2011 ASLA Conference

Kelly, I suspect from your comments that you may also not be an active member of ASLA, so if this is not true, please fast forward…I think your dilemma is certainly going to be more common, but what is not common is your dedication to staying involved with ASLA, when you can hardly afford it. For that, I think many within ASLA would commend you. I’m going to suggest an idea that perhaps your local chapter could consider to assist you, and it likely will take some legwork by you to see it through…I would hope that others in the chapter might see the merit in this and perhaps this can perpetuate into the future.

I would consider approaching local (and maybe not-so-local) industry vendors with the idea of establishing sponsored scholarships for ASLA memberships and annual conference registrations. I think the qualification for recipients would require service within the chapter, or maybe as an industry liaison between their company and the chapter…somehow the professional should gain from the experience within the chapter or with the efforts of building relationships between the company and the members.

Times like these cause many to consider non-traditional ways of being involved in the industry, and I will always attest that any industry experience is valuable to your professional development.

Hope this helps…and that we see you in the chapter and at the annual meeting.

For a cheap place to stay, there is a hostel in the Little Italy of SD.  There is also a cheap hotel geared more towards young people & students.  You need to bring your own sheets!  There is no daily cleaning.  Can’t recall the name.  Both are within walking distance of the convention center, and a short cab ride from the airport.