The Western Division American Fisheries Society (WDAFS) is seeking candidates for WDAFS Student Representative!   If you are energetic and want to promote the interests of your fellow students in AFS, we encourage you to run for the position.  If elected, you would serve a one-year term starting in the fall of 2017, with the option of running for a second term.

The Student Representative position is both challenging and rewarding.  Primary responsibilities include:

• Attending monthly WDAFS Executive Committee meetings (primarily phone calls);
• Serving as an advocate for WDAFS student members, facilitating student involvement in WDAFS activities, and ensuring that issues relevant to students are addressed by the ExCom and the various WDAFS committees;
• Attending (at no cost to you!) the WDAFS annual meeting and the mid-year retreat of the Executive Committee;
• Helping organize student-related activities at the annual WDAFS meeting;
• Organizing and attending a WDAFS Student Colloquium in the fall of each year; and
• Disseminating information on student scholarships, travel grants, and other items of interest to WDAFS student members.

The Student Representative will interact regularly with other WDAFS student members and with Division and Chapter officers on the WDAFS Executive Committee.   Along with the networking and mentoring opportunities this affords, the 2018 Student Representative will be able to attend the WDAFS annual meeting to be held May 21-25, 2018 in Anchorage, Alaska.   The WDAFS will reimburse the Student Representative for all expenses incurred while attending the WDAFS meeting and a one-day ExCom retreat to be held in western Washington in late fall, 2017.  Students who have served as Student Representatives in the past have found the experience to be a valuable resume builder.

Candidates for the position must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate or graduate student in an accredited college or university, and must be currently registered as a student member of AFS/WDAFS.

If you would like to learn more about the role and responsibilities of the WDAFS Student Representative, and/or would like to nominate yourself or another student, please contact WDAFS President Cleve Steward [email protected] (or call 206.719.1260) no later than July 18, 2017.   [Please do not contact the current WDAFS Student Representative (Zach Klein), as he is running for re-election.]  A photograph (informal head shot) and brief statement of interest and bio (each no more than 250 words) will be requested of interested candidates.  An election will be held by electronic ballot soon afterwards, with results announced at the 2017 AFS annual meeting in Tampa later this summer.  Only students in good standing with the WDAFS will be eligible to vote.