This Week

This Week: SSA Week, Group Running Guide Survey, Summer Group Ideas

SSA Week

Group Running Guide Survey

We are updating our Group Running Guide for the new generation of students. Dave and Ellen are hard at work putting in all the relevant information for its future and they could use your help! We need current and former student group leaders to offer us advice on what to include in the new Group Running Guide to help us stay up with the times. If you match this description, could you please take 10 minutes or so of your time to fill out the survey and help us update our Group Running Guide? If you could pass the survey along to other group leaders you're in contact with, it would be much appreciated.

We're also looking to update old group photos in the guide. Another way to help us improve the guide is to send us some of your group pictures or group logos used for branding.

Summer Group Activities

Just because the school year is over doesn't mean your group has to be in hiatus mode. In order to give your group a few ideas on how to stay active during the summer we dug up a few of our activity packets. Camp Quest is a great way to give back to the younger generation while also having fun doing outdoor activities. CQ is a network of camps for freethinking youth around the country. You can volunteer at CQ as a counselor or organizer. Your group can also go on a field trip or fruit picking.  Last but not least it is still not too late to start a team for the Light the Night Walk. A handy walkthrough on how to sign up can be found here. You can also ask Lyz to send your team fundraising materials to help start your efforts.

Group Photo of the Week

Members from Secular Student Alliance @ Ohio State University Tabling for Ask an Atheist Day.

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This Week: New Secular Jobs, Our Summer Interns, SSA's 2012 Annual Conference

New Secular Jobs

Do you have dreams of becoming a professional atheist? There are two new jobs up for grabs in the secular movement. The first position comes from American Atheists. They are hiring a public relations director "as soon as possible!" For information on eligibility, job requirements and application information check the American Atheists website. The deadline for this position is June 15th.

The other job offer comes from Americans United for Separation of Church and State. They're looking for a web developer or web designer to manage and upkeep their online resources. More information about this position can be found on their website. Deadline to apply is July 1st. Become a professional atheist and apply!

As always, look out for new postings in our jobs page which is constantly being updated.

Our Summer Interns

We hired two new interns! Ellen Lundgren is a a 4th-year student at Grand Valley State University in Michigan, studying Art & Design, with an emphasis in Visual Studies. She is also the president of Grand Valley Secular Alliance (previously CFI - Grand Valley).

Dave Muscato is a 3rd year student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, majoring in economics and anthropology and getting minors in classical Latin and philosophy. Dave is also the vice president of the University of Missouri Skeptics, Atheists, Secular Humanists, & Agnostics (SASHA) and blogs for several websites including Skepticfreethought and Harvardhumanist.

Together, Ellen and Dave will be revising the Group Running Guide. We sent out over 350 guides last year, and we're looking forward to improving it so we can continue to offer high quality advice to our student leaders.

SSA's 2012 Annual Conference

Our annual conference is a just a month away! Join us for an awesome lineup of speakers including Matt Dillahunty, Jessica Alquist, Greta Christina and much more! Our full list of speakers can be seen here. Registration for student members only costs $39 (get free student membership). Housing rates are $54 for a single room and $21 per person for a shared room of 4. Unfortunately we're no longer accepting applications for Leadership Travel Aid but you can still register and make it out. Learn more at the conference webpage and join us July 6th!

Group Photo of the Week

Secular Students of Miami University (in Ohio) with the late Christopher Hitchens in 2010.

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SSA's 2012 Annual Conference

The Best Awards

It's not too late to turn in your Best Award application! You have two more days! If you or your group displayed excellence in activism during the 2011-2012 school year we want to hear about it and reward you for it! Affiliate groups and individual activists can apply for recognition through our Best Awards. Applications are due 5/31. The winner will be announced and presented with the award during our annual conference in July. To apply for one of the awards, click one of the following links:

• Affiliate of the Year (College - $500, High School - $300)
• Best Educator - $300
  
• Best Service - $300
• Best Activist - $300
  
• Best Community - $300
  
• Best Faculty/Staff Advisor
  
• Best Active Alumni
  
• Best Individual Activist

Look at our awards page to see past winners and for further information.

Freedom From Religion Foundation Scholarships

The Freedom From Religion Foundation Scholarships are all due next month! There are three different scholarships: one for high school students (due June 1st), one for college students 25 years or older (due June 15th), and finally one for college students under 25 (also due June 15th). All applicants must submit an essay on a specific topic. Winnings range from $200-$3,000 for each scholarship category but there is no specific limit to how many could win (honorable mentions are awarded $200). If you are college-bound for fall, apply now!

Check our scholarships page to see if there are any new scholarships floating about for non-theistic students. Make sure you get the FFRF applications in by June 1st!

Group Photo of the Week

Secular Student Alliance at Winona State University at their first annual Skepticamp wearing cool t-shirts.

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