Student Night Toolkit for Local Sections

From the members of the Student and Early Career Professionals Committee

Several AIHA Local Sections schedule Student Night early in the spring semester. Student Night provides students with an opportunity to experience a “lite” version of AIHce by having paper and poster presentations, an expo for local companies to recruit, scholarship awards, career advice, industry speakers, etc.

The members of the Student and Early Career Professionals Committee have assembled the following instructions for interested Local Sections to implement Student Night.

Please contact local section relations if you have any questions or would like to contact another AIHA Local Section that has Student Night scheduled.

Implementation Points

1) Sub-Committee, Task Force or Designee assigned to plan annual Student Night event

a) An established Designee or Sub-committee allows the ‘formalization’ of the process of planning for the event.  This should be done annually by the Local Section Chair at the beginning of the planning year.

b) The history of the planning for the student event can be recorded and utilized annually by the next Designee or Sub-committee.

2) Featured Section meeting on an annual basis

a) An annual night in the same time of year allows participating non-member organizations, such as colleges and universities, to plan this event around their school calendar.

b) A ‘set’ time of year also allows the Designee or Sub-committee to have a deadline for planning purposes.

3) Member mentoring

a) Active Local Section members can mentor one student during the Student Night.  That may include the purchase of the student’s meal at the Local Section meeting.

4) Student Night Activities - Suggestions

a) Career Night – Booths of the organizations of members, and local organizations, such as consultants, environmental advocacy groups, and recruiters, are visited by the students interested in possible jobs.  Booths can be charged for space, and the monies utilized to offset the cost of the rental of the space for the Local Section. Visit http://careeradvantage.aiha.org/search/ for additional information on IH Careers.

b) Student Poster Night – students conducting research, or practical projects, are invited to present their data on a poster judged by a selected panel.  Winners are presented during the Local Section meeting.

c) Mentoring Night – students from local colleges or universities are paired by Local Section members for attendance at a Local Section meeting.  Members introduce the students to other attendees, and provide support and mentoring during, and possibly after, the meeting.

d) Scholarship Night – The Local Section can organize a meeting around the presentation of scholarships to students who apply and are awarded scholarships for additional education, training, or attendance at the annual AICHE.

5) Other Items

a) Transportation – arrangements can be made with the campus bus company to pick up, and return, students to the meeting from the campus.  Sponsorship of the transportation by a member or local organization can also be arranged.

b) Professors and others – The Local Section can sponsor the professor(s) accompanying the students for the Local Section meeting attendance and meal.

c) Local Section Informational booths – members of the Local Section attend the Student activity (e.g., the Career Night) and provide information about AIHA membership and other programs to attendees.