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CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS In recognition of the importance of supporting emerging professionals and the staff of smaller museums, MCN is pleased to announce an expanded scholarship program for MCN 2013. This year, we are offering 12 scholarships to help museum professionals attend the 2013 MCN Conference.
SCHOLARSHIPS BENEFITS
Scholarships include: - Complimentary conference registration.
- Complimentary attendance at any workshops on Wednesday November 20.
- A $400 (USD) travel and food allowance.
- Complimentary three (3) hotel-nights (Wednesday November 20, Thursday November 21 and Friday November 22) at the Hyatt Regency Montréal.
In return, selected scholarship recipients will be required, at the end of the conference, to give a video testimonial to be featured on MCN's YouTube channel about their MCN2013 overall experience and how they think they benefited from attending the conference.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible for a MCN Scholarship, you must meet one or more of the following criteria: - Employed at an institution with no more than 20 permanent staff, OR
- First-time MCN conference attendee, OR
- New to the profession with less than 2 years’ experience in the field.
Jim Blackaby Memorial Scholarship One of the 12 MCN 2013 Scholarships will be named the Jim Blackaby Memorial Scholarship to help an established museum professional attend the 2013 MCN Conference. The same scholarship benefits will be extended to this scholarship’s recipient. However, applicants for the Jim Blackaby Memorial Scholarship do NOT need to meet the above eligibility requirements.
HOW TO APPLY? - Interested candidates should fill out a Scholarship Application. Submission for scholarships is now closed (9/6/13).
- Previous recipients of a MCN scholarship are not eligible.
- International applicants are strongly encouraged to apply. Selected recipients will be responsible for their own travel arrangements and visas.
APPLICATION REVIEW & DECISION NOTIFICATION - MCN Scholarships' Committee will review all applications submitted and select recipients based on their professional background, field of expertise and current position, as well how their attendance at the MCN 2013 conference will offer the most value to them, the MCN professional community, the applicant's institution, and MCN.
- Selected recipients will be notified within 10 days after the submission deadline at the latest.
VOLUNTEERING FOR MCN2013 Founded in 1967 and incorporated as not-for-profit organization in 1971, Museum Computer Network has been serving the cultural heritage community for over 40 years. MCN supports the greater museum community by providing continuing opportunities to explore, implement and disseminate new technologies and best practices in the field. The annual conference is MCN’s marquee event and draws a vast array of IT and digital media museums and cultural heritage professionals, as well as emerging professionals, students and industry vendors. It typically takes place in November. Volunteers are an essential component to the success of the conference.
MCN VOLUNTEER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
As a MCN volunteer, you will be are expected to: - Be 18 years of age or older
- Attend the Volunteer Orientation Meeting on the Tuesday of the conference week
- Work a minimum of shifts to be eligible to receive benefits towards the conference
- Agree to the Volunteer Agreement
- Acknowledge and adhere to the Volunteer Policies and Guidelines
HOW TO APPLY TO SERVE AS A MCN CONFERENCE VOLUNTEER?
If you’re interested in serving as a MCN conference volunteer, please fill out the Volunteer Application Form no later than September 30, 2013. Our Volunteer Coordinator, Elizabeth Bollwerk, will get in touch with you for an initial conversation to gauge your interest in participating in the conference and serving as a volunteer. After evaluating all candidates, you will be notified if you’ve been selected to serve as a volunteer for MCN’s annual conference. VOLUNTEER POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
The MCN Volunteer Coordinator supervises all MCN volunteers and will assign each volunteer to specific shifts during the conference. - Volunteers are expected to arrive 15 minutes prior to their assigned shift to sign-in in the Volunteer Office.
- Volunteers are expected to wear business casual attire. You may be given a volunteer shirt or polo shirt to wear during your shifts. No jeans, baseball caps, hats, or athletic wear are allowed. Wear comfortable shoes.
- Volunteers will receive a badge to be worn at all time during the MCN conference.
VOLUNTEER ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
As a MCN volunteer, you are the face of MCN. MCN expects all volunteers to be courteous, personable, helpful, and to make all delegates welcome. More specifically, MCN volunteers are expected to perform the following duties during the MCN Annual Conference: - Registration desk: Welcome arriving delegates and help pre-registered delegates check in, direct those who haven’t registered to the business office so they can register, answer questions about the location of sessions, other conference activities and programs, and answer general questions about the hotel, venues, transportation and events.
- Exhibition Hall: Support vendors in the exhibition hall. During the first shift, you will help vendors locate their designated area as well as help them set up. During subsequent shifts, you will be asked to keep a watchful eye on the space when security is not available.
- Reception Volunteer: Help set up AV for the reception. During the reception help professional videographers when requested by the Volunteer Coordinator. Assist with the Ignite reception, and help clean up/breakdown afterwards if necessary.
