Help students meet as many new people as possible when attending a CS conference so they become more comfortable networking.

  • Start by reminding students that networking is just talking to people.
  • Create good networking opportunities for students by...
    • Sharing contact information of alumni in attendance with students (with the permission of the alumni).
    • Introducing your students to your colleagues and your colleagues’ students.
    • Requiring students to report on three new people they meet.
  • Help students meet new people by encouraging them to...
    • Sit with people they don’t know.
    • Introduce themselves to others while standing in line.
    • Volunteer, which will allow them to meet other student volunteers.
    • Take advantage of events like the First Timers’ Luncheon and Birds of a Feather (BoF) sessions.

More about this tip

External Source

"Preparing Undergraduates to Make the Most of Attending CS Conferences" by Janet Davis, Christine Alvarado, Miranda Parker, and Jennelle Nystrom.