The Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM) is a professional conference/academic conference for statisticians held annually every year since 1840 (usually in August). Billed as "the largest gathering of statisticians held in North America", JSM has attracted over 5000 participants in recent years. JSM consists not only of invited, topic-contributed, and contributed technical sessions, but also poster presentations, roundtable discussions, professional development courses and workshops, award ceremonies, and countless other meetings and activities. Each year at JSM, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Department of Statistics holds the Alumni and Friends Reception to bring together students, faculty and alumni that are in attendance at JSM.