FORUM Planned

On October 30th, at the Ideas Team Meeting, a proposal was presented to create a FORUM sponsored and operated by the Engineers Club for member and non-member participants.

The FORUM has a dual purpose.

The first is to promote the Engineers Club most valued asset, the combined knowledge and experiences of the membership and create a point of access to these resources not only to Club Members but also to the Dayton community. It is to say, the FORUM is to take networking to a higher level in a structured setting and provide a foundation for mentoring.

The second purpose of the forum is to highlight and demonstrate the benefits of the Engineers Club. It can be considered to be a model of the Engineers Club which will encourage membership growth, new professional and personal relationships, and an increase in participation in Engineers Club programs.

Other purposes can be summed up as creating solutions to various membership and growth challenges the Engineers Club has faced for decades.

Here are two examples.
1. People do not join because the value of membership is an unknown quantity and quality and very hard to realize without experiencing it. The forum, being a micro sample will demonstrate the value of the Engineers Club at every meeting.
2. People do not join because it requires a long-term commitment – and the value of the return on commitment investment is unknown. The forum provides a 12 week commitment where the return on the time investment will result in opportunities for structured networking, personal and professional growth, and new relationships.

The FORUM will meet weekly for 12 weeks sessions, twice per year. Each meeting will consist of 6 short presentations.
1. Report from a Engineers Club committee head or representative
2. Presentation from a Dayton area non-profit organization
3. Three presentations by FORUM members
4. Presentation by the FORUM’s Sponsor for that evening

The presentations by FORUM members will be based on 5 basic topics.
1. Ice-breaker, a personal introduction
2. A personal interest
3. An inspirational Biographical presentation focusing on a challenge that was overcome
4. A historical look at technological changes
5. Vision – Technologies and social changes to come

This concept is given to a small committee to evaluate. We want to make sure that each aspect effectively serves the dual purpose of the FORUM.

We will provide more information as the plan comes together.