Who, me?  Volunteer for office?

by Marella Colyvas

Guess what, it's that time of year - time to start thinking about running for office. The politicians are all doing it now, so why not you? You have a lot more to offer than the average politician. And running for office for the STC RMC is:

• not expensive
• requires no travel
• not likely to embarrass you or land you in jail

To be straightforward, the Rocky Mountain Chapter is seeking candidates for the Council Offices. Please take a few minutes to read the testimonials from current and past officers and current volunteers. These testimonials speak to the fact that serving as a council member is actually a minimal expenditure for a monumental return. As you can see, even introverts like we writers blossom!

Martha Sippel - President (2002-present), Vice President (2001-2002), Co-Manager of Volunteer Coordination (1998-1999)

I volunteer because I work with great people, I learn a lot (about many different things), and I believe in the greater cause of communicating technical information better. I personally benefit by meeting new people, working with other technical communicators, networking at meetings, building a successful network, attending conferences to learn about different aspects of the profession, and applying better practices in my work.

Volunteering benefits my career by teaching me things while I help others. It allows me to share ideas with other technical communicators, build a network, and enables me to improve my business and interpersonal skills. At meetings or seminars, I also learn new business and technical communication skills and techniques.

Frank Tagader, Vice President (2002-present and 1996-1997), Past President (1998-1999), President (1997-1998), Newsletter Editor (1994-1996)

I volunteer for the STC so that I can do my little part to advance the career opportunities in the field. The benefits of involving yourself in the organization are multifaceted, but while there are frustrations, the benefits of having a community to relate to, learning new skills to advance your own knowledge, having a ready supply of problem solvers you can rely on to help in a pinch, and helping younger/newer members in the profession to get their feet under them more than makes up for the occasional hassles. I don't have any empirical data that being an STC member has helped my career, but I just know that I have learned a great deal from my peers, classes, and conferences that have enabled me to move forward in my profession.

Joel Meier, Secretary (2002-present), Nominating Committee (2001-2002), Web Team Member (1999-present)

At first, my reasons for volunteering were pretty shallow. Something for the old resume. However, the more I hung around, the more I realized that there is a LOT of knowledge in the organization. And people were willing to share that knowledge for free! Sure, I could get some of that knowledge from the meetings. But, by just a little of volunteer effort, I get back at least twofold. I volunteer because the benefits outweigh any little bit of effort that I expend, such as leadership, technical skills, and project management.

Volunteering helps me to:

• Stay connected with the rest of the business community
• Network, network, network
• Pad my resume! I do not always get the chance to manage projects at work. I do at STC.

Hugh Gallagher -Treasurer (2001 - present), Program Manager (1999-2000)

There are many reasons why I volunteer for STC. Here are some of the most important reasons. First of all, I volunteer to learn. In my first committee manager position, Program Manager, I learned how to coordinate large meetings so they run successfully. Now I am learning how to handle the finances for a non-profit organization, from the bookkeeping through preparing the federal tax returns and supporting documentation.

Second, I volunteer to increase my personal network of contacts. This is very important to me because I am self-employed. When people know what I can do, they will be more comfortable with giving me appropriate referrals. Also, being a non-native of Colorado, it is a way of making friends with common interests.
Last but not least, it feels good to give back to an organization that has provided my wife and me with lots of help in many areas, not just technical communication.

Stephen Wertzbaugher - Newsletter Manager, Official Meeting Greeter (2000-present)

The reason I volunteer is to be more of a force in our chapter and be responsible for some of its success. Being an introvert makes it difficult for me to integrate and feel as though I belong in a group. When I was asked to manage the front table at chapter meetings I timidly accepted. Being the first person our members see when they come to a meeting is very interesting! After my initial ordeal of running the front table, saying yes when I was asked to manage the newsletter was much easier. Despite my doubts and fears, volunteering has been a blast. Where else can a guy legally extort money from people and tell them what to think six times a year? I volunteer because it's fun, challenging, exciting, frustrating . . . did I mention fun? And it has helped me professionally, forcing me to try new things and expand my skills, and I don't even have to pay for it!

Kathy Ramsey - Online Communications Competition Co-Manager, Online SIG Co-Manager (1993-present)

I volunteer for the STC RMC for many reasons. First, my volunteer work gives me a certain amount of visibility in this geographic region among other professional technical communicators. When I accept volunteer work and complete it in a thorough, professional manner, it adds credibility to my professional reputation. Second, I really enjoy the fine people I have met through STC - both in RMC and in other chapters. Because of my role in the STC RMC, I have a great excuse to call, talk to, and work with people with whom I otherwise wouldn't have the chance. Third, because of my large network of friends and acquaintances, it has been relatively easy for me to move from job to job, increasing my salary each time. Over the years, my network and job skills have enabled me to find new jobs, learn new skills, and earn a good wage at the same time.

Helen Tuttle, Volunteer Coordinator (2001-present)

I decided to become a technical writer several years back and enrolled in DU's certificate program for technical communications. I joined the STC RMC student chapter and attended meetings. "In for a penny; in for a pound," the choice was to face being alone in a crowd and attempt to network knowing no one or to volunteer and force myself to meet people. There you have it - the typical introvert maneuvering around their own personality. 

I've been the Volunteer Coordinator since then. (I want to put a plug in here that I'd like someone to take over the spot and free me for other activities. "Help me! Help me!" she squeaked.) Truly, my efforts have been rewarded by meeting many people. It is a pleasure to associate with the members of the STC RMC. I feel that I have a place in a professional organization and that I am a contributing member.

Now, if I could just convince my employer that they really do need a technical communicator . . .

To become a candidate or to recommend someone else for office, please contact Marella Colyvas (marella.colyvas@eds.com, 303.272.2375) or Molly Malsam (malsam@ecentral.com, 303.694.3701).