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An announcement about the 2008 Idealist Campus Conference
Dear Friends of the Idealist Campus Conference:
Many of you have asked when and where our next conference will be held. After a good deal of discussion, and in conjunction with some exciting developments here at Action Without Borders, we have concluded that we will not be organizing a campus conference in 2008. This was not an easy decision, and we hope you will read on to learn more about it.
The 2007 conference was organized by our Community Outreach Team, a group of 8 people who are charged with sharing Idealist's mission with the world. As in years past, we were fortunate to have the help of an incredible group of students and staff at our host campus, and benefited from the support of our many co-op group, workshop, and affinity group leaders, as well as our sponsoring organizations.
It was richly rewarding to collect feedback from the 2007 Idealist Campus Conference attendees. Many of the 1,000 people who joined us in Chicago were truly inspired by the opportunity to gather for a weekend, articulate their vision for an ideal world, and identify the role they'll play in getting us there. But after much discussion, we've decided to take a break from planning one conference in one city over one weekend. Over the next year, we'll be devoting more time and energy to supporting, promoting and attending the amazing face-to-face gatherings that are already happening across the country and around the world. Here are just a couple of ways that we'll be supporting your efforts:
- Interested in hosting an event that connects people across issues but don't know how to get started? We're developing an event planning guide which will include planning documents, forms, and materials from our previous conferences to help guide you through the process of planning your own event. For more information, contact us at eventsupport@idealist.org.
- Looking for a way to reconnect with your co-op group members or share your events and interests with other Idealist users? Join or start an Idealist Group! Idealist Groups allow you to connect with others online and offline based on your interests, location, profession, or anything else you want to build community around. To find or create a group of your own, visit http://www.idealist.org/groups.
- Planning a gathering on your campus or in your community that reflects the Action without Borders mission of connecting across issues? We'll be happy to offer whatever support we can in the way of promotion, materials and attendance whenever possible. Contact us with your event details at eventsupport@idealist.org.
If the 23-year legacy of this conference and the 45 powerful co-op group conversations which took place in Chicago taught us anything, it's that every conference, meeting, BBQ, summit, and roundtable is a chance to connect the dots and build a better world. So whether you plan to organize an international, multi-issue event or attend a 3-person meeting in your town, we want to hear about it, and we'll do our best to strengthen and support this growing network as best we can.
Please feel free to email eventsupport@idealist.org if you have questions or comments about this decision or about Idealist On Campus programs or resources. And stay tuned to Idealist.org for additional developments and more information about tools for connecting with others in your community.
Also, please note that Heather Cronk and Abby Kiesa, who have been integrally involved with the conference in the past, are leading an initiative to explore the possibility of pulling together another national event for students in the coming year. If you are interested in learning more about this initiative – or even serving as the host campus – please visit http://www.campusconference.org or email chairs@campusconference.org.
All our best,
The Idealist.org Community Outreach Team
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Please note: The 2007 Idealist Campus Conference has ended!
While the conference is over, the ideas, connections, and actions discussed in Chicago are just beginning to spread. Watch this space for movies, pictures, and more follow-up from the 2007 Idealist Campus Conference.
Check out the 2007 Idealist Campus Conference video here.
Join Idealist and hundreds of other practical dreamers at the 2007 Idealist Campus Conference and learn how we can do more together.
The Idealist Campus Conference is a gathering of students, campus staff, nonprofit professionals, and year of service members who are part of a global network of practical dreamers. The conference will be hosted by DePaul University in Chicago, IL during the weekend of March 23-25, 2007.
The weekend will be jam-packed with skill-building, networking, socializing, and most importantly, the opportunity to help build a global movement for turning ideas into action. At the conference you will:
Join a
growing movement of students, campuses and organizations working to create a world where no opportunities for action are wasted.
Share your knowledge and experiences with others at this highly participatory event—present a
Workshop or at a
Poster Session, build your skills and your network during
Affinity Group meetings, and learn how the issues you care about connect to others during
Cooperative Group sessions.
Meet with local, national and international
nonprofit organizations to learn about jobs, internships and year of service programs.
Learn how technology can support your efforts to build a better world.
This year’s conference will focus on small, engaging, facilitator-led discussion groups rather than presenter-led workshops. We are actively seeking facilitators with varying levels of experience who will receive training to lead these discussions (students, staff and professionals welcome!). If you're interested in learning more, click on "
Play a Role."
We hope to see you there!
The 2007 Idealist Campus Conference Team
(Want to learn more about our 22-year history of student conferences? Click
here to read about the C.O.O.L. Idealist Conferences that paved the way for the 2007 Idealist Campus Conference.)
