If you’re shopping for or looking to receive the perfect gift, consider a student membership in NCRA. For an annual fee of $55, student memberships offer so much more than just an affiliation. Students who join NCRA while in school enjoy special registration fees, access to networking opportunities, and more.
- Mentors and resources that support the completion of school
- Access to various scholarships and grants and other financial assistance that is exclusive to NCRA members
- Three introductory certifications (RSR, RPR, and CRC) students can start while still in school
- Subscription to the JCR magazine and JCR Weekly
- Members-only discounts on office supplies, entertainment tickets, hotel stays, and more through the NCRA Member Savings Program
- Members-only discounted group insurance programs through Mercer
- Special student pricing to networking and educational events at the NCRA Conference & Expo
In addition, lower first-year and second-year membership rates apply for students who roll over their membership to participating or registered status.
“My school, South Coast College (Orange, Calif.) encouraged me to join NCRA. Getting the opportunity to meet the former president Sue Terry and current president Max Curry really inspired me to enter the workforce as an active participant on two NCRA committees,” said Molly Cooper, RPR, who serves on the Association’s New Professionals Committee and the 2019-2020 Brand Ambassadors Sub-Council.
Cooper said that one of the greatest benefits of her membership in NCRA as a student was the ability to earn her Registered Professional Reporter (RPR) while still a student and while waiting for her state certifications results.
“This profession often keeps us on little editing islands, so I’d recommend getting involved early and often to students. The connections and mentors that I started making as a student have been invaluable in guiding me through the transition from student to professional these past six months,” Cooper said.
“In addition to the personal connections, it is a great way to stay informed and up to date on everything that is happening in our profession. Lastly, earning the RPR certification can help students build test taking confidence,” she added.
Cooper currently works as a freelance deposition court reporter in the Orange County and Los Angeles County areas of California. She said she first heard about the profession while studying linguistics at the University of California, Santa Cruz, but that it wasn’t until years later that she shifted her professional focus to becoming a stenographer when a paralegal acquaintance suggested it would be a good fit.
Whether it is holiday giving or a birthday celebration, giving the gift of membership in NCRA to a court reporting student provides so much.
For more information about NCRA student membership, email membership@ncra.org or visit NCRA.org.
