Get Involved - Frequently Asked Questions
- How Do I Get Involved?
- I’m interested in presenting a workshop. How do I get involved?
- I’m interested in Exhibiting next year. How do I get involved?
- What is your policy on solicitation during the workshops?
- How is the Keynote Speaker chosen?
- How do you keep the cost of the conference down?
- What is the difference between the DWC Board and the Steering Committee?
- Who are the Founding Sponsors and why are they given that name?
- Can anyone exhibit or present at the conference?
How Do I Get Involved?
The DWC is a volunteer run organization. It is easy to get involved by emailing conference administrators. Each April the steering committee is established and work begins on developing the next year’s conference. There are several committees that work on the conference and you can pick the best committee to fit your strengths and time constraints. There are big jobs and little jobs all throughout the year.
I’m interested in presenting a workshop. How do I get involved?
Workshop presenters volunteer their time and resources to be a part of the conference. They are a big part of the reason women come to the conference. The workshop presenters are determined and selected by the Programs Committee. Individuals who are interested in presenting can contact the program committee chair by email with a topic suggestion. The Program Committee will contact you about your topic.
I’m interested in Exhibiting. How do I get involved?
The exhibitors are determined and selected by the Exhibits Committee. Individuals or organizations interested in exhibiting should email conference administrators.
What is your policy on solicitation during the workshops?
The program Committee works hard to ensure that workshops are educational in nature. It is our hope that workshop presenters provide information about their topic in a generic way that does not solicit business. It is appropriate however to provide contact information as part of the material distributed.
How is the Keynote Speaker chosen?
About 18-24 months before each conference, the Conference Chair Elect begins her thinking about the theme and message for the conference. Working with the Board and a talent organization, several speakers are identified. Based on the amount of funding available and with input from the current committees and Board, the speakers are narrowed down and one is selected.
How do you keep the cost of the conference down?
There are several strategies we use to keep costs down. First is the judicious spending by committees. Each year a budget is put in place that is followed as best as possible. Second, we try to attract sponsors who offset the conference costs. Third, exhibitors pay for the space they use at the conference and this offsets some of the conference costs. Be sure to thank them for being there and tell them you found out about them at the conference if you can. Lastly, many individuals and organizations provide in-kind services such as copying, mailing, marketing to members of their organization, making phone calls etc. Let us know if you’d like to help out as well. Please consider making a contribution.
What is the difference between the DWC Board and the Steering Committee?
The Board is the over arching policy making body of the conference. It is involved with making sure the conference is financially viable and that the conference stays true to the mission and goals. It also ensures that conference policies are followed. Members of the Board can serve for up to two consecutive terms of three years. The Board is made up of representatives from the Founding Sponsor organizations and members at large.
The Steering Committee is responsible for creating and implementing the conference. It is made up of Committee Chairs who are responsible for all aspects of the conference. There are some committee members who have been involved over several years and have started out as committee members, then chairs and eventually even the conference chair. There are some who jump in feet first wanting a new challenge and take on a committee chair as their first volunteer effort for the conference.
Who are the Founding Sponsors and why are they given that name?
The Founding Sponsors were the organizations that worked together at the inception in 1984 to create a conference that would provide a safe place for women to learn and grow, develop networks and build leadership skills in order to improve their world around them. The Founding Sponsors are the Delaware Commission for Women, Junior League of Wilmington, Wilmington Women in Business and the YWCA of New Castle County.
Can anyone exhibit or present at the conference?
Exhibitor space is allocated on a first come first served basis.
It is also the policy of the DWC to provide a safe learning environment for attendees and, therefore, we expect appropriate behavior by the exhibitors, presenters and attendees. If numerous complaints are received about a presenter or exhibitor or attendee, the board will review the information, contact the persons involved and inform them that they will not be invited back in the future.
Lastly, if a person or organization is delinquent in paying the fees for the conference, the Board reserves the right to review the case, contact the persons involved, collect the fees, and inform them that they will not be invited back in the future.
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