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Tips For Students

A group of eight male and female students standing together and smiling in an exhibition hall.

Special Events

New Member Breakfast (Invite Only)
Sunday, October 20, 7–8am
Sheraton – Grand Ballroom D, 2nd Floor

New INFORMS members will receive an invite for this welcome breakfast. The session will feature a presentation on member benefits, a brief orientation to navigating the meeting, and a chance to relax and connect with colleagues. Representatives from INFORMS Communities will facilitate networking tables where you can meet other members who share your personal interests.

Welcome Reception
Sunday, October 20, 7:30-9pm
Convention Center – Exhibit Hall 4AB, Level 4

INFORMS and the Seattle Organizing Committee welcome you to for the 2019 INFORMS Annual Meeting with an evening of fellowship and fun. The Welcome Reception is the perfect venue to meet with colleagues and visit the exhibits. Light snacks will be served. Soft drinks are complimentary, with a cash bar for other beverages.

INFORMS Awards Ceremony & Reception
Sunday, October 20, 8:30-9:45pm
Convention Center – 6E, Level 6

The INFORMS Board of Directors invites you to honor and celebrate the achievements of our colleagues at the annual Awards Ceremony. You can attendee the Welcome Reception first and then proceed to the Awards Ceremony. Following the ceremony and dessert, you’ll have the opportunity to congratulate the awardees.  Dessert and coffee will be served.

Student Awards Ceremony & Reception
Monday, October 21, 7:30-9:30pm
Sheraton – Metropolitan, 3rd Floor

All students registered for the meeting are invited to attend the reception. Join us for an evening of food and drink, fun, and networking. Come relax after a busy day of sessions and mingle with fellow students from universities around the world. Student awards will be announced during the Student Award Reception.

INFORMS Member Meeting
Tuesday, October 22, 6-7:15pm
Sheraton – Grand Ballroom A, 2nd Floor

The INFORMS Board of Directors encourages all members to bring their ideas, opinions, and suggestions to this meeting. Current business and future direction for INFORMS will be discussed.  Outstanding members will be celebrated with the presentation of the Volunteer Service Award. Come and meet, network, and celebrate! Light snacks will be served. Soft drinks are complimentary, with a cash bar for other beverages.

General Reception
Tuesday, October 22, 7:30-10pm
Convention Center – 4E, Level 4

Join us as we serve up a Northwest inspired menu, with salmon of course! Come and compete with your colleagues in a game on the giant foosball table or shoot the most basketball hoops and get your name on the top 10 list. You can also immerse yourself in the digital world with virtual reality pods.

This reception provides the perfect atmosphere for fellowship and networking while also having a bit of fun after a long day of sessions.

Career Fair and the Career Center

Stop by the Career Fair on Sunday from 12:00noon-5:00pm in the Exhibit Hall. 

For more information visit the Career Fair page or the INFORMS Career Center.

Mentor Opportunities

Coffee with a Member

Especially for INFORMS student members!

This wonderful program connects INFORMS students with some of INFORMS most enthusiastic members for 15-minute impromptu meetings and some sage INFORMS advice. We know the Annual Meeting can be a bit overwhelming and hope these casual meetings will make students more comfortable, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic about both the meeting and INFORMS. Limited space available and open to first time attendees/participants only.

Students may enroll when they register for the meeting.

Mentor Match

Having a mentor can help you shape a more successful career in less time. Mentors provide advice, support, and guidance in areas with which they are familiar. Mentors give honest feedback, offer encouragement, and help you meet your goals. Mentors share their experience, provide visibility into their own careers, and help you build a network. Each mentoring relationship is different, because each person’s goals are different. Learn more about the Mentor Match program.

Student Competitions and Prizes

There are several competitions for students prior to the annual meeting and the winners are announced   during the prestigious INFORMS Awards Ceremony held on Sunday evening.

Judith Leibman Award – Recognizing outstanding student volunteers

The Judith Liebman Award has been established to recognize outstanding student volunteers who have been “moving spirits” in their universities, their student chapters, and the Institute.

Student Chapter awards

Each year active student chapters must turn in an INFORMS Annual Student Chapter Activity Report within 31 days of the end of the calendar year. Each report is then evaluated and given a score between 1 and 5 (5 being the best) for four different categories of activities. The top three chapters in these categories will be awarded classifications with the other prizes at the Student Awards Ceremony on Monday, October 21.

Winners announced at the various community business meetings

Community Prizes and Awards for Students

Most communities have at least one competition available to students! Check out the Community Prizes listing to see what is available to you!

Additional Resources

Student Union

What can INFORMS do for you? The INFORMS Student Union brings together a wide range of information and resources for students considering or pursuing degrees in O.R. and Analytics and with their entry into these exciting professions.

Visit the Student Union page.

OR/MS Tomorrow

The online student membership magazine for INFORMS. The bi-annual publication provides a look at operations research and management science from the perspective of young people in those fields. Edited by a team of students and junior faculty, the magazine is written for students and aims to introduce topics relevant to them, highlight their accomplishments, and promote awareness of current events and issues in OR and MS.

Check out the magazine.