From March 26 till 28, Stony Brook University will open itsdoors to I-CON 23, an annual ‘three day festival designed toencourage literacy, creativity, and interest in science andtechnology through science fiction and its related genres’will take place.

But I-CON is much more than just a weekend of games and movies.By hosting such a convention, Stony Brook University is placed inthe company of prestigious universities such as Smith, UMass,Amherst, Vassar, Princeton, SUNY Geneseo, and Harvard.

These student-run events are indicators of the presence ofvibrant intellectual populations, capable not only of the creativepursuits of such a convention, but of the financial, organizationaland management skills required to successfully host an event ofthis proportion.

I-CON allows undergraduate students the unique opportunity toparticipate in the planning and execution of a major event,providing valuable professional experience in addition toentertainment and educational aspects.

I-CON is valuable for recruitment by bringing prospectivestudents from high schools, community colleges, and otheruniversities. Through events like I-CON, these students are able tosee the extent of activities available to them at Stony Brook.I-CON also presents students with a full schedule of weekendactivities that provide an alternative to leaving campus for theweekend. I-CON is seeking student volunteers; visit their websiteat www.iconsf.org for information about volunteering or attendingthe convention.