If you cannot view this poll click here.
And here are the results from the last poll.
TuesTally: Professional Organizations
May 18th, 2010 | Posted by in Poll | Professional Organizations - (0 Comments)Confessions of a Twitter Newbie
April 7th, 2010 | Posted by in #sachat | Professional Organizations | Social Networks | Web/Tech - (0 Comments)Now that I truly feel like Twitter and I can change our Facebook status to “In a Relationship,” I can come clean.
I, @cindykane, once thought Twitter would be a waste of time.
There, I said it. I struggled, resisted, complained, and even frowned once or twice at the thought of introducing yet one more social media tool into my life. I was a frequent Facebooker and liked it that way and could not imagine why in the world the universe needed to hear from me through Facebook, through this blog site and now through Twitter. I thought to myself, “who the heck would read my tweets and who the heck has time to spend on this anyway?” Well, a quick purge of Facebook applications found some time available and I can still hold my head up high even without a Farm in Farmville. Regarding why the heck anyone would read my tweets, I’ll keep that one rhetorical for fear of inspiring “unfollowership.”
I had a few choices to make regarding my lack of love for Twitter. I could have just ignored it, but for some reason it just wouldn’t go away. I could have just decided to stay in my safe little Facebook friend circle and happily tended to my farm. However, that wasn’t doing much for me in the name of stepping outside of “my circle” and I’m really not a fan of sitting by the sidelines and not getting involved. (ok, I’m Director of Student Involvement on campus…this works). So, there was no choice. I jumped in and figured it out.
Right when I got started:
- I took recommendations from friends about people to follow who “use it well.” I didn’t define what that meant because I didn’t really know. I just let my friends show me who was sharing good things.
- I didn’t follow celebrities. Granted, I follow them now… but at first I stayed away. Yes, Ashton Kucher (I’m sure he is an avid follower of this blog!) I am the one follower you didn’t have.
- I didn’t tweet much. I still was trying to figure out what to put out there. Using the cocktail party analogy, I just sat in the corner for a while and did some “people watching.”
While I started my “figure out Twitter” project, I also read Tara Hunt’s book The Whuffie Factor. These two forces aligned for me in a way that I finally understood social media and why I needed to figure this out. I also realized that this wasn’t just about me and my personal networking/connections with friends, it was about what ways I could take the opportunities social media presents to the world and translate it to campus and ways to reach out to students. (If you want to read more, I did a series of posts on this book starting with this post called What’s a Whuffie?)
So, after a lightning bolt of “aha” arrived into my Twitter life, I now really can’t imagine not being connected in that way. I have really found a professional network on there that I never knew existed and found a way to (economically!) challenge myself to meet new people and learn about new topics without having to travel from the comfort of my own computers. If you are still struggling to find the relevance of the world of Twitter in your life, I’m happy to offer a few stories:
- Twitter is an equalizer. I have debated some “hot topic” issues with people many years my senior in the field and have also been “schooled” by a few new professionals in the same manner. These lively discussions wouldn’t happen across a conference table because we’re all too focused on rank and politics.
- Twitter is concise. As someone known for being a tad verbose, Twitter has taught me how to hone my communication approach when needed. It’s amazing how much you can say when limited to 140 characters. The brevity of Twitter is what makes it so powerful.
- Twitter is simple. While the world of “hashtags” (don’t call it a number sign…trust me!) and “@” and the “DM” was a bit much at first, if you learn these few pieces of Twitter trivia, you are golden. That’s it. If you mastered Facebook you will find Twitter to be refreshingly simple. (and if you’re still confused, read my friend Ed Cabellon’s post called Teaching Twitter to Colleagues.)
- Twitter is a community. You get as much as you give. The main difference between Facebook and Twitter is that Facebook is a “closed” circle and Twitter is an open one. Using the cocktail party analogy again, if I just kept sitting in the corner and not saying anything then no one was going to come talk to me either. So, I jumped in and started talking. Now you can’t shut me up
This includes talking to your “friends” as well as talking to those who reach out and talk to you. - Twitter connects people in “real” ways. Some of the participants in the weekly #sachat met up at the NACA, ACUI, NASPA and ACPA conventions this year. I was a bit apprehensive about what these “tweetups” would be like but I know for darned sure that I wanted to check these folks out in person! What I learned was that while we were meeting for the first time, we already knew each other. You got the chance to skip the small talk and just pick right up “where you left off” to the tune of the last 140 characters you may have read from that person.
I confess, I had no idea what to expect when I met up with a group of student affairs people I had been writing in short sentences to since October 2009 in #sachat and beyond. What I found was a group of outgoing, hilarious, friendly, accepting people that were even more dynamic in person than they seemed online. In the wise words of Teri Bump, “you tweet who you are.” These people were the real deal and I easily could have spent my entire ACPA with them and not gotten enough time.
