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Welcome to the very first post of the SoACE Connections blog! I am honored to be the contributing author for this post. To get us rolling, I think it would be helpful for you, the SoACE membership, to know how we arrived at this point and how your voice was included.The idea of having a SoACE blog grew from the most recent marketing survey taking place during the fall of 2014. Of the 91 respondents, 44% of SoACE members indicated interest in reading a SoACE blog; 22% did not want to read a SoACE blog, and 34% were indifferent.
The SoACE Marketing Committee and I then took this information into consideration and thought about the possibilities of blogging as well as the impact it would have on our current workload. Needing more information, we looked to one of our sister organizations, EACE, for suggestions. The EACE blog provides a wonderful example of how this web technology can be used to share information and resources among members. We thank EACE for their guidance in helping us get moving with our SoACE blog. After compiling and reviewing our research, we decided that yes, a blog would be something SoACE could use to grow into the future.
As the Director of External Relations and Communications, one of my goals is to increase transparency for the various committees as well as the SoACE Board. As SoACE continues to grow, we, as members, need to know what is happening in each arm of the organization, and that’s one way this blog will serve our organization well. The title for our blog, SoACE Connections, is very fitting because this space will serve to connect each member and committee of our organization with every other member or committee through the sharing of information and ideas.
My fellow board members know that I believe in promoting a culture of access. To me, a culture of access is one in which each member has an equal opportunity to get involved, to grow personally and professionally within the organization, and to contribute to the future direction of SoACE in a meaningful way. Without a doubt, this culture already exists, and our new blog will ensure that it continues to thrive. Look forward to postings about coming events, new ideas, best practices, trending issues, and new directions for SoACE. As we are all connected through SoACE, let us take advantage of that relationship to grow and learn from each other to become the best versions of ourselves.
Finally, I would like to recognize our editor, Meaghan Weir at Auburn University, for taking this blog from an idea to a reality. Once the Marketing Committee decided to create a blog, Meaghan volunteered to manage the project, and she has been moving forward at a great pace ever since. Thank you, Meaghan, for your contributions to the continued success of SoACE.
Best,
Charlie Wilder
Director of External Relations and Communications
Mississippi State University Career Center
Charlie Wilder currently serves at the Mississippi State University Career Center. His current function is to coordinate full-time placement for students in the Bagley College of Engineering. Charlie earned BS and MS degrees in counseling from Mississippi State and is currently pursuing a PhD in Instructional Systems and Workforce Development.