I wanted to outline my experience at Summit to give others an idea of what it’s like if they have never had a chance to attend. Hopefully it will entice you go one year, although, it’s hoped we can find a way to bring some of the Summit sessions to you in the future!
The Leadership Program was a fantastic opportunity to network with leaders of other chapters. I learned more about how the organization functions and got updates on what’s happening at the international level. A new mission statement and vision were released providing a new direction for the organization.
I attended two discussion sessions during the leadership program. One session was on mentorship programs. The Orlando, Central Florida chapter has put together an excellent program and there is a tool on the STC.org website that allows members to create a profile as a Mentor or a Mentee. I’ve experienced first-hand the value of mentorship and hope that this can be one of the services we offer at the CWC chapter in the future.
I also attended a session on ways to generate revenue. The conversation focused on corporate sponsorship. This is something we’ve discussed and worked on a little. A few chapters have been successful with sponsorships and we can use their lessons learned to help our own success. I look forward to connecting with other chapters in the future to exchange ideas and working with our volunteer team to find innovative ways of generating revenue.
The education sessions at Summit were an excellent source of information that I will share as blog posts throughout the summer months. Besides the Leadership Program and the education sessions, there was ample time for networking, learning about the SIGs, and hearing about the successes of other chapters. I look forward to incorporating many of the ideas I’ve gained in our chapter.
During the planning session on June 21st, 2014, I’ll be presenting some of the ideas I got at Summit. I hope that you’ll join us to help decide what our priorities will be for 2014–2015. It’s a great opportunity to find out what volunteer opportunities there are as well!
