Student Volunteers

Student Volunteers @ FDG 2012

Student volunteers are an important part of the FDG conference and have been for many years. Each volunteer works for up to 12 hours, helping with various conference management activities. You'll interact with the conference organizers and presenters and will meet other students from all over the world. More information about the experience, the benefits, and how to sign up are provided below.
To volunteer you should sign up here to volunteer  Student volunteers who are selected will be notified by March 27 and provided with a code to egister to attend the FDG conference (the registration options are detailed on our FDG conference registration page http://fdg2012.eventbrite.com)

How do I register to volunteer?

To volunteer you should  you should sign up to be a student volunteer and wait to hear from us on March 27, when we will provide you with a code to register for the conference if you are accepted.
Upon arrival at the conference site, you must check in at the Registration Desk to receive your conference registration packet then visit the Student Volunteer Office to pick up your work schedule (with a list of times, locations, and duties).

Who is eligible to be a student volunteer?

Any full time student may become a student volunteer. Both undergraduate and graduate students are welcome. You specify your school affiliation when you sign up as a volunteer, and you should bring a copy of your current course schedule to the conference as verification of your full time status. Students attending the conference to present papers or posters are encouraged to become volunteers as well.
Important information for students requiring a visa: The Society for the Advancement of the Science of Digital Games does not issue formal invitation letters for visas. However, they can issue a visa support letter. For a visa support letter, please send a request to WHO with the following information:
    1.    Name and mailing address as it appears on your passport
    2.    The name of the conference you wish to attend (FDG 2012)
    3.    Registration confirmation number
    4.    If you are the author of any papers accepted for the conference, please provide the title
    5.    Fax number (visa support letters are not issued via email)

What do I get in return for being a student volunteer?

In exchange for 12 hours of conference service, you will receive:
    •    Complimentary registration fee.
    •    A chance to meet and work with students from other schools.
    •    The opportunity to contribute to an effort to improve games research and education ... and our sincere gratitude for your efforts.

Note that in addition to these benefits, since you are a registered FDG student attendee, you have all the rights of the non-volunteer student attendees:
    •    Access to all sessions, including papers, panels, tutorials, the games festival, the games lounge, posters, and keynotes
    •    Access to all exhibits where book publishers and software vendors have displays and activities
    •    All conference "coffee" breaks (food and drink)
    •    The main conference reception on Thursday evening

What kinds of work will I do as a student volunteer?

It varies. You might work at the registration booth to help organize the packets that we give out to attendees. You might be at the door of the exhibits hall to verify that the people entering have a conference badge. You might count the participants at various sessions. You might hang out at certain sessions to assist the speakers with handouts or equipment. You might man the Games Festival.

Do I have a say in what work I do as a student volunteer?

Not much, but we'll do what we can. There are often fewer volunteers than we have jobs, so we have to prioritize.

When during the conference will I do my student volunteer work?

This issue is driven by conference needs. Some time periods are busier than others. We'll take your preferences into account whenever possible. When you sign up as a student volunteer, you'll specify when you plan to arrive and leave the conference. You will also have the opportunity to specify when you are presenting a paper or poster. Within those constraints, we'll make some initial plans. We realize that things may come up and will try to make dynamic changes as needed. In return, we ask that you be as flexible as possible. Your duties may be broken into separate time periods and even across separate days. We guarantee no more than 12 hours of assigned work per volunteer but target an average of 10 hours.

Do I have to be there for the whole conference to be a student volunteer?

No. We realize that travel plans and other commitments exist. We hope that students local to the Raleigh area will be flexible. In particular, there is always a need for volunteers on Monday and Tuesday, which is before most of the conference activities begin and before many of the traveling student volunteers have arrived. We encourage local student volunteers to be available on Monday and Tuesday.

Can I get funding for travel or hotel expenses?

The conference itself does not provide funding for student volunteers, but you may be able to get some support through your department or through another source at your university. You should print your registration acknowledgment to show to potential funding sources.

Questions

Student Volunteers and Student Activities
Tiffany Barnes
UNC Charlotte

tiffany.barnes@gmail.com