and scientific societies
can engage in collective problemsolving and professional debate.
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TWS has expert working groups and
technical review committees that
review our current knowledge and
develop reports and policies on
cutting edge issues in wildlife
management and conservation.
PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
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As a community of experts, professional
and scientific societies have an
obligation to groom the next generation
to take their place.
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Working professionals also need to
keep their knowledge and skills sets up
to date through continuing education.
•
Professional development and
mentoring are critical functions of such
organizations.
•
TWS greatly values its student
membership and recognizes that they
are the future of the organization and
the profession.
Texas A&M Kingsville TWS
Student Chapter
ETHICAL AND
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
• Every community needs guidance
on what is acceptable behavior and
what is not and this is especially
important in professional
communities.
• Communities also need to define
its standards for training and
professionalism.
• The credibility of an expert
community can rise or fall
depending on how well it
addresses such issues.
• TWS has a certification program
for wildlife biologists and a code of
ethics to help guide their
professional behavior.
PRESERVING
HISTORY
•
The existence of professional and
scientific organizations, especially
long-established ones, allows their
members to continue to build on the
traditions established by and many
significant contributions of those
who came before them.
•
Societies like TWS help to track the
history of our profession and assist
us in remembering what we might
otherwise forget.
•
Such continuity reminds us that we
are part of something larger than
ourselves-something that began
before we were here and will
hopefully continue long after we are
gone.
PROFESSIONAL
RECOGNITION
Paul Krausman, University of Arizona
receives the 2006 Aldo Leopold
Memorial Award from TES President,
Robert Brown
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Individuals that make significant
contributions to their profession
deserve recognition for their
efforts.
•
A critical function of professional
and scientific societies is to
honor such individuals
accordingly.
•
TWS gives many awards,
including for chapter of the year,
student chapter of the year, and
for significant publications,
conservation and research
efforts.
•
The highest award given by the
Society is the Aldo Leopold
Memorial Award reserved for
those who have made
outstanding contributions to the
wildlife profession.
WHAT IS TWS DOING
FOR STUDENT MEMBERS?
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TWS has terrific student membership
benefits:
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Online Career Center
Online Mentoring Program
Resume workshops
Career Fair
Student Travel Grants
Student Professional Development
Working Group
Internships and Grants posted online
Student-only listserv
Reduced fees
Annual Conference
Leadership Institute
Awards
Publication & Presentation opportunities
Social networking/information: Facebook,
LinkedIn, Twitter, Making Tracks: The
Wildlife Society Blog
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STUDENT
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
WORKING GROUP
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Working group established in
2005 as a forum for TWS student
members and a vehicle for
communicating student member
needs to TWS Council.
•
Current focus is on developing
student programs that allow TWS
members to “be a cut above the
rest” in hiring competition for
wildlife jobs.
•
The working group appoints the
student liaison to TWS Council so
students’ voices can be heard
while making important decisions
in the Society.
University of
Arkansas TWS
Student Chapter
McGill University,
Canada TWS Student
Chapter
Framingham State
University TWS Student
Chapter
REDUCED FEES
FOR STUDENTS
TWS offers:
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Washington State
University TWS
Student Chapter
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Reduced membership fees for
students (1/2 regular price).
Reduced registration fees for
student members attending its
annual conference.
Reduced application fee for
certification.
Reduced price on TWS
textbooks and other
publications.
TWS
CONFERENCES
Student and young professional-focused
activities at the TWS Annual Conference:
Framingham State
University TWS
Student Chapter
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University of Maine
TWS Student Chapter
Student-professional mixer
Career Fair
Resume writing workshop
Student field-trip
Mentoring program
Student-only “Research in progress”
poster session
Student travel grant program
Leadership Institute for young
professionals
TWS LEADERSHIP
INSTITUTE
TWS Leadership Institute, Class of
2006
•
TWS’ Leadership Institute was launched
in 2006.
•
10+ participants receive grants to attend
the TWS Annual Conference.
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The goal of this program is to provide
basic leadership training and skills for
young professionals (2-3 years out of
college).
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Mix of practical exercises, classroom
work, readings, discussions, lectures,
and writing projects.
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Participants will be tracked for several
years to evaluate program success.
TWS ELECTRONIC
COMMUNICATION
Contemporary college and university students have
grown up with computers and electronic
communication. TWS understands that it needs
world-class information resources that meet the
needs of modern wildlife professionals. TWS has
created:
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Social networking communication through
Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Making Tracks:
The Wildlife Society Blog.
Online Career Center.
State-of-the-art Online Mentoring Program.
Student-only section on its Web site.
Grants database.
Student-only listserv to post scholarships, parttime jobs, grants, internships, and foster
discussion amongst students.
Digitized all legacy publications (1937-) for
online access
Digitized all technical reviews
STUDENT PARTICIPATION
AND RECOGNITION AT TWS
•
Student members are encouraged to
participate in TWS Working Groups,
and especially the Student
Professional Development Working
Group, which is helping to chart a
course for student activities at TWS.
•
TWS gives Student Chapter and
Student Chapter Advisor of the Year
Awards to recognize excellence.
•
Students are also encouraged to
participate in training workshops
and field activities at the TWS
Annual Conference and at events
organized by chapters, sections and
student conclaves.
Framingham State
University TWS
Student Chapter
Abraham Baldwin
Agricultural
College, AL TWS
Student Chapter
2006 TWS Chapter of the
Year Award
University of TennesseeMartin
CONCLUSIONS
University of
Maine TWS
Student Chapter
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Membership in relevant professional
and scientific societies has many
benefits.
•
University and college students have
much to gain from their involvement
and participation in such
organizations.
•
TWS is working hard to improve
member benefits and activities for
students and will continue to do so in
the future.
•
TWS’ future and the future of North
America’s precious wildlife resources
depend on it!
Texas A&M Kingsville
TWS Student Chapter
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
TO GROW AND MAKE TWS MORE
EFFECTIVE
TWS INVITES YOU to…
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Join TWS and get involved.
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Run for office and vote in elections.
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Join and participate in sections,
chapters and working groups.
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Recruit and mentor new members.
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Become a Certified Wildlife
Biologist.
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Contribute and subscribe to TWS
publications.
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Attend and participate in TWS
conferences and workshops.