Speed networking with both peers and field leaders amplifies young members’ event

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At many of the MDS International Congress networking events I attended, I often found myself in a room full of hundreds of people, feeling an immediate urge to seek out people I already knew and spend time with them. When I saw someone highly accomplished walking around, I felt intimidated and avoided them. However, as I took on active roles within MDS and started meeting some of the rockstars in our field, I realized that they too, surprisingly, are human — just like me. In fact, I noticed that for many of them, meeting new people is not easy; networking requires effort. This is why our Young Members Group Steering Committee wanted to change things up at this year’s MDS International Congress Young Delegates Networking Event. 

We aimed to create a networking event where young members could meet new people, including other young members and experts in our field. We felt the speed networking format could do the trick. We came up with specific topics to eliminate the discomfort that often comes with trying to make small talk without clear direction. We included a rotation element to ensure that people were not only talking to the same group for the entire event. A lot of thought went into selecting the experts to invite, aiming to have at least three for each topic while considering diversity. We also prepared questions for each topic so we could step in and keep conversations flowing, if needed. Despite our Committee’s thorough preparation, I was extremely anxious because I wanted the event to be memorable and enjoyable for all. Many of my friends, including the wonderful MDS staff, went the extra mile and adjusted their plans to attend the event to support me. A reminder that all these people were connections I made through MDS. On top of the countless professional benefits, this Society helps create so many personal connections. 

If you attended, we hope you enjoyed it; if you could not make it, we will see you next time! We had fun, received positive feedback, and gathered suggestions for future events. As the Young Members Group Steering Committee, we are always looking for new ideas and we want to see all young members benefit from the MDS. But we cannot do that without the young members being engaged. Remember, you do not have to be on the Steering Committee to share your voice! Reach out to any of us via email, and we can work with you to create some magic in the MDS and push our field forward! 

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