Service Opportunities

Our annual conference is made possible by the valuable and voluntary services provided by our members. We are currently seeking volunteers who have an interest in serving as presider over a paper session at the conference, and/or serving on the Student Paper Competition Awards Selection Committee. Serving in these important roles is a great way for you to support the Illinois Sociological Association and its members and gain valuable service experience. For more information about these service opportunities and to volunteer for them, see the information below.

Session Presider

Abstracts and papers accepted for presentation at our annual conference are organized into thematic sessions, with each session typically including four or five presentations. A presider is appointed to oversee and manage each session; their primary responsibilities typically include introducing the session, managing the timing of presentations, and facilitating a question-and-answer session to support audience participation.

We invite faculty, professional, and graduate student members of the Association to serve as session presiders at the 2024 conference. Session presiders must be active members of the ISA in attendance at the conference on November 16th, and should volunteer to preside over sessions whose themes align with their academic interests, academic training, research areas of specialization, or professional activities.

If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a session presider for the 2024 conference, email Wade Smith, ISA Secretary, at wpsmith@eiu.edu to express your interest and discuss this opportunity.

Student Paper Competition Awards Selection Committee

Each year, the Illinois Sociological Association hosts student paper competitions and presents awards in three categories: Best Graduate Student Paper, Best Undergraduate Student Paper (upper division), and Best Undergraduate Student Paper (lower division). Students who submit a full-length paper for consideration for presentation at the annual conference may optionally have their paper submitted to the appropriate paper competition as well. Submissions are evaluated through a blind review process by a committee of evaluators, and the winners are recognized at the annual conference during the Student Paper Awards Ceremony.

We invite members of the Association with a master's degree or higher to serve on the Student Paper Competition Awards Selection Committee. Members with a master's degree or higher may serve as evaluators for the Best Undergraduate Student Paper competitions, and members with a Ph.D. may serve as evaluators for all competition levels. Members of the committee must be active members of the ISA, and are expected to attend the conference on November 16th and be in attendance at the Student Paper Awards Ceremony at the conference.

If you are interested in volunteering to serve on the Student Paper Awards Selection Committee, email Wade Smith, ISA Secretary, at wpsmith@eiu.edu to express your interest and discuss this opportunity.