I have done a lot of sponsored travel for professional development. Over the past three years, I have traveled to 8 states for 16 professional development conferences or workshops, including places such as the NIKE World Headquarters, multiple corporate towers, and convention centers nationwide.
Here are my three tips for securing fully funded professional development opportunities:
1. Join Student Organizations (particularly leadership)
NSBE Region VI Board at Nike World Headquarters
National STEM organizations host regional and/or national conferences every year; at USC, many of those sub-chapters travel to the conference. The Society of Women in Engineering (SWE), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Society of Hispanic Engineers (SPHE), and American Indian Science and Engineering Society are just some of the many organizations that sponsor students’ travel to the conference. We also have design teams that travel for competitions, such as Rocket Propulsion Lab (RPL) and the Aero Design Team. Leadership roles usually get priority for these travel opportunities in exchange for your hard work for the organization.
Much of my travel opportunities came from my positions on the chapter and regional boards of the National Society of Black Engineers.
2. Network Laterally, Vertically, and Virtually
Lateral
Most people have heard of networking laterally and vertical networking. Lateral networking means getting to know your peers around you. They will be involved with various areas of campus and can keep you informed about opportunities that may be a good fit for you.
Invited to the Opening Ceremony of New CS Hall
Vertical
Vertical networking involves meeting steps ahead of your current role. Typically, they are familiar with your position as a student and can provide counsel regarding how best to navigate the university experience to achieve your goals.
Familiarizing yourself with the administration is a crucial piece to this. They can inform you regarding lesser-known resources on campus.
For example, I recently learned that Viterbi has a Viterbi Conference Fund to support students attending professional development conferences. The administration can also vouch for you for selective opportunities. I recently met the donors of the new computer science at the opening ceremony. Soon, I will be meeting the CEO of Uber!
Note: One can find support anywhere on campus. Shoutout to Miss Olivia in the Tutor Hall Cafe, who has always been a source of light and encouragement since my first day on campus <3
Virtual
The last thing I want to emphasize is to network virtually. There are so many online communities to support you in every aspect of your academic journey. In high school, I participated in the Ron Brown GPS program, to help me navigate college applications. As an undergraduate student, I am a member of online professional development communities such as ColorStack and Rewriting the Code, where members can find communities and resources for each other.
3. Attend Hackathons
Bloomberg Headquarters
One of my most rewarding company connections came from attending a hackathon. A Hackathon is a programming competition where participants work in a team, under a time constraint, to achieve the project goal. They also include workshops and company sponsors to support the attendee’s technical development. Go to every workshop, speak to every company representative, and thank me later.
