As our Annual Conference & Stage Expo in Columbus draws near, and the school year is in full swing, now is the perfect time to consider starting your own USITT Student Chapter. Our student chapters offer students around the nation the opportunity to build communities that share a passion for working in live entertainment. Organize special events, network with other like-minded folks, and give your student body the opportunity to grow into professional live entertainment technicians and artists!

Our 2024 Sherry Wagner-Henry Board Fellow, Dani Ranisate, is here to offer you some tips on how you can start a student chapter of your own! She founded hers at Colorado State University, so she can offer inside expertise on things you should consider before you dive into the registration process. Here's what she recommends:

Most of my tips are just applying the benefits of student chapters to your specific school situation. A lot of students in my program really wanted avenues outside of mainstage shows to do tech and gain experience, and they wanted to be able to bring our community together in a lower-stress way to hang out, have fun, and learn.

Research

Research the pros of joining USITT that apply best to you and your peers: What were your favorite seminars from previous years, which Labs, Networking Events, and online resources would help your group the most? Are people interested in registering for Connects: Summer Stock and Connects: Grad School? A personal favorite research topic of mine was looking into some of the USITT commissions. Share some free events with your peers to get them interested!

Find Gaps in Your Program

USITT as an educational pathway is a great way to fill in any gaps or questions that students might have- I've heard primarily from Lighting folks that it has filled gaps that they had with technology since tech is always being updated but schools are not able to buy new equipment like smart fixtures and LED lights. If you can find those gaps in your education, you can discover exactly how USITT can help you fill them! 

Check the Frequent USITT Chapter Events 

Refer to the frequent chapter events list and ask your friends what they'd like to do- planning events like a Rocky Horror Picture Show or Drag show get people excited to have fun with their friends and allow you to gain tech experiences outside of traditional shows at your school.

Connect with Your Professors

Ask the professors or faculty at your school about their experiences with USITT and any advice they might have. They're there to help you learn!

Connect Regionally

Find out which regional chapter is in your area and connect with them! Regional chapters of USITT regularly host events that let you network, learn, and gain valuable industry experiences that go beyond what we experience in school.

For more information on Student Chapters, including step-by-step instructions to register your new student chapter with USITT, visit our Student Chapters page using the link below. We can't wait to welcome you all into the USITT family, and we hope to catch you in Columbus next spring!