[nycbug-talk] Student's / College's Interest in NYCBUG / NYBSDCon '08

[Tim A.]

I attended the first NYBSDCon while a student at BMCC in 2005.
At the time, it was the first conference of it's kind I had attended. 
(Of course, it turned me on to many more.)
It was an inspiring and excellent educational experience and a great 
opportunity to meet other like-minded BSD aficionados spanning the gamut 
from new users and home sysadmins to hard-core developer gurus and 
kernel hackers, and some of my favorite authors.
Since then, my continued association with NYCBUG has been the most 
persistent and valuable influence on my personal and professional 
interests as they relate (not only to BSD, but on a wider basis) to IT, 
not to mention a thoroughly enjoyable experience.

One thing I've often regretted is the lack of involvement by more 
students, then and now.
Sure, we get the occasional Columbia grad student doing their Thesis 
project and that's always welcome--good stuff.
However, coming from a working-class community college back ground, I 
can't help but think it a tragedy that the students who could most use 
this sort of influence are the furthest from it.

With that in mind, and with George's encouragement, I'm reaching out to 
BMCC this year to help raise awareness of NYCBUG in general and the 
upcoming NYBSDCon '08 in particular.

We would also like to invite anyone on list having an interest in or 
contacts at any of CUNY's or other college campuses throughout the city 
to get involved in helping to promote awareness among faculty, staff and 
students of the upcoming NYBSDCon '08.

~Tim