Month: October 2018

Conference Updates

SoACE 2018 Conference: Philanthropy Project

October 19, 2018 by 1 Comment

by Rachel Wages, SoACE Conference Marketing Liaison

In a few short weeks the 2018 SoACE Annual Conference will be in Atlanta. There will be lots of hugs, handshakes, and shrills of excitement from seeing friends again. Having everyone together is great time to talk about the future and direction of our industry, learn what challenges and opportunities lie ahead, and how we can continue the great work our companies and colleges are doing. We will also have an opportunity to focus our resources and attention on a calling that will require us to come together and stay together in order to impact change. This year’s philanthropy focus will be on curing Neurofibromatosis (NF), but let’s take a few steps back. What is NF?

NF is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to form on nerve tissue anywhere in the body. The tumors are usually benign, but can sometimes become cancerous. Symptoms can sometimes be mild for some, but complications of NF can include hearing loss, learning impairment, heart problems, loss of vision, and severe pain. Treatment tends to be in the form of cancer therapies including surgery and chemotherapy. Other traditional treatments like radiation therapy do not work and in fact may exacerbate tumor growth in NF patients.  In essence, there currently is NO effective treatment or cure. For a deeper understanding of NF, I want to tell you about Jack Burke.

Jack is the 13 year old son of Jake and Beth O’Brien Burke. Jack’s dad has been part of the career development field and a member of SoACE and NACE for 25 years. Jack has NF and is probably one of the strongest children you will ever come across. Jack and his family are dedicated to building awareness around NF with the goal of curing it.CureNFwithJack will be our philanthropy focus at SoACE. During the conference, Jack is going to let us know how we can help him find a cure. Assistance can come in the form of financial support, writing letters to legislators to support national research efforts, and telling someone else about NF. Please take time to watch this video before heading to Atlanta in December. When you arrive be ready to learn more about our field, be ready to see old friends and meet new ones, and to CureNFwithJack.

Knowledge Group Updates

Get Involved in a Knowledge Group Today

October 16, 2018 by 1 Comment

by Erica Lake, Director – Targeted Knowledge Groups, SoACE Board

Have you ever needed an opinion from someone else in career services or college recruiting and didn’t have time to do formal bench marking? Or have you ever gone to a conference where you didn’t really know anyone? We’ve got an app for that. Just kidding, SoACE Knowledge Groups (KGs) are your opportunity to get involved in a community of like-minded career services and recruiting professionals. We have eight Knowledge Groups that focus on various functional areas: Career Advising, Experiential Education, Administration, Small Colleges and Universities, Assessment and Data Analytics, Employer Relations, Employers, and Technology.

Knowledge Groups gather each year at the SoACE Conference to share ideas and make professional connections, as well as to begin planning their activities for the year. Be sure to attend a Knowledge Group meeting during the annual conference.  Many of the groups host webinars and discussions on social media throughout the year about emerging topics and trends related to their group.

The KGs connect and communicate regularly using our new Slack instant messaging technology. This is a great way to ask a quick question or share resources among the group. Some of the groups even host smaller conferences specific to their area of interest, like the Employer Relations Summit and the Technology Boot Camp

Our SoACE Knowledge Groups are also a great way to begin your leadership journey with the Association. To learn more about SoACE Knowledge Groups, to join a KG, or to contact a KG Leader, visit https://www.soace.org/knowledge-groups. After you join a Knowledge Group, you will be invited to join us on Slack for instant access to SoACE members for collaboration, networking, and information sharing.

We can’t wait to connect with you!

 

Award Recipients

Alicia Smyth, 2017 President’s Award Recipient

October 12, 2018 by 1 Comment

Most of the awards presented by SoACE are received through a nomination process, vetted by committee, and then approved on by the board.  One annual award, however, is given at the sole discretion the sitting President, based upon his/her desire to recognize a member who has distinguished themselves by their service to the Association.  The President’s Award has been presented since SoACE’s founding in 2007.

During the President’s Reception at last year’s conference, Ray Rogers, the 2017-18 President, awarded Alicia Smyth with the 2017 President’s Award.  While on stage, presenting the award, Ray shared the following about Alicia:

There are many behind the scenes roles in operating a volunteer association the size and scope of SoACE.  And, so often, the people performing these roles rarely receive the public acknowledgment they deserve.  For this reason, SoACE presents a unique award each year to recognize the hard work and dedication of a deserving member.  I’d like to present this year’s President’s Award to Alicia Smyth, our Director of Communication and Marketing.

Alicia has been especially helpful in developing and advancing the association’s marketing platforms and initiatives while integrating all of our communications into well organized, timely and user-friendly content.  Alicia is responsible for the infrastructure that, when working well goes unnoticed, touches every aspect our association–whether you are a new member, seasoned professional, or hold a key leadership role.  She has not only managed this process, but made significant improvements and brought about several new marketing methods and launched robust communication platforms.  SoACE has experienced many advances over our 10-year history, but none are as visible, or complicated, as managing our communication and marketing efforts.  It is because of volunteers like Alicia that SoACE has been able to grow our services and expand our reach over the past few years.  I’m so excited to be able to present the 2017 President’s Award to Alicia.

Alicia Smyth is the Executive Director of Career Services at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. During her nearly 19 years at Embry-Riddle, Alicia has worked primarily in Career Services at the Daytona Beach campus and has also served in leadership roles with Worldwide Career Services, Prescott Career Services and University Development Services. Alicia earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Florida and a Master of Arts in Student Personnel Administration in Higher Education from the University of Central Florida. She currently serves as Director of Communications & Marketing on the SoACE Board and as Vice President of Communications for the Volusia/Flagler SHRM Board. Alicia is a former president of FloridaACE and served on the board from 2010-2018. She and her husband live in Florida with their two sons. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @asmyth_erau or connect with her on LinkedIn.