Here’s everything you need to set up your own info session!

VIA is a small organization with a large, widespread, and engaged community. We depend on this community to help raise interest and awareness of our programs in regions we might not be able to get to ourselves. This packet is everything you need to lead your own VIA info session.

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1. Give us a heads-up

Contact the program director to let them know you’d like to do an info session. They can arrange a Skype call with you to go over the process. When you decide on the date, time, and location of your info session, please contact Melissa (melissa|at|viaprograms.org) so she can add it to the Events Calendar and share it on VIA’s social media ​channels.

2. Prep your materials

Here are some great resources for you to start promoting your info session!

Note: If you click on the link, the PDF document will open in another window first so you can look at it before downloading.

Programs in Silicon Valley

Exploring Social Innovation (ESI)
Design-Thinking for Social Innovation (DSI)
Exploring Health Care (EHC)
American Language & Culture (ALC)

English

• ESI Spring 2019 Poster
• ESI Spring 2019 & ALC 2019 Poster

日本語

• ESI Spring 2019 & ALC 2019 Poster
• EHC 2019 Poster

Brochures

• ESI Spring 2019 Brochure
• DSI 2019 Brochure
• EHC 2019 Brochure
• ALC 2019 Brochure *early print

3. Promote the programs (and/or your info session) on social media

Smore flyers can be shared digitally using the link:

• ESI & DSI 2019 Flyer
• EHC 2019 Flyer

Make your own images for social media:

• VIA Flickr Photo Albums – You can download photos from our Flickr albums.
• Canva – This is a great platform to make quick images to share on social media.

4. Modify the PowerPoint

Download the PowerPoint and modify the slides to focus on the program(s) you want to discuss. There are notes on the slides with more information for your presentation.

Note: These PowerPoints are hosted on Google Drive. If you have trouble downloading them, please contact Melissa (melissa@viaprograms.org).

• PowerPoint file (Google Drive)
• PowerPoint file (DropBox)

5. Become an Expert

Check out the program pages and read through the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) – this will help you answer many of the questions info session attendees ask.

• American Language & Culture FAQ Page
  
• Social Innovation Programs FAQ Page
• Medical Programs FAQ Page

Brush up on your presentation skills by reviewing this presentation guidebook:

• Sharing Your VIA Experience

6. Document Your Session

If possible, take some photos at your info session. This is easier and more fun if you are hosting the info session with several other people. Contact the program director after the event and let them know how it went (this can be done via Skype or in an email). Here are some things we like to know about the info sessions:

• How many people came?
• How did it go? What were the highlights and challenges for you?
• Were there any questions you couldn’t answer?
• Did you hear any concerns from the attendees about the program (timing is difficult, cost is too high, etc)?
• Contact information for anyone at the school or organization who helped you set up the event – we would like to thank them for helping!
• Do you have any tips for other alumni, program coordinators, or fellows who host their own info sessions?
• Is there anything VIA could do to better support info sessions led by alumni, program coordinators, or fellows?