Channel C²

· Decide on the symposium theme. The theme could be a research topic we want to learn more about as a group. The general idea is to bring together those with a common interest, concern or question. The objective is for us to come away from the session having developed new connections, and insights from the information presented, and following the Berean model of Acts 17:11, confirming through the scriptures whether all these things are true.

· Pick a symposium theme name. The name should be something broad enough to give us room to plan various smaller sessions under it. It should not be so specific that it limits or slants the question of the theme towards one view or another. For example: “How should a Christian view the Trinity?” would be a good neutral question but “Why the Trinity is Wrong!” or “How the Holy Trinity is Holy” would be slanted and leaning towards one opinion on the matter and would limit the discussion to a specific point of view being correct. So, the essential question should be inclusive of the opinions of different presenters, and then each presenter could provide information for or against a certain point of view.

· Decide on speakers. Given the limited size of the group for a themed symposium it would be good to open the presentation slots to a few presenters, but to both senior and junior speakers of differing abilities and who are able to present various facets of the topic instead of several speakers presenting identical, repetitive information. The speakers will need to do research and work to make presentations that are interesting to our audience and relevant to the symposium topic.

· Consider resources. It’s important to know which resources each presenter will need. Will there be a need for sharing the screen to display presentation slides or using a virtual whiteboard? Will the presenter need to share video or audio clips? How will links for follow up be shared?

· Give brothers and sisters a chance to shine. Sharing one’s research with others can be a very upbuilding experience. It also allows presenters to hone their public speaking skills. It is a good opportunity for experienced speakers to talk about their research work and they’ll serve as good examples of how to present researched material to others. Both senior and junior presenters will appreciate the opportunity to share their research work, then get feedback from those who listen.

· Decide on a schedule and draft a program. While symposium schedules are typically standard, one presenter follows another, putting it all together will require planning and organizing. There will be some schedule juggling, some people may need to leave early or join the symposium later after its start. To avoid the schedule from becoming too busy and heavy, having a small break for conversation after 2-3 talks is a good idea. Another tip is to schedule an interesting introductory presentation at the beginning of the session, a summative presentation at the end, and different facets of the topic in the middle which keep people interested throughout the session. The program we put together should contain the schedule for the day, speaker names and short biographies (optional but nice to have), summaries or abstracts of the talks, and a list of attendees with contact information.

· Be organized and follow up. Being organized is imperative in order to keep track of everything that needs to be done before, during, and after the symposium day. It is a good idea to set up a timeline of things to do days in advance, as well as on the day of the symposium. This will make it more likely that those things will be done at those times.

· Make sure everyone knows what to do. Distribute the program to everyone participating in the symposium early enough (at least one week ahead). On the day of the symposium, send out email or text reminders of when the session starts. Also, ensure that the speakers know when and where to give their talks, how long their talks should be, and what to do in case they need to cancel their presentation. Consider having a stand in or backup speaker replacement on hand.

· Recruit volunteers. Volunteers are great for helping with getting pre-symposium tasks and details of organizing it accomplished. Include the volunteers in the planning stages. Make sure to thank them for their time and effort.

· Advertising is crucial for a successful symposium. Getting the word out with plenty of time to organize and plan is very important and will help make the session a success.

· Design symposium website. Designing a symposium website is a great way to keep all the necessary information together, and easily distribute it to everyone. The website will also serve as a permanent record, which will be useful a useful resource for future symposia.

· Set a deadline for presentation registrations, talk outlines and abstracts, and keep a final count of attendees. Setting a deadline for registration and abstracts allows us to keep track of participants in the symposium, as well as keep things organized while planning the symposium. The easiest way to keep a count of all the information of registrants, talks and attendance is by having a spreadsheet, which will also be useful resource information for future symposia.

· Divide up duties between co-organizers and volunteers throughout the planning of the symposium, as well as on the day of the symposium. This will save a lot of headaches later. One can be the one in charge of organizing, checking all the details and acting as moderator or facilitator the day of the symposium, while another co-organizer can take care of details that need to be done via computer or phone to manage the technical side of the symposium’s mic access, whiteboard and screen-sharing. One more volunteer can help by assisting attendees with connection problems and technical support issues. This division of labor will make the work easier for all and help us divide up tasks and work together.

· Thank everyone and obtain feedback. Make sure to thank the speakers, presenters, helpers, and all the attendees at the beginning and the end of the symposium, and with a follow-up e-mail. Let them know that they have all contributed something valuable to your symposium, and the symposium would not have been a success without each of them. Ask people to provide informal feedback following the symposium, to help with suggestions and offer ways to improve the symposium in the future.

Adapted from original source at: https://www.ascb.org/careers/the-insiders-view-to-organizing-a-local-symposium/ (accessed 6/24/2019)