Month: November 2018

Letters from the President

Letter from the President: Mark Colvenbach

November 16, 2018 by 0 Comments

The holiday season is a wonderful time to reflect on family, friends and the many blessings from the past year. It also marks the countdown to the Annual SoACE Conference taking place this December in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference committee has put a tremendous program together full of best practice breakout sessions, engaging keynotes and numerous opportunities to network with new and old friends. The coinciding social events will showcase the great city of Atlanta and provide a platform to continue the dialogue that is sure to ensue throughout the conference. We look forward to seeing so many of our members soon.

As the Fall semester winds down and Spring planning begins, I want to challenge SoACE members to try something new…even if it’s just a slight variation on something from the recent past.  It’s critical for our professional mission to continually seek new and diverse opportunities to meet the ever-changing needs of our students and key stakeholders. By engaging colleagues at the conference and throughout the year, you create an opportunity to find that extra “nugget” that may take your program to the next level. As a member, you have 24/7 access to like-minded professionals via the Knowledge Groups (KGs), frequent webinars, resources to serve diverse student populations and more.

At many of our organizations, the time is now for our profession to take that next step. Career Services and Talent Management are at an all-time high on the priority lists of many leaders. The more we embrace our critical roles, the more success it will ultimately lead to for our students; especially as career readiness and competency development envelops campuses and the world of work. I am confident SoACE, in strong collaboration with our state associations and consortia, is positioned to deliver the relevant content and best practice sharing that will help you achieve your ultimate success. Your SoACE “Family” wishes you all the best this holiday season and beyond.

Happy Holidays,

Mark

Conference Updates

Top 10 Things to Expect at the #SoACE18 Conference!

November 13, 2018 by 0 Comments

by Tim Harding and Kim Billeaudeau, 2018 SoACE Annual Conference Chair and Co-Chair

Are you excited for the upcoming Atlanta conference?  We are looking forward to an engaging and information packed conference that is focused on the theme:  Activate. Transform. Lead.

Here are 10 things to expect at this year’s conference.

1. Lots of Networking – SoACE is a great opportunity to meet new colleagues and reconnect with old ones.  Bring lots of business cards and be open to making new friends.

2. Great programs – We have tons of amazing breakout sessions planned for attendees this year.  This is a great way to learn about best practices within our field and apply them to our offices.  Be sure to check out the listing ahead of time to decide which sessions you’d like to attend.

3. Fun – In addition to all of the professional development opportunities, SoACE is a lot of fun.  Our members love what they do and have fun doing it.

4. Opportunities to be active – Make sure you pack your exercise gear!  There are a number of activities planned to keep you active during the conference.  Participate in the low impact aerobics on Monday morning and/or the fun run on Tuesday morning.

5. Volunteer – You have several ways to help out with the conference.  You can serve as a breakout room host, assist with guiding individuals to the Tuesday night reception, and/or collect tickets at the start of various conference events.  If you are interested in volunteering, please sign up here.

6. Chance to give back (through philanthropic initiative) – Each year, we attempt to connect with a local organization in our conference host city to help with their efforts.  This year, we are focusing on a local family and one that is a part of our professional community. Skill Survey’s Jake Burke is fighting for a cure for Neurofibromatosis (NF), which has affected his son, Jack. NF is a genetic disorder. Jake and Jack will both be with us in Atlanta to help raise awareness and donations to fight this disease. Please consider donating to this organization by clicking http://curenfwithjack.com/Jack.

7. Great exhibitors – We have some great exhibitors as a part of the conference this year.  Make sure you stop by the exhibitor booths to learn more about their services and how they can make your operations more efficient.  Be sure to also tell them “thanks”. Exhibitors help keep the conference costs lowered, so our offices can have affordable access to this annual conference.

8. A great city to explore – Atlanta is a vibrant city with much to offer.

9. President’s Reception – Join us for a “Peaches and Blues” themed reception on Sunday night.  This is a fun event to welcome you to Atlanta. Show off your institutional spirit by wearing branded clothes from your workplace.

10. Tuesday Evening Event – Get ready for an unforgettable Tuesday evening event, “A Night at the Museum”.  We will be kicking up our heels to some amazing music and enjoying a delicious meal at the Fernbank National History Museum. The attire is relaxed cocktail or Hotlanta Red!!!

What are you excited the most about?  Looking forward to seeing everyone in Atlanta!

Award Recipients

Kristin Walker Presented with 2018 Spelman Johnson Rising Star Award at NACE Conference

November 9, 2018 by 0 Comments

At the NACE Annual Conference in New Orleans this June, Kristin Walker from Clemson University was presented with the Spelman Johnson Rising Star Award. This award, which is accompanied by a monetary prize and trophy, recognizes one individual each year who has demonstrated strong leadership potential and has contributed to both the career services profession and NACE.

According to a Clemson media release by Philip Sikes, in addition to the NACE award, “Walker has received numerous accolades for her work as CCPD’s associate director for analytics and initiatives. She received the Women in Higher Education Achievement Award from the National Panhellenic Council in September 2017, was elected to the board for the Southern Association of College Student Affairs in November and was named one of the employees of the year in the Division of Student Affairs in December. In February 2018, she received an Award for Excellence from the Clemson University board of trustees.”

This year has been a humbling one I will cherish. To be recognized by NACE absolutely took me by surprise. You don’t get involved to be recognized; you get involved in hopes of giving back and making a difference that will ultimately benefit all students. I only hope to be able to continue to give back to our profession.

I have the best colleagues within CCPD, Academic Affairs and Student Affairs,” she said. “What is really catching national attention is how departments at Clemson are embracing the core competencies and integrating them into the already great work being done. This award is about Clemson leading the conversation and being a rising star.

Kristin played an integral role in the development of a symposium focused on taking a career competency initiative institution-wide. In 2017, there were 60 institutions and organizations in attendance with over 180 individual attendees, and in its second year over 90 institutions and organizations attended with over 220 individual attendees. The Competency Symposium Planning Team is excited to host this year’s symposium at The Ohio State University on May 20 and 21, 2019. In June 2017, Kristin helped facilitate an abbreviated program for attendees of the annual Florida Association of Colleges and Employers Conference and will be co-presenting a pre-conference session at SoACE with Tim Harding.

In August 2018, Kristin transitioned from her role as the Associate Director of Analytics and Initiatives to the Director of Assessment and supporting Clemson University’s division of student affairs and its 22 departments. Kristin has 15 years of experience in education, career services, and fraternity/sorority life. She earned her B.S. in English from Radford University, and her M.Ed. in Counselor Education and Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from Clemson University. Before focusing on assessment, she worked in Clemson’s #1 2018 Princeton Review Ranked, Center for Career and Professional Development where she coordinated its competency initiative and assessment while overseeing the areas of graduate programs, off-campus internships, and social media. Kristin teaches in Clemson’s masters and doctoral programs and has been a volunteer and board member of her sorority, Alpha Sigma Tau.  She currently serves as the Vice President for Marketing and Outreach for SACSA and as the Knowledge Group Chair for Assessment and Data Analytics for SoACE. Through her professional and volunteer roles, Kristin has traveled to and worked with students at over 40 college campuses. Her research interests include career development, fraternity/sorority life, and STEM education.  She has co-authored a chapter in the book Multiculturalism on Campus: Theory, Models, and Practices for Understanding Diversity and Creating Inclusion, and is co-editing a volume of New Directions in Student Services on career transitions for student affairs practitioners.