- Sessions: Post and hang sessions’ description cards by the entrance to each room. Support presenters with any AV problems, and generally ensure that sessions are running smoothly, on-time, and that presenters are settled comfortably. You are free to attend sessions to which you are assigned. You should be sitting in the back with your phone switched to vibrate, so that you can duck out and take a call should something be required of you. Also check in between sessions with the registration desk folks (and Volunteer Coordinator) to see if they need relief for a bathroom breaks (regular desk or exhibition hall monitors).
- Tour chaperone: Pick up complete list of attendees at the Registration Office prior to the shift. Welcome groups at designated pickup area for tour and check off those who are present on list. If someone would like to attend a tour who doesn’t have a ticket and whose name is not on the list, send them to the business office. Accompany group on tour and remind delegates who want to return to the hotel after the reception that they may get a ride back on the bus.
- Conference delegates take-away bags: help prepare bags for conference delegates.
- Any other duties as deemed necessary and requested by MCN’s Volunteer Coordinator.
VOLUNTEER BENEFITS PROGRAM
In return for your time volunteering during the MCN conference, you will receive the following benefits: - 1 shift gives you free registration for 1 conference day.
- 2 shifts give you free registration for 2-conference days.
- 3 or more shifts give you free registration for the entire conference.
All shifts are a minimum of 3 hours to a maximum of 4 hours.
Volunteers who have completed all their assigned shifts, will be issued the MCN Conference Volunteer digital badge through our partnership with Credly. This digital credential will be proof that you served as a volunteer during a MCN conference and will be shareable across social media platforms.
The 2013 MCN conference will be held in Montreal, Canada from Wednesday, November 20, 2013 through Saturday, November 23, 2013. Preparing delegates packs and the Volunteer Orientation Meeting will be held on Tuesday November 19, 2013. Your attendance is expected on Tuesday but doesn’t count as a shift towards earning a conference benefit.
Volunteer benefits do NOT include travel, accommodation or food. Volunteers will need to make their own travel arrangements to/from Montreal as well as local accommodation. We suggest you share rooms with other volunteers. Let the Volunteer Coordinator know during your intake interview if you might need accommodation. Once the volunteer selection process has been finalized, we’ll be happy to connect you to other volunteers looking to roommate.
VOLUNTEER AGREEMENT
MCN volunteers will be required to sign the following Volunteer Agreement, a sample of which is as follows:
As a Museum Computer Network (“MCN”) volunteer (“Volunteer”) during MCN’s Annual Conference, I hereby agree to the following terms: - I agree to attend the Volunteer Orientation at the beginning of the MCN Annual Conference.
- I understand that although I may ask for preferred shifts, not all requests for specific shifts may be honored. Flexibility is appreciated.
- I agree to arrive ready to work, appropriately dressed, and on time for all my shifts during the MCN Annual Conference.
- Should I run late or be unable to show up for my shift, I agree to let the Volunteer Coordinator know by phone as soon as possible.
- I agree to perform all the Volunteer duties expected of me by MCN and any other duties reasonably asked of me by the Volunteer Coordinator during my shifts.
- I agree to be welcoming, courteous and work collaboratively and professionally with MCN board members, staff, Volunteer Coordinator, other volunteers, and conference delegates alike.
- I understand that any breach of this Agreement will result in my being removed from my duties and from my right to attend the remainder of the MCN Annual Conference.
Volunteer Signature:_____________________________________Date:________________
By signing this Volunteer Agreement, I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and accept the expectations outlined in this Agreement. Are you a social media wiz? Do you love doing outreach & engage folks? Join MCN's Marketing Volunteer Team! The marketing committee is active year-round and has the main responsibility for getting the word out about MCN and the annual conference. The committee offers several volunteer opportunities that can be accomplished both remotely and at the annual conference. Marketing includes online and print advertising, promotional postcard distribution, social media outreach, Team Video coordination and more. Volunteers roles to support MCN's Marketing Committee include: - Social Media Manager (requires significant time commitment & on-site presence at conference)
- Social Media Volunteers
- Community outreach volunteer (reach out to blogs, listservs, similar conferences, etc.)
- Online & Print Advertising Coordinator
- Photographer (on-site at conference & post)
- Team Video volunteers (on-site at conference & post)
Please contact Vicki Portway for more information: portwayv@si.edu. LIVE WEBCAST Watch MCN 2013 Sessions Live from Montreal! Can't make it to MCN 2013? You can still catch some of this year's awesome sessions in real-time via live webcast (see last year's sessions on MCN's YouTube channel). Full information about live webcast sessions will be available shortly before the Conference. Check back here for updates. We will be recording all conference sessions and making them available online at a later date, after the conference ends. Our social media team will also be active on Twitter to provide coverage from the room and convey your questions to the presenters, so be sure to follow the #MCN2013 social stream to get the most out of this real-time access. SPECIAL NEEDS In accordance with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act, MCN seeks to make its meetings accessible to all. If you have a disability or special needs that may require special accommodations made in order for you to participate, please email your needs to Susan Rawlyk, MCN Conference Manager (conference@mcn.edu) or call 1-888-211-1477 extension 802. | |
