Frequently Asked Questions
What are the date and location of the 2009 HBCU-UP Conference?
Date: Oct. 29 – Nov. 1, 2009
Location:
Renaissance Washington Hotel
999 Ninth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
Why should I attend the HBCU-UP National Research Conference?
One of the things you’ll learn repeatedly during your time at the HBCU-UP National Research Conference is the value of the people you’ll meet — your network. Workshop attendees will include undergraduate and graduate students and faculty from
across the country, as well as representatives from graduate schools and leading businesses. The Conference provides a perfect opportunity to connect with these colleagues, associates, and staff to broaden your network. The Conference will also provide valuable information about graduate school internships, job opportunities, research, and tools for maximizing your academic
experience.
How do I prepare for the HBCU-UP National Research Conference?
Hundreds of people will attend this 4-day Conference in Washington, DC. To make a lasting impression on graduate
school representatives or potential employers, have ample copies of your resume available to distribute. The resume should be no longer than 1 page and should contain the following information:
- Your name
- Current contact information
- Email address
- Relevant courses and internships
- Work experience
Why do I need to register?
We ask students to register so that we can can anticipate, and plan for, the total number of participants at the Conference. Registration ensures that we have an adequate number of chairs, meals, pamphlets, etc., for Conference participants. Please register only if you plan to attend the event. If you register and then do not attend, you prevent other students from benefiting from the Conference.
I’m an undergraduate. How will this conference help me?
The workshops at the Conference are designed to deliver insights and skills to students who don’t necessarily need job-seeking advice, but who want to learn more about their discipline or improve their undergraduate skills. The HBCU-UP Conference offers panel discussions and workshops on graduate school, covering topics such as trends in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) research, decision-making at the undergraduate level, and new developments of interest to all students. Students from a variety of disciplines have expressed interest in learning about careers that intersect with their fields of study. While providing very practical career information to undergraduates, the HBCU-UP Conference experience can inform the activities and studies that you pursue during your time at college. Even if you’re about to graduate, the HBCU-UP Conference can help build a concrete set of skills and frameworks with which to approach “the real world.”
I’m a graduate student. How will this conference help me?
There are a growing number of “business” careers and positions that demand research and technical skills. Not only does the HBCU-UP Conference offer a specific workshop on leveraging your undergraduate degree, but almost all of the Conference panels and workshops relate to you and the way that your academic major intersects with the world of business. Graduate students from many disciplines will benefit from the Conference. Graduate students who already have practical business experience can still gain from the panels and workshops within or outside their foundation of experience.
What is the recommended dress code?
We recommend that participants dress in business attire for the exhibits, poster and oral presentations, concurrent student sessions, and the awards banquet. Business casual attire is suggested for other Conference activities. Average October temperatures for Washington, DC, are as follows: Average High 73 °F; Average Low 53 °F.