by SoACE 2019 was a very special experience for me, one that I may not have gotten the chance to enjoy if not for the professional development scholarship. This scholarship was valuable for me in many ways. As a member of a few different SoACE committees at the time of my application, it was exciting to know this was a possibility for me to meet all the fabulous people I had been collaborating with on the D&I and Social Media Committee. SoACE was the conference where I networked as a graduate student and those connections helped me land my first full time job.
Did you have any aha moments during your professional development experience? If so, what were they?
If you ever get the pleasure of attending SoACE, do more than simply attending the conference sessions. My most memorable experience was volunteering at the Diversity & Inclusion mixer at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, now a civil rights museum in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It was a beautiful, harrowing, and immersive monument to all the progress that has occurred for civil rights in America and inspired everyone there to contribute to the non-stop work and advocacy still needed for us to build an equitable nation.
Being in this space amongst colleagues reminded me why it’s so valuable to be an educator and to continue pushing our peers and students to become engaged, global citizens.
What are some tangible takeaways from your professional development opportunity that you brought back to campus with you?
I particularly enjoyed attending the pre-conference session for Emerging Leaders as it was my first of many refreshing reminders of why I entered higher education and how I can clarify and enact the impact I want to contribute to my team and my university. I had the honor of presenting at the 5@5 Career Advising panel, marking my first ever presentation at the regional conference level which led to many great conversations about public speaking and professional development.
Additionally, I applied to this with hope that with would help me realign my values and goals as an emerging professional, and winning the New Professional Award was the cherry on top of an energy-filled, intellectual week. I gathered a lot of great information specifically for career exploration, online student engagement, and accessibility that I am excited to see incorporated as my department has begun to create virtual resources in screen-reader formats. SoACE has left me refreshed and ready to spearhead more positive change as an advocate for my students. This conference was incredibly valuable and memorable as I got the chance to build new relationships, engage in intellectual conversations, and gained clarity for my own career trajectory through reflection and support of my peers.
Find more information about SoACE Professional Development Scholarships here. Apply for a Professional Development Scholarship by February 28th, 2020.
