Description

The IEEE Sri Lanka Section's "Spread the Word" event, held on 28th July 2024 at Curtin Colombo, successfully educated and empowered student members by highlighting the benefits of IEEE membership and providing robust career and personal development opportunities. Organized by the Student Activities Committee in collaboration with the Student Branches of CINEC, UOVT, OUSL, and NIBM, the event attracted 100 participants from various student branches. The day commenced with a welcome speech by Harindu Mallawarachchi, setting a positive tone for a day filled with informative sessions and interactive discussions. Michelle Perera's session on "Empower Through IEEE Volunteering Benefits" introduced attendees to the diverse opportunities and advantages of IEEE membership. Kulunu Weerasoory led a session on "Membership Development and Graduate Student Membership Benefits," focusing on strategies to drive membership growth and the specific benefits available to graduate student members. An engaging "IEEE Trivia Challenge" moderated by Yohan Joseph added a fun, competitive element to the event, reinforcing participants' knowledge about IEEE. Here the winners won attractive prizes such as IEEE Memberships and Spread the Word merchandise mugs. Shakil Arifeen provided clarity on the roles and responsibilities of Student Branch Executive Committee members in his session on "Role-Based Training for SB Excom." Samitha Wijesundara's session on "Enhance SB Event Planning" offered practical strategies for planning and executing high-quality student branch events, followed by an open mic Q&A session that addressed specific questions from participants. "Spread the Word" achieved its objectives of enhancing volunteer skills, increasing student membership, and providing valuable training on leadership and student branch operations. The success of the event has undoubtedly strengthened the IEEE community in Sri Lanka, leaving participants better prepared, more confident, and highly motivated to leverage IEEE resources for their growth and success. Despite the initial venue change due to unforeseen circumstances, the organizing committee ensured that the event maintained its high standards and quality. Once again, we express our sincere appreciation to everyone who contributed to the success of Spread the Word 2024.