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School of Informatics Student Association and Student Ambassadors programs making strides in outreach
The School of Informatics unveiled two new programs this fall that have been making significant headway in outreach efforts for the School. The Informatics Student Association and the Informatics Student Ambassadors programs have recently held events that are fostering the sense of community within the School, helping with student recruitment efforts, and raising money for charitable causes.
The Informatics Student Association (ISA), led by undergraduate students Cameron Schnick and Nick Baker, has been growing steadily since it was started during the fall 2008 semester. There are now over 100 students actively involved in a wide variety of events—from personal finance workshops to participating in the Rally for the Cure (pictured at right).
The Rally for the Cure was held on Saturday, April 4 at the IU Golf Course. The ISA had five teams of students, faculty, and staff golfing, raising $540 for breast cancer research. Kelsey Yost, a junior informatics major and member of the ISA said, “The event was really well-received—it was a beautiful day, and everyone involved had a great time raising money for the Cure!”
Another recent event featured the Informatics Ambassadors program, implemented during the fall 2008 to aide with student recruitment. Sneak Peek Day, held on March 28, brought potential informatics and computer science students to campus to give them an inside look at what the School of Informatics has to offer. Over 25 students from 20 high schools nationwide (we had someone fly in from Boston!) attended, along with their parents, to receive the real “scoop” about the School and our programs from current students, faculty and staff.
The Ambassadors, a group of 13 undergraduate students dedicated to working with the School on various events each year to promote the “real” community to potential students, current students, and the Indiana University community, were instrumental in making Sneak Peek Day a success. They participated in training days to prepare for the day, which included learning how to lead small groups and how to promote their personal experiences appropriately and honestly.
Richelle Brown, who oversees the Ambassadors group said, “This was the first time we’ve done an event like this, and thanks to our ambassadors, it was a huge hit. We are still getting feedback from parents and students that they are coming to IU to major in informatics or computer science!”
