From Teaching Open Source

Template for a message for students who want to participate in one of the FOSS Mentor Projects.

[edit] Message

Dear XYZ,

Many students in Computer Science and related fields are searching for ways to hone their technical skill sets and gain development experience beyond the scope of their classrooms. For many, contributing to an Open Source software project is a great way to do both while creating a portfolio of work to share with future employers and university selection committees. Several Open Source projects across various subject areas, from gaming & multimedia to operating systems, are already prepared to welcome student contributors to their communities.

We'd like to invite you [your computer club / campus chapter / etc.] to explore the projects that have expressed interest in mentoring students to work on Open Source under the umbrella of TeachingOpenSource.org, a collaborative community working to more broadly integrate Free and Open Source software into academia. You can find more information at http://www.teachingopensource.org/index.php/FOSS_Mentor_Projects and I would personally be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

Regards, ...

PS - If you enjoy using IRC, you will also find many knowledgeable folks in #teachingopensource on Freenode. My nick is .....