So, what are you waiting for? If you need some encouragement to climb on board just post a comment and I’m happy to help. As I recently learned, there’s an entire professional network out there just waiting for new participants and you just need to be yourself. Take it from me. The only way to figure it out is to just jump in!
Confessions of a Conference Chair
November 24th, 2009 | Posted by in Conferences | Professional Organizations - (0 Comments)OK, I'll admit it: it was better than I thought it would be! The goal of organizing my own professional conference was built up in my head for the last 10 years, but living it last weekend far exceeded all that I had imagined (and there are few things in my life that have lived up to the picture that I had painted in my own head!)
Sunday ended the best professional experience I have had so far, chairing a Regional Conference for the Association of College Unions International (ACUI). It was the Region's 60th Anniversary as well, so there were added expectations to deliver a quality conference for our 225 delegates (including 32 International delegates from Ireland, the UK, and Qatar) that joined us at Eastern Connecticut State University. As I spoke at the closing brunch on Sunday, I shared three things that I learned through my experience:
1. See Obstacles As Opportunities
As we began the planning process back in February, our world was in the midst of an economic meltdown. There was a sense of uncertainty, doubt, and fear that very few people could come to our conference. This was further fueled by the other ACUI regions experiencing downturns in conference registrations as well as sister Associations going through similar financial challenges. However, we remained focused, came up with creative solutions, and used our obstacles to create opportunities. We focused on our shared vision, made personal contacts, and were able to get a fantastic turnout. How do you and your students turn obstacles into opportunities?
2. You're Only As Good As The People Around You
I was truly blessed to be surrounded by an amazing group of 22 professionals and 2 graduate students who came together and created a shared, exciting vision. It was the largest Conference Planning Team ACUI Region 1 ever had, and some people questioned whether it would be effective. With each meeting, they challenged the status-quo and thought BEYOND the box. We complimented each other well, and it was their creativity, energy, and commitment that made the conference happen.
3. Success Favors the Prepared (and Opened) Mind
Steve Uzzell quoted Louis Pasteur during his opening keynote and it made me reflect on how our success didn't just come from preparation, but from opening our minds to new possibilities. Without an open mind, preparation alone won't yield success. For me, the best way to open my mind was to LET GO of control and let the them run with their ideas and support them anyway I could. As someone who is a natural "do-er", this was my biggest challenge, but I learned so much more about myself when I just let go and trust their hard work. As SA professionals, it is important to keep your mind opened to new possibilities and not get stuck doing the same thing over and over.
In the spirit of the holiday, I am extremely thankful for having had this opportunity. I am a better professional today because of it and hope that you find this type of experience at least once in your Student Affairs career!
The Value of State & Regional Professional Associations
October 27th, 2009 | Posted by in Conferences | Professional Organizations - (0 Comments)I’ve had my fair share of memberships to national
professional associations in my four+ years in student affairs, namely ACPA and
ACUHO-I. I’ve had the privilege to
attend the national meeting of both organizations at least once. Although I value what the national orgs
do for our profession (especially publications and job placement), I must confess that at the moment I’m getting more
professional development from my state association, WCPA. Many of my colleagues belong to
UMR-ACUHO, and likely feel the same way.
Why I ♥ My State
Professional Association
No membership fee. Yes, I know this is not a benefit that comes with many
associations, but our state association eliminated the membership fee about a
year ago. However, most
state/regional associations have membership fees that are significantly lower
than national associations.
Shared experience. Most of the people in the association can immediately relate
with my professional experience, and I with theirs. We all have similar types of students, are working under the
same state budget (those of us in public institutions, anyway), and are
impacted by the same local events.
Small, powerful network of professionals. The membership to my state association
is currently a little over 300.
Although that pales in comparison to the thousands of people that belong
to national organizations, it’s a powerful group for me. Should I try to get a job at any other
institution in this state, knowing just a few of those 300 may help me get my
foot in the door.
Involvement opportunities. It took me approximately 30 seconds to
join the Professional Development Commission; all I had to do was walk into the
meeting. Some of my
colleagues have been on the Executive Board since they were in grad school or
their first entry-level position.
All it takes to become a leader in this association is to announce that
you’re willing.
Easy-to-attend conferences. The conference is short (2 days) and
held in a central location each year.
Also, it’s affordable.
Registration was $150, which included 4 meals, and hotel rooms were well
under $100 per night. The yearly
Professional Development Institute is always at a campus within driving
distance; this year it’s on my campus.
That sure makes me likely to attend.
Positive, engaging membership. This year I presented at the conference
for the first time, and I met a number of grad students and professionals eager
to talk about my area of interest.
They provided lots of positive feedback, and ideas I could bring back to
my campus.
Are you a member of a state/regional association? What types of experiences have you had? How has it compared to your experience
with national associations?
April is the cruelest month
March 23rd, 2009 | Posted by in Professional Organizations | SA Job Listings - (0 Comments)“April is the Cruelest Month”-T.S. Eliot
Interview Etiquette
Every April, as interview and placement season gets into full swing,
candidates brush up their resumes and cover letters, practice their talking points, and dig into the position listings, while those of us on
the hiring side of the table are busy again trying to figure out how to clear
our calendars and put our game faces on, as we settle in for yet another flurry
of dark suits, and shined shoes, filled by candidates eager to impress. It's a whirl of activity, no matter which side of the table you sit on, and at times, you get lost in it. It's important, though, that when you do, you don't forget your manners.
Having been on the interviewer side of the table somewhere
in the neighborhood of a thousand times, I’ve seen many approaches to the
interview, both good and bad. Over the
past few years, though, I have noticed more lapses in candidate etiquette. The
following article from the Vault, a respected job search site, shows that other
employers are having this impression as well.
http://www.vault.com/surveys/manners/index.jsp
Having flubbed several interviews in my lifetime, I know
what it is like to be on that end of the equation as well, so I’d like to offer
some good links to articles about interview etiquette. Good luck with interview
season!
General Interview Etiquette:
http://www.getahead-direct.com/gwin08-interview-etiquette.htm
Dining Etiquette:
http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/interviews/a/interviewdining.htm
What advice could you offer today’s candidates on how to be
successful in their interviews? Please consider sharing your perspectives by
commenting on this post.
Experiential Opportunities? Think domestic. Think NSE.
March 15th, 2009 | Posted by in Announcements | Collaborative Learning | Diversity | Professional Organizations | University - (0 Comments)Increasing interdisciplinary and experiential learning opportunities is a subset of our university's strategic plan for strengthening undergraduate education and student success. Something similar can likely be found in your school's mission statement as well. Study abroad experiences have long been a method for achieving this goal. But with the value of the dollar struggling against major currencies, affordable study abroad opportunities are becoming a challenge for many students. Need an alternative? Consider National Student Exchange.
National Student Exchange (NSE) is a not-for-profit, membership consortium of four-year public and private colleges and universities in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Canada which have joined together for exchanging students and sharing educational resources. As the only program of its kind offering tuition reciprocity across the United States and Canada, NSE is a valuable resource for expansive course and program exchanges, inter-institutional studies, field experiences, co-op, and internships.
Students on NSE find intellectual and personal growth in new academic and geographic settings. With 200 NSE exchange sites available in 48 states, U.S. Territories, and Canada, students develop a greater appreciation of people and cultures throughout the geographic area served by NSE. When you consider the great diversity found right here in the U.S. and that NSE serves a variety of special designation schools including Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Hispanic Serving Institutions, there are endless possibilities for experiential learning.
Students returning from exchange share that it takes stepping away from their comfort zone to really see their personal strengths. As a Midwest university, my students usually head to warmer climates on the east or west coasts. Their favorite exchange locations are California, Oregon, Alaska, New Mexico, and South Carolina, but our students have traveled to nearly every state since we joined the program. Students have found internship and job connections, linked to graduate studies, and taken advantage of travel throughout the country. One student found an agent while on exchange and was cast in commercials and a TV sit-com!
Incoming students to your campus also bring opportunity. They are eager to take advantage of your courses and extracurricular programs and bring a diversity of experience and background. By exposing your institution to new students in new markets, you are able to enhance your brand name among a new population of prospective students.
Our mission to provide experiential opportunities for students doesn't change during an economic downturn. National Student Exchange is an affordable way to enhance the options of your students and your institution.
NACA Sells Out Its Top Spot
September 25th, 2008 | Posted by in Professional Organizations - (0 Comments)
In the midst of ongoing legal issues over derogatory domain names with the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities and Campus Activities Magazine, the National Association of Campus Activities launched a new website to accommodate it’s growing menu of support tools related to student affairs. The reach of NACA is impressive and over the years they’ve collected a solid database of content to support student affairs professionals.
However, new sites are not always better. Beyond the confusing navigation, what bothers me the most is NACA sold their homepage top spot to a 3rd party vendor. When I visited the site for the first time, I took a double take because I thought I’d accidently mistyped the web address. Try it out yourself and tell me what you think.
I think the NACA brand is hurt by being smoothered under a massive banner ad that covers the whole page. Unless maybe the two companies formed a parternship or Fantasy World Entertainment bought NACA. Then it would all make sense.