Abstract :
It seems like just yesterday when I was attending my first IEEE event and received encouragement to participate in volunteer activities in our professional organization. I arrived unable to think of anything else but my upcoming technical presentation to such an august audience and left a member of a technical committee. Sometimes, a few words or a specific program aimed at younger professionals can have a lasting influence. Still, getting involved in the broader engineering community can be a challenge for our younger colleagues. Conversely, institutions never do enough to help them get the welcome and guidance they may need.
