4 TechTrends • September/October 2013 Volume 57, Number 5

E ach year at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) convention

there are a group of graduate students and early professionals that walk around with large medallions hanging around them. These are the AECT/ECT Interns. They are individuals that have applied for a special opportunity to engage in leadership activities be-ginning at the annual AECT conven-tion. There are three types of AECT/ECT internships that include the Stro-hbehn Internship, the Cochran In-ternship, and the Jenny K Johnson In-ternational Internship. Each of these interns will be spotlighted in the ECT Cornerstone. The Educational Com-munications and Technology (ECT) Foundation and the AECT fund these internships each year. We will be fo-cusing on the experiences of one of our 2012 Cohran Interns, Tutalei I. Asino.

You can help support the AECT Internships through your giving to the ECT Foundation. The ECT Foun-dation is the independent charitable arm of AECT that focuses on award-ing scholarships, internships, fellow-ships, and supporting the leadership training programs for the AECT. The ECT Foundation is a 501(c)3 and any donations you provide are tax deduct-ible. All of the donations go towards supporting the awards and scholar-ships provided to AECT members.

Finally, if you are interested in par-ticipating as an intern at an AECT con-ference you can apply soon after each annual convention for the Strohbehn or Cochran Internships at http://www.aect.org/ect/internapp.asp or the Jenny K Johnson International Internship at http://www.aect.org/ect/internation-alapp.asp.

An Academic Experienceof a Lifetime! 

Soon after I was selected to be an intern I received an email from Dr. Abigail Hawkins, a recent gradu-ate from my department and a 2010 AECT intern. Dr. Hawkins congratu-lated me and told me that being an in-tern was an “academic experience of a lifetime!” Little did I know at the time the truth of that statement. I strongly encourage graduate students to ap-ply to be an intern. If you’re selected you’re sure to have one of the best aca-demic experiences of your life. How-ever, you don’t have to be an intern to have an amazing experience at AECT. I would like to share three things that I learned as an intern that any gradu-ate student can do to make the most of their time at AECT: Stand tall, shake hands, and get organized. (Note: Dr. Hawkins also shared similar advice that can be found in the July/August 2010 issue of TechTrends)

Stand Tall You can’t tell from reading this ar-

ticle but I’m tall—hit-your-head-walk-ing-though-the-doorway-if-you’re-not-carful tall. That’s why I was a little surprised when my wife told me to “stand tall” as I left for AECT. I quickly realized that she was not encouraging me to improve my posture but to make the most of my opportunities. I found that there are four ways for graduate students to stand tall at AECT.

Be confidentThe former Saturday Night Live

comedian Al Franken had a recurring character named Stuart Smalley. In every sketch Stuart would look in the mirror and confidently say “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and dog-gone it, people like me!” While I don’t advocate that you chant this affirma-tion while at AECT, you wouldn’t be wrong if you did. It will not take you long at AECT before you realize that the organization values graduate stu-dents and there is no reason not to confidently stand tall as a graduate student knowing that “You’re good enough, you’re smart enough, and doggone it, people like you!” Having that knowledge is critical to making the most of your time at AECT.

ParticipateIt is easy for new graduate stu-

dents to feel that they are not able

ect Cornerstone

An Academic Experience of a Lifetime! 

By Jered Borup

Volume 57, Number 5 TechTrends • September/October 2013 5

to make a meaningful contribution. This simply is not true. If possible you should submit a research proposal and present your work. If your research is not developed enough for a full-paper presentation, submit it as a round ta-ble or poster presentation. If you don’t have anything to present you can still ask questions or make comments at the sessions you attend.

Apply for awardsThere are several awards that

are generously funded and support-ed by AECT, the ECT Foundation, and individual divisions (see http://aect.site-ym.com/?page=Awards). I would recommend first applying for the ones that are specifically for graduate students, such as the intern-ship program and the Dean and Sybil McClusky Research Award. You can also ask your advisor or another fac-ulty member familiar with AECT for advice on what awards you should apply for.

Give serviceThere are lots of ways that gradu-

ate students can give service to AECT and its divisions. You may want to con-sider volunteering at the conference. It can be a good way to become familiar with the organization and meet new people. You should also try to attend one or two division meetings. At the division meeting they will look for volunteers to help the division. Re-viewing presentation submissions can be a great way to serve the division and learn what makes a good proposal.

Shake HandsWe have all heard about the im-

portance of networking. Probably the best networking advice I ever received was to “shake as many hands as pos-sible.” Although networking obvi-ously involves more than handshakes, it’s a good place to start. I found that there were five primary opportunities to shake hands and network at AECT.

SessionsPoster sessions and roundtables

are probably the best for meeting new people and actively discussing inter-

esting topics. Going to paper presen-tations early and staying after can also be a great way to meet people. You’ll find that some of the best conversa-tions happen after the formal presen-tations are over.

ReceptionsAECT organizes receptions that

are specifically designed to help peo-ple get to know each other and net-work. Don’t miss them! If this is your first time at AECT, it may be helpful if you went with an advisor or another faculty member from your depart-ment. They will be able to introduce you to new people until you feel com-fortable branching out on your own.

ActivitiesThere are several planned ac-

tivities to help you get out there and shake some hands. Some are free with your registration and others cost a little extra but are worth the money. For instance last year I made some of my best memories on the ECT river-boat cruise.

MealsIt’s not uncommon for graduate

students to try to eat cheap and save money during AECT. Money can be tight for graduate students, but being too frugal can cost you. Worry more about who you are eating with than the cost of the meal. AECT also orga-nizes “The Breakfast of Champions.” For a reasonable price you get to have breakfast with some of the leaders of the field. I highly recommend getting your ticket early because it tends to sell out. You may also consider attend-ing a division’s lunch. The price of the ticket is high (around $30-35) but can be a great way to meet like-minded people.

The job boardIf you are on the job hunt, you

should also take a look at the job board. You can post your vitae and see the jobs that are available. Typi-cally the postings will have a contact number. Don’t hesitate to call or email the contacts for the jobs that you are interested in to set up a time to talk at AECT.

Get OrganizedBeing unorganized is a sure way to

miss great opportunities. I found that there are three phases of organization: before, during, and after AECT.

BeforeYou should start organizing and

preparing for AECT long before the conference actually starts. First, iden-tify the sessions that you would like to attend. Remember the who that is presenting is just as important as what they are presenting. Second, clear your plate of your other responsibili-ties. You want to avoid working on class assignments or grading assign-ments during the conference. Third, get some business cards and print some copies of your vitae and sample publications. The latter is especially important if you are on the job hunt. Lastly, join the Facebook groups for the Graduate Student Assembly and the divisions that you care most about. It will help you get a pulse for the community and be aware of im-portant events.

DuringIt can be easy to get a little disor-

ganized at AECT. Two strategies may help. First, when you receive a busi-ness card write on the back what you were talking about and anything that you would like to follow up on. Sec-ond, carry a pocket-sized notebook for note-keeping. If you don’t write down your ideas, you may forget them.

AfterDon’t just put the business cards

you collected or the notes that you took in a drawer and forget about them. Instead follow up on the conver-sations that you had and actually read the articles that you told yourself you would. It’s also a good idea to email those who helped you at the confer-ence and thank them.

If you are a graduate student who is considering applying to be an intern—do it! However, even if you don’t get the opportunity remember to stand tall, shake hands, and be or-ganized. If you do those things you can still have an academic experience of a lifetime!