ASA student chapters marked a milestone this year at JSM. For the first time, student chapter officers and faculty advisers came together to share their experiences and plan for the future.
At only three years old, the ASA student chapter program has already grown from a handful of pilot chapters to more than 50 student chapters at colleges and universities across the US. From competing in DataFests to hosting career days in partnership with local ASA chapters to supporting STEM programs in local schools, ASA student chapters bring statistics students closer to their communities and the ASA as a whole.
The student event kicked off with a panel of student chapter officers and faculty advisers (and one officer emeritus), including the following:
- Xiaoyu Cai (officer, The George Washington University)
- Thomas Fisher (faculty adviser, Miami University-Ohio)
- Lucy D’Agostino McGowan (officer, Vanderbilt University)
- Leanna Moron (NORC; past officer, George Mason University)
- Tapan Nayak (faculty adviser, The George Washington University)
- Fan Wang (officer, The George Washington University)
Panel members shared their experiences in establishing student chapters and building momentum once student chapters were established. Their top tip? As soon as you know you want to start an ASA student chapter, start the process to become an official student organization of your university, too. The steps to become an official university student organization can take up to a year, but the effort pays off. Universities may offer official student organizations additional funding, grant them exhibit space at student organization fairs, and include them in online directories.
After the panel, panelists and attendees broke up into small groups for discussion. A number of distinguished guests—including ASA Executive Director Ron Wasserstein, ASA President Barry Nussbaum, Board of Directors Vice President G. David Williamson, Membership Council and Washington Statistical Society member Mark Otto, SPAIG Chair Kelly Zou, and Council of Chapters Chair-elect Alexandra Hanlon—also joined the conversation. Together, students and guests had the chance to learn more about how ASA student chapters might benefit from the resources of other branches of the ASA.
Everyone came away from the event inspired and ready to start the 2017–2018 academic year off with fresh energy and new ideas. Keep an eye on Amstat News and STATtr@k for updates on student chapter activity.
Learn more about the ASA student chapter program and how to start one at your institution.
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