Summer Camp 2022 – Part 4
How to Stay Involved With ACS
Welcome to ACS Summer Camp! Summer Camp is a great way to refresh and get inspired by new ideas to prepare for the upcoming school year. These parts will remain on the website so you can always refer back to the amazing resources we have linked!
Summer Camp – Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
This week’s Summer Camp blog will be focused on staying involved with ACS during & after graduation.
Staying Involved From School to College to Becoming a Young Professional
If you’re transitioning from high school to college, there may be an ACS event at your new campus (example – ACS On Campus, Relay For Life, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, etc.)! You can search by zip code here to find an ACS event near you.
If you don’t have an ACS event at your new college and are interested in starting one or simply want to learn more about volunteer opportunities while in college, email our ACS On Campus Chair, Grace at [email protected].
- ACSOC College Page & Contact Form
During College
When starting your college years, it’s important to find a community that you feel you belong in. There are dozens of ACS On Campus chapters at colleges and universities across the country. Visit your school’s “Club Fair” / “Student Involvement Fair” or your school’s club website to find your ACS On Campus chapter and attend the first meeting!
ACS On Campus chapters have the benefit of connecting you with others in the fight against cancer, and it will take all of us to support cancer patients and cancer research that will one day make cancer a minor illness. Partner with other student organizations on your campus. For example, Alpha Phi Omega is one of our National Partners – connect with APO and invite them to volunteer or help organize your next mission event.
Tips for growing your ACS On Campus chapter or ACS event in college:
- Personally invite friends or professors to join you. If they are a cancer survivor, make them feel special by giving a “Save the Date” card
- Utilize your college’s weekly newsletter, submit an announcement to spread word across campus
- Co-author an article in your school’s newspaper or online website about how ACS helps those in your community
- Join your school’s Club Fair. See our brand new “Club Fair Toolkit” for tips on making your booth inviting to new students!
Social media
Promote your ACSOC club and events by creating social media pages for your club! Create a strong social media plan with the club’s Marketing & Communications Chair to stay true to branding and consistent messaging. Follow ACS On Campus on our national pages for inspiration:
Post-College
After you college-career is over, there are plenty of ways to stay involved in the fight against cancer! In comes, ACS Young Professionals.
Millenials and Gen Z make up 45% of the US population and the American Cancer Society has identified the unique opportunity to build relationships with these individuals starting at a young age and engage them in a meaningful way. Our approach to young professional engagement has seen enormous success in numerous ways. These distinguished individuals are committed to the American Cancer Society’s mission – saving lives by eliminating cancer – through efforts to fund research for cures, support for patients, preventions and early detection. By participating, members have numerous opportunities for personal development, networking and contributing philanthropically within their community, significantly impacting the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission.
Young Professional chapters (or Associate Board of Ambassadors) host unique events for working professionals in your city. See the ABOA of Chicago’s Skyline Soiree event in 2021.
Action item: To learn more about Young Professionals at ACS, fill out this form and we will connect with you with a local chapter!
ACS CAN – Advocate For Cancer Patients
Make your voice heard in our government systems. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for positive legislation that will benefit cancer patients and improve healthcare for those who need it. See how you can stay involved with ACS CAN today:
- If you haven’t already, join the action alerts email list at fightcancer.org. This will put you on the list to receive email updates containing short, easy actions that can make a real difference, like signing a petition or sending an email to your local lawmaker.
- Attend events in your state such as Cancer Action Days or town halls. These are opportunities to engage in hands on advocacy and learn more about cancer advocacy. If you get more involved, you can even be invited to the Leadership Summit and Lobby Day in Washington DC! Find events at fightcancer.org/events
- Join a planning committee to work on an event in your state or get involved with a specific topic. This more targeted, higher commitment approach to advocacy will allow you to make connections with other CAN volunteers and staff members. Contact your local ACS CAN Grassroots Manager to learn more.
- Contacting your local ACS CAN Grassroots Manager is the simplest way to investigate how you can get more involved in ACS CAN. You can find your manager by typing your state into the menu bar on fightcancer.org. Ask them how you can help; there is always something you can do!
National Volunteer Opportunities
National Campus and Youth Engagement Team (NCYET) is a team of students around the country who help support ACS On Campus chapters whether it is colleges, high school, middle school, or elementary school. The NCYET support them by making resources, holding events, and answering any questions needed in order to help assist schools with their ACS involvement. Meet the 2022 – 2023 NCYET members here. We accept applications for the team around March of 2023 and would love for you to apply. You can find the application on our website or on our social media in the spring of 2023!
NCYET Committees – We are currently accepting committee applications for the following committees: ACS On Campus, Fundraising, Recognition and Top Performers, Global Initiatives, and Marketing (social media). These committees would help the lead put together resources, connect with campuses, and give additional insight and ideas on specific projects. You can apply anytime here!
Action item – Curious about the NCYET or have questions about anything ACS On Campus? Email one of our members or [email protected]. The NCYET are real students who want to help your ACS involvement.
