Volunteer

The Call for Volunteers is now closed. Thank you to everyone who signed up. We appreciate your willingness to help us out!

Why become a conference volunteer?

Why not? You: the talk of the town. An international conference in teaching and learning in higher education, armed with its cartel of academes from hordes of disciplines will grace our campus. And you can be part of it all! Take a break from your studying and thesis writing. As a conference volunteer, you’ll be able to frolic in and around Vanier Hall, supervising the supervisors, peddling to pedagogues, pandering to pundits, corroding confusion, battling bedlam. Join us in making both your future and this conference a smashing success!

Yes, you’ll feel a certain level of self-satisfaction helping those in need, but let’s face it, there’s more in it for an ambitious, gifted scholar like you:

Teaching – When it comes to information about professional development in teaching in higher education, this is the place to be. Join a group of academics who are concerned with improving teaching, who are concerned with learning. Following the conference, your name will be entered in a draw for a signed copy of McKeachie's Teaching Tips: Strategies, Research, and Theory for College and University Teachers, a fantastic teaching resource, by Bill McKeachie (University of Michigan), a special guest at this year’s conference.

Research – Meet and develop ties with academics from other institutions. Whether you want to admit it or not, you are not alone. You need others. People, in fact. Networks. Facebook doesn’t count. Not in the real and rugged world of research. Find sources of inspiration for future research projects and/or connect to a network of potential collaborators in your field.

Service – A lesser known, but vital component for promotion and tenure. Volunteering at conferences is hard to beat as a quick and meaningful service credential. Your CV will thank you. Trust us.

Employment – Volunteering at an international conference shows an interest in professional development and community service. Simply put, it highlights your intellectual interests and curiosity. You will also receive a letter of appreciation suitable for framing or inclusion in your teaching portfolio. Cool enough for the back pocket of your 1963 acid wash jeans. Any way you look at it, you need a job. Eventually.

Sign up for one or more of the following extra extra ordinary, fabulous professional opportunities:

Communications Base and Logistical Support Agent – In the hub of conference events, you’ll gain useful first-hand knowledge about events organization at an international conference, working at one of the conference information desks.

Communications Facilitator & Sessions Liaison – Be the on-the-spot and up-to-date source of information and directions for conference speakers, presenters, and participants, moving between session rooms and the sessions’ resource centre.

Concurrent Sessions Chair – Welcome the concurrent session presenter, and kick off the session by introducing him/her to the session’s participants. Then, stay and enjoy the session, and finally, distribute the feedback forms.

Location and Transition Facilitator – This really is the best of both worlds: help with set-up and transitional arrangements in an early or a late shift. You’ll be free to attend sessions the rest of the day.

First Contact Welcome Host – Yes, it’s true. You’re standing in a parking lot. But, as host, you’ll be the first friendly face to set the tone of the conference, and point participants in the right direction for the day. After your morning shift, you’ll be free to attend sessions the rest of the day.

Registration Facilitator – Greet participants and help with handing out conference information, to get participants started. It’s a great way to learn the names and interests of the academics you’ll want to connect with during the rest of the conference.

Signage Scout (Human GPS?!) - Be an indispensable front-line guide, offering information and directions to participants, making the campus layout clear to our guests.

Seriously, this is a fantastic opportunity to meet and interact with dozens of academics from Canada and the US, from a huge range of disciplines. It’s also a chance to work closely with University of Windsor students, faculty, and staff with whom we don’t get the opportunity to spend time. We’d love to get to know you better and find out about your unique perspectives on teaching and learning.

As at any conference, things may change as needs arise: this is an excellent opportunity to give your “flexible events management and problem solving skills” a chance to flourish! Sign up now to become a conference volunteer – help make this great community-building event a time to remember!