By Ben Woelk | Senior Member
I’ve stated many times that I believe the communities are the heart and soul of STC. For many members, communities are the face of STC and where they will find the most meaningful interaction. Geographic communities (chapters) are where members engage one another, learn from one another, and sharpen their skills. (Many chapters are also finding ways to serve a more geographically diverse membership by providing virtual meetings and webinars.)
We’re in our annual membership renewal period. There’s an additional fee to belong to a geographic community and some of you may wonder whether chapter membership is worthwhile. I asked the Rochester chapter council members what they found to be of the most value. The key theme for all of us was opportunity.
Here are some of the opportunities you may receive from joining and participating actively in a chapter:
- Networking face to face with like-minded intelligent individuals who are committed to a wide range of technical communications activities.
- Receiving recognition for your company, department, and yourself by entering local tech pubs competitions and receiving feedback from your peers.
- Volunteering as a publications judge and helping others improve their craft.
- Helping an organization reinvent itself to keep pace with a changing profession and society.
- Mentoring others and helping them advance in the profession.
- Participating in local and regional conferences and events.
- Developing leadership skills by serving on council and committees.
- Building self-confidence and credibility.
- Improving yourself by learning new technical skills to apply to your job.
- Staying informed about available employment opportunities and hiring entities in your geographic area.
- Belonging to a respected group of dedicated diverse professionals.
- Forging friendships with a great group of people who face similar challenges.
Choose membership in a chapter. They’re led by dedicated people who are striving to provide services to their members. More importantly, participate actively by attending chapter functions and working as a volunteer. That’s where you’ll receive and provide the most value.
Ben Woelk is the Immediate Past President of the Rochester Chapter, a community that had an almost 80% membership renewal rate in 2011. He’s currently serving as the STC Community Affairs Committee Outreach Lead, leading a team whose mission is to serve the STC communities by mentoring community leaders, sharing best practices, and serving as an advocate for and liaison between the communities and the STC Board.
