Greetings, STC-Central Iowa members! This year has been flying by, and we’re nearly half way through our program year. Thanks to the board for working hard and bringing some great programs and services to our members. I hope to see you all at the December social!

If you haven’t renewed your STC membership already, I truly hope you plan to do so this year. I know it will be a big decision for many with the dues increase and tight economy, but I encourage you to think about the benefit of being part of a group of people who share your interests and passion for delivering information to audiences in an accessible and user-friendly manner. For more details, you can read about the new dues structure from the STC president. There are many, many different feelings on the topic (as you will see within the comments), but you should make your decision based on what you are able to get out of the organization.

For me, being a part of STC is an opportunity to meet people in the industry who have new ideas on how to handle situations. I’ve learned about advanced technologies and ways to help organizations improve internal and external communications. And, it has offered me leadership experience that I will be able to carry with me throughout my career. I like to keep up with what’s going on at the international level but haven’t been able to attend the international conference in a couple years. I also enjoy reading the publications STC produces, as many of the issues discussed in those publications are ones I face or will be facing in the future.

As you can see, much of the benefit I get from my STC membership come from being actively involved within the local community, engaging fellow professionals in discussion and listening to their experiences. Overall, the value the organization provides to me is unique to me, and the same is true for you.