"Ask not only what sections can do for student sections…
also ask what student sections can do for sections…
and also ask what they can do together"

  
The following lists were compiled from brainstorming sessions within the Student Sections Committee (SSC), the Board on Student Affairs (BSA), and the Council on Member Affairs (CMA) at the ASME Summer Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada, June, 1998.

The lists can be presented at MTS/IRAC/RSLS/FAP meetings to serve as topics for discussion. The lists should also distributed to section and student section leadership to encourage them to implement some of the ideas.

What Sections Can Do For Student Sections

• offer incentives for students to attend section events (e.g., substantial discount, or free ASME upgrade or me handbook for students who attend the most events)
  
• distribute special invitations or "coupons" for students to attend section events
  
• provide a point of contact (e.g., "hospitality chair") for students who attend section events
  
• provide transportation to section meetings and events
  
• ensure student section officers are on section mailing list
  
• offer a career panel discussion forum
  
• offer mock interviews and resume reviews for students with company recruiters
  
• provide coop/intern/job assistance and placement
  
• offer various forms of "mentoring"
  
• host a "student day in industry" event
  
• visit student campuses to meet with department heads, student section advisors, and student leadership to explore and develop support for ASME activities
  
• work with the students and department head to help them choose an active and qualified student section advisor
  
• sponsor pizza at student events (section or individual company sponsors)
  host an RSC competition practice session or preliminary contest at section meeting (student design contest, old guard oral, old guard poster)
  
• host tours at local industry facilities
  
• provide judges and speaker for student events
  
• purchase copies of "the unwritten laws of engineering" and distribute them to students
  
• give donations and present them at high visibility events
  
• offer and publicize scholarships
  
• offer awards and present them at high visibility events 

What Student Sections Can Do For Sections

• provide speakers (students and/or faculty) for section meetingsoffer tours (e.g., at university labs)
  
• give presentations and/or demonstrations at section meetings (e.g. senior design projects)
  
• have the regional old guard oral presentation contest winner present at section meetings within the region
  
• provide web page authoring, maintenance, and training
  
• offer Internet server space
  
• help sections publish and electronically post their newsletters
  
• provide facilities, a/v equipment, and advertising (e.g., through university pr departments) for section events
  
• provide access to faculty, department heads, deans, alumni, and other university personnel and resources
  
• provide candidates for section leadership positions (e.g., ASME Student Section Officers that graduate and remain in the area)
  
• post copies of section newsletters and publicizes section events
  
• attend section meetings and events
  
• plan, organize, and host fun social activities
  
• provide creative ideas, enthusiasm, and energy
  
• volunteer to help at technical conferences and other section-sponsored events
  
• provide services for labor intensive tasks (e.g., telephone campaigns)
  
• provide engineering and testing services for industry projects

What Sections and Student Sections Can Do Jointly

• have joint MTS/IRAC/RSLS/FAP
  
• have joint RSC/RAC
  
• have joint impromptu or formal design contest at joint events (e.g., MTS/IRAC/RSLS/FAP)
  
• schedule a session at a joint MTS/IRAC/RSLS/FAP to brainstorm, in missed groups, section and student section interaction
  
• have joint meetings, tours, and events often
  
• actively invite each other (esp. officers) to meetings and other events
  
• create liaison positions on section and student section executive committees
  
• invite officers to each other's meetings
  
• publish regular segments or articles in each other's newsletters
  
• make sure newsletters are distributed to each other's officers and advisors and help publicize events to membership
  
• maintain active and frequent communication between student section advisors and officers and section officers
  
• exchange e-mail addresses, keep them current, and utilize them for regular communication
  
• present periodic report (e.g., semiannual) to each other
  
• actively recruit past student section leaders to become active in local sections
  
• have section meetings and/or joint events on university campuses
  
• co-host a social "mixer" at the beginning of school year
  
• co-host a family appreciation social event where everyone is invited (spouses, children, parents, friends)
  
• co-host an ASME distinguished lecturer
  
• cosponsor a PD course
  
• co-host an industry breakfast
  
• co-host a technical conference
  organize internship and coop programs, possibly jointly with ASME technical divisions
• work together in planning and hosting the RSC, RSLS, FAP, RAC, and IRAC
  
• plan career fair for the RSC
  
• work on fundraising (e.g., for an RSC)
  
• offer FE and PE review courses
  
• offer training/tutoring for Internet publishing
  
• work together on pre-college activities (e.g., host a design contest)
  
• work together on an Engineers Week activity
  
• cosponsor a FIRST competition entry
  
• actively pursue joint society activity with SWE, SHPE, NSPE, etc.
  
• offer a workshop on opportunities within ASME
  
• present an award to student section advisors