Become a 2009/2010 DCS Ambassador!

With the start of the new school year, the Department of Computer Science is looking for more DCS Ambassadors to do some volunteer work  around the school.   I recently made this comment on the DCS Bulletin Board, encouraging my fellow students to participate in this amazing program:

I first joined the DCS Ambassador program last year, and I absolutely loved the experience.  I know it probably sounds like a cliche by now, but it really is a fun experience where you get to meet new people and share about the awesome-ness of compsci.

As a DCS Ambassdor, you really aren’t stuck just doing one thing.  There are so many events and so many different programs out there that it really is up to you to decide what you help out in, and how often.  With that said, there’s still the 20 hour volunteer requirement, but trust me, that goes by like  nothing once you’ve volunteered for a few events.

Just to give you a sense of what you’ll be doing as an Ambassador, here’s a  list of a few things that our Ambassadors did last year:

• Help out in departmental events such as A&S Fall Days, DCS Open House, Science Rendezvous, etc.
• Answer e-mails from prospective students who are confused and unsure about the program (I’m sure everyone had that experience, so its great to transfer some of your hard earned wisdom!)
• Give tours of Bahen to visiting students (a large % of you guys practically live in BA anyways, so you guys know the place inside out!)
• Call high school students who have accepted a UofT placement in the compsci program
• Visit high schools and talk to students about the awesomeness of computer science, why its a worthwhile subject and how it is very relevant even to those who have no intention of studying it

Of course, what I’ve listed is just some of the activities that you can do as  an Ambassador.  You don’t have to do ALL of these (I know I definitely didn’t!)

As an added benefit to the program, you will get to know and work with some great professors in our department. You’ll also have exclusive invites to special departmental events such as the Distinguished Lectures series and the graduate showcase in the spring.  Last year, I even got to go on a tour of the Toronto AutoDesk office, how cool is that?

So those are just a few of the benefits of joining the DCS Ambassadors program. If you’re only considering it or sitting on the fence, I highly encourage you guys/gals to take a leap and join the program!