Info Challenge – Volunteer

Photo of college students competing at the annual Info Challenge

Calling Faculty, Staff, Alumni, Students & Industry Partners!

The 2023 challenge is now over. Volunteer registration for the Feb 2024 event will take place Nov-Dec 2023.

We need volunteers for many roles at the event. You can mentor a team of students, judge the final projects, or help with logistics and making the challenge activities run smoothly.

Who can volunteer?

  • Anyone interested in helping make the Info Challenge fantastic for students and partnering organizations.
  • Faculty and staff from any participating academic institution: University of Maryland, UMBC, Montgomery College, and US Naval Academy.
  • Employees from partnering organizations.

Benefits of being a volunteer
Get behind the scenes hands-on experience helping students. Receive recognition as an event sponsor. PLUS enjoy free meals and a sporty volunteer t-shirt!

Mentor Students

Do you have a passion for helping students work through processes and encouraging them to succeed? No data or teaching background is needed – just enthusiasm for helping students! Mentors guide student teams through the basic steps of problem-solving as they work through the challenge project.

Faculty, staff, industry or academic partners, alumni, or data enthusiasts, regardless of discipline, may be mentors for student teams.

  • Attend the Kick-off Day on February 25, 2023, 11am-3pm @ the UMD Student Union.
  • Be available to your team by email throughout the week of February 26 – March 4, 2023.
  • Optional: Attend the Mentor and Judge Info Session on February 10, 2023 from 3-6pm at the UMD Student Union to get tips and ideas for managing a team, and mingle with other mentors and judges.
  • Optional: Volunteer to help with the Showcase & Judging Day on March 4, 2023. You will also get the chance to cheer on your team as they present to the judges and other data enthusiasts!

Sign up to Mentor

Judge Final Student Projects

Are you good at reviewing students’ work and asking thoughtful questions?

Judges evaluate the student teams’ final projects by providing valuable feedback to the student teams about their project at the Showcase & Judging Day on March 4, 2023.

Faculty, industry or academic partners who have data analysis experience and enjoy working with students are encouraged to participate as a judge.

  • Judges must have data analysis, cybersecurity or design experience.
  • Judges participate as part of a judging panel.

Judges are provided a scoring rubric, which includes the project categories and the criteria for evaluation.

  • Judging criteria, procedures and schedules are emailed to judges a week before the Challenge Kick-off.
  • A copy of team abstracts are provided to the judges by 12pm the day prior to the Showcase and Judging Day.
  • Optional: Attend the Mentor and Judge Info Session on February 10, 2023 to learn more about how to be a judge and mingle with other judges and mentors.

Sign up to Judge

Provide Logistics Support

Who can volunteer:

  • Students, faculty, and staff from any participating academic institution: University of Maryland, UMBC, Montgomery College, and US Naval Academy.
  • Anyone from a partnering organization.

Benefits of volunteering:

  • The satisfaction of helping to provide this valuable opportunity to challenge participants from across the state.
  • Students, enhance your resume with volunteer, teamwork, and events planning experience.
  • Free meals and a sporty volunteer t-shirt!

Volunteers must attend the IC23 Virtual Volunteer Info Session on February 7, 2023 from 5-6pm. 

Sign up to Volunteer

Student Volunteers

Are you a student who is interested in Info Challenge but not quite ready to participate? Be a Student Volunteer!

As a Student Volunteer you will:

  • Provide you an opportunity to participate in the Info Challenge as a supporter by helping with a variety of tasks such as checking in participants, handing out information, serving food, setting up and cleaning up.
  • Assist the IC team before and throughout the challenge timeframe.
  • Network with information professionals by interacting with partners and sponsors during the challenge activities.

Benefits of volunteering:

  • The satisfaction of helping to provide this valuable opportunity to challenge participants from across the state.
  • Enhance your resume with volunteer, teamwork, and events planning experience.
  • Free meals and a sporty volunteer t-shirt!

Student Volunteers must attend the IC23 Virtual Volunteer Info Session on February 7, 2023 from 5-6pm. 

Sign up as Student Volunteer

Important Dates & Event Schedule
Date Activity
Sept 12 – Dec 15, 2022 Partner/Volunteer Registration
Jan 26 – Feb 5, 2023 Partner/Volunteer Confirmation
Feb 7, 2023 (5-6pm) Volunteer Info Session
Feb 10, 2023 (3-6pm) Mentor and Judge Information Session
Feb 10 – 20, 2023 Mentors Select Projects
Feb 23, 2023 Team | Mentor | Dataset Announcement
Feb 25, 2023 (11am-3pm) Kick-off Event
Feb 26 – Mar 3, 2023 Teams Work Remotely
Mar 4, 2023 (10am-4pm) Judging (10am-2pm)
Showcase Event (2pm-3pm)
Awards Ceremony (3pm-4pm)

 

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