Most of us have volunteered in some capacity -- as a guinea pig in a magic show, as a helping hand with a charity, or perhaps as a coach for a child’s sports team. Why do we do it?
I think the cliché holds true. We get as much, or more, benefit from the experience as the people we are helping. We feel better about ourselves, we make new friends, and we expand our comfort zone or learn something new. Sometimes we are “giving back” to an organization that previously helped us--we “pay it forward”. At other times, we simply want to spend time with other volunteers.
Volunteers advance much of society’s support services. But what about volunteering for professional organizations, societies, associations or communities? They rely on volunteers too.
I volunteered to help the local chapter of the American Statistical Association and the Statistical Society of Canada for a number of years. My reasons included not only many of those mentioned above, but also others.
Continuing statistics education and professional accreditation were my bailiwick. I found it very fulfilling to work with a group of dedicated and like-minded colleagues to organize workshops that fellow statisticians found beneficial. Accreditation of statisticians is a cause in which I strongly believe. The individuals that I worked with on these efforts are now integral in my professional and support network. For both efforts, I interacted with the next generation of professional statisticians and found it immensely rewarding to provide career-advancing opportunities to the younger statisticians, just as the previous generation did for me.
SAS Global Forum is a volunteer organization.
Many are not aware of the unpaid hours of planning, designing, writing, discussing, debating, reading, visiting and testing that are expended by dozens of dedicated SAS professionals to deliver a first-rate conference that meets many disparate expectations. Why do we do it? Well, let’s re-count the reasons:
- giving back
- learning something new
- expanding skillsets and a professional network
- making new friends
- sharing experiences
- paying it forward
- supporting other SAS users.
SAS Global Forum is designed to bring users with questions together with users with know-how. In my experience, the opportunities to be on one or both ends of this exchange are more frequent and more rewarding as a volunteer than they are when you’re simply a participant.
SAS Global Forum volunteers, by the very nature of their work, are often the link between the participant and the veteran SAS user, invited speaker, book author, SAS employee or workshop instructor. The volunteer’s connections emanate and information flows in all directions. It’s truly marvelous.
The most connected volunteer of them all is the SAS Global Forum Conference Chair. As Conference Chair for SAS Global Forum 2017, it has been an eye-popping experience to learn the many moving parts required to organize and deliver a world-class conference.
Volunteer power is a force that can move mountains. To help move the next one, reach out. You'll be glad you did!
7 Comments
Hi,
I am looking for volunteer work for clinical SAS programmer. I have base SAS certificate and I am pharmacist from India.
If any one know the. Please let me know.
Many Thanks.
Hi,
I am a SAS developer with 15 years of experience in UK financial industry. I am Base SAS v8 certified. I am in the process of CDISC certification.
I will work on voluntary basis with a CRO or Academia organisation to gain experience with Pharmaceutical applications of SAS and with CDISC data handling regime.
Please contact me on my email address aleks.roman.tyc at gmail.com.
Thanks.
Aleks
Hi,
I am looking for volunteer Clinical SAS programmer positions to gain some experience. I have base SAS certification , Advance SAS certification and Clinical trials programmer certification.
If anyone knows any positions please let me know.
Thank you !!!
Hi i want some volunteer work as a SAS programmer to gain experience.Can you help please?
Realize all the benefits of joining the SAS Global Forum volunteer community.
Register to volunteer for SGF 2015 at http://www.sas.com/en_us/events/sas-global-forum/sas-global-forum-2015/overview.html#volunteer
See you in Dallas!
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John, you really described the benefits of volunteering quite well and I have no doubt that that you will put together an excellent team for your 2017 conference! I’d like to expand on this by announcing that we are soliciting applications for Conference Chair of SAS Global Forum 2018 which will be held on April 8-11, 2018 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. Applicants should be active SAS users, authors, administrators and/or practitioners. The conference chair will focus on developing conference content by working with content advisory teams in developing topics of interest and attracting high profile speakers and participants. Interesting applications should refer to the “SAS Global Forum Chair Responsibilities” (http://www.sascommunity.org/wiki/SAS_Global_Users_Group/Conference_Chair_Nomination#SAS_GLOBAL_FORUM_Conference_Chair_Roles_.26_Responsibilities) to further understand the depth and breadth of the Chair involvement in the conference and the time commitments required. While there is a good amount of work involved there are many benefits to serving as the Conference Chair both to the individual and his/her company including visibility in the SAS Community, leadership development/experience in leading a world-wide conference, technical development/additional knowledge and expertise in SAS, reputation as a leader in technology/company brand exposure, collaboration with SAS leaders/executives. The deadline for applying for the 2018 Conference Chair is February 1. Interested candidates should email Rick Mitchell (RickMitchell@Westat.com) for more information.