Don’t have a science policy group or student organization at your home institution? You’re not alone! Many SNAPpers have started their own groups. On this page, we share some of our best practices for getting started in a SNAP!
If you want to start your own science policy group or student organization, the very first step is to double and triple check that there are no similar groups at your institution already. While this may seem like an unnecessary first step, even if you really are starting a new group, knowing what other groups exist and which groups you might be able to collaborate with, especially when you are just starting out, will benefit your group in the long-run!
Do some research to find out what the requirements are for starting your new student group. Most institutions require you to have ten members before registering, so share an interest form to collect any necessary membership information. One good way to garner members is by sending the interest form out to administrators in the STEM programs at your institution and to kindly ask them to share the form with their students. You will also need to put together an Executive Board. These typically have, at minimum, a president, vice president, and treasurer. You also will likely need to create a mission statement and select a faculty advisor. Make a list of all these requirements before moving to the next step.
Now that you have a list of potential members and a list of requirements, its time to host an interest meeting! Invite like-minded students (i.e., those who are passionate about science policy) to meet with you and discuss the group you are hoping to create. Create a brief presentation to share the requirements with them to see how those goals can be met, as well as ideas for the scope and mission of your group. See who wants to hold Executive Board positions and who can help in other ways as you get the group started. Discuss which faculty members might be a good advisor for the group. By the end of this meeting, you should have everything you need (or at least know how to proceed) to get registered.
At this point, you have gathered at least ten members, created an Executive Board, established a clear mission statement, and found a faculty advisor. Now you can finally submit your application materials to your institution to get registered as a student group! Registration is important as it legitimizes your group in the eyes of the institution and typically gives you access to funding for events.
Make sure that your new group has some sort of online presence. We highly recommend making accounts on social media and creating a website for your group. The website can be as simple as a landing page for all your links. For help with your online presence, please reach out to Kass Fernandez. Share your planned meetings and events in advance so that people can plan to attend. It is recommended to have a shared calendar of some sort so members have an easier time seeing when things are happening. Some event ideas to get you started: invited speaker events, panel discussions, workshops and trainings, open forums to discuss recent policies, etc.
We know what its like when your group is first starting out, so we have compiled some helpful resources below to help you succeed:
We would be more than happy to help you successfully launch your new student group! Send us an email and we will get back to you as soon as possible!