Student Section

The NCSA Student Section exists as a resource to:

• facilitate student involvement in the NCSA,
• connect graduate and undergraduate students,
• provide an informal and welcoming environment for network building,
• and support one another in our sociological journeys.

The goal of the student section is to provide a space for undergraduate and graduate student members of the NCSA to connect with other student members; ask questions of one another; plan student-focused events for the annual conference; and be a general place of support for students. Conferences can be intimidating for new students, but the student section is here to help make the process of attending conferences easier and more enjoyable.

There is a Facebook group that all student members are welcome to join. This is a space for students to ask questions of one another about grad school, sociology, navigating the bureaucracy of higher ed, research, etc. It also provides a great opportunity for student members to connect with one another at other events and conferences throughout the year, such as SSSP, ASA, SWS, and other meetings. It can be really intimidating to go to some of the social hours and receptions alone or to find someone to eat with in a new city and the Facebook group can be a place where people can connect virtually in order to create connections in person. Student members are not obligated to join but are more than welcome to do so! If you are not a current student member but you are planning to be active in the future, you are also welcome to join the group.

Within the student section there is a committee of members who are responsible for helping to brainstorm events for at conference, ways to build community, and other tasks. Being on the committee should not take a lot of time as most of the work is completed via email or web-chat with the only exception being events at conference which not all committee members may need to be present for however, this is a good way to potentially get your name on a presentation if that is a requirement to receive funding from your university to attend conference.

If you are interested in being a part of the 2022-23 student section committee, please email the Student Section Representative, Stephanie House-Niamke at houseniamkes@mix.wvu.edu.

2023 Alert!

There are always several sessions and activities of interest for graduate and undergraduate students alike at the Annual Meetings.  The Friday Student Networking Hour is a great place to meet and chat with students from all over the greater Midwest.  It is a great place talk to with other students about their papers, research…even their graduate programs! Plus, free beverages and snacks. Be sure to stop by and meet the Student Section Representative to find out how to become involved with the NCSA Student Section.

Students are welcome to participate in all conference activities, so be sure to highlight them on in the app. In 2022 there will be several opportunities to network throughout the conference.

Have an idea for a student-oriented session?  During the fall semester, please submit ideas and suggestions for activities and sessions that you would like to see offered for students at the 2023 conference. Contact Stephanie, the Student Section Chair at houseniamkes@mix.wvu.edu.

Graduate students — don’t forget about the certificate programs NCSA offers, like the Preparing Future Faculty certificate. It is a great item to have on your CV.  Click here for more information.

The video below from a Fall session of the NCSA Student Section explores the concept of academic branding that graduate students learn about during their studies. However, much of these branding practices benefit those in dominant communities. But what about minoritized communities? The NCSA Student Section Committee spends time identifying ways to decolonize this process as well as potential resistance to such decolonized practices.

updated December 11, 